I grew up as a missionary kid, and there’s something exhilarating about being a missionary that never really leaves you.
My mom used to say that while there wasn’t much money in being a missionary, it was certainly an interesting life. And she was right. It was unpredictable, demanding, sometimes exhausting—but it was never small. There’s something about living on the front edge, about throwing your weight behind something you believe actually matters, that changes you. I honestly think everyone should experience that feeling at least once.
As a teenager, I later joined something called the 1000 Missionary Movement. One of their mottos stuck with me and never let go: “Once a missionary, always a missionary.” That phrase still energizes me, and I think it should energize every Adventist.
But let’s be clear: being a missionary today isn’t about some awkward form of colonialism, or wearing one of those strange white colonial hats (yes, they’re called pith helmets—and no, that’s not the point). Being a missionary now is about choosing adventure over comfort. It’s about doubling down on what God has already placed in you and deciding not to sit on it.
Guaranteed: there is a message inside you that needs to be shared. Maybe it’s for your local community. Maybe it’s online. Maybe it’s clear across the world. The question isn’t where—it’s whether you’re willing to be authentic enough and excited enough about what God has given you to actually share it.
We’re living in an unprecedented moment. The gatekeepers are gone. It has never been easier to speak, create, publish, connect, and invite. But it has also never been easier to give up—because we’re distracted, exhausted, and constantly pulled in a thousand directions.
So stay focused. Don’t waste the gift you’ve been given. Don’t bury the message that was entrusted to you.
That’s what BarelyAdventist is about: a deeply personal, deeply human approach to faith, mission, and meaning—strengthening God’s kingdom one honest voice at a time. If “once a missionary, always a missionary” still stirs something in you, then you’re already part of this.
Let’s build something bigger—together.
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