Some things hinder people from embracing missions work.  Let me briefly consider a few hindrances.

Fear

Many people fear going overseas to minister.  "Oh Lord, please don't send me overseas…anything but that."  But fear is never an adequate reason for not obeying.  Most soldiers testify to being afraid on the battlefield, yet they do what they're trained to do, fears and all. 

Reject the lies Satan tells you about why you'd be a failure on the mission field.  You'll never know until you try.

Ministry

People don't grasp their part in missions because they have never grasped their part in ministry.  The bottom line is that all believers are ministers with spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12).  So every believer (minister) is potentially a missionary because all spiritual gifts can be used overseas.  Maybe more pastors should teach their congregations that every believer is a minister.

Goals and Dreams

Some American Christians will never go overseas because they have more important pursuits: another car, another vacation, another house.  There's nothing necessarily wrong with having things, but there is something wrong if you love those things so much that you'd never give them up for something greater.  Remember what Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."  Meditate on what the Apostle Paul said, "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).

Praying and Giving

Praying and giving are genuine missions-ministries that believers in the States can participate in.  But too many people use praying and giving as an excuse for not going.  Often we're comfortable just giving money and praying, feeling like we've done our part.  "Let the real missionaries do the rest," some think.  You and I are the real missionaries because you and I are real ministers. 

Calling

Unfortunately, many believers don't get personally involved in missions because of the idea of a "calling."  People hide behind the excuse of not being called.  Or else, some don't go because they don't have certain feelings about missions.  Often this idea of a personal calling to missions does more to keep people from going than it actually does to get people overseas.  In general, Jesus has told us to do missions (Mt 28:19-20), so we'd better go unless we have good reasons for not doing so.

Ponder the words of Garry Friesen, "Rather than waiting for some kind of mystical 'call' from God, every believer should respond to the revealed will of God by giving serious consideration to becoming a cross-cultural missionary" (Decision Making and the Will of God, 330). 

Instead of saying, "I'm not going unless I'm called," why not say, "I'm going overseas unless the door absolutely closes"?  That actually seems more biblical than some fuzzy inner feeling.

Legitimate Hindrances

Some Christians will stay in the States because something has legitimately prevented them from going overseas (poor health, a sick child, family problems).  Not everyone can go overseas, but maybe we're too quick to use this as an excuse for not going.

Give it a Shot

Whether you're a teenager, young adult, senior citizen, house wife, college student, factory worker, or pastor, I challenge you in the next year to go overseas.  It doesn't matter whether it's for two weeks or two months.  Just go.  Then after you've had that initial experience, you can make a more intelligent decision about your future involvement with missions.  Don't say you're not called or gifted if you've never even made an effort to go.