Midwifery: An Evangelistic Strategy
A field missionary serving in SE Asia contacted us and asked, ‘Would you consider sending midwives to help us with our work amongst the people group we’re targeting?’
A US -based mission director confided this to us; ‘We want to position a Christian midwife on each of our 70 cross cultural mission teams serving in various places around the world.’
John Piper says; ‘Tell people the good news of Christ from a heart of love and a life of service.’
Christian midwives are some of the most passionate people you will meet. When the Apostle Peter addressed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, he emphasized what Christians oftentimes miss, ‘What I have I give to you…’ A Christian midwife gives to others what she carries in her heart. Her passion stems from Christ’s compassion and a willingness to give her life in service to other women. She offers her heart to demonstrate the character of God’s kingdom involving mercy, love, kindness, and building relationships with her patients; all of which are foundational to living out the Gospel.
We have witnessed thousands of times that a Christian midwife has the unique ability to transcend many barriers to the Gospel message for two reasons;
- Her skills and competence brings assistance to a global crisis concerning the urgent need for quality maternal healthcare.
- Her service is primarily relational because she invests much time caring for her patient’s prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum needs.
Because the work of a midwife is so relevant, practical and hands-on she is uniquely positioned to form relationships and gain favor amongst families within a target group. Furthermore, her influence can naturally transition from practical concerns to spiritual input – especially amongst cultures that view secular and religious life in harmony. That influence and favor, including favor gained with the patient’s husband, helps to overcome some of the barriers missionaries face in reaching their target group for Christ.
A Christian midwife’s influence can naturally transition from practical concerns to spiritual input – especially amongst cultures that view secular and religious life in harmony.
As we narrate in our Midwife for the Mission Team video, almost everyone who makes a commitment to Jesus has a story to tell about other people and events in their lives which brought them to the point of total surrender. Christian midwives can play an active role in the lives of people who are on a journey towards salvation as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts and leads them toward Christ.
As career field missionaries of 20+ years we have been involved in multiple and various evangelistic efforts on the mission field, but none have been as effective as the immensely relational impact that a Christian midwife has with the family of her patient. Christian Midwife Initiative seeks to integrate the service of a Christian midwife in the evangelism of people groups by partnering with field missionaries who would consider adding her skills to their team.