I'm not saying two missionaries should have went out and been shot through with arrows. They should have come up with a better plan than just approaching unreached savages.
They (assuming he would have been biblical enough to go out with a partner) could have snuck in under cover of darkness and left gifts (of food and trinkets like mirrors) first of all. Then immediately left with their lives intact.
They could have done that two or three times a week for a couple of months then approached the tribesmen during the day with the food and trinkets in their hands. (Actual methodology used to reach and evangelize New Guinea cannibals.)
I'm not even saying that would have kept them from being martyred. The same thing happened to five missionaries when they went to evangelize the Auca Indian tribe in Ecuador. They dropped gifts, food, and trinkets from the air for a while before making first contact. When they made first contact they were martyred. But guess what? Years later family members of the martyred missionaries successfully evangelized the Acaus and it is now a Christian tribe.
You can read more about that by looking up Operation Auca.
I don't agree with John Chau's methodology but I imagine his sacrifice will inspire more biblically balanced (and cautious) missionaries to reach that tribe with the gospel.
