Missionary Partnership: A Brief Biblical Theology of Missions, Deputation, and Partnership

by Ben David Sinclair

I am passionate about this subject and discuss ideas like this with pastors from time to time. When getting to the point about increasing missionary support, I have had pastors tell me almost the same thing on more than one occasion. I have been told, “It is ridiculous how long missionaries have to endure deputation. That’s why our church supports missionaries at $100 per month.” I write the following sentence in sincerity and love. Churches that support missionaries for one hundred dollars per month or less are the reason why missionaries endure such a long pre-field ministry. The simple truth is that if independent Baptist churches continue to support their missionaries for about $100 per month, deputation will continue to be “ridiculously long.”