What are the Most Important Qualities in a Missionary?

This article was first published in French at TPSG.

While I was on a short-term mission trip in Ethiopia, our team leader Rick asked our hosting missionary this question. I expected his answer to consist of elements of personal piety such as devotion to prayer, a love for the Scripture, or a heart for the lost. His answer, therefore, came as a surprise to me. Without batting an eye, veteran missionary Tim declared “What are the most important qualities in a missionary? Flexibility and a sense of humour.”

If this answer surprises you as much as it surprised me, allow me to explain. Over the years, I’ve come to understand just how insightful Tim’s answer was. And to be clear, he was not suggesting that godly character and theological training are unimportant. But these are required of any believer, and in particular of any Christian leader or vocational worker. But the necessity of these qualities in a missionary lies in his/her unique calling to work cross-culturally. 

A Missionary's Unique Calling

When we traverse cultural and linguistic borders to take the gospel to the nations, we must willingly submit ourselves to the norms that govern our host culture. During the adaptation process, we may find ourselves thinking or even saying aloud, “Why do they do things this way? If only they did things the way we do back home!” This posture, however, only breeds discontentment and can easily lead to pride which, if left unchecked, will become evident to the nationals we interact with. 

Jesus the Missionary

During his incarnation, our Lord Jesus himself modelled how to live as an alien and stranger. He humbled himself by leaving heaven, his native home, to live in a fallen world. He submitted himself to earthly institutions, even though he was sovereign over all. And he did so for one reason: in order to save sinful humanity. 

Paul the Missionary

The apostle Paul, similarly, became all things to all people that he may win some (1 Co 9:19-23). To the Jews, he preached Christ as the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures (Ac 13:14-52). To the Gentiles, he preached Christ as the Creator and Sustainer of life (Ac 17:22-34). In so doing, he adapted his approach depending on his audience so that his message might be better understood and received. As was the case for Jesus, Paul’s goal was the salvation of the lost. 

So, why are flexibility and a sense of humour essential to those called to minister cross-culturally? Because things will not always go according to plan. And when this happens, we need to be able to laugh it off. Because if we don’t, we may grow to resent those we live among rather than love them. 

I Speak from Experience

Having served as a missionary for the past 15 years, I speak from experience. My challenges involved anything from blundering my way through learning Wolof or figuring out how to cook or bathe during extended power or water cuts to having a Muslim friend try to set my husband up with a second wife. Maintaining a positive attitude wasn’t always easy, especially when this last scenario arose!

Early on in our decade serving in Senegal, our team leader Kwashie shared the following anecdote with my husband Dan and me: “Whenever I am struggling when things don’t go my way, I remind myself that the Senegalese government did not issue me a special invitation asking that I come here. On the contrary, I was the one who chose to settle in this country. It’s up to me to adapt rather than expecting the Senegalese to change for me.” I’ve repeated Kwashie’s words to myself many times over the years, which has proven to be a helpful reminder to my selfish heart. 

Laughter: The Best Medicine

So, whether you are considering serving overseas or know a missionary who could use the encouragement, let us remember to be humble like our Lord, relinquishing our desire to control our environment, and learning not to take ourselves too seriously. Laughter may just prove to be the best medicine.