Having summarised the translation of Fr Daniel’s speech, entitled ‘What is a True Missionary’, I have attempted to sort by category of information and give these by category.

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What is it to be a missionary?

People talk about the monastics and the hierarchs, and how great saints they are.  Some will even say that it’s unfair that only a few people can be monastics or hierarchs.  However, missionaries are greater than either – being equals of the Apostles – and this is open to any Orthodox Christian.  The canon for holy Communion mentions missionaries, but doesn’t mention monastics; Scripture says much about missionaries but little about monastics.

So: who is the true missionary?

• Must be committed to the Lord unto death (like St Paul – Romans 8:35-39).
• Must totally and completely love God and, in Him, love all.
• This love must impel the missionary to rescue people from perdition and bring them to Christ.  A missionary that isn’t concerned about people perishing is neither Christian nor missionary.
• The missionary must keep the faith and desire greater depth in it, aspiring to full knowledge despite the impossibility of its attainment (our faith is in the Trinity, Who is incomprehensible to all).
• Missionaries must keep reading the Bible – a missionary who doesn’t is a contradiction in terms.
• Missionaries must have pure lives – keeping the holy commandments of God, keeping clean from every sin.
• Missionaries must yearn for holiness and to be in God’s Kingdom.

The work of a missionary is to be on the borders of worlds: undefiled by this world, being the living letter of Christ, and being the breath of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit works in and directs the missionary to truth, reminding the missionary of what the Saviour has promised, and giving them the power to preach and to convert.

The Lord said ‘whosoever receive my messenger because he is mine shall not lose his reward, even if he but give a cup of cold water to drink’ (paraph., Mark 9). Imagine how great the reward of the preacher who preaches the word of God where they don’t want to hear it.

Knowing this, what can we do?

Firstly, pray for missionaries.

Secondly, recognise that being a missionary is a path
open to any Orthodox; moreover, it is greater than most
other paths, with an incomparable reward from God.

Third, consider if you’re a missionary.  If you are -
you need to start working!  If you aren’t, pray that
you – and others around you – may be in the future.

Lastly, remember that missionaries are dwelling
in a number of realms.  Seriously, pray for them.

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Missionaries: Where they came from, where they are going to

It was the day after Pentecost that the Apostles gathered together and divided up the known world in which to preach.

The Apostles, however, did not complete the task of evangelism.  They worked in an area, and succeeded in converting many to Christ, but many other areas were not converted until later – Sts Cyril and Methodius were only sent in the ninth century, and Japan only evangelized by our Church in the eighteenth.

Missionaries serve the ancient plan of the Trinity, a plan that predated the creation of the world. The Father created the world that we might, through Jesus Christ, be the children of God. The Holy Spirit calls the people into the Kingdom. Those who love Truth will follow Him; those who do not, will not. Christ wants all to be saved, but knows from the beginning those who would follow Truth.

Missionaries not only need the special help of God – they have the special help of God.  God wills that all will come to salvation, and has even given us ‘seeds of the Word’ in various religions and philosophies to help bring people to God (the White Hostess of Altai, the Logos, the Tao, etc).

The end of the world (and eternity with God) will not come until the Gospel is preached to everyone.  Missionaries allow this to happen, by preaching to everyone in every city, island, village, etc.  Missionaries don’t just pray for it (‘Thy Kingdom Come’) – they actively make it happen.

Knowing this, what can we do?

Firstly, if we are in areas that are not overwhelmingly
Orthodox, we are in exactly the right place to be a
missionary.  It’s not someone else’s job – it’s our job.

Secondly, in most parts of the diaspora, there are
various jurisdictions present.  If we are in that
circumstance, we should consider establishing a
pan-Orthodox initiative to avoid duplication of labour.

Thirdly, in any culture, there is something there that
will lead a people to Christ and to salvation.  The
missionary must find it and use this to lead people to God.

Fourthly, not everyone will be saved.  God respects our
freedom to choose – we are responsible for choosing well.

Lastly, remember that ‘Thy Kingdom come’ isn’t just
a phrase – it’s a prayer that God will establish His
kingdom, allowing us to spend eternity with Him.

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The Life of a Missionary

Missionaries go, like sheep among wolves – but like a sheep with an unbreakable skin, de-toothing the wolves.  Missionaries snatch souls from the devil for Christ, going everywhere – the mosques, the sects, the pagans, the non-believers – proclaiming the word of Christ, pulling from darkness to light, with the word that is of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:4).

Miracles follow a missionary, and the missionary sees Scripture fulfilled.  Missionaries don’t have city or homeland, only the heavenly Jerusalem with God and His saints.  Missionaries are strengthened on the foundation of Christ, His apostles and prophets, as their inheritor and follower.  The missionary follows in their steps to receive their reward from God.

The missionary, being a weapon of God against the devil, must remember that his job is to announce the word of God unchanged – neither added nor subtracted. The missionary who adds will be punished, the missionary who subtracts will be taken away from the book of life (Rev 22:18-19).

Missionaries are to know only Christ, and Him Crucified (1 Cor 2:2), and are to life live like this – co-crucified with Christ, showing victory over the power of death and a sign of the world’s end.

God sends His messengers to the ends of the world, in particular times and places.  One cannot schedule or predict a missionary – a missionary lives in the hand of the Father.  He is there when the missionary needs Him, bringing people to them when needed (seemingly by accident, but really by providence).

Missionaries must not be afraid because they sinned at one point, even greatly.  They must stop sinning and cover those sins by converting unbelievers, strangers and the ignorant to Christianity, and bringing sectarians to the Fullness of the Faith.  Not only that, but the missionary will then have all of those people praying for the missionary and the mission work.  The missionary co-operates with the angels, the saints and the Mother of God in seeking the salvation of all.

Knowing this, what can we do?

Firstly, though seemingly weak and unprotected,
Missionaries operate under the protection of God.  He
will nourish the missionary, He will provide for and
give inspiration for the missionary when it is required.

Secondly, missionaries should expect a life like Christ:
co-crucified, showing victory over death and reliance on God.

Thirdly, missionaries go where others dare not to bring
as many people as possible to Christ, preaching the
fullness of the Gospel (neither added nor subtracted).

Lastly, missionaries are sent to any place at any time.  One
cannot predict or plan for a missionary – one trusts in God.

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What is Missionary Work?

People talk a lot about mission, and how they ‘do mission’, but not everything called ‘missionary work’ is actually missionary work.  If you go amongst Orthodox and tell them about Christ, it’s not ‘internal mission’, it’s catechism.  You’re teaching people what they should already know, and making up for the shortage of their spiritual formation.  However, if you go to those who don’t want to listen, then you are a missionary.

Being a missionary is being a co-worker of God – not just a child of God, but a direct co-worker of the Holy Spirit, a messenger of the Kingdom with an incorrupt crown in holiness.

Knowing this, what can we do?

Firstly, it’s only missionary work if you’re
going to people who don’t want to hear you.

And finally, a missionary is a co-worker
of God, a messenger of the Kingdom.

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Really interested in church growth?  Check out Footsteps of the Apostles now!

Comments, questions or feedback?  Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’?  Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!

The original is translated by ‘Gentleman’ and posted on the OrthodoxChristianity.net forum.  Below is my summary.  Like the translation, I’m going to divide my summaries into four parts before doing a commentary…

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Fr Daniel tells of a man from the Altai (in Russia) who was fishing on the lake, and saw the ‘white Hostess of Altai’, who told the man to get his nets and go to the village, seek out St Makarii and listen to what he said.  When the man found St Makarii, he was in church, preaching.  The man looked at the iconostasis and was astonished, asking why the White Hostess of Altai was painted there.  In fact, it was the Mother of God all along who commanded the man to seek St Makarii so that he would leave paganism and come to Christ.

Missionaries serve the ancient plan of the Trinity, a plan that predated the creation of the world.  The Father created the world that we might, through Jesus Christ, be the children of God.  The Holy Spirit calls the people into the Kingdom.  Those who love Truth will follow Him; those who do not, will not.  Christ wants all to be saved, but knows from the beginning those who would follow Truth.

God sends His messengers to the ends of the world, and pleases Him to send missionaries in particular times and places.  The world of missionaries is so unique that it is not possible to schedule or predict it – a missionary lives in the hand of God the Father.  He is there when missionaries need Him, and brings people to them when needed – as Fr Daniel’s experience testifies.  Even Fr Daniel’s lateness for services has been for the glory of God – whether to save from suicide or from apostasy.  Seemingly an accident, but really that’s God’s providence.

Imagine the glory of being a co-worker of God – not just a child of God, but a direct co-worker of the holy Spirit, a messenger of the Kingdom with an incorrupt crown in holiness.  Let us pray, therefore, that the Holy Spirit might come upon, not only our missionaries, but upon all our parishioners who serve the Lord Almighty and yearn for the Divine love.

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Really interested in church growth?  Check out Footsteps of the Apostles now!

Comments, questions or feedback?  Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’?  Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!

The original is translated by ‘Gentleman’ and posted on the OrthodoxChristianity.net forum.  Below is my summary.  Like the translation, I’m going to divide my summaries into four parts before doing a commentary…

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In Orthodoxy, people talk a lot about mission, but they’re calling things missionary when they’re not.  When you go to other Orthodox and tell them about Christ you are catechising – teaching people what they should know and making up for the shortage of their spiritual formation.

If you go to those who don’t want to listen, then you are missionaries – the true warriors of Christ, using the swords of God’s Word and God’s Commandments to fearlessly attack the devil and wrest souls away from him.

A person who saves someone from their evil way has saved a soul from death and covered a multitude of sins.  Missionaries must not be afraid because they sinned at one time; they must stop sinning and cover them by converting unbelievers, strangers and the ignorant to Christianity, by bringing sectarians to the fullness of the Faith.

