There is great personal satisfaction in earning one s own way. The worker pool is vastly increased. Regarding the issue of church or self support in world missions, we need a both-and approach. Learning a language, learning a culture, cultivating relationships, strategizing, all take large amounts of time. Training is usually limited.
Some people live in cultures where clergy function in important roles in people s lives.
The worker may be transferred at the will of an employer, thus making it difficult to count on long-term presence. Thus, strategizing is always contingent. .