I want to serve God. That means missionary work, right? When I think of the mission field, I think of Africa. Or maybe a remote jungle in South America.

At the same time, that scares the heeby-jeebies out of me. What do I know? Not enough of the Bible certainly. I clam up when anyone confronts me. I only know English.

What I do know is God hasn’t opened a door for me to be a missionary. What do I do? Throw up my hands and say “Well, Lord, it’s up to you. I’ll serve you when you make a way?”

Matthew 28:19 says:

And Acts 1:8 says:

I can still be involved in God’s missionary work. I should be. But how?

In many ways, we are blessed to live in the time we do. Never has it been so easy to disseminate information. Never before have there been so many options from which to choose.

Tips For Finding Your Mission Field

#1 – Find yOur Spiritual Gifts

This is crucial in answering God’s call in the “mission field” and is really the first step in understanding our call. Pieces began to fall into place for me when I realized my gift was encouragement. Encouragement + Writer = Blog

The possibilities are endless for you, but first you must know what your gift(s) are. Then follow that up with prayer. God has a plan for each of us.

You can find several spiritual gifts tests online by searching. My family has taken the one at spiritualgiftstest.com.

#2 – Meet Needs Around you

Every day I have the chance to pour into my husband. I get the chance to speak love to my stepchildren each weekend. There are countless people around me to whom I can show the love of Christ—at work, running errands, home, online.

We have a great gift in the internet if we’ll just use it. Most of us spend a great deal of time online thanks to email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. My online accounts are used as a type of ministry. I only share positive or encouraging things, and usually the things I share are faith-based. How many people would be reached if we all shared the Gospel instead of pictures of our food or the latest drama at the bank?

#3 – Support Ministries

There are many ministries out there already doing important work. Figure out what’s important to you and research.

Human trafficking, spreading the gospel, children, and clean water are some of the things my husband and I are passionate about. We research, find trusted ministries, and give what we can.

Even when we can’t afford to give much, God can use any resource to help those in need. And when we give, we support the Church as a whole, just as the New Testament Church did. We are part of the mission field even when we can’t be on what we consider the front lines.

#4 – Start a Ministry

Should you research and not find anyone already working with your passion, ask why God has given you that passion and pray about it. Maybe you’re the one called to start the work.

Ministries can take on many different forms. I’ve been guilty of associating ministries with monstrous non-profit companies, but my idea of a ministry has changed recently. This blog is my ministry. As I mentioned earlier, I use Facebook as a ministry. Whatever it is, it doesn’t need a .org after the name to be a ministry.

I heard a saying somewhere—I can’t remember where or who said it—that said God wants you to blossom right where you’re planted.

God calls where He wills. Some He calls to the mission fields of Africa. Some He calls to the mission fields of home or the workplace. It’s up to us to do the work He calls us to do and be His witnesses where He wills. The work is plentiful everywhere.

Luke 16:10 says:

We must be willing and trustworthy with what God has given us. Besides, life is ebb and flow as are our mission fields. God is ever preparing us for greater “fields” if we’ll allow it.

What about you? What’s your mission field? What are some of the ways you’ve found to serve? Feel free to let me know in the comments.

Need a little more reading on the subject? Here you go!

• Finding Purpose: 2 Important Truths to Remember as a Christian from HISsparrowBlog
• Keeping the Faith: How to Get the Fire Back from HISsparrowBlog
• Keeping the Faith: Simple Reminders for When You’re Not Feeling It from HISsparrowBlog

I frequently link up with the following: Grace & Truth with Embracing the Unexpected, Tell His Story with Jeanne Takenaka, and Let’s Have Coffee with Joanne Viola.