Why Paul didn’t exercise his “right” to be a “full-time missionary”

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Series: Mere Christians of the Bible
Devotional: 5 of 5

…the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me….I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:14-15, 22-23)

In the past few centuries, many churches have unbiblically elevated the callings of pastors and missionaries above those of “mere Christians”—teachers, small business owners, mechanics, and others working outside the pulpit. It’s no surprise that modern believers often forget the Apostle Paul was a mere Christian himself who worked as a tentmaker (see Acts 18:1-3). 

Paul didn’t take up this work out of necessity. As today’s passage shows, he could have exercised his “right” to work as a donor-supported missionary. But he chose not to because he saw his work as a strategic vehicle becoming “all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Tim Keller’s research highlights that “80% or more of evangelism in the early church was done not by ministers or evangelists” but by mere Christians like Paul and the others we’ve explored in this series. And that continues to be true today. Mere Christians aren’t on the JV team of Christianity—we are the primary means through which God spreads his glorious gospel!

How should you and I respond to that truth?

First, prayerfully consider taking your job with you overseas. More and more countries are closing their doors to Christian missionaries. But those same countries will happily open those same doors to Christian mathematicians, medical doctors, and managers. My friend Andrew Scott wrote a terrific book with case study after case study of what God is doing through mere Christians working in these largely unreached nations. Ask God if he’s calling you to follow suit.  

Second, regardless of where you work, build a list of Launchers. Conversations with lost co-workers often stay at surface-level topics like sports or our favorite TV shows. But with a tiny bit of intentionality, you can easily steer conversations with non-believers from the surface, to the serious, to the spiritual. And Launchers is an unbelievably simple tool that enables it! 

A list of Launchers contains two things: 

1. The names of people you’re trying to share the gospel with
2. Next to each name, a list of questions or topics you think might launch your next conversation with them from the surface, to the serious, to the spiritual

Keep your list of Launchers on a note on your phone, in a journal—wherever. See a screenshot of mine here.

I can not tell you how many times God has used my list of Launchers to open up deep spiritual conversations with the non-Christians in my life. I am confident the same will be true for you.