“I’ve noticed a tendency among Christians to think the work of professional missionaries is somehow different from that of churches and their short-term teams. But it’s important to understand that the missionary task is the same for everyone.”

“Short-term teams put their hand to the same plow as we do,” said a missionary to me—referring to teams being sent by partner churches. While missionaries are the leaders we have sent to direct the work of the missionary task, it makes sense for partners to come alongside them in the very same task, in intentional ways and in a collaborative manner.

Continue reading at imb.org to learn why IMB believes churches are essential to the missionary task.