Hey everyone, I need some advice. I believe God may be calling me to some sort of missions work in the future. I am currently a college student finishing my second year of majoring in biomedical engineering. I think that the missions work God may have for me could involve using my profession as a biomedical engineer to work in a "closed" country, endeavoring to bring the gospel to unreached people. The advice I'm looking for right now would be on the training and education necessary for being a reformed missionary. Would any sort of seminary education be necessary if I were to only be a missionary's associate, working as a supporter with an ordained missionary? What if I were to be directly involved in preaching the gospel-would I need to be an ordained missionary if my denomination, the OPC, were to send me? And if I need to be ordained for the OPC, or an other reformed church or missions organization, to send me, what sort of education would that require? Could I get by with a certificate from a reformed seminary focused on missions, or would it be necessary for me to get a master's degree? And if a master's degree were necessary, would it matter which type?
Thanks for any advice you can give as I contemplate my future.

In Christ,

~Dan

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Dan Dorman
Member of Pilgrim OPC in my hometown-Bangor, Maine
Currently attending Christ the King OPC in Longview, Texas, where I am a college student

"All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and His Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions is not that goal. It is the means. And for that reason it is the second greatest human activity in the world." — John Piper

Before pursuing a seminary education, I would find out directly from the OPC exactly what they require. Each denomination and even mission within the denomination has its own requirements for education, etc. I found that out after I had already spent over two years on the field and wanted to change missions. Some will require you to go back and do the training all over again under their direction.

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J Baldwin
Keowee Presbyterian Church, PCA
Pickens, SC
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Check Out My Blog: http://reflectjoy.blogspot.com/

Hi Dan,

Speak with your elders and seek their council and direction.

I'm thankful that you have a desire to serve. I wish there were more men who were at least willing to consider how God would use them in the service of His Church. If you desire to serve as a minister abroad and preach and administer the Sacraments then yes, you do need to be duly called and ordained.
mike

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Mike Cuneo
Calvary Presbyterian Church (PCA), TE
Greenville, SC
Church Planter, Viterbo, Italy
www.MissionToItaly.com

"It was once said to me of another, 'He's a good man, but somehow he never reminds me of Jesus.'" David Dickson

If you want to work in a closed country, then a seminary degree might be detrimental. Your having such a degree could be public knowledge, enabling people to identify you, or at least suspect you as a missionary.

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Mary Vanderkooi
Kale Heywott Church (KHC)
Soddo, Ethiopia

Teaching English (TESOL) is a good option, as well as your bio medical degree. Saudi, Bahrain and Quatar has many technical job needs that they always are looking to fill.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

In preparation for going, consider buying the language-learning program, Rosetta Stone. It is expensive but extremely effective. If you want to learn something like Arabic, once you go through two discs of Rosetta Stone, (a few months at 2 hours a day) you should be able to buy tapes or CD's of scripture, familiar Bible stories and listen with understanding. Speaking or trying to speak the language will endear you to the people to whom you hope to minister. As they help you to speak, your understanding will enable you to progress rapidly.