Are you a Christian discerning God’s call in missions? You can read Part 1 of this guide here.
This is a summary of Part 1:
1. Begin with surrender, not a map
2. Don’t fall in love with a country – learn to love a people group
3. Let the Great Commission enlarge your world
4. Notice what God keeps putting in front of you
5. Pay attention to your gifts – but don’t worship them
6. Ask whether if you could actually live there
7. Go before you “go”
8. Don’t discern alone
One of the most dangerous sentences in missionary discernment can be: “God told me.”
Not because God doesn’t guide individuals. He does.
But Scripture gives us a picture of discernment within the Christian community.
In Acts 13:1–3, Barnabas and Saul were called by the Holy Spirit within a worshipping, fasting and praying church, and the church subsequently sent them.
Your earlier candidate framework therefore makes this point strongly: “Mission calling is never purely individual.”
It then asks: “Who else recognises this calling?”
So bring your possible country or people group before:
your parents • pastor • youth leader • mentor • missionary • mission agency • mature Christian friends
Tell them:
“I think God may be developing an interest in ________. Would you pray with me and tell me honestly what you see?”
Give them permission to disagree. A mature candidate must be able to hear:
“Yes.”
but also:
“Perhaps.”
or:
“Not yet.”
9. Distinguish “not now” from “not ever”
Imagine you are 19 years of age. You become deeply interested in Central Asia.
You tell your pastor: “I think God is calling me there.”
Your pastor replies: “Wonderful. Finish university first. Develop your professional skills. Serve consistently here. Let’s find you some cross-cultural exposure. Then we’ll keep discerning together.” He may also ask you to attend, thereafter, your theological studies at Singapore Bible College or Trinity Theological College.
That isn’t necessarily rejection. It may be preparation.
The candidate framework uses a helpful traffic-light model:
GREEN — Ready now. Proceed.
AMBER — Potentially suitable. Development needed. Create a growth plan and reassess.
RED — Not presently suitable.
God may genuinely be pointing somewhere while simultaneously saying:
“First, let Me prepare you.”
10. Country Or Calling – Which comes first?
This is worth thinking about carefully. Sometimes Christians speak as though God always calls:
PERSON → COUNTRY
“I am called to Thailand.”
But God’s guidance may sometimes look more like:
PERSON → PEOPLE
or:
PERSON → MINISTRY
or:
PERSON → PROFESSION → OPPORTUNITY → PEOPLE
Perhaps you become a teacher. An opportunity appears in Southeast Asia. You discover a particular community. Relationships grow. You begin learning their language.Your concern deepens. Your church notices. An experienced missionary says:
“Have you considered serving here longer term?”
Only gradually does the picture become clear.
God’s guidance may be a journey rather than a GPS coordinate.
11. What if I am considering bi-vocational mission?
Then add another important question: “Where can I genuinely contribute professionally while faithfully following Jesus?”
Don’t think: “I’ll pretend to be an engineer so that I can really be a missionary.”
If a country gives you permission to enter and work as an engineer, then: be a good engineer.
Work hard.
Serve your employer.
Respect the law.
Treat colleagues well.
Build genuine friendships.
Contribute something valuable.
Learn the culture.
Live with integrity.
And as appropriate to the context, be a faithful witness to Christ. Your professional vocation and Christian witness should not become two dishonest identities.
Think instead:
“I am a disciple of Jesus who happens to be an engineer—and I want both my engineering and my relationships to honour Christ.”
That means your education and early career choices may form an important part of missionary preparation.
12. A simple discernment grid
| Question | What am I discerning? |
| 1. NEED | Are there significant gospel and human needs among these people? |
| 2. BURDEN | Has God given me a sustained concern for them—not simply temporary excitement? |
| 3. FIT | Do my gifts, personality, profession and abilities potentially fit this context? |
| 4. READINESS | Am I spiritually, relationally, emotionally and professionally developing towards readiness? |
| 5. AFFIRMATION | Do mature Christians who know me recognise this direction? |
| 6. OPPORTUNITY | Are appropriate and responsible doors beginning to open? |
Don’t treat this like a mathematical formula. You are not looking for:
Singapore 72%
Thailand 86%
Japan 91% → GOD’S WILL = JAPAN
Discernment is relational. You are walking with God.
13. Try the “Three Circles” Question
Imagine three circles overlapping.
CIRCLE 1 — THE WORLD’S NEED
Where are people with limited access to Christ and His Church?
CIRCLE 2 — WHO GOD IS SHAPING ME TO BE
What gifts, experiences, profession, personality and ministry abilities has God entrusted to me?
CIRCLE 3 — PROVIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY
Where are churches, mission agencies, employers or ministries opening realistic doors for service?
Where those three increasingly overlap, pay attention.
Then surround the whole process with:
PRAYER + SCRIPTURE + CHURCH + WISE COUNSEL
That doesn’t guarantee certainty. It creates a healthy environment for discernment.
14. Questions to take away and pray over
Don’t rush these. Perhaps take one each week.
About God
- Lord, am I seeking Your will—or asking You to approve mine?
About people
- Which peoples have You repeatedly brought to my attention? Why?
About need
- Where might my life contribute to making Christ known where He is less known?
About gifts
- What abilities and professional skills have You entrusted to me?
About character
- What needs to change in me before I could serve well cross-culturally?
About sacrifice
- Which places am I secretly saying, “Anywhere but there”?
About community
- What do Christians who know me well see?
About preparation
- What could I start doing during the next 12 months?
About obedience
- If You showed me the next step rather than the whole journey, would I take it?
15. Perhaps your prayer can become like this
“Lord Jesus,
the world belongs to You, not me.
Thank You for saving me and inviting me to participate in Your mission.
Teach me to love the peoples You love.
Show me where Christ is little known and where Your Church needs encouragement.
Help me understand the gifts, education and opportunities You have entrusted to me.
Give me humility to listen to Christians who know me well.
Protect me from confusing adventure with calling, emotion with guidance, or my preferences with Your will.
Make me willing to prepare patiently and serve faithfully where I am today.
And when You make the next step clear enough, give me courage to take it.
Whether You keep me in Singapore or send me somewhere I never expected, let my life point people towards Jesus.
Amen.”
One Final Question
Your earlier missionary-candidate framework asks perhaps the most revealing question of all:
“If God closed the door to overseas missions tomorrow, would I still gladly follow Christ and serve faithfully where I am?”
That question applies equally to choosing a country. If God closes the country you wanted, has He ruined your calling?
No.
Because ultimately you were never called first to Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Central Asia—or even Singapore.
You were called first to Jesus Christ.
Countries may change.
Visas may close.
Careers may change.
Governments may change.
Mission organisations may change.
Your circumstances certainly will change. But Christ remains Lord of the harvest.
So perhaps the prayer of a young Christian discerning where to serve can ultimately be very simple:
“LORD, HERE I AM. WHEREVER YOU LEAD, HELP ME TAKE THE NEXT FAITHFUL STEP.”
PRAY → LEARN → EXPLORE → SERVE → SEEK COUNSEL → TEST → PREPARE → DISCERN → GO
If you have missed it, you can check out Part 1 of this guide here.
