Middle East Missions… From My Perspective

By Charlie Costa, Missionary and Regional Coordinator for the Middle East

Perception

      Okay, let’s start from the beginning: Missionary life is fun. Missionaries live in exotic places far away. They eat exotic foods, visit fun places and at the end, they tell us they are suffering for Jesus. Or are they?

Reality

      How about reality — living with no electricity, no running water, no proper bank services, long lines for gasoline and bread? To make matters worse, trash bags litter the streets. This is the reality for many missionaries around the world and especially for some in the Middle East.

      Are we looking for pity? No. We are looking for prayer. The prayer we need is a prayer of intercession: entering the throne room of God to intercede on our behalf. This is a serious undertaking instead of the generic “God bless our missionaries” prayer. The prayer we need is for perseverance. Under such circumstances, it is easy to give up, to throw in the towel. It is easy to feel tired and unappreciated. Then I am reminded of William Carey, the father of modern missions, who was ridiculed, and then, after going to the mission field, he had to wait seven years for his first convert while losing members of his family to illness in the process.

      The prayer we need is for protection. We marvel at the number of times God has sent his angels to protect us on the mission field. I can almost assure you that the number we know of is much less than the number we don’t. Danger and risk are part and parcel of our work. Gunfights flare up in seconds for unknown reasons and from unknown assailants. These dangers don’t have to be for the sake of Christ as much as they are for the sinfulness of man. Yet dangers persist and can be extremely cruel if they are for the sake of Jesus. It subjects our families to untold dangers.

      The prayer we need is for provision. Yes, money matters. Our work on the field cannot be done without the funds made available through the churches by faithful people. Supporting workers on the field is important to get the harvest. This may take years of persistent work and therefore support. There is no room for “giving fatigue.” Serious mission-giving is intentional and purposeful. It is not controlling but requires accountability. While projects and ministries are the target, the needs of the missionary and his family are not ignored.

Mission Giving

      Are we planning for growth? If we are not, we have little faith. The saying goes, “If you are praying for rain, you’d better take an umbrella with you when you walk outside the house.” Churches and individuals tend to keep their giving at the same level, not taking into account the potential growth of the ministry. Think again. Is it a matter of faith, not funds?

Tidbits from the field

      Did you know that, in the last 30 years, the Lord blessed BMA Global with 36 churches planted around the Middle East?

      Did you know that, in the last year, more than 300 people were baptized?

      Did you know that we have four new church plants in progress and one church just launched as a fully functioning Baptist church?

      Did you know that God is still at work in the Middle East despite all of the adverse circumstances?

      Did you know we need you to join our team?

Mission Leadership

      Luke Skywalker famously said, “If it’s not too much of a cliché, take me to your leader. If it is too much of a cliché, take me anyway.” (Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, 2008).

      Earlier this year we saw leadership at its finest from the president of BMA Global. It was not leading from behind or by proxy but from the front and by design. Weeks of preparations went into the lengthy bike ride Dr. John David Smith took along the Natchez Trace Parkway to raise funds and awareness for our work. I wonder how many will respond to such faithfulness and commitment. Never in the history of the BMA have we seen such selflessness. What I love about it is that the funds raised will go to an endowment that will fund church planters (ChangeMakers) for years to come. That’s forward-thinking leadership. That’s a leader I want to take our churches and pastors to.