m_wordRecently, I’ve found myself discussing the “M” word (“missionary”) with more than one worker from a sensitive land, especially regarding families with kids. The question, in particular, is “How to handle the “M” word when mommy and daddy are working in a creative access country (for example, launching a business as missions platform). Some families say “all Christians are missionaries” then define the term. Other families avoid the “M” word all together. There are opportunities for comparisons with other paradigms. When your kids were little, how did you handle the concept of Santa Claus? [plot spoiler: If your kids are reading this with you, and they still ‘believe in Santa Claus,’ better stop reading right now :-) ] If you decided to tell them the truth about Santa, how did you instruct them to handle that “truth” in relation to other children… when, for example, they were playing with kids whose families handled it differently?

This is an important topic — and it’s one that could easily cause trouble for a family who chooses to live for Jesus in a sensitive land. Your thoughts?