Here are a few reasons, based on real life observation, that you should consider determining a strategic focus and missions. Some of these are articulated in other sections of this chapter on “Focus” in our path/book of “Church Mobilization.”
- The visionary direction of a strategic focus will stimulate greater interest and prayer.
- Having a strategic focus enables you to say “no” to many other worthy but less strategic opportunities.
- The strategic focus galvanizes your attention, resources, and energy to achieve specific long-term results in ways far beyond “normal” missions.
- Your church leadership and congregation will have a much higher degree of ownership of a strategic focus compared to missions-as-usual.
- The capacity of your church missions leadership to think strategically about priorities and effectiveness on the mission field will be greatly enhanced by the process and pursuit of a strategic missions focus.
- The mobilization of your congregation to be involved in many aspects of support and participation are enhanced by a strategic focus.
- The probability that your church might identify, train, and send out someone from your congregation to that ministry is raised significantly when you have a strategic focus.
- Ownership of the challenges of a strategic focus by your pastor and church leaders improves the visibility and urgency of missions to the whole church.
- Corporately thinking through a plan to reach your strategic focus goals sharpens those skills for all the ministries of the church.
- There is something about coming together to accomplish a seemingly impossible task that unites and develops a creative synergy unlike anything else.
If every biblically-centered, like-minded church adopted the remaining strategic pioneering church planting opportunities remaining in the world, then the universal church would be doing a much better job of fulfilling the Great Commission and seeing all nations reached with the Gospel.