Category: Living Like a Missionary in America Page 1 of 5

Voting as a Dual Citizen

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On October 29, 2026

In American Worldview, Living Like a Missionary in America

As a Christian, American citizenship is not my most important identity. 

voting guide

I read my Bible in the morning and my voter’s guide in the afternoon, and it’s crazy to think that the latter wouldn’t exist without the former. 

The entire reason I have the privilege of voting for my leaders and laws is because of the Bible. Many historians (even those who are not Christian) have convincingly shown that the values of personal freedom and equality (necessary for a democracy) came directly from Christianity. They simply were not valued, especially by authorities, prior to Jesus and the movement he started.*

Yet, in a crazy twist of irony, I wonder if democracy can sometimes make Christians forget their purpose. 

In a nation of “we the people,” we all get to be the government, which is pretty incredible, in light of history. But that power can make us fixate on being the government, when our primary purpose is actually to be the Church. 

It’s complicated. In America, governmental power is spread out over millions of people; we each get a tiny part, and we must approach this responsibility soberly and seriously. We must recognize that an effective government must exert authority. Protect the innocent. Punish evil. Put up boundaries. Limit freedom. Subdue enemies. 

Yet it’s very easy for this identity as a responsible American citizen to get confused with our higher, more important identity – a citizen of Heaven. 

When acting as the government (for most of us, that’s primarily when we vote), we may need to be authoritative, punishing, limiting, subduing. But as Christians, living according to our higher identity, we are called to live our ordinary lives defined by the opposite: being meek, forgiving, sacrificial, loving. 

Turning the other cheek. Doing good to those who persecute us. Carrying each other’s burdens. Being lavishly generous. Loving our neighbors. And who did Jesus define as our neighbors? Those who are our ethnic, cultural, and religious adversaries (Luke 10:25-37). 

I think that a big part of the problem in America’s Christian culture wars is the confusion of these two identities. One side says that Christians are too weak, permissive, and empathetic. The other side says that Christians are too strong, authoritative, and punishing. The truth is that we actually should represent both identities, but in different ways and at different times. We are dual citizens. 

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prioritize hospitality

This is Your Friendly Reminder to Prioritize Hospitality This Summer

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On May 29, 2025

In Living Like a Missionary in America

Christians, invite people into your home this summer. 

Why? 

Because America has a loneliness epidemic. Almost thirty percent of Americans feel lonely; the younger they are, the more lonely they feel, and the rates keep rising every year. “In short, there is no statistical record of any other period in U.S. history when people have spent more time on their own.” Loneliness increases anxiety, depression, dementia, and heart disease. It’s as bad for life expectancy as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. 

This is not okay. This summer, let’s declare war on loneliness!

God created us for community, to be known, share burdens, and depend on each other. We can’t love people if we don’t spend time together. We can’t practice the fruit of the Spirit if we’re not in each other’s business. We can’t meet each other’s needs if we don’t know what they are. 

And in hyper-individualistic America, it doesn’t happen without intentionality. This is where hospitality comes in: 
Seek to show hospitality. (Romans 12:13)
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)

What was one reason the Early Church was so extraordinary? Because they ate together daily in each other’s homes. (Acts 2:46)

We can do this. Let’s do this! And summer is the perfect time – no homework, no sports, more daylight. 

Here’s what works for me:

  • Plan ahead. If I don’t plan, it usually doesn’t happen. Occasionally, the stars will align, and I’ll spontaneously decide in the afternoon that I have the availability, energy, and ingredients to have someone over that night. But then it takes four text messages to find people who are also free. It doesn’t always work. Planning in advance is the key: Looking ahead in my calendar to decide on open dates. Making a grocery list ahead of time. Lighting a fire under the kids in the morning to pick up their stuff (Trust me, this part is an extra perk to hospitality!).
  • Make a list of people. Maybe this is weird, but it works. In my planner, I keep a running list of people I want to invite over. Neighbors. The kids’ soccer coaches. New people we met at church. And friends, of course. This way, when I have an open date, I already know who to call. 
  • Keep it simple. I’m not a fancy party person. I keep a list of meals to make for guests so that I don’t suffer from decision stress. Often, it’s a burrito bar or a pasta bar. Both are super easy to adapt for vegan or gluten-free diets. I like to cook from scratch, but neither option requires much cooking at all if that’s not your thing. Both can be easily adapted for small or large groups. 
  • I hope you know you also have permission just to order pizza. Who cares? It’s not about impressing people, it’s about spending time with people. Or just do dessert and games. Chocolate fondue in a mini crock pot (Chocolate chips and heavy cream, done. Chop up apples and strawberries, pull out pretzels and marshmallows. You’ll impress people – never mind what I just said.)
  • Also, nobody cares if your house isn’t perfectly decorated or perfectly clean. That’s not what this is about. In fact, sometimes a non-perfect house is more comfortable than a perfect one. 

Hospitality is a discipline. I don’t always “feel like it.” Opening my home is vulnerable. What if they think I’m weird? What if they just feel obligated to say yes? What if I burn something (again)? I must push past fears of awkwardness or rejection. 

Because you know what usually happens instead? We get to hear an incredible story of redemption. We make new friends. We bask in the warmth of old friends. We laugh a lot. It’s fun. It’s beautiful. It’s living the way we were created to live, a glimpse of eternity in the midst of a strenuous journey.  


Related: Please, Talk to the New Person
I Want to Need You
The Happiest Kind of Sadness: Portrait of a Friendship

Seeing Myself in The Poisonwood Bible

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On August 8, 2024

In Book Recommendations, Living Like a Missionary in America

Poisonwood Bible

I knew that The Poisonwood Bible was a best-selling novel about a missionary family to Africa, so why did it take me 25 years to finally read it? Honestly, I think I was scared of it. I knew that it painted an ugly picture of missionaries, and I feared it would make me question my calling. 

