Social justice's role in missions
By Tom with SEND International —
Social justice, ending the sex trade, digging wells, creation care—these are all the rage in this generation. As a former church-planter and the mobilization director for a church-planting group, my focus has been on seeing new churches started among unreached peoples. I am all about evangelism, discipleship, house churches, church-planting movements, etc. I have often heard others from my circles (and probably myself) bemoan this generation’s interest in social justice, fearing that as they run after these things, the gospel will get lost.
Christianity Today’s article, “ The Surprising Discovery about Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries,” helped me realize that social justice has often taken place right alongside church planting and evangelism. It was church planters and evangelists of old who fought against slavery, illiteracy, wife burning, child labor and many other injustices. Many of these former missionaries didn’t go out to solve these wrongs, but when they came face to face with them, they fought. They realized that they couldn’t just share the gospel and wish them well. They had to help make things right while they shared the gospel.
Today, we are faced with sex slavery, lack of clean water, poverty, and a host of other issues. These also need to be taken on with both hands; one hand fighting injustice and the other sharing the gospel.
Let’s stop bemoaning this generation’s passion and compassion and start celebrating it. Let’s show them how they, like those before them, are moving God’s kingdom forward through good deeds and the proclamation of freedom through the gospel.
In Southeast Asia, one ministry team is teaching nationals how to better take care of their environment through introducing terrace farming instead of slash and burn farming. This ministry not only helps preserve the environment, but provides more sustained and profitable farming for the nationals. By helping in this way, the team is able to build relationships and share the gospel.
In a church planting ministry in Europe, one of the ladies began to build relationships with the women in her neighborhood, which included prostitutes. But she didn’t do this alone—she took along with her other women from the new church plant and is instilling in them the dignity of all people and that the gospel is for everyone. At the same time she is building some good friendships with those they meet.
As this generation pursues a more holistic gospel, we have to be careful to not see meeting people’s needs as merely a way to share the gospel. People can’t just become a project. If that happens, the people we are ministering to and those we are ministering with will sniff that out and disappear. Let’s see how we can truly blend the Great Commandment with the Great Commission and watch God work.
So, how do we in the church-planting world move forward?
I, for one, confess that I was wrong and am looking forward to a whole new generation engaging the world!
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Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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