And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”
Mark 16:15
Ask a room of Christians who the most expert missionary was (outside of Jesus), and many would say the Apostle Paul. Here’s what the Apostle Paul would say:
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:12-15
Earlier in that chapter Paul acknowledged his robust qualifications, but unlike us – who value outcomes and reputation – Paul saw himself rightly before God, not as an expert missionary, but as a servant (Philippians 1:1) who was the “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) that could easily look like a rookie. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
It was this humble positioning that allowed Christ to work in and through him so beautifully, though it took him time to get there:
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Just as Paul did not consider himself an “expert missionary”, neither do we, and that is why “rookie” is in quotes in the title. This book is definitely useful for the mission trip first-timers; it is also invaluable for the seasoned missionary. As our team processed what we had learned, we humbly acknowledged that we needed to learn it, and we aren’t done learning. In fact, just because we mention advice here does not mean we’ve mastered it! Our conversations served as helpful reminders of not just how God has transformed us, but how He is transforming us as we serve.
In many ways, we will always be rookies in light of God’s ways and thoughts that are not ours. We stand with those new to ministry, with kids of all ages, with new Christians that feel ill-equipped, because we are called to serve as one Body in our goal of representing Christ well. It’s okay to be a rookie, because we’ve got an amazing Guide.
