Contact: Abigail Davidson, Publicist, WinePress Publishing, 360-802-9758, abigail@winepressgroup.com

ENUMCLAW, Wash., May 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Being a missionary is probably one of the most misunderstood positions in the church. Opinions can range from viewing missionaries as some sort of super saints to believing that they just want free trips to visit foreign lands or thinking they are a little crazy to go and work in such dangerous conditions. Maybe a missionary is a little of all the above at times. In reality, though, the Lord looks upon a missionary no differently from the way He looks at anyone else in the body of Christ. God views all of us as servants who should be obeying his or her calling." This comes from "The Making of a Missionary," written by Jay McLaughlin, who set out to equip churches with a greater understanding of missions.

Four years after accepting Christ at age 43, Jay McLaughlin and his wife Sunny took a mission trip to Uganda. Their trip ended with a hair-raising escape that exposed a corrupt organization. Yet they set out again, this time to Mombasa, Kenya, followed by Nairobi, and finally Jinja, Uganda. They experienced miracles, arrests, successes, the heartbreak of adults and children dying of AIDS, and what he calls Christian-Indiana-Jones-type stories. They eventually went on to lead mission teams.

Recently, McLaughlin began to recognize a lack of knowledge in many churches, regarding this crucial area of evangelism. "I have heard too many leaders say they know about missions, when they really have only scratched the surface," McLaughlin says. "This book fills in a great gap in missions between thinking you know, and actually knowing what it takes to be a successful missionary."

"The Making of a Missionary" includes stories from the McLaughlin's years in Africa, and a section devoted to important topics, including how to know if you are qualified for mission work, how to prepare for the trip, what local officials will expect, and more. McLaughlin hopes that his book will help future missionaries arrive at their destination better prepared and able to make a difference for the Lord.

For more information, to request a review copy or to schedule an interview, please contact Abigail Davidson by phone at 360-802-9758, by email at abigail@winepressgroup.com, or by fax at 360-802-9992. To purchase a copy of this book visit www.winepressbooks.com or call 877-421-7323.