1)                  “Be Called”. A “Call” to missions is more than just the desire to be a missionary, and it is more than just an affinity for an area of the world. It does include a specific call to ministry, but it also it is more like a mandate, a do or die general assignment, a compelling compass heading, an overwhelming obsession, for a nation to come to Christ, and the insane, almost arrogant sounding, assumption that God is going to use you to pull it off. You must be determined to do it, or die in the trying.

2)                  You’ve got to sort through a few Sauls to find your David. Given a choice we will always pick a Saul over a David. Saul’s look like leaders, act like leaders, talk like leaders, move like leaders, and always turn out to be self centered glory seekers. We went through two Sauls before we found our David, and you know what? He was there all the time, in the background, killing lions, tending sheep, keeping quiet, doing his thing. Saul, he’s out there being a “KING”. Read your Bible, it is not easy to rid yourself of a Saul, but it is essential. How do you spot the David’s? You won’t notice them, they will never try to impress you, they are usually quiet, maybe not the greatest preachers, they will not seek you out, and they will not tell you how wonderful you are. They may come, very humbly, and offer to help solve a problem, or even meekly correct you, but they will always be pouring themselves into building the church, and asking for nothing more than a chance to serve. They are not vindictive, prefer to forgive and let the Absaloms live, and always seek to restore and build rather than destroy. Outside leaders, Sauls, will look down on them, call your David incompetent, stupid, condescend to him, and feel superior. The thing is he (David) doesn’t get upset. Never mind the critics! Stick with your David. They are rare! When, if, you find him, he will die for you. He will never betray you, and you can trust your life with him. I can say it is true. There are those that are closer than a brother. Find your David, even if his name is Peter, and pour your life into him. You will never regret it

3)                  “The Franklin Factor” (I would have every missions candidate read pages 188-213 of “John Adams”, by David McCullough) During the American Revolution, the success of the war, was due to, as much, or more, than any other factor, the intervention of the French on the part of the Americans. The success of wooing French support was due to the efforts of Ben Franklin more than any other person. Franklin spoke miserable French, went around in his bear skin cap, kept poor records, was sloppy with finances, was constantly criticized by his fellow American envoys yet, Franklin succeeded where more talented diplomats failed. The French loved him, to the point that the King had his picture engraved on a drinking vessel. Why?

a.       Franklin loved the French and was comfortable with them. He genuinely liked them, hung out with them, and became close friends with them.

b.      Franklin was driven by a vision for America, and was impassioned in his pursuit of it. He was willing to pay any price for success of his mission.

c.       He was the right person, in the right place at the right time. His entire life prepared him for the task.

POINT: You will never become a Cambodian, don’t try to act like one. There are more important things than learning the language flawlessly; love, faithfulness, and a driving vision for starters.

4)                  “Wise as serpents factor” In dealing with corrupt governments. You can’t deal with crooks according to American Christian ethics, and expect to accomplish much. A ‘gift’, or ‘incentive’ is going to be needed in many instances. If your personal convictions prevent you from getting the job done, then you might as well stay home. Does that mean you become dishonest? No! You become Biblical.

5)                  Remember the church comes first. The gates of hell will prevail against every other organization and institution on earth. Everything you do must be church based.

6)                  Don’t get too cozy with the government! Many missions groups feel their duty is to have governmental blessing and approval on all they do. If the government is unpopular, this is not a good thing. When working with corrupt governments, stay under their radar as much as possible. In places like Cambodia you are often, almost always, better off to ask for forgiveness than permission.

7)                  “Rapid Nationalization” Turn over the work to locals as quickly as possible, but retain the “veto” power through relationship. Never go anywhere without taking a vehicle full of young leaders with you. Teach by example and make them do the work. The fewer foreign missionaries in a country the better! Train locals for the work.

8)                  Avoid “Bwana with the Pith Helmet” You do not have to preach all the time! The biggest mistake missionaries’ make is feeling like they have the “Light” and that they are the source. This mentality teaches 1) Only missionaries know anything about Jesus. 2) Local preachers are incompetent. 3) Christianity is a “foreigner’s religion”.  When I go to a Cambodian Church, I will almost never preach. I tell the pastor, even if he has only been saved a few weeks, “I want to hear you preach!” This allows you to assess the deficiencies that need to be filled though training, and gives the pastor great confidence and an ego boost.

9)                  Focus on the poor. Put your heart where God’s is. When we learned that James 1:27 was a principal to operate by, and not just a platitude of the early church, we found the source of His provision. This is the church’s job, not some disconnected N.G.O.’s.

10)              “Finding your nitch” The holistic factor. There is more to life than the spirit. Material and social needs are essential to life. If you ignore the felt needs of the people, don’t expect a warm reception for the presented spiritual imperative. Find a need and fill it! We have chosen to minister to orphans, widows, and help with agricultural and technical training, but DON’T separate this from the church!

11)              The 90/10 factor. A famous missionary was once asked what he would do to make missions more effective. He said, “I’d send 90% of the missionaries home and take the 10% that are doing something and give them those resources.” Think about it!

12)              The, “If you can do it, DO IT! Factor” Don’t sit around and seek all kinds of assurances, permissions and dot every “i” and cross every “t” before you act. If an opportunity arises to plant a church, do it! Work out the details later. If a missionary lacks the courage to risk the wrath of their superiors, when they feel the directive of God, they are not worthy of their call.      

