Can you articulate why you feel God is compelling you to go?  Does your reason line up with Scripture and the affirmations of other mature Christians?  What are valid reasons to go and which ones may not be so valid?   

Read below to find out why some of the ExTerm missionaries now serving on the field were compelled to go.

• It’s not so much something you become convinced of, but more something that has been a part of who God made you to be all along.   - Marcie Huson, Hungary 
• Because had I been them, I'd be scanning the horizon every day to see if they were coming to me. Because I saw so much pain and I knew the Healer.   - David Roller, Latin America Area Director 
• I saw the need; I felt the need; the door opened; I walked through!   - Lois Meredith, Kenya, Africa 
• Because to stay would be to disobey.   - Becky Crouse, Latin America 
• The Lord gave me a special love for the Brazilian people. This love was born in my parents’ hearts as they served as missionaries, and they passed it to my heart.   - Dan Owsley, Brazil 
• At first it was because the Father is doing one of the most significant revivals in the history of the world over here. Who wouldn't want to be involved in supporting that? Now the Father's calling me to do it because He loves the Asian church and He wants me to love them as well.   - Missionary serving in Asia
• Years ago I began to see that God had been preparing me for a life of cross-cultural apostolic ministry and now, well, it's all unfolding as He joyfully releases me day by day to fulfill this life vision!   - Jerry Coleman, Europe Area Director
• As a college student who was seeking God's career plan for my life and knowing of God's priority to reach the lost, I could think of no good reason NOT to go.   - Kevin Dunbar, Ecuador
• Because Jesus said He was walking through Haiti and He wanted me to walk with Him.   - J.R. Crouse, Latin America
• I was compelled to go because of the example of my parents who "counted it all joy" to be totally obedient to Jesus Christ.   - Hope Owsley, Brazil
• There are many opportunities for people to hear about Jesus in the U.S., but the possibility of hearing about Him in other countries of the world is so much less that I made myself available to tell those people.   - Margaret Nelson, Cambodia
• I felt a sense that, in a world where missionaries are needed, God may have formed me for just that purpose!   - Julie Allman, Ukraine 
• It seemed as though there was no choice, no question, no other solution but to walk through the open door.   - Jan Coleman, Hungary 
• I can't bear the thought of someone asking me as they pass by at the judgment, "Why didn't you tell me?"   - Yvonne Roller, Latin America

Here are some reasons to go you may want to question further, seeking God in a special way for clarity.  Examine your heart and motives carefully to be sure these types of attitudes do not hold too much sway with your sense of calling: 

• Your ministry in the US is not going well and you feel that you should go somewhere else where your gifts will be appreciated.
• Your parents or pastor are pushing you into missionary service.
• You want to be a missionary because of the status, honor and attention it would bring you.
• You are trying to run away from something at home.
• You want to do something extreme for God to atone for a sin or fault in yourself.
• You are so overly consumed by what gifts and talents you have to offer overseas that you have not cultivated the proper sense of humility and willingness to learn from those whom you would go to serve.
• You want to teach the ideals of the American way of life to those who are ignorant, poor, dirty, unmotivated and not going about life the right way.
• You are timid and hesitant about sharing your faith and being a witness for Christ at home, but you think if you went overseas, you would suddenly become effective in this area.
• You do not feel compelled to give your life to God for missionary service abroad, but think it might make for an interesting career choice – you know you could always come home if it didn’t work out.

FMWM is committed to seeking God together with those who feel compelled to go, and because of this, we examine our candidates and their sense of calling very carefully and in a number of ways.  We see each of those ways as one piece of a puzzle that makes up the bigger picture of God’s best place for someone to serve His Kingdom – that place where they will be most effective in their labors for His sake.

God expects us to honor Him by being prepared so we may do the best possible job of carrying out His mission.  FMWM holds the ideal of doing everything we can to prepare our candidates sufficiently for the service to which we send them.  As stewards of God’s work, resources and people, we take our role seriously and want to do the best we can to further His Kingdom, just as you likely do.

Read on to learn more to about the profile of an ExT missionary.  Take the second step.