Missions by Andy Johnson

I recently finished reading Missions by Andy Johnson.
Here are some quotes that stood out to me.

"The heart for God-glorifying missions starts with joy in the gospel. Our churches must first cherish the God who sent his own Son to save sinners like us."
(Kindle edition, page 32)

"Yes, there are a few areas unique to missions that we might discuss, but not many. Most importantly I tell them to work at being church members who open up their homes and lives to other people. To get to know people who are different from them in age, ethnicity, or background. To find, and not just respond to, gospel opportunities. To join neighborhood clubs. To come up with a plan to get to know neighbors. To pray regularly for a list of people with whom they hope to share the gospel during the next month, and then do it! I tell them to be disciplers. Take initiative to reach out to people and deliberately start relationships where the main goal is to help another person grow as a Christian. Look for opportunities to teach the Bible one-to-one or in a small group Bible study. Work to grow in knowledge and skill at explaining biblical truth. Do all this to build the spiritual muscles that God may well use cross-culturally someday."
(Kindle edition, page 46)

"Praying and sending money is not the only responsibility churches have for the people they send overseas."
(Kindle edition, page 51)

"What does it look like for a local church to care well for its missionaries? At its core, it means working deliberately to know their needs and act for their good."
(Kindle edition, page 53)

"The foundation of a congregation’s ability to care for its missionaries is regular communication."
(Kindle edition, page 53)

"Supporting workers well also means being sensitive about how, when, and whether to send short-term teams to work with them."
(Kindle edition, page 55)

"One of the best ways to care for missionaries is literally to do what the Bible says to do: show hospitality to them."
(Kindle edition, page 56)

"How did we decide whom to keep or to let go? Many were doing good things. But as we looked through the lens of the Bible, three principles stood out. First, we focused on work that aimed to plant and/ or strengthen local churches. Second, we focused on work being done well theologically and methodologically. Third, we focused on work and workers with whom we could have significant relationships."
(Kindle edition, page 61)

"Ask probing questions. If a missionary is offended that you ask for a description of what she did during the past week or month, be concerned. Many missionaries work in contexts with little direct supervision. Most are faithful, but as fallen human beings, some will not be."
(Kindle edition, page 66)

"As we evaluate missions projects, agencies, and workers we need to realize that our natural affinity for speed, big numbers, and shortcuts can sometimes lead to tragic results in missions."
(Kindle edition, page 68)

"The work of missions is urgent, but it’s not frantic. We long for a harvest, but God has nowhere guaranteed a rate of increase."
(Kindle edition, page 68)

"Trust and humility go together. Where there is trust, it is easier to act in humility. And humility will generally show itself in trust. Trust is the soil in which humility grows best. But building good relationships may not look like an especially humble undertaking at the outset."
(Kindle edition, page 75)

"Either way, it’s better for your church to find people on the field whose judgment and theology you already trust, and then submit to them. When making partnerships (especially those focused on church planting), you should not assume theological agreement but honestly discuss issues like evangelism, ecclesiology, soteriology, and more—before entering into a partnership."
(Kindle edition, page 78)


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