Christian Missionaries Every Believer Should Know

William Carey: The Father of Modern Missions

William Carey is often remembered as "the founder of modern missions" in India, but his story began in an ordinary cobbler’s shop where he felt a growing conviction that every believer is called to share the gospel.

While many Christians of his day believed missions were unnecessary or impossible, Carey opened his Bible and saw a different story, one where God’s people were meant to carry the Good News to the ends of the earth. His passion helped spark the founding of the Baptist Missionary Society, launching a global missions movement still influencing churches today.

When Carey arrived in India, nothing matched the expectations he’d once held. He faced sickness, financial hardship, heartbreaking family struggles, and years of slow progress. Yet he kept going. Carey planted churches, opened schools, and worked tirelessly to make education accessible to the poor. He also became a strong voice for justice, advocating against practices that harmed vulnerable people, including the burning of widows on funeral pyres. One of Carey’s greatest contributions was his translation work. He helped bring the Bible into dozens of languages, allowing millions to read Scripture in their heart language for the very first time.

Carey’s life reminds us that God can use humble obedience to change nations—and that no act of faithfulness is ever wasted.

Amy Carmichael: Rescuing Temple Children in India

Amy Carmichael is known for her deep, fearless compassion and her willingness to follow God into difficult places. Originally from Northern Ireland, she felt a clear call to missions and eventually settled in South India. There she encountered the painful reality of children being trafficked and exploited in temple systems. Instead of accepting this as unchangeable, Amy chose to intervene.

She rescued vulnerable children, offered them refuge, and created a safe and nurturing community centered on the love of Christ. This work eventually grew into a home for hundreds of boys and girls who would have otherwise faced unthinkable circumstances.

The children called her “Amma,” which means mother, and Amy dedicated her entire life to their protection, education, and spiritual formation. Even after an accident left her largely bedridden, she continued to serve by writing heartfelt devotionals and letters that encouraged believers around the world. Amy Carmichael believed that real love always takes action.

Her life reminds Christians that obedience often begins with noticing someone in need and responding with courage and compassion. Her legacy still challenges the church today to defend the vulnerable, care for the forgotten, and trust that God can use simple faithfulness to bring lasting change.

Nate Saint: Flying for Christ in the Ecuadorian Jungle

Nate Saint was a missionary pilot whose courage and obedience helped carry the gospel into some of the most remote regions of Ecuador.

Serving with Mission Aviation Fellowship, Nate used his aircraft to transport supplies, medical help, and missionaries to villages that had no roads or safe access. His work opened doors for ministry among isolated communities and demonstrated how aviation could advance missions around the world. Nate felt a particular burden for the Waorani people, a tribe known for violent retaliation and complete separation from the outside world.

He and four other missionaries prayed, planned, and made gentle, peace-filled contact by dropping gifts and messages of friendship. After months of preparation, the team finally landed near the Waorani settlement to meet them in person. Their first encounter was hopeful, but soon after, all five missionaries were killed. Although the event shocked the world, God brought incredible redemption through it. The families of the men continued to love and reach out to the Waorani, and many from the tribe came to Christ. Nate’s story shows the depth of Christlike love and the cost of bringing the gospel to those who have never heard it. His legacy continues to inspire missionaries who feel called to hard places.

David Livingstone: Missionary Explorer in Africa

David Livingstone is remembered as both a missionary and an explorer who carried the gospel into vast regions of Africa that were largely unknown to the outside world. Motivated by a strong desire to make Christ known, Livingstone traveled thousands of miles through deserts, rivers, and jungles.

He built friendships with local communities, learned their languages, and shared the message of God’s love wherever he went. One of Livingstone’s greatest contributions was his arguing against the African slave trade. He documented the brutal realities he witnessed and used his reports to stir compassion and action among Christians and government leaders back home.

His writing played an important role in raising awareness and encouraging reforms that helped reduce the spread of slavery in the region. Livingstone also mapped large areas of Africa, which helped future missionaries, doctors, and humanitarian workers reach communities that had been isolated.

Although he faced sickness, exhaustion, and long seasons of discouragement, he believed deeply that God had called him to serve the people of Africa in both spiritual and practical ways. Christians today remember David Livingstone as a man who combined faith, courage, and compassion. His life encourages believers to persevere in serving others, even when the path is difficult or unknown.

Mary Slessor: Missionary Mother to Nigeria

Mary Slessor was a Scottish missionary who devoted her life to serving the people of Nigeria with courage, tenderness, and deep faith. Captivated by stories of Africa as a young girl, she felt God calling her to bring the hope of Christ to places few Europeans had ever gone.

When she arrived in the Calabar region, she quickly earned the respect of local communities by learning the language, embracing the culture, and living simply among the people she served. Mary became especially known for protecting vulnerable children. In some areas, twins were believed to carry spiritual danger, and many were abandoned. Mary rescued these children, cared for them in her home, and worked tirelessly to change harmful beliefs. Her compassion saved countless lives and transformed the way many communities viewed children and motherhood.

