From Accounting to Missions

We were not what I thought was a typical missionary.

I never once saw an accountant get up and talk about the work God was doing through them amongst the nations. It was always the Bible translators, the church planters, the marginalized workers, digging wells, all the kind of typical stuff. But that wasn’t me. So I said, “I guess I can’t go. I guess missions is not for me.”

The first thing we did was quit our jobs and start raising support. We did what we thought was the natural thing to do. Quit our jobs and raise support.

We had a real heart for the Muslim world. We were wondering where there could be an alignment between our professional skills, our passion for people, and engaging in natural, normal ways with those from a background.

Leaving the field after 15 years

After being 15 years in a particular place doing a particular work, your identity becomes very much wrapped up into what you do, where you are.

After moving back to my home country, he was like OK. Who am I now? How do I tell people who I am?

Why quit your job?

I had no idea that I could use my professional skills in ministry.

I came across a group that was saying, “Why quit your job?” Why not find a job in another country in a place where you can continue to use your skills and experience, grow your career that God has given you, and make a difference for His namesake in the marketplace there?

A marketplace worker is a Jesus follower who is intentionally working in the marketplace, using their skills and profession, to glorify God, and to share the gospel of those around them.

Misunderstanding Marketplace workers

As much as I loved working with this particular team in Eastern Europe, I was working with believers all day.

One of the advantages of being an intentional marketplace worker is access. You have a legitimate reason to be where you are.

We are meant to live all of life on mission for the Lord.

Working for the Glory of God

Work is good and was given to Adam and Eve before the fall. It’s not a result of sin, but it has been tainted and corrupted by sin. So work is painful, and toil is difficult, and it’s not what it was meant to be.

There’s a sense that God has put in each of us this innate desire and need to work.

SHAPE

1. Spiritual Gifts
2. Heart
3. Ability
4. Personality
5. Experience

When you talk about your personal brand, it’s really all about how you can serve others.

Being an intentional marketplace worker is not something that happens to you when you jump on a plane and go to a foreign country, it should happen right where you are right now.

Missionaries having fun

It’s really important to have a hobby. It’s really important to have an outlet.

What are the questions we don’t ask ourselves is why is there so much good in the world? And we need to celebrate that because anything good is from our Father.

One of the benefits of engaging in these fun activities is something called “stacking.“

We had what we affectionately called Forced Family Fun Night.” You’re gonna have fun no matter what.

I would divide my day up into thirds and have two of them for work and one of them for family and for yourself.

Staying spiritually healthy

A lot of spiritual health goes back to relationships, we are created for relationship with others and we need that support and help and to know that we’re not alone.

We have a small team of people that we can rely upon to share more personal challenges and needs that we probably wouldn’t share in a newsletter.

Sometimes I’m so encouraged by other exes, who are struggling with the same thing, I’m like oh really, do you have that problem too? Oh really don’t understand why they do that either? I’m so glad I’m not the only one.

Changing you mind

It’s so beautiful to see others worship Jesus in a culturally relevant way.

Arabs are closer to Jesus culturally than I am as a Western. A lot of the cultural stuff that goes over our heads, they get it.