Some Suggestions to the Young Missionary who is Beginning His Journey

Dr. Tan Kok Beng

This is Only the Beginning of Your Journey

I want to congratulate you for the successful completion of your studies. Your hard work has paid off and now you have graduated. And you are now ready to enter the field.

Remember, this is only the beginning of your journey in the ministry that God has called you.

A Word From an Experienced Missionary

As a veteran servant of God who has been in the ministry for 44 years, may I offer some pointers to help you along the way. These have helped me till this day, and by God’s grace, I am able to look back and say, “Indeed, God is faithful.”

1. Make Christ the main reason for your life and ministry.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Phil.1 : 21).

This means giving your life completely to Christ and live for Him alone.

It is the evidence that you appreciate His love and what He has done for you (2 Cor. 5: 14 – 15):

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Don’t look to men; they will disappoint and discourage you. Keep trusting in Jesus for all your needs and direction. He will never fail you.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12: 2).

3. Take Time to worship and seek the Lord.

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water. 

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you. Psalm 63 : 1-3

You must hunger and thirst for God like the deer pants for water.

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God. Psalm 42 : 1

You must deliberately discipline yourself every day to read God’s Word and pray. The reason our Lord Jesus was always victorious is because of His discipline in spending time with the Father.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1 : 35. 

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Luke 6 : 12

4. Always walk in obedience to God God’s Word and will.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; …” Hebrews 10 : 5 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22 : 42; 

But Samuel replied:
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 

For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15 : 22-23). 

Obedience is the hallmark of our love and faith in the Lord. It is the proof that we really mean business with God:

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? … Luke 6: 46. 

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. Hebrews 5: 8). 

May the Lord bless you as you go forth in His name!

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