Well, that’s a stupid reason to avoid reading a book, so when I read it this summer, I regretted waiting so long. I was instantly captivated. Barbara Kingsolver weaves a riveting story of the fictional Nathan Price and his family into the horrifying history of Congo in the 1960’s. Like many other reviewers, I loved the first two-thirds of the book and was bored by the last third (which is essentially an extended epilogue) – but the point is, I still loved it. I would argue that it should be required reading for any cross-cultural worker.

Yes, Nathan Price is a terrible missionary. On his first night in the village, when his hosts welcome him with a feast and dancing, the first words out of his mouth are raging criticism for their lack of clothing. It all goes downhill from there. For example, he can’t understand why no one wants to be baptized in the river until someone reveals that the villagers assume he wants to feed them to the crocodiles. 

Nathan speaks very little of the local language, and even his feeble attempts are misinterpreted:

“TATA JESUS IS BÄNGALA!” declares the Reverend every Sunday at the end of his sermon. More and more, mistrusting his interpreters, he tries to speak in Kikongo. He throws back his head and shouts these words to the sky, while his lambs sit scratching themselves in wonder. Bangala means something precious and dear. But the way he pronounces it, it means the poisonwood tree. Praise the Lord, hallelujah, my friends! for Jesus will make you itch like nobody’s business.”

He asks no questions. He makes no attempts to understand. He is never willing to admit he is wrong. He is never willing to acknowledge that the villagers could be right. He thinks he is defending God’s reputation. He refuses to see that his pride and foolishness are actually doing the opposite.

I’ve never met a missionary this bad, though certainly, any honest, self-reflecting missionary winces to realize that they see a little of themselves in Nathan Price.

But is this just about missionaries? 

Isn’t every Christian living in a culture that is, in a sense, foreign? 

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The World Was Not Worthy of Them

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On January 20, 2024

In Living Like a Missionary in America, What I'm Learning

When I published my article yesterday (Luxury Cars and Walking Dusty Roads), I shared it with my friend Emmanuel, on whom that post was based (and the others on his ministry team).

This was his response (with minor grammatical edits):

Thank you for sharing this with me, sister. It’s really encouraging to hear this. When I was thinking about what you wrote, I realized that it’s easy to forget the purpose of the Gospel when we’re trying to live an amazing life in the fallen world (which it seems impossible to live an amazing life in this broken world).

One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:12. The Apostle Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Too much stuff and all kinds of luxuries in life oftentimes leads to more discontent rather than contentment and when this happens is when we forget the purpose of the Gospel.”

I read this and sat speechless for several moments, tears in my eyes. How do I, as a privileged American, comprehend such humble faith, such focused vision? Gil may have been his teacher at the Bible school for a few years, but now, Emmanuel is truly our teacher.

I was so moved by his response that I asked Emmanuel’s permission to share both his name and what he wrote, and he agreed.

Join me in praying for Emmanuel’s ministry (called Stawi Ministries), and if you would like to make a financial gift towards his team’s ministry to Tanzanian public schools and prisons, please write to me at contactamy@amy-medina.com, and I’ll let you know donor options. The team could use funds for transportation, but also the gospel literature that they distribute.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them….the world was not worthy of them.” (Hebrews 11)

photos from Reach Tanzania Bible School, circa 2018

Longing for a Better Country

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On October 3, 2023

In American Worldview, Living Like a Missionary in America, Thoughts on Missions

Living as a foreigner taught me how to live as a Christian

Imagine you read this in a newsletter from a cross-cultural missionary: 

We didn’t expect Hindu beliefs to be so strange. We were expecting the people to think more like us, and their differences are making us very uncomfortable, even angry.   

We are especially worried about how Hindu beliefs are influencing us and our children. We don’t want to expose ourselves to these lies. We only let a few safe people, usually other missionaries, into our home. We want our children to have only good Christian influences in their lives.

Would you question whether these missionaries understood what they signed up for? Would you wonder if they are having any impact at all? This is not a true story, but there’s something to notice here: all Christians have been given the same Great Commission, yet sometimes we hold missionaries to a different standard than we hold ourselves. Can the missionary life illustrate God’s intention for all believers?

When a foreign country felt like home 

I was a missionary kid in Africa for half of my childhood, and then my husband and I lived in Tanzania, East Africa, for 16 years. We adapted to driving on the left side of the road. We figured out how to combat millipedes and centipedes. We learned to snorkel; we knew where to buy the best roadside barbequed chicken; we hailed three-wheeled rickshaw taxis in Swahili. We formed tight bonds in the community. Life in Tanzania was not always easy, but we felt we belonged there. Visiting the States felt stressful; Tanzania felt like home. 

Yet, no matter how much I wanted Tanzania to be my home, it never really could be. Tangible reminders of my status as a foreigner followed me everywhere. Every two years, I had to reapply for a residence permit. I was not permitted to own a home. I could not vote. No matter how hard I tried, I would never look the same, sound the same, think the same as the people around me. I was always an outsider.

Scripture often refers to Christians as strangers (Heb 11:13), foreigners (1 Pet 1:17) and exiles (1 Pet 2:11). Making my home in a foreign land gave me this perspective. It granted me a picture of what my life as a Christian should look like in my own home country. 

Now that I’m living back in America, I discovered that living as a foreigner taught me much about living as a Christian.  

Go here to read the rest at the EFCA blog.

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