If Jesus Christ is God and died for us, no sacrifice on our part can be too great to make for Him.
– C. T. Studd
Tag: Missions
Missions Moment
The most loving thing we can do for people is to introduce them to Christ.
– Mack Stiles
Missions Moment
We must be global Christians
with a global vision
because our God is a global God.
– John Stott
Missions Moment
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.
– John Piper
Missions Focused Small Church: Choose Missionaries
In past two posts we looked at the need to get focused and be strategic. Today we want to consider choosing missionaries. Of course your church probably already has missionaries, but as opportunities arise to choose new missionaries, here are some considerations.
First, research the missionary and missions group carefully before you invite them. If they aren’t a missionary your church should support or a missions group you can work with, don’t invite them. Consider doctrinal compatibility – do they agree with your statement of faith, and can you agree with theirs. Consider your ability to work together. We once had a missionary who wanted some of our young people to do a short term missions trip with them, but when we called the missions group they essentially wrote us off because we were an independent Bible church. So be sure to do your research before you invite a missionary to visit, and even more before you take on a missionary.
Second, consider supporting a national missionary in countries where there already is a growing church. They already know the language and culture. Plus their support is often considerably less. Whereas $100/month support is often only around 1% of the traditional missionary’s need, it is often around 25% of a national missionary’s need. One word of caution though – look for national missionaries that are accountable to some church or missions group. There are some phonies out there. A couple of good options I’d highly recommend include:
Finally, don’t forget traditional missionaries – especially those going to unreached people groups. The mission field is still vast, and we still need traditional missionaries. And of course one benefit for the church of having a traditional missionary over national missionaries is seeing them on furlough. And you can write to them without translation issues. But be sure to set a minimum monthly amount that makes it worthwhile for the missionary, maybe $50-100.
In the last post, I suggested the power of one or two, that is, focus on one or two missionaries. So perhaps your church might support one national missionary and one traditional missionary, and enjoy the best from both options. As before, I’d love your thoughts and suggestions – just leave a comment.
Missions Focused Small Church: Be Strategic
Two weeks ago, we began by considering the need to get focused – and to create a missions team to do just that. Today, we want to consider the need to be strategic. Three thoughts to consider:
- Power of One (or Two) – A small church has limited finances and people, and people have limited time. Life is busy, and the more missionaries you have, the harder it will be for the people in your church to become familiar with any of the missionaries. So consider the power of one or two. Instead of trying to support lots of missionaries, choose only one or two missionaries. Maybe focus on one area of the world. Then keep those few missionaries in front of the people all of the time. Read their reports and pray for them each week in the worship service. Do special projects for them (more on that in a few weeks). Consider a missions trip. In other words, develop the relationship. You can’t develop close bonds with lots of missionaries, but you can with just a few. So consider the power of one or two.
- Purpose – Consider your purpose. What is your purpose in missions? For our church the purpose is evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and leadership training. All of our missionaries are involved in many or all of these purposes. There are a lot of people going on the field as support staff – accountants, etc. That might be great for a larger church that has the funds for a broader missionary focus. Or maybe support is the heartbeat of your small church. If so, that’s great. Just stay focused on your purpose.
- Prioritize Gospel Need – Ask the question: where is the gospel absent? Many countries now have numerous churches that can continue to reach their own country for Christ. Not that continued missionary assistance might not be beneficial, but what about countries with no gospel presence? That might include unreached tribes, distant villages, or countries that are not favorable to the gospel. One of the missionaries we support is in an area with little gospel presence, and that was by design. So consider where the gospel is absent, and prioritize gospel need.
I’d love to get your thoughts and ideas – just leave a comment.
Next week, we will consider suggestions on choosing missionaries.
Missions-Focused Small Church: Get Focused
My church has been learning how to be a mission focused small church these last few years, and in the next few weeks we are going to consider some ideas that have been helpful for us on how to be mission-focused.
First, we need to get focused, and creating a missions team can be a great help. Find people in your church with a heart for missions and bring them together to help the church get focused, and indeed keep focused.
Pastors have many areas they need to focus on – sermons, Sunday School, worship, prayer meetings, counseling, outreach, missions, etc. Pastors simply can’t focus on one thing, which means that it will be very difficult for the church to be missions focused if the pastor is the only one promoting missions. Too often missions will get lost in the shuffle.
So create a missions team, and then write down your purpose. My church’s purpose looks like this:
- Keep the church focused on missions.
- Regularly evaluate our missions program and consider goals for the future.
- Consider, present, and promote special missions projects.
- Consider, invite, and prepare for missionary speakers.
- Lead in caring for our missionaries.
- Lead the church in praying for missions.
- Seek to involve children and youth in missions projects, visits, care, and prayer.
- Work together with the Elders, Leadership Team, pastor, and membership.
Your purpose may look different, but these are some key things we want to see in our church.
Once you have a team and a purpose, be sure to meet a few times each year to fulfill your purpose. Start by evaluating missions in your church. What is going well or not so well? And then plan for missions in your church. What projects do you want to do? What missionary do you want to invite? How might you care for and pray for your missionaries? How might we involve the children? And then bring your suggestions to the church leadership and/or congregation.
One more thing. Don’t just meet to talk. Have each member actively involved in fulfilling in the purpose. One person might be in charge of a specific project. Another might be in charge of missionary care. Or another might be in charge of hosting a missionary. Discuss your plan and then assign people to carry out the plan.
Next week, we will consider being strategic in our missions program.
Missions Moment
Here is a great post on missions for the holidays:
15 Ways to Bless Your Missionaries This Christmas without Paying Postage – Justin Taylor
Why not choose one and do it!
Other ideas? Leave a comment.
Missions Quote
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory…. But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish…. Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak….
– John Piper in Let the Nations Be Glad
Missions Focus: PIEI
Today I want to draw your attention to Partners in Evangelism International (PIEI). This missions group focuses on partnering national pastor/missionaries from other countries with American churches. Each country ministry has its own steering committee of nationals and Americans with its own distinctions. While I can’t speak for most of the ministries, I can heartily recommend the Romanian and Ukrainian ministries. Our church started partnering with a national pastor/missionary family in the Ukraine a couple of years ago, and it has been a wonderful partnership. Some things we really appreciate:
• We get a monthly report that gives us an update on their ministry and ways we can pray for them. It is really exciting to regularly hear what God is doing in the Ukraine, and to be able to partner with them in prayer.
• Nationals often need significantly less support than Americans. That doesn’t mean Americans don’t need to be missionaries – they do. But training and supporting nationals to do the ministry should be part of our overall Great Commission strategy. And as a small church with a small missions budget, our small gift goes a long way.
• PIEI doesn’t have a paid home office. Everyone is a volunteer. This approach is not for every agency, and it does create its own issues, but our church appreciates that all the money we give goes overseas.
• We are also encouraged to go overseas to minister with the nationals. Our church hasn’t made use of this opportunity yet, but I look forward to taking a group sometime in the future.
Cornel Stef, who leads the Romanian/Ukrainian ministry on the American side, has come to our church twice to share about the ministry. He and his wife even hosted my family for lunch when we were down in Chicago just over a year ago. In his last visit this Fall, he mentioned the need for new American churches to support nationals in the Ukraine. Some nationals currently in ministry are not at full support, and others have been trained for ministry but are unable to serve without support. If your church is looking to expand its missions program and enter into an exciting partnership overseas, I encourage you to contact Cornel – cstef@piei.org.
Brian J. Mikul 