Not My Ability, But My Availability!
By Dave Barkman, a mission worker in Japan.
Are you interested in cross-cultural work but feel inadequate? Do you sense God might be calling you to a ministry, but you are concerned that you do not yet have all the necessary skills? I can relate!
During Bible College, I began to think God was leading me into cross-cultural church ministry.
However, I felt my area of strength was in working with my hands and not in evangelism or discipleship. I was not much of a people-person, so I asked myself, “How can I teach the Bible or disciple believers”?
I spent a lot of time in prayer, wrestling with God and what He wanted me to do.
I came to realize that, more than my skills and experience, God wanted me to be available for whatever work He had for me.
I studied hard during college to prepare for cross-cultural ministry. Yet, when I came to Japan to serve, I still felt inadequate. In fact, I discovered that I was not adequately prepared for the work God had for me. I still had much to learn!
Who am I?
My initial years in ministry were challenging. I was focused on my performance, believing that if I did the right things the right way, I would see results. When I did not see fruit from my efforts, I often asked myself, “Who am I? What am I doing here?” But I believe God was trying to show me, “It is not about who you are, it’s about who I am.” I needed to get my eyes off myself and onto Jesus and learn to serve His way.
For instance, originally I thought I could bypass being relational with people and just talk about Jesus. However, God impressed on my heart that I must first build relationships with people and love them well and deeply. As I learned to develop loving, caring friendships, I began to see Japanese people opening their hearts to God!
Experiencing Transformation
I came to Japan to share Christ with the Japanese people and see them transformed through a personal relationship with Jesus. However, God transformed me, and really, He still is! And much to my joy, He has enabled me to teach the Bible and disciple believers with passion, satisfaction and fruitfulness!
If you are feeling inadequate or anxious about the ministry God may be leading you to, that is normal! However, if you submit to God’s perfect will for you, I believe He will prepare and enable you for the work He has wisely planned for you!
You've felt God's call to missions, but getting started can be overwhelming. We'd love to help you discern where God may be leading you and help you take the next step.
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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?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
