The first missionaries used to ship all their possessions to their field of service in a coffin because they didn't expect to return. Their only communication with home was letters which would take months to arrive by ship. More recently a missionary would come speak at a church, they'd show some pictures and take up an offering, then after they left all you would ever see of them is their prayer card on the wall next to a world map with a string of yard pointing to their country of service.
Recently I've had the privilege of joining several local congregations around southern New Hampshire to cast a vision of what God's doing in Namibia. The churches that I've been visiting are specifically excited about one major aspect of my mission: relationship. They want a relationship with their missionaries. They don't just want to send some random people from other congregations who may send back a few newsletters and stop by every few years when they're home on furlough. They want to know their names, their situations, and their concerns. They don't just want a prayer card on the wall. They want to participate in a vision. The more I interact with churches who have this philosophy of missions, the more excited I get, because that's my passion as well! It's like Paul said in 1 Thess 2:8, "we shared with you not only the gospel, but our lives as well."
