First of all, going back to the basics of the Missions Team’s purpose, the missions team needs to understand that it is not their duty to do missions on behalf of the congregation; rather, it is their purpose to mobilize, as much as possible, the entire congregation to be involved in missions. The missions team should use every available means and avenue to inform, inspire, and involve the people of their church in missions.

Inspiring the congregation is a process in which the people’s vision and ownership of world missions becomes tangible and desirable to them. It involves good communication and the kind of networking which builds bridges of relationship between individual congregants and the work or workers on the field. When people realize that missions is a high biblical priority and one of those things that gives God greatest glory and that they themselves can be a part of that, they respond with joy, commitment, and energy. They become stakeholders in this great purpose of the church.

The missions team role in facilitating and inspired congregational involvement brings together many of the elements of church mobilization: prayer, Bible study, awareness of missions history and strategy, stirring biographies, missions workshops, classes, and conferences, discipleship opportunities through short-term missions trips or projects, media of all sorts (including Propempo.com), personal connections with real live missionaries.

Exalting God and his purposes for his glory spread to all nations, clearly seen throughout the Scriptures, inspires the love and devotion of his people to accomplish it. The ringing motto of the Moravians who sacrificed so much to spread the gospel in their era says, “to win for the lamb the reward of his suffering”. Seeing the glory of Jesus Christ and his Gospel proclaimed to all nations inspires true believers toward those scenes in Revelation 5 and Revelation 7 which show the conclusion of people from every language, tongue, tribe, and nation worshiping him around the throne of God in heaven.

Faithfully bringing to light the powerful theme of God’s salvation through the Scriptures inspires his people to obedience and commitment, like his messengers, prophets apostles, and missionaries down through history who have gone on before us. Preaching and teaching missions in the Bible has an inspiring impact on its hearers.

Connecting people as closely and directly as possible in relationship to missionaries and mission work on the field as a special inspiring result, as well. People love people. People relate to people. People empathize through relationships with people. Missions work is all about communicating truth to and through people. Connect your church people with real missionaries on the field, in prayer, in financial support, in practical ways, through conversation, presentation, technology, etc. They will grow in love and relationship; their families will be inspired to believe and support and maybe even join the ranks of those real-life, everyday heroes of the faith.