What is missionary success? 10 definitions that miss the mark
By Ken Guenther, SEND U —
We all want Christ to say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” when we stand before him. But few of us spend much time thinking deeply about what “well done” actually means for us as missionaries. What do we need to be doing in order to receive Christ’s commendation?
So if we don’t take the time to think about what Christ might be expecting of us, how else do we determine whether we are “good” missionaries? What are some of the definitions of success that we live by?
10 definitions we use
In my 25 years as a missionary, I have seen all of the following definitions, and most of them have been the standards by which I have judged myself at some point in time in my career.
1. Arriving and surviving
— Just being a missionary automatically makes you a success.
2. Fitting in well into a new culture
– Learning the language and culture, thinking like a native, feeling at home, developing many significant relationships with nationals.
3. Accomplishing more than other fellow missionaries
– Speaking more fluently in the language, leading more Bible studies, preaching more sermons, winning more converts, planting more churches, or simply being busier than other missionaries.
4. Nurturing a healthy, loving family
– Enjoying a healthy marriage, close family, warm friendship with fellow missionaries. Children are doing well in school, husband and wife are working together in ministry.
5. Living a godly life
– The quality of your personal spirituality, rigor in personal spiritual disciplines, length of time you spend in prayer and Bible study.
6. Helping needy people
– Making a difference in someone’s life, feeding the hungry, improving the quality of life for someone in need.
7. Completing the task you were given to do
— Fulfilling your mission assignment, meeting the expectations of your team leader and teammates.
8. Giving leadership in your mission organization
— Becoming a team or field leader, the number of leadership roles you have in the mission, the size of the team you are asked to lead.
9. Meeting a strategic need
– Doing something that could not be readily filled by national believers, making a contribution that is truly significant to a movement of regional or national importance.
10. Leaving a lasting legacy
— Starting something that will endure after you leave.
Hopping from definition to definition
Back in the 1980s, while I was raising support for the first time, the goal of finally getting to the Philippines was about as far as I could see. I somehow unconsciously assumed that once my feet touched Philippine soil, I could consider myself a success. I would finally be a real missionary, and all missionaries are automatically spiritual successes, aren’t they?
When I arrived in the Philippines, I soon realized that I was not satisfied with this goal; in fact, it left me empty. So I switched to the second and third definitions of success. Being naturally competitive and a good student, I received all kinds of strokes and affirmation as I worked on mastering Tagalog, the Filipino national language. I thought of myself as a success because I spoke with fewer errors and with greater freedom that some of my fellow students.
But after I graduated from language school, that definition of success was quickly replaced with others. Some of them were competitive in nature. My friend Larry had opportunities to lead many more Bible studies than I did, and I felt like a failure. Some of my standards of success were based on what types of leadership roles I was asked to fill – or what leadership roles I was not offered. Sometimes these definitions led me to think of myself as a really good missionary. Other times, in my own eyes (and probably in others’ eyes as well), I was a dismal flop.
All fall short
All of the definitions above are desirable qualities in an effective missionary. Some of the definitions are better than others. Some of them are more appropriate at different stages of our missionary careers. But as a definition of ultimate success or failure, they are ALL inadequate. (Yes, even definition No. 5 — living a godly life.)
In Part Two,
I explain why each of these reasons are inadequate.
What are some inadequate ways that you have seen missionaries (or maybe even yourself) define what it means to be a good missionary?
Additional Posts
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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