Her influence grew as she mediated conflicts, encouraged peaceful solutions, and gained trust as a fair and wise counselor. People often walked long distances to seek her guidance, calling her a true mother in their midst. Mary Slessor’s legacy is one of courage, humility, and love that reflected the heart of Christ. Her example encourages believers to step into difficult places with grace and to defend those who cannot protect themselves.

Brother Andrew: God’s Smuggler to the Underground Church

Brother Andrew, known to many as “God’s Smuggler,” dedicated his life to supporting Christians who lived under intense persecution. Called by God to strengthen the underground church, he began traveling behind the Iron Curtain with a simple prayer that God would blind the eyes of guards as he crossed borders with Bibles hidden in his car. These daring trips delivered Scripture to believers who had no access to God’s Word and reminded them they were not forgotten.

As his ministry grew, Brother Andrew founded Open Doors, an organization that continues to serve persecuted Christians around the world. Through Scripture distribution, discipleship, advocacy, and practical help, Open Doors helps believers stand strong in faith despite imprisonment, threats, and hardship. Brother Andrew’s heart was always for the church in the hardest places, and he often said that the presence of risk was not a reason to stay home but a reason to go.

His story reminds Christians today that our faith family is global and that many still pay a high price to follow Jesus. Brother Andrew’s bold obedience encourages believers to pray more faithfully, give more generously, and support those who continue to carry the gospel into places of danger.

Hudson Taylor: Founder of China Inland Mission

Hudson Taylor believed deeply that every person in China deserved a chance to hear the gospel, and he shaped his entire life around that calling. Rather than staying near coastal missionary centers, he longed to reach the remote provinces where millions had never heard the name of Jesus. To build trust and remove barriers, he adopted local dress, lived simply, and immersed himself in Chinese culture. His willingness to adapt helped open hearts and set a model that continues to influence mission work.

Hudson founded the China Inland Mission, an organization committed to reaching the vast interior of the country. The mission focused on prayer, faith, and complete dependence on God for financial needs. Through this ministry, hundreds of missionaries entered China, planted churches, trained local believers, and shared the gospel in places that had been closed for generations.

His work was not without suffering. He faced sickness, grief, political unrest, and constant challenges, yet he remained convinced that God’s love for the Chinese people was worth every sacrifice. Hudson Taylor’s devotion helped lay the foundation for the growth of the Chinese church and continues to inspire missionaries to cross cultural boundaries with humility and trust in God’s provision.

Adoniram Judson: American Missionary to Burma

Adoniram Judson was one of the first American missionaries to serve overseas, and his ministry in Burma required extraordinary perseverance. From the moment he arrived, he faced language barriers, cultural challenges, and long seasons of discouragement. Yet he felt a deep call to bring the gospel to a people who had little opportunity to hear it. He committed himself to learning the Burmese language, often studying from dawn until late at night so he could clearly share the message of Christ.

One of Judson’s greatest achievements was translating the entire Bible into Burmese, a work that took many years and remains a treasured resource for Burmese Christians today. He also wrote dictionaries and grammar tools that helped future missionaries and strengthened literacy in the region. Judson endured severe suffering, including imprisonment during a time of war, the loss of family members, and periods of extreme isolation. Through all of it, he continued to preach, teach, and plant churches. By the time his ministry ended, numerous Burmese believers were leading their own congregations, and the foundation for a growing Christian movement was firmly in place.

Adoniram Judson’s story calls believers to patient faithfulness. His life demonstrates how God can use steady, persistent obedience to bring light to places that have long remained spiritually dark.

Florence Young: A Mission of Hope in the Pacific Islands

Florence Young was an Australian missionary whose compassion grew out of the unique challenges faced by Pacific Island laborers working on sugar plantations in Queensland. Many of these men had been brought to Australia through the “Kanaka” labor trade, a system that often involved exploitation, coercion, and deep cultural dislocation. Seeing their spiritual and emotional loneliness, Florence began offering simple Bible classes, creating spaces where workers could find community, dignity, and hope.

What began as small gatherings quickly grew into a thriving ministry. Many laborers came to faith, and Florence sensed that God was inviting her to support these new believers long-term. This calling eventually led her to the Solomon Islands, where she helped establish what became the South Sea Evangelical Mission. Rather than imposing outside control, Florence focused on equipping local leaders—teaching Scripture, promoting literacy, and encouraging indigenous believers to share the good news within their own communities.

Florence Young’s ministry emphasized compassion over hierarchy and partnership over paternalism. She cared deeply for both the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the people she served, offering practical help during times of hardship and walking alongside communities as they built strong, enduring churches. Her story reminds us that God often uses simple obedience to bring healing where there has been injustice and that the gospel takes root most deeply when local believers are empowered to lead, teach, and serve with joy.