A 21-year-old friend of mine woke up one day and, to impress a girl, decided on a whim to run a marathon. No forethought. No training. Tons of regret the next day. Not only did he not get the girl, but his body refused to operate for two weeks.

It's a funny story, but it proves a point: something worth doing takes a level of commitment and training. And that means – it takes time.

Missions. The glory of God. The unreached. These things feel urgent! But we would be remiss to rush out to the field in the name of passion and urgency. Not only would we regret this negligence personally, but we may even end up doing more harm than good.

There are differing levels of preparation that each agency and sending church will require, but these four areas will be helpful to grow in, regardless of who sends you or where you go: theology, language proficiency, cultural competency and church-planting strategy.

Theology – When you consider the immense task of challenging thousands of years of lies a people group has embraced and lived by, you begin to see why building a strong theological foundation is absolutely imperative. When you consider that the theological truths you pass on will become the foundation for the new church planted there, the imperative intensifies. Do you feel capable of explaining key doctrines of your faith in areas like sin, salvation, sanctification and glorification?

You don’t have to go to seminary to be a missionary. For many, it could be extremely helpful but is not always necessary. Many agencies and churches provide ways for theological training to be achieved. Ask your church leadership if they have a missions’ track for you to pursue! With the ability to take classes virtually, theological training can also happen in conjunction with other steps you will need before you get to the field (like support raising).

Language and Culture – These two are intrinsically linked, and the need for proficiency in both cannot be overstated. There will likely be ways for you to learn about the culture before you arrive on the field. There may also be some language- learning you can start before you arrive. However, much of what you will need in language and culture will have to be acquired while living with your people group. Plan to spend two years learning the national language. After this, some will need to spend another two years learning a minority language. Prepare to spend your entire missionary career as a student of the culture. This may sound daunting, but you will see that God’s glory and character are vividly reflected in the language and culture! This will not only be an exciting journey of discovery for you, but it will provide a vital pathway to share the gospel. Prepare the best you can before you go, but don’t leave your student badge behind.

Church Planting – Your mission agency will likely have a method or chronology for how to go about planting a new church. And there are different ideas about what a missionary is seeking to accomplish! Grow in your familiarity with church planting to see if what your agency is doing overseas aligns with your ideals.

Ministering long-term overseas is not a sprint… it is a marathon… and one that must be trained for!