Foreword
Introduction: So You Desire to Be a Missionary?

Part 1: Consider Your Character
Chapter 1: Love the Glory of God
Chapter 2: Cultivate Gospel Awe
Chapter 3: Put Sin to Death
Chapter 4: Pursue Disciplined Holiness
Chapter 5: Be Teachable
Chapter 6: Serve Your Local Church
Chapter 7: Be Qualified
Chapter 8: Keep a Pulse on Your Motivations
Chapter 9: Pursue Mentorship
Chapter 10: Say Follow Me as I Follow Christ
Chapter 11: Learn Contentedness in Waiting
Chapter 12: Work as Unto the Lord not As the Lord
 
Part 2: Consider Your Convictions
Chapter 13: Consider Seminary
Chapter 14: Do Theology with the Help of the Great Cloud of Witnesses
Chapter 15: Know the Triune God and His Imposters
Chapter 16: Know What the Church Is & Does
Chapter 17: Know the Mission of the Church
Chapter 18: Keep Scripture Central
Chapter 19: Celebrate God’s Sovereignty
Chapter 20: Rightly Esteem Culture
Chapter 21: Understand & Apply Theological Triage
 
Part 3: Consider Your Competencies
Chapter 22: Distinguish What the Gospel Is & Does
Chapter 23: Estimate Your Capacity for Language Learning
Chapter 24: Measure Your Cultural Agility
Chapter 25: Disciple Others
Chapter 26: Do an Internship
Chapter 27: Consider a Training Program
Chapter 28: Choose a Lane
Chapter 29: Choose an Agency
Chapter 30: Choose a Job, Location, & Team

Conclusion

“What exactly is the path to becoming a missionary? Thankfully, that question is well answered in this work produced by Ryan Robertson and Matt Bennett.The Path to Being a Missionary is incredibly helpful, and it should be of particular interest to Christians considering the call of God to missions. At the same time, all Christians will be greatly edified by reading this book and come to a deeper understanding of our gospel call to the nations.”
R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“This book is a treasure for those who are thinking through missions as a goer or sender. Robertson and Bennett have the history, skill sets, and love for the church that make this book eminently practical, easy to read, and biblically grounded. By God’s grace, it will be a blessing to many in the church and especially to the nations.”
Brooks Buser, President, Radius International

“The Path to Being a Missionary is the kind of book I want in the hands of anyone asking, “Is the Lord leading me to the nations?” Robertson and Bennett wisely and pastorally aim you toward what really matters: Christlike character, biblical convictions, and proven competency—all tested, clarified, and affirmed in the context of the local church. If you want a practical, theological, church-centered guide that will steady, clarify, and amplify your ambitions—and strengthen sending churches—this is it.”
Nate Akin, Executive Director, Pillar Network

“With the best of intentions, scores of men and women have hastily rushed to the mission field. After reading Matthew 9:37, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” they packed their bags, hopped on a plane, rolled up their sleeves, and went to work. Sadly, they neglected to consider the importance of character, convictions, and competencies. These workers, ill-prepared for the trials of a career overseas, have burned out or, even worse, done more damage than good. If only they had read The Path to Being a Missionary first! Ryan Robertson and Matt Bennett have provided a crisp, practical, sound guide to help Christians rethink how to prepare for the missionary task. In thirty heart-probing chapters, the authors promote the centrality of Scripture, the importance of the local church, the necessity of holiness, the beauty of theology, and—above all—the glory of God as the motivating factor for missions. Whether you aspire to missionary work or simply want to send better, read this book—and pray thousands of others do too.”
Aaron Menikoff, Senior Pastor, Mount Vernon Baptist Church; author, Prioritizing Missions in the Local Church and Beloved and Faithful

“Spurgeon once reminded his students, “We are, in a certain sense, our own tools. . . . My own spirit, soul, and body are my nearest machinery for sacred service; my spiritual faculties and my inner life are my battle axe and weapons of war.” He was speaking to aspiring pastors, but this is also true for all who would be missionaries. Before one considers a missions agency, fundraising, or a field of service, he needs to first develop himself, his character, convictions, and competencies. In this book, Robertson and Bennett provide a wise and accessible guide for growing in those areas and becoming a faithful missionary.”
Geoffrey Chang, Associate Professor of Historical Theology, Curator of the Spurgeon Library, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“I wish this book had been written a long time ago so that most of the workers who came to my nation would have had a more biblical approach to the cross-cultural work they sought to undertake. This book is full of wisdom and will prove a necessary resource for those who want to engage people in cross-cultural settings. The three c’s (character, convictions, and competencies) neatly categorize chapters that deal with most of the essential details to help someone think carefully about the missionary task. Paying heed to the wisdom here will help many avoid potential heartaches for the goers and the senders—and certainly for the receivers too! This book should be a mandatory read for all potential cross-cultural gospel workers and for all those who are in some way responsible for equipping, supporting, sending, and even receiving cross-cultural workers.”
Hezekiah Harshit Singh, Pastor, Satya Vachan Church, Lucknow, India

“Too many well-intentioned Christians are sent to the mission field without regard for qualification or gifting. They’re told, “If you love Jesus, you can go.” But ill-equipped missionaries harm the Great Commission cause. Here is a critical candidate checklist by two seasoned missions operatives. With short, accessible chapters covering a broad range of qualification concerns, this book is a must-read for all missions candidates, as well as for those who are sending them out.”
John Folmar, Sr. Pastor, Evangelical Christian Church of Dubai; coauthor, Prioritizing the Church in Missions

“When I was young, an older saint said to me, “Matt, young men overestimate what they can do in the short run and underestimate what they can do in the long run.” If that’s true, then the book in your hands will help you estimate well. Do not let the urgency of the missionary task override your need to prepare. Start well. Finish well.”
Matt Schmucker, Director, CROSS Conference