“One question … do you really think the first step for a businessperson is to go to the church leadership?”

This question popped into my inbox a few weeks ago after a Facebook Live interview where I said that if businesspeople are interested in making disciples cross-culturally, they should first talk with their pastor. But this question got me thinking. Is this really the right way to proceed? What if the pastor does discourage the person from taking their job overseas because they think they should go traditionally? Does that possibility nullify the need to involve the church? I think the answer is no. Here are three reasons why.

1. It’s best not to assume that your church leadership will react negatively. A meeting with church leadership can help develop your confidence in going cross-culturally, which is important for both marketplace workers and mission workers. Through your meeting, your church leaders might affirm your calling and send you gladly!
2. Even if that doesn’t happen, God calls each of us to respect the spiritual leadership over us — no matter our calling. Scripture is clear on that. It doesn’t mean that leadership must agree with God’s leading in your life, but at least you’ve gained an understanding of the leadership’s position and you’ve been obedient to their authority.
3. Your voice is vital to the effort to bridge the sacred-secular divide in the church. As a businessperson, you must stand in the gap. By meeting with your church leaders, you’ve made the case for the sacredness of all professions, which just might change the future for your church and other businesspeople to follow your lead.

If you’re a businessperson who wants to take your job overseas to make disciples — talk to your church leadership. You may face opposition, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t calling you. As you include your church in this conversation, you gain confidence in your calling, respect leadership, and advocate for all professions making disciples.

Interested in how you can go cross-culturally? Start here.

Mark Silvers served with Crossworld in the Philippines for 10 years and joined the home office staff as Director of Mobilization in 2009. Mark’s driving passion is the goal of reaching the 2.9 billion people in the world today with no access to the gospel.