13)              Build reproducing, leaders of integrity. Build and empower local leaders. Everyday, think about this: What if I have to leave? Who will take over? Plan for this event constantly, and when it does happen, you won’t be totally wiped out.

14)              Don’t over train. Find the Apostolic gifts and put them to work. Trust God’s Spirit to direct His people. You will find anointed people rise up in your work that shall far exceed you in giftedness. Use them!

15)              Release! Release! Release! We’ve had prostitutes go out and start churches the same week they were saved. Sure, we have problems, but we also have 200+ churches. Fear that people are not ready, is a lack of trust in God’s ability. Listen to the Holy Spirit. If He says, ‘Let’em go!’ Don’t send them off to Bible school. Follow up, train, and offer all the help and encouragement you can, but put them to work.

16)              The, ‘Why doesn’t anyone wash a rental car?’ factor. That’s it! That’s the reason why many missionary efforts are frustratingly unfruitful Most missions’ efforts are rental cars. They are owned by foreigners, run by foreigners, funded by foreigners. No wonder the locals don’t take responsibility and pride in them. Now, we may have a clunker, blowing smoke out the tail pipe, fenders flapping in the breeze, but the pastors Simonize the heap, and love it to the death. Why? It is theirs’. I’m just the hired gun. We are a local NGO, not international, the Cambodian board puts me in my place, and I do what I do through the power of relationship. It’s the best form of power anyway.

17)              Don’t offer long-term, sophisticated Bible college training. One organization put over 100 students through a two-year training program, which was taught in English. What they wound up with was a group of highly employable people, who could get jobs paying many times what they could ever expect to earn in ministry. Almost none of them remain in ministry.  We only accept people for training that are already serving in some ministry capacity; leading a home group, serving as a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, etc. These people are then put into a program that brings them into a regional center for training. They attend eight, one-week, sessions that have homework assignments, which puts the teaching into practice. These assignments must be completed, back in their villages, before they are allowed to continue in the next session. The teaching is in Cambodian, translated from English, when necessary. We constantly seek to move to more local instructors, as those talented people are identified.

18)              Build facilities. We all realize that a church is a group of people who gather together and embody Christ, but home groups and house churches are not going to give the community presence and permanence that a designated facility will. Sure, buildings can be knocked down, but they can also last 1000 years. The problem with home churches is that they tend to go the fate of the home owner, whereas, a building owned by the central church provides a place of gathering regardless of the pastoral appointment. So, build as soon as you can, and as often as you can!

19)              Provide inspired leadership! Celebrate the victories! Make sure you recognize and reward behavior you want repeated. Build a system of leadership that puts those who have performed well into positions of authority. Insist on servant leadership being the expected norm.

20)              Avoid the “Superiority Factor” Leaders of a well known missions organization, with more than 100 missionary units in Cambodia, were meeting at a restaurant near the sea sipping Coca-Cola, with one of their key local leaders. A local pastor came up to them distressed that his well had gone dry and asked for help. One of the missionaries looked at the pastor and said, “Go get some water out of the river” The local leader said, “They never even offered the pastor a Coke. I left the organization after that!”

21)              Restore other’s discards, allow the Spirit to lead. People, and especially pastors, make mistakes, commit sins, and can be branded as, “No good” by church organizations. If they can survive being removed from their particular church, and stay faithful to the ministry, despite such treatment; if they show that they will persevere, even without support, they may make the kind of leaders you need. Don’t be afraid to take a chance on them. Sure, you will get ‘burned’, but you will also find some gems.

22)              Don’t let the critics get you down. The more successful that you are the more jealousy will arise. Learn to let it roll off your back. Learn from the legitimate complaints and forget the “sour grapes”.

23)              Pray! But remember that inspired action is simply prayer in motion. Keep moving!

24)              Remember how vulnerable, prone to mistakes, easily deceived, and sinful you are, and will continue to be. Grace is the only hope for a nation like Cambodia and it is the only hope for sinners like me. 

25)              Avoid the, “glory seekers”. The more you succeed the more people will want to come and partake, write about, celebrate and make more of you than you are. There comes a time when you just have to say, “No!”

26)              Recognize and take advantage of, “Times and Seasons”. General Douglas Macarthur wrote home from Japan after the end of WWII, “If I had a million Bibles and a thousand missionaries I could turn Japan into a Christian nation.” That did not happen, and today Japan is one of the toughest mission fields in the world. At the end of the Korean War the church responded, and today Korea is one of the most Christian nations in the world. Out of great tragedy comes great opportunity. Don’t loose the opportunity!

27)              Realize that in corrupt cultures a congregational model of church government is not as effective as a strong centralized form. Anointed, empowered leadership is a must.

28)              Adopt cultural norms and keep as much of the culture relevant to the church as possible. Do not oppose Buddhism, but show the fulfillment of relevant Buddhist principals through Christ. Do not refuse to participate in things like, rice wine ceremonies, just because your denomination is opposed to the consumption of anything alcoholic, etc. Major on the Biblical absolutes and forget the gray areas. Let the Spirit lead.

29)              Learn to network, “If you can’t skin at least hold a leg” Don’t feel like you and your organization have to do everything. Find those that do it better and join them, or solicit their help.

30)              Deal with problems; don’t just hope they go away. Pastors will have to be removed. Leaders will fail, and you must have the courage to deal with such failures in a Godly manner.

31)              Be desperate! Expect God to be your source, and proceed with that in mind. Don’t let a lack of resource paralyze you. Keep moving according to that dream in your heart. God cannot steer a locked wheel. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

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