Where Did the Gritty Missionaries Go? David Joannes on Missionary Motivations

C.T. Studd is credited with saying, “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” But in today’s world where everyone is encouraged to “live on mission,” this classic missionary grit is increasingly absent. What happened, and what are the internal and external motivators that lead someone to risk everything to serve abroad? To answer that question, we invited missionary, author, and researcher David Joannes. David Joannes is the co-founder and president of Within Reach Global, which serves the advance of the gospel in some of Southeast Asia’s most difficult places. He is the author of The Space Between Memories: Recollections from a 21st Century Missionary. David has a love for language, culture, and creative writing, and he lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with his wife, Lorna, and their daughter, Cara. Follow David on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin. Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected]. Powered by ABWE International.