Deputation Demystified
What I Learned Before Ever StartingTo me, deputation sounded daunting. I pictured endless phone calls to pastors, thousands of miles on the road, and living out of a suitcase—all while asking complete strangers to pray and give. Even after our family answered God’s call to missions, we quickly realized that getting there would not be easy.
As we asked God for help, He led us to people who gave direction for deputation and beyond—missions directors, pastors, veteran missionaries, and others (many of whom we met at CAMP BIMI). They answered questions, relieved worries, and encouraged us along the way. God used their counsel to help us make wise decisions and keep a right perspective. Here are a few lessons we learned from them—before we even started.
1. Deputation Is First a Ministry.
While on deputation, we learned to minister to others who were discouraged in the work—pastors, church members, and even other missionaries. Sometimes simply praying with someone makes a great difference. In the busyness, your own family can be overlooked too—they need encouragement as well. We learned to be a blessing to others, just as they were a blessing to us.
2. Deputation Is About Building Relationships.
Some of the best advice we received was to avoid cramming our schedule. Instead, we learned to slow down and spend time getting to know pastors and their churches. God helped us form friendships with wonderful people. The focus should be relationships—not just reaching 100% support.
3. Deputation Is an Opportunity to Impact the Next Generation.
When my wife and I were younger, God used several missionaries to influence our hearts toward the mission field. Once we were on deputation, we learned to pray that God would use us to influence the next generation too. We wanted to encourage today’s young people and help churches stay engaged in missions.
4. Deputation Doesn’t Always Mean Nationwide Travel.
Sometimes a missionary does have to drive a long way—especially if your home base is somewhere like Wyoming. But a missions director gave us some advice that reshaped our thinking. He said, “If I could do deputation over again, I’d try to keep most of my support within a five-hour radius.” Working intentionally to localize support can lower expenses, reduce family fatigue, and make furloughs more sustainable. By God’s grace, we raised about two-thirds of our support within five hours of home.
5. Deputation Can Be an Amazing Experience.
Yes—it is possible to enjoy deputation. God wants missionaries to leave the deputation trail with strengthened faith, a solid base of supporters, a closer family, and a heart full of good memories. To this day, our family looks back on deputation as a wonderful chapter in our missionary journey.
Deputation brings real challenges, but it also brings real rewards. If you embrace it with the right perspective and focus, it will prepare you for future ministry and bring great glory to God. Done well, deputation can be a genuine blessing.
The author is a CAMP BIMI Alumnus and BIMI Missionary serving in an undisclosed country in Southeast Asia.
Next Article
