I want us to begin by understanding the etymology of the word “missionary.” This understanding I believe would better give a proper perspective into what we want to discuss with ourselves today. Because most of the times, we have limited our understanding of who a missionary is to be a man or a woman in one remote village somewhere in the world propagating the work of the gospel. While this is absolutely true, that is not all there is to what the word “missionary” entails.

 

The term “missionary” is derived from the word “mission.” Mission encapsulates a task or job that someone has been given to do. For example, if you are chosen to lead an organization, your mission then becomes how to ensure that the organization remains a going concern and also makes profit. If you are chosen to lead a team, your mission then become how to achieve the goal and objectives that is set before the team. The word mission can therefore be used in any and every context that has to do with executing a task or ensuring that a job is done at any point in time.

 

So, who then is the missionary leader? The Missionary Leader is either a man or a woman on a mission. Jesus said in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” In other words, Jesus was saying I must be about my mission while I can because a time would come when no one can work. So, Jesus was an example of the missionary leader. His mission and the task before Him propelled him to do all that He did within that period of time He was on earth.

 

Another example of the missionary leader is John the Baptist. He said in John 3:27-28 (TPT): “John answered and said, “John answered them, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless God bestows it. ²⁸ You heard me tell you before that I am not the Messiah, but certainly I am the messenger sent ahead of him. “John didn’t hide the fact that he was not the Messiah and that he was only a forerunner of Christ. He undertook that mission excellently well withing the time allotted unto him until Christ appeared on the scene.

 

As a leader of that organization, that nation, that province or in whatever sphere of leadership that you have found yourself, your mission is actually to ensure that you leave that organization, that nation or province better off than the way you met it. You don’t have all the time in the world, you are therefore expected to do all that is required of you within the time that has been allocated to you.

 

So, what are the things that we should look forward to in you as the missionary leader? Very quickly, I am going to show us these three things that distinguishes the missionary leader from the rest of the perks. These three things are critical and are germane in the journey of whoever that has perceived himself or herself as a leader on a mission.

 

Number one: A sense of purpose! The Missionary Leader is that man or woman on a mission or journey of purpose. Jesus said in John 10:10 (TPT): “A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!” Jesus’ purpose in that Scripture was to give as many that would believe and rely on Him life in its fulness.

 

Also, in 1 John 3:8, it says: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” So, the missionary leader must have his or her purpose well stated from the beginning so that he or she is not seeing to be doing everything and yet, nothing is achieved at the end of the day.

 

Number two: A sense of Mission! The Missionary Leader must possess that sense of mission; that is, he or she must constantly be aware that a mission is at hand and therefore, there is no time to waste time on things that are not important or that does not matter. Therefore, whatever it is that may want to jeopardize the mission is quickly eliminated. John 2:13-17 says gave us a beautiful account about Jesus. It says:

 

“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. ¹⁵ When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. ¹⁶ And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” ¹⁷ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

 

Number three: A desired Outcome! The Missionary Leader must be able to take the people, the organization, the country into a future or what I called a desired outcome. As a matter of fact, it is because of this outcome that you embarked on the mission of leadership in the first place. There is always a better place, a better tomorrow and a leader is expected to take the people or the entity he or she is leading into that better tomorrow or expected end. Matthew 4:12-17 says about Jesus:

 

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
¹⁶ The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

So, in summary, the missionary leader is either a man or a woman on a mission, a mission to bring about change and a better life and experiences for the people that are being led. And so, in the process, The Missionary Leader must be purposeful, must have a sense of mission and must be able to lead the people into that desired outcome.

 

I believe you have learnt something!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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