Everything related to cross-cultural missions is in one way or another risky.  It is risky to yourself and your family to travel, to go to another culture, to try to start a business, to relate to local people, to relate to the local authorities, to police, to government officials, to enter into a context where spiritual warfare will be experienced, to get the right education for your children, to relate to Chinese government officials, especially for passports and exit visas, to stay out of the sight of Chinese spies, to share the Gospel with people who might be antagonistic to it and to you…  There are many risks but God knows all those risks and he knows how to lead you through those risks.  Learning how to listen to the Holy Spirit, follow his leading, obey His nudging, is possibly the most important thing you can learn.  He cares about every detail of your lives but He also has warned, Mt. 10:16-19 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless like doves.  …Do not worry…”

 

If you are not willing to take risks, you probably shouldn’t be in missions.  Risks taken under the leading of the Spirit will result in fruitfulness.  No risks=no fruit.  How does one learn to be a risk taker?

 

1. Learn how to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice and prompting.

2. Learn to be immediately obedient to what the Spirit is directing.  This may be the hardest part of learning how to take risks because fear can cause paralysis and fear is what the enemy will use to keep you from doing God’s will.

3. See how some practiced hearing and obeying the Spirit: