Tentmakers usually work in countries and areas where regular mission work is difficult or not possible. They can work in places where missionaries are not allowed. Let's hear from some tentmakers today!
“I’m standing among the ruins of ancient Corinth. This large and influential Greek city was a major center for religion, culture, and trade.”
“When the Apostle Paul arrived in Corinth around 50 AD, he found work as a tentmaker with a husband and wife business team, Acquila and Priscilla. They were tentmakers, but they also had a heart for mission. And they faced a formidable mission challenge in this pagan city.”
“Tentmaking may have been Paul’s trade, but mission was his calling. And the Bible tells us he reasoned in the temple every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.”
“Today we have modern-day tentmakers. They don’t necessarily make tents, but like Paul they use their trade or profession to support their mission. They are missionaries, but they don’t get a salary from the church. They find their own jobs in the marketplace, and their salary comes from their employers.”
“I decided that I should just keep going and being a missionary as the purpose of my life. Through tentmaking, I could actually do my profession and be a missionary and take Jesus to people.”
“Tentmakers usually work in countries and areas where regular mission work is difficult or not possible. They can work in places where missionaries are not allowed. They follow Christ’s method of ministry—mingling, showing sympathy, ministering to needs, and winning confidence so that they can then bid people to follow Jesus.”
“In this case as a tentmaker, I say I’m a teacher. It doesn’t have to involve passing out literature because that will quickly get you exported out of the country. It requires being an authentic, friendly person, but covertly sharing the truth.”
“This friend of mine, this colleague that I worked with just sitting next to her for a long time. We had many opportunities to share, to talk about spiritual things. She had never had any contact with Christianity or anything different than her religion. And just knowing that if not by you, maybe they would never hear anything about Jesus.”
“Adventist Mission’s Global Mission initiative helps local fields support tentmakers by providing training and materials. Global Mission also helps with spiritual retreats so that tentmakers can meet together, share experiences, get training and, most important, fellowship and be spiritually refreshed. Tentmakers often work in isolation and this connects them with others who are facing similar experiences.”
“It’s the biggest mission that we can ever do. You don’t need to be a nurse or pastor or a teacher. You can be anything. So I praise God for that.”
“If you're feeling God's calling to become a tentmaker and you have a job that can get you work in a veiled country or city, visit our website for more information.”
“We don't need anyone to call us except for Jesus. So just go for it. Share your faith where you are now. If God calls you to reach the unreached in the 10/40 Window in the Middle East North Africa region, go for it. God will take care of you.”
Reference text:
After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
