What is a missionary?

In a broad sense, a missionary is someone who is “on mission.” This idea fits in well with what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that we are all witnesses of the faith that is in us. But more specifically, the word missionary suggests being sent to do the work of missions. In other words, a missionary is one sent to fulfill the “mission” God has given his people to share the good news of the gospel with others who have not heard.
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The specifics of how a missionary serves can be as varied as the giftedness of the people and what God wants to accomplish. In other words, there are very few limits as to where a missionary can go or what a missionary can do and it is often just a matter of looking at the gifts, talents, abilities, and experiences that God has blessed you with.

In more recent years, the term missionary has fallen on hard times. In some contexts, it can carry some unwanted cultural baggage and security concerns and so terms such as “mission’s partner” or “global partner” are preferred.