Missionary Apr 2026

The best missionaries in history weren't the ones who built the biggest churches. They were the ones who learned the local word for "pain" before they learned the local word for "sin." Here is my proposal for the 21st-century missionary mindset. I call it The Law of Subtraction .

A missionary is not someone who brings something to a community, but someone who is willing to have something taken away . Missionary

Let’s be honest. When you hear the word “Missionary,” what image pops into your head? The best missionaries in history weren't the ones

At its absolute core, a missionary is simply someone who is sent . Specifically, someone sent to love people who are not like them. A missionary is not someone who brings something

Because of this, the word carries baggage. In many global south communities, "missionary" is still a slur, shorthand for religious imperialism.

The pith helmet is gone. The pocket watch is broken. What remains is the quiet, terrifying, glorious call to simply show up and love.