I'm curious about the age old question of missions and money. What do ya'll think?

People who raise money are more sustainable personally but often the locals will wonder how these people live and will stumble about joining the ministry because they think it means free loads of money.

People who go into foreign countries and work have a more transferrable idea of ministry but its often hard to get much ministry done when they're working full time and have the stress of a foreign culture/language.

People who live in a poverty mentality will often just trust in the Lord to get them by with just enough and seem to get by, but are often so poor they don't have a "cloak to offer their naked neighbor" etc...

Which do you most agree with?

I have a ton of opinions about this. I don't see #2 and #3 working that well unless the target field is in a developed nation. Option #1 seems the most tried and true, has the most accountability, and is the only one I've seen work well personally. I believe the other options could work, but there are a lot of things that have to fall into place, especially when it comes to society/culture of both the sending nation and the target nation. If God is controlling things then anything can work, however I've seen people go route #2 or #3 when it appeared to be their own ideas and not something God had orchestrated.

(that's the short answer)

The church has been called by our savior and lord to be missional. She's more herself when she is. I wish more local churches can truly become mission minded. That's one of the things I like about LBU. It trains a lot of missionaries and encourages a lot of mission work.