The missionary, being a weapon of God against the devil, must remember that his job is to announce the word of God unchanged – neither added nor subtracted.  The missionary who adds will be punished, the missionary who subtracts will be taken away from the book of life (Rev 22:18-19).

Following the Apostle Paul, we are to know only Christ, and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2), and are to life this life – co-crucified with Christ, showing victory over the power of death and a sign of the world’s end.  A missionary works so that we might sooner be gathered to Christ, bringing about the end of this world and the beginning of our life resurrected with Christ.

A missionary doesn’t just pray and long for the Kingdom of God (‘Thy Kingdom Come’) – a missionary actively makes it happen.  Those people he converted will then pray for him, and thus will have a multitude of friends among those he converted and among the angels, who yearn for the people and the nations they protect.  The missionary co-operates with the angels, the saints, and the Mother of God in seeking the salvation of all.

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Really interested in church growth?  Check out Footsteps of the Apostles now!

Comments, questions or feedback?  Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’?  Ideas on missionary work?  Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!

The original is translated by ‘Gentleman’ and posted on the OrthodoxChristianity.net forum.  Below is my summary.  Like the translation, I’m going to divide my summaries into four parts before doing a commentary…

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The highest crowns in the Kingdom of Heaven are for missionaries.  In the Canon for Holy Communion, there is no reference to monks, but there is of missionaries.  In Scripture, almost nothing is said about monks while much is said about missionaries.

The work of the missionary is to be on the borders of worlds, while being undefiled by this world.  The missionary is between three worlds: from the human world, being the living letter of Christ and the breath of the Holy Spirit.  In the missionary the Holy Spirit works and directs him to truth and reminding of what the Saviour promised.  John 15:26 applies especially for the missionary.

The missionary is the messenger of God on earth, a sheep among wolfs – but a sheep with an unbreakable skin, de-toothing the wolves.  The image of the missionary snatching souls from the devil for Christ is like that of David, who snatched a sheep from the mouth of a lion.  Missionaries go to the mosque, the sects, the pagans, the non-believers, and proclaims the word of Christ, pulling them from darkness into light, with the word that is of the Spirit (ref. 1 Cor 2:4).

The missionary knows what a miracle is, because miracles follow a missionary, and the missionary sees Scripture fulfilled.  He doesn’t have a city or homeland, except that among God and His saints.  He is strengthened on the foundation of Christ, His apostles and prophets, as inheritor and follower of them.  he follows in their steps to receive their reward from God.

The Lord said ‘whosoever receive my messenger because he is mine shall not lose his reward, even if he but give a cup of cold water to drink’ (paraph., Mark 9).  Imagine how great the reward of the preacher who preaches the word of God where they don’t want to hear it.

—

Really interested in church growth?  Check out Footsteps of the Apostles now!

Comments, questions or feedback?  Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’?  Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!

The original is translated by ‘Gentleman’ and posted on the OrthodoxChristianity.net forum.  Below is my summary.  Like the translation, I’m going to divide my summaries into four parts before doing a commentary…

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Fr Daniel’s parish has a school for preparing Orthodox missionaries.  On the patronal feastday of the Holy Spirit, Fr Daniel’s missionaries receive a blessing from the Trinity to preach the full teaching of Christ to the world.  This is not by coincidence, because it was the next day (the day after Pentecost) when the apostles gathered together and divided up the known world in which to preach (e.g. St Thomas went to India).

The apostolic labours are incomplete: evangelism of all nations is necessary before the end of the world will come (Mt 24:14).  In a sense, missionaries prepare the angels of the apocalypse, by preaching to every holy, island and village, seeking everyone who searches for truth.  Missionaries need the special help of God.

The crown of the apostle is even greater than the crown of the monastic or hierarch.  Anyone can be an equal-to-the-apostles – there are no restrictions in age or gender, any Orthodox is able to receive this crown.

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Who is the true missionary?

• Must be committed to the Lord unto death (like St Paul – Romans 8:35-39) – must love God and, in Him, love all.
• Because of this love, he wants to rescue people from perdition – if a missionary isn’t concerned about people perishing, he is neither Christian nor missionary.
• A missionary should strive to keep the faith and go ever-deeper, while knowing that full knowledge is impossible even to angels. Our faith is not theory but the Trinity.
• A true missionary keeps reading Scripture (Sysoyev’s missionaries would recite Holy Scripture every year) – a missionary who doesn’t read Scripture is a contradiction in terms.
• A missionary must be seethed with the divine fire of love,
• A missionary must keep the holy commandments of God and keep clean from every sin
• A missionary must yearn for holiness and to be in the Kingdom of God.

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Really interested in church growth?  Check out Footsteps of the Apostles now!

Comments, questions or feedback?  Who do you know that is a ‘true missionary’?  Let me know by commenting below, or on Google Plus or Facebook!

or Ghirlandaio Domenico