If you are reading this you probably are asking questions on how to become a missionary. Taking the steps towards becoming a missionary can be scary and daunting, however, the main reason for this article is to help you to clearly see the steps you need to take in order to step into what may by a long-term calling for you.
What to do before Asking How to Become a Missionary
The first thing to know is that if you are thinking of missions as a Christian, you are not in the wrong. One of the main assignment Christ gave every believer is to go into 
the world and preach the gospel to all, starting from where they are to other parts of the earth (Samaria, to Judea to the whole earth). So you see you are a missionary. However, the question for you would be “Am I to travel or just reach my neighbors? Yes, Now that’s valid.
Many would rather be nominal Christians and not do anything serious. They would go to church because that’s what you do but they haven’t taken their walk seriously. And therefore, transitioning from being a nominal Christian to becoming a missionary can be very confusing and daunting. You have no experience in walking this path. Well, assuming you are considering Missions as a nominal Christian, then I would suggest that you may be taking things too fast. First would be to try to plug yourself into a small group at a sound bible teaching the church. Get to truly understand what Christ did for you on the cross. Ask God to open your eyes to the need around you and then trust Him to guide you through it all. As soon as you get what Christ did in your Spirit, it will be easy for the Spirit of God to work with you in helping others to know Christ. Whether far or near, you can now begin to think of preaching to others.
However, the truth is whatever stage you are in your walk, deciding to become a missionary can be a bit difficult, but thank God you do not have to worry about how you will make it. As God has promised never to leave you stranded in whatever situation you find yourself in. And I feel blessed to be a vessel God he uses to bring this promise to pass in your life. This article which is the first of the series would help ease the transition process by teaching you how to become a missionary.
CONFIRMING THE CALL
Before finalizing your decision on how to become a missionary, it is important that you know what your decision entails. A missionary is someone who has been called by God and sent by the church to go out and further preach the gospel of Christ where it has not been heard or established. You will be required to serve God by serving others. What this means is that you do not live for yourself anymore but you will dedicate whatever time you have left on this earth to meeting the needs of others. It is very important that you are clear on this call; be sure that it is God calling you out to the mission field and not your emotions. There has to be an inner witness; an impression of peace or a very strong conviction that assures your calling to be of God and not of self. For further clarity, you can discuss the matter with spiritual authorities, such as your pastors and mentors who would intercede on your behalf as well as counsel you. Going on a fast can also prove useful, as fasting is known to be a way of disciplining yourself, shutting out the noise of your emotions so as to focus on the voice of the Holy Spirit.
PREPARING TO BECOME A MISSIONARY
Once the call has been confirmed, preparation for life in the mission field is the next phase. First of all, the foundation for becoming a missionary does not rest on your talent, gifting or ability to persuade people, it rests solely on the Holy Spirit. Like the scripture says, those who are led by the spirit of God are called the sons of God, it is important for you to yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit who is already dwelling in you. He is the most important companion you will need on this journey. He is the best teacher to show you how to become a missionary. Some other ways of preparing for this call include;
Defining the call: It’s great to be used by God to reach people. Once you are sure that God wants you on the mission field, you will need to work hand in hand with the Holy Spirit. It’s ok to try out a short term mission first to get you feet wet a bit. Check out this article on mission trips for college students. It’s important to remember that you are not the Holy Spirit and therefore you cannot be everywhere at the same time. You need to define what direction you’d like to take as there are many ways to serve in the mission field. This is a period where a lot of prayer and meditation is needed; spending more alone time with God to eliminate all the other confusing voices. In this period, you need to decide if you are going to be embarking on this walk solely or under a missionary board. You will definitely learn a lot on how to become a missionary by working with a mission agency. If you choose the latter, you’d still have to decide which mission board to join and what department to identify with. Any department you choose must be in line with your expertise and passion. They will also decide where you will get posted to. Each mission field, mission agency, and mission work will have its own special requirements.
Serve in your church: Before you move onto the bigger field, it is important that you get tested in the smaller field. Start by serving in your church. Be actively involved in ministries through your local church. You will be able to realize your strengths and weakness while doing this and grow more in wisdom and character.
Training: Anything you do not prepare for will consume and confuse you when you get there. Before you go researching or looking for external training, start with the one that is right in front of you; the Word. Study it, meditate on it and ask your pastors or the older Christians around you a lot of questions. This is your number one manual to learn how to become a missionary. Go deeper in your relationship with God. Your church may have different kinds of training opportunities for those who want to serve in the mission field. Take advantage of it and acquire as much knowledge as you can. The type of training you should choose is dependent on what department you’d want to work under in the mission field. For additional training, you might want to consider enrolling in a bible school, seminary, skills acquisition classes etc. There is also an option of learning on the job which can be beneficial to you in areas you were not exposed to during your training. Mentorship is also advised. You can seek out the counsel of those missionaries who walked the path before you. Communicate with the current missionaries you know; people who are walking on the same path you are about to walk. Ask a lot of questions and listen carefully as they respond. It will help to make notes of their responses. Online study and research will also be a beneficial source of training. Knowledge is essential but without understanding, knowledge is dead and without wisdom, you can never discern rightly. Combine your physical study, exercise and other forms of training with prayer and fasting. That is where the revelation is.
Learn as much as you can about the country you will be serving in; their culture, the people and about being a missionary in that area. You can do so by making friends during your trips to that place, acquainting yourself with missionaries who may have served there or individuals who may have lived there, reading etc. It is important that you learn the language spoken in the country that you have been posted to. This will help you connect and communicate easily with the citizens of that country.
Short-term mission trips will help you get a burden for people. It is one thing to read about a country and know all the facts; it is a very different thing to interact with people and get a burden for their need for Christ. This visit will give you
Interacting with like-minded people and building the right relationships. You have to be willing to meet and mingle with other missionaries, some of which may be working in the same field, country, and ministry as you. Build relationships with people with them and be humble enough to learn from them. Those people could end up being a shoulder to cry on, people to share and bear burdens with and a source of encouragement in trying times.
Develop Healthy habits. These may include; good hygiene, disciplining yourself by cutting off time wasters and learning to spend quality time with God daily, dealing with emotional baggage so that they do not burden you on the field, spending time with your family and preparing their hearts for your departure etc.
In Conclusion…
Learning how to become a missionary is not what children think about. It is a lifelong commitment and if you are not ready to make the commitment, you should take a step back now. This is a time to get support from friends, family, spiritual authorities and the church, through their prayers, financial donations, partnerships and any other way that will be beneficial to this ministry. The importance of prayer for this journey cannot be overemphasized. The path of a missionary is not an easy one. Prayer is the right place to begin, where your treasure and strength lies. Pray in every way you know how and in all manner of entreaty. Trials and hard times will come such that you will start to question if you are on the right path or not. You can only receive wisdom, assurance, grace, strength and divine direction only when you ask God for it.
In all you do during this period, your eyes must be kept on the goal while enlisting others to be a part of this ministry team. Do not enlist someone just because of how deep their pockets are. Seek the face of God before making any major decisions. It is Him who called you, so trust Him to lead you. This preparation is not something to be rushed and learning how to become a missionary takes a bit of time. You are preparing for a lifetime of service and as such, you must patiently yield as the Holy Spirit walks you through and opens doors for you. It will definitely be worth the wait!!!