“We try to be faithful with what we’re doing right now and not look for the next big thing. It’s biblical, but not always American.”
For Mark and Linda Whitworth, this principle has shaped a life marked by unexpected turns, steadfast service and a legacy that stretches from Missouri to Japan and beyond.
Mark and Linda’s journey began in Independence, Missouri, where they attended the same church and high school, started dating as freshmen and married in college. Their daughter, now a professor at the University of South Carolina, was just seven when the Whitworths made a decision that surprised even their families: to leave behind familiar routines serving at their Southern Baptist church and follow God’s call to serve with the International Mission Board (IMB).
“We thought, maybe God can use our gifts internationally,” they recall. As laypeople in the 1980s, they weren’t on a typical path. Because Mark is a professional psychotherapist, the IMB had few assignments that matched his expertise. But there was a rare opening in Japan, and Mark felt it might be a good fit because Japan is a group-oriented society. Mark had to complete 20 hours of seminary coursework to qualify. Within a year, they sold their home and moved to Tokyo, Japan, trusting God with their future.
Learning Japanese was a formidable challenge. “We struggled and still moved through it,” Linda admits, recalling two years of full-time language study. Mark learned to counsel in Japanese, even working alongside a social worker to master the nuances of care in a new culture. Linda, a professional accountant, worked as a treasurer, handling all finances and communications in Japanese, and later became deeply involved in training new missionaries.
Their ministry included starting two churches — one of which is still thriving under Japanese leadership — and supporting missionaries across Asia. Mark’s counseling often involved helping missionaries through crises and, when necessary, sending them home. “If something bad was happening with our people, I was involved,” he says.
The Whitworths’ years in Japan were marked by many seemingly small moments that created ripples of blessing, often arising from unlikely circumstances. Linda recalls leading exercise classes at a community center, which led to a Bible study and, ultimately, a hospital visit where a prominent Japanese man made a profession of faith and was baptized before passing away. His funeral, the first Christian service in his family, brought hundreds to hear the Gospel.
Mark’s counseling ministry addressed the unique challenges Japanese believers face, including family rejection and social isolation. “When they take the Buddhist shrines out of their homes, their families know it’s the real deal,” he explains. The Whitworths helped create a sense of community for those who lost family connections, hosting holiday gatherings and offering support.
During their eleventh year, the Whitworths’ boss asked whether they would be willing to work at IMB headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, to develop a model to care for missionaries around the world. “We said no, because they wanted us to leave too soon and the Japanese wouldn’t understand a quick exit,” Mark explains. “When we told my boss, he said they were willing to wait on us. Six months later, we brought our skis and tennis racquets to Richmond, Virginia, where I worked as the director of member care.”
In his role, Mark led a team of 52 professional counselors who were stationed around the world. While Mark was in the throes of his new calling, Linda worked in accounting for three years before feeling the tug to return to missions.
Together, Mark and Linda led training at the International Learning Center (ILC), helping to prepare and debrief nearly 1,000 missionaries each year, and organizing marriage and parenting seminars for those serving overseas, including sessions on “Staying in Love on the Mission Field.” Their work took them to more than 70 countries, where they spoke at missionary gatherings. “I have extra pages on my passport,” Mark proudly shares.
After 29 years with IMB and 11 years serving in Japan, Mark and Linda began to feel the weight of their labor. Mark, having counseled many families through difficult topics like violence and death, craved rest and sensed that it was time to enter a different season of ministry.
Mark and Linda were able to retire early at age 61, a decision made possible by intentional financial planning and support they attribute to GuideStone. They opened their GuideStone retirement account in 1986 — the same year they were appointed by the IMB.
“So many people put retirement on the back shelf, but if you just start doing a little bit and adding to it, you can live very comfortably,” Linda says. “As we got raises, we put more toward retirement.”
Access missionary resources for retirement and financial planning at GuideStone.org/GlobalWorker.
Over the course of the Whitworths’ ministry, they regularly connected with GuideStone at stateside conferences at the ILC and were continually encouraged by the team’s proactive support.
They credit GuideStone representative Allen Ray for his encouragement and practical advice over the years, and appreciate his personal, prayerful approach.
More recently, Mark and Linda have started utilizing GuideStone Advisory Services, meeting with advisor Josh Biggs to gain more insight into how they can better steward their finances in retirement. “That very professional, caring and spiritual support we’ve received from Josh and Allen has been huge for us,” they share.
When asked for advice they’d share with other ministry workers, Mark and Linda emphasize the importance of faithfulness and perspective. “If you’re faithful with the small things, God will continue to expand your area of service. His time frame is not our time frame.” Linda adds, “He doesn’t waste our suffering. I’m more effective because I’ve suffered.”
In their current season of ministry during retirement, the Whitworths continue to serve as contractors, offering counseling and training overseas, volunteering at their local church and providing pro bono counseling in their community. They also make time for biking, tennis and traveling for pleasure — well deserved after many years of traveling for work.
From the moment they stepped into ministry, the Whitworths embraced not only their calling but the responsibility of preparing for the future. Decades later, their early decisions to save and invest have become a tangible blessing, allowing them to savor a retirement defined by peace and the joy of God’s provision.
Learn more about our faith-based retirement solutions for your church, ministry or mission-sending organization at GuideStone.org/Retirement.
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