Christian Missionaries and Missionary Christians... what’s the difference?

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PART I

THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 1:1-8).

The Apostle John wrote 3rd John to a man named Gaius in part to commend him for his expressions of love toward fellow ministers of the gospel. Evidently some itinerant missionaries had been sent out by John's church and had returned with a report about how well Gaius had treated them.

There are two different categories of Christians that John mentions in verses 1-8 of 3rd John. First are those whom he identifies as "brethren and strangers." These are Christian Missionaries, people who have left home to carry the gospel of Christ to others, usually in far away places. Then there is Gaius himself, who stands as a wonderful example of a Missionary Christian.

These two different categories of believers highlight an important missiological axiom: Not every believer can be a Christian Missionary, but every believer must be a Missionary Christian. We can learn some important lessons about both types from John's letter.

Christian Missionaries Go - In Close Relationship with the Church
Christian Missionaries leave the confines of familiar surroundings, home and family, in order to take the gospel to others in far off places. But they do not go on their own. They go in close relationship with the "sending" church. John learned of Gaius's wonderful work through the testimony of the missionaries who were reporting to "the church" (v. 6).

The significance of this relationship is made very clear in the first official missionary enterprise which is recorded in the book of Acts. In the first 5 verses of chapter 13, we are told how Paul and Barnabas became missionaries. As men who were already faithful in the local congregation of believers at Antioch, they were set apart for their work by the Holy Spirit through the church. Paul and Baranabas were sent not only by the Holy Spirit (v. 4) but also by the church (v. 3).

It's not enough for a man to sense the inward call of the Spirit to go preach the gospel at home or abroad. Such a call is essential but inadequate to justify entering missionary work. The church must bear witness to that call and be willing to send the missionary out. Self-appointed, self-sent missionaries have a hard time biblically justifying their independence from a local church. In the New Testament, Christian missionaries were sent by a body of believers... a local church.

Their work is also defined in terms of the church. What did Paul and Baranabas do as missionaries? Equipped with the Word and empowered by the Spirit, they went out to make disciples and establish local churches. Theirs was a church planting effort (as Acts 13 and 14 make clear). Humanitarian aid has its place and works of mercy are never to be slighted, but Christian Missionaries are to aim at planting churches of new believers among the unreached people groups of the world. This is Biblical, first priority and command... preaching the gospel, baptizing converts and discipleship. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Furthermore, not only are missionaries sent by the church with the goal of starting churches, but also we discover in the New Testament... Christian Missionaries are accountable to the church. Luke records the conclusion of Paul's and Baranabas's first missionary journey with these words:

From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:26-27).

The missionaries were accountable to the church which set them apart and sent them to their work.

Just as there are no lone ranger Christians in the New Testament, so there can be no lone ranger missionaries, self-sent, self-ordained without authorization and accountability to the church. Jesus said "I will build my church." Christian missionaries go out from one church in order to plant new churches in places where the gospel needs to be preached. They are a part of Christ's church by maintaining a close relationship with the local churches--both the one from which they have been sent, and the ones which they help to plant.