Exploring the joys and responsibilities of being a sending church
As we read the New Testament, we soon see where the action is when it comes to world mission. Where are mission partners best identified, nurtured and equipped? In the local church (Eph. 4). Who sets them apart for service? The local church (Acts 13). From where are mission partners sent? The local church (Acts 13). Where do mission partners return to share all that God has done? You guessed it. The local church (Acts 14).
Again and again, we see it: the local church is the launchpad of global mission, but what does that look like in practice? One of the most helpful places to pick up this theme is in the little letter of 3 John.
The biblical model of a sending church
In 3 John, Gaius, a church elder, is commended for his support of travelling evangelists. These gospel workers had passed through Gaius’ church, and he had welcomed them with love and generosity.
What should Gaius do next? John’s encouragement is powerful: ‘You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God’ (v6). That’s the calling – not merely to pray, fund or observe from the sidelines, but to send well, in a way that reflects the worthiness of Christ himself.
From this short letter, we can draw two great privileges and two great responsibilities of being a sending church.
Privilege 1
We participate in God’s global purposes
‘They went out for the sake of the Name…’ (v7).
As sending churches, we get to be part of something incredible. Mission partners go to the nations bearing the Name that is above every name, and as we send, we stand alongside them in this great work.
There is no greater cause to give ourselves to than the glory of Christ among the nations. Every knee will bow before him one day, and we get to be part of that story.
Privilege 2
We are workers together for the truth
‘… so that we may work together for the truth’ (v8).
That’s a striking statement. Those who send from our churches aren’t just financial backers or emotional supporters of mission; we’re partners. As your church supports mission partners in Ireland, Greece or Southeast Asia, you are actively participating in their work. You’re not in the stands, you’re on the field.
And for those who once hoped to be sent but find themselves still at home – whether by calling, circumstance or season – be encouraged: you’re not on the B-team. Senders and goers are both essential in God’s global mission. Together, we’re fellow workers for the truth.
Responsibility 1
Send in a manner worthy of the Lord
‘Send them on their way in a manner worthy of the Lord’ (v6).
Mission sending is not just about giving some money or putting up a mission noticeboard in the church hall. No, the bar is set much higher than that. It calls for sacrificial, intentional love. Partnering in global mission must be given the seriousness it deserves.
Sending well is a spiritual act of worship, one that mirrors the worthiness of the Lord Jesus himself.
Responsibility 2
Help practically, generously and faithfully
‘We ought to support such people’ (v8).
There’s no ambiguity here. As believers, it’s our responsibility to help those sent out for the sake of the Name. If we don’t, no one else will. The world won’t pick up the tab for gospel ministry, so the church must.
As you read the New Testament, you see that the support isn’t just financial. It’s pastoral, emotional and deeply practical.
Mission partners face all the challenges that you or I face at home – depression, burnout, bereavement, marital strain, conflict, loneliness, health issues and parenting challenges – often in isolated or unstable contexts.
Then there’s the added weight of always being the outsider in the place that they serve. Language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, spiritual isolation and material hardship can all press in. For many coming from the West, the adjustment to life in parts of the majority world can be deeply disorientating.
One missionary mum in Indonesia summed it up powerfully:
Being a young mum anywhere is hard. But in a cross-cultural context, the stress multiplies – new languages, strange food, power cuts, isolation, sickness, visa uncertainty, no familiar support systems. It’s easy to feel like the sacrifices outweigh the ministry ‘gains’.
And yet, when churches embrace the responsibility to love and serve these partners well, the impact is immense.
What sending looks like in real life
We’ve personally experienced the beauty of being sent well. As we left:
- Our church invested in our training and preparation.
- Financial support came, sometimes from people we barely knew.
- At times of particular discouragement, friends flew thousands of miles just to sit with us.
- When there was fruit in the ministry, we celebrated with supporters who had prayed faithfully.
- When we were set for a medivac, our partners mobilised to pray and held us up before the Lord.
- When we returned home unexpectedly, much earlier than planned, disappointed and unsure, our church welcomed us back with open arms, with listening ears, prepared homes and practical help.
And so, as future church leaders at the Bible college where we served were inspired about mission, as students were trained in evangelism to Muslims, and as a small number came to faith, so praise God, we were partners together for the truth (3 John v8).
A call to commitment
The invitation to churches is clear: Will we commit to sending well?
It’s a high calling, but it’s also a great privilege. There is deep joy in giving ourselves to God’s global purposes. As we do so, sending in a manner worthy of the Lord, we glorify Christ and participate in his kingdom purposes.
Whether your church is already supporting mission partners or just beginning to consider it, remember this: we’re not to be spectators, but senders. Workers together for the truth, sending in a manner worthy of God.
