Advice on Education Needed for Missions Work

[ChristianHedonist]

Hey everyone, I need some advice. I believe God may be calling me to some sort of missions work in the future. I am currently a college student finishing my second year of majoring in biomedical engineering. I think that the missions work God may have for me could involve using my profession as a biomedical engineer to work in a "closed" country, endeavoring to bring the gospel to unreached people. The advice I'm looking for right now would be on the training and education necessary for being a reformed missionary. Would any sort of seminary education be necessary if I were to only be a missionary's associate, working as a supporter with an ordained missionary? What if I were to be directly involved in preaching the gospel-would I need to be an ordained missionary if my denomination, the OPC, were to send me? And if I need to be ordained for the OPC, or an other reformed church or missions organization, to send me, what sort of education would that require? Could I get by with a certificate from a reformed seminary focused on missions, or would it be necessary for me to get a master's degree? And if a master's degree were necessary, would it matter which type?
Thanks for any advice you can give as I contemplate my future.

In Christ,

~Dan

 

[JBaldwin]

Before pursuing a seminary education, I would find out directly from the OPC exactly what they require. Each denomination and even mission within the denomination has its own requirements for education, etc. I found that out after I had already spent over two years on the field and wanted to change missions. Some will require you to go back and do the training all over again under their direction.

 

[Leslie]

If you want to work in a closed country, then a seminary degree might be detrimental. Your having such a degree could be public knowledge, enabling people to identify you, or at least suspect you as a missionary.

 

[Pergamum]

Teaching English (TESOL) is a good option, as well as your bio medical degree. Saudi, Bahrain and Quatar has many technical job needs that they always are looking to fill.

 

[Leslie]

In preparation for going, consider buying the language-learning program, Rosetta Stone. It is expensive but extremely effective. If you want to learn something like Arabic, once you go through two discs of Rosetta Stone, (a few months at 2 hours a day) you should be able to buy tapes or CD's of scripture, familiar Bible stories and listen with understanding. Speaking or trying to speak the language will endear you to the people to whom you hope to minister. As they help you to speak, your understanding will enable you to progress rapidly.