The Making of Missionaries

McClung Press Photo (114K)

“The Making of Missionaries:”

Grant and Janice McClung Reflect on Their World Missions Journey

Dr. Grant McClung, a veteran missions leader, is Associate Professor of World Mission and Evangelism at the Church of God Theological Seminary (www.cogts.edu) and elected member of the International Executive Council of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee U.S.A.).

Published in “Contemporary Practice” - www.globalmissiology.org January 2008

Missions down the Memory-lane

Over the years in world missions ministries, whether prayerfully interviewing missionary candidates in a personnel committee, supervising and resourcing educational leaders worldwide, or giving administrative and pastoral leadership to 100+ missionaries and national leaders in Europe and the Middle East, Janice and I have marveled at the stories of God-called men and women (and their children) and the special ways God uses in “the making of missionaries.”

In our own world missions journey, we can see the hand of God in missions miracles, missions modeling, missions mentoring, and a missions movement.

Missions Miracles

Consider the miracle of being born just one day apart at different ends of the country (Janice on August 11 in Florida; Grant on August 12 in California) and being brought together in matrimony and ministry. Consider the divine missionary calling, through supernatural prophetic messages, the years of miraculous financial provision, the miracle of protection in missions travel in more than 60 nations, and the recent miraculous healing of our granddaughter (through the prayers of God’s people around the world). We believe that mission begins with and is sustained in missions miracles.

Missions Modeling

As a child at the Ruskin, Florida Church of God (outside Tampa), Janice heard the missions appeal through the visit of missionaries Hoyle and Mildred Case and her life was set on a path that would lead to missionary service in Europe. As a teenager at a California camp meeting, Grant had a “divine appointment” with missions leader James L. Slay who encouraged the high school junior to make his first application for missionary service with Church of God World Missions. We believe in missions modeling for others as a way of “paying forward” what we received from faithful missionaries.

Missions Mentoring

David S. Bishop was our teacher at West Coast Bible College. Early every school day morning, before the beginning of classes, he faithfully led us and other members of the “Missions Club” in daily intercession for countries and missionaries (interestingly, he and his wife Sandra are with us now on Wednesday nights at Westmore Church of God where we continue to serve together in missions intercessory prayer ministry). Dr. Bishop was the team leader on my first short-term missions experience – two weeks in Mexico – in June 1967. We believe that doors are opened for international service through missions mentoring.

A Missions Movement

We are grateful for a visionary young pastor, Robert E. Fisher, who encouraged us forward in ministry and led our congregation in Fresno, California in the act of “setting forth” into credentialed ministry in a worldwide missionary movement known as the Church of God. That service took place forty years ago on May 31, 1967. We believe we are called to participate in a global missions movement.

Who would have ever dreamed that a little girl from Tampa, Florida and a boy from Central California would have found each other through God’s missions miracles, responded to the missionary call through the examples of missions modeling and

mentoring, and would be given an open door of global service through a missions movement. Such is the grace and mercy of God, in only one story among thousands, in “the making of missionaries.”

Author Information

Grant and Janice McClung, veteran Church of God missionaries, are concluding (on May 31, 2007) a special forty day observance, “40 Days for 40 Years (1967 – 2007),” celebrating the goodness of God in missions ministry (www.azusastreetandbeyond.com). Grant, currently serving as missions professor at the Church of God Theological Seminary, is a member of the Church of God International Executive Council. Janice leads the World Missions Prayer ministry at the Westmore Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Contact Information:
P.O. Box 3778
Cleveland, TN 37320-3778
Email: gmeuro@earthlink.net