Are Missionaries Beggars Who Need Real Jobs?

Many missionaries have experienced "that" phone call—the one during support raising that shakes your confidence and makes you question your career choice.

A missionary friend of mine was raising support to serve in Japan when he made "that" call. After two previous attempts to reach a potential supporter, he finally got through. However, as soon as he started speaking, the man on the other end interrupted and said:

"Get a real job or die. Either one would be a good option for you."

Then, he hung up. (expletives omitted)

There are over 400,000 missionaries who rely on churches and individual Christians for support. Are these missionaries lazy beggars who should get real jobs? Or are they brave individuals answering God's call to work in His fields?

What Does the Bible Say?

The Bible provides clear guidance in supporting those who do God’s work, leaving little doubt that God does consider what missionaries do as work.

Here are just three passages:

New Testament - Jesus (Matthew 10:5-10)

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: … As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 

Old Testament (2 Kings 12:9-12)

Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord. 10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags... With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, 12 the masons and stonecutters...

New Testament - Paul (1 Cor 9:13-14)

13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

The Take-Away

Jesus, the Law of Moses, and Paul all promote supporting anyone doing God's work.

The fact that some people don't “get it”, should come as no surprise though. We live in a lost, busy, self-centered world. Non-believers do not understand what missionaries actually do, and many believers have not yet been discipled enough to understand the Biblical mandate for supporting missionaries.

Encouragement for Missionaries
Don't be hurt or angry when you get hung-up on, yelled at, or "ghosted". It happened to Jesus and all the great figures in the Bible.

Instead, just like Jesus, realize that these people are the exact people you are going out to minister to.

Your work as a missionary often begins before you even leave home.

Encouragement for Supporters
Missionaries rely on your love and support. But it is seldom a one-way street. Jesus' teaching that it is better to give than receive is borne out in missionary support over and over as God blesses those who richly bless others. Your generosity and compassion does not go unnoticed.

God Doesn't Believe Missionaries are lazy beggars!

To take away any lingering doubt about how God sees missionaries, look at what He says in Isaiah 52:7:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
Who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation...

For further study: Deut 12:19, Deut 18:1-8, Luke 10:1-7, 2 Cor 11, 3 John 6-8.