FEATURE: OUR FAVORITE NONPROFITS AND
HOW THEY’RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Heroes or Servants?
By Bethany Ferguson
There seem to be two types of stories about
missional work. The first, and perhaps most
prevalent, is triumphal. These are stories of work
in hard places, of people coming to faith, and of
missionaries who seem like superheroes. The
second type of missionary stories often come
from people who have become disillusioned and
see missionaries as foolish or dangerous. Those
stories show ways missionaries have failed or
done damage. They portray missionaries as the
anti-hero. So, is the missionary the hero or the
villain? Which story is true?
The problem with both types of stories is that
the heart of the gospel, which is the heart of
missions, isn’t primarily about missionaries at
all. It is about Jesus, who came to bring good
news to the whole world. He is the one who lived
a perfect life, loved the world unto death, and
destroyed our enemies through his resurrection.
He is always the only Savior in the gospel story.
When I look at the life of Jesus, I marvel at his
humility. He came into the world as a baby,
dependent on his parents and community. He
grew and listened and learned. He made it his
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