Missions is great! It’s exciting to see how God is expanding His kingdom, building His church, bringing glory to Himself around the world. The torrent of information can be overwhelming! Yet, the needs are so great. Human suffering and depravity is overwhelming, too! Compassion fatigue sets in. It’s possible to get so interested in missions that other key ministry activities suffer. Balance is one of the most difficult goals to achieve.
As a pastor, you have to manage the flow of information and concern in balance with your other ministry responsibilities. While you definitely want to grow and model a heart for the nations, you need to keep your feet firmly planted in ministry to the congregation to which God has called you.
Helping your key missions leaders and advocates of the church understand your need for balance will help. They should be encouraged to bring to your attention or recommend only the information and resources most significant to your understanding. Get your own copy of Operation World and systematically plod and pray through it. Get someone on the Missions Team to give you an update on the current status and concerns of your church’s supported missionaries quarterly.
You don’t have to read all the new books coming out on missions; you don’t have to subscribe to missions journals and periodicals; you don’t have to know everything out there on the Internet about missions. Your delegated missions leadership people should do that. They can be your buffer, briefer, research assistant for missions info.