How does my missions involvement relate to my church?

Create your custom Missions Path PDF

Church Missions Policy, Church-Based Teams, Lead Pastors, Local Outreach, Missions Mentor, Missions Mobilization, Missions Pastors, Missions Team Operations, Personal Involvement

Hopefully, your church loves missions, and has helped catalyze your missions interest. Ideally, your church provides opportunities for missions involvement, and your personal missions activity can occur through your church. As a result, your church knows about your missions interest and is helping to disciple you and your family as world Christians.

If this is not your experience, perhaps God has placed you in your current church to catalyze its interest and involvement in missions. Consider beginning the process in these ways:

Meet with church leaders to ask questions and learn about the church’s current participation in missions. Ask if any strategies or policies are in place for missions, and how missions is defined and funded.

Influence others informally by bringing them along in your missions participation.

Start a group to learn about and pray for missions. Initially run the group for about six weeks, with the option to continue afterward if attendees so desire. Use a brief study guide such as God’s Heart for the Nations by Jeff Lewis (available at Amazon.com).

Offer to start a team of folks that will strategize for providing missions opportunities for people in your church.

If you are considering serving as a short-term or long-term missionary, tell your church leaders of your interest earlier rather than later. Your church may have a plan, or requirements, for preparing, sending, and supporting you. Your church also may know of mission agencies that fit as good partners for its theological and strategic priorities.

You may find that your church seems unwilling or resistant to move forward in missions involvement. It may not yet be willing to give missions its Biblical priority. Or it may be unwilling to assume a scripturally informed role of being your sending church. Pray. Be patient. Try to communicate your concerns with church leaders. It may be that the Lord would use you to help your church grow in this area. If opposition persists, some people leave their church for reasons such as these. If you find it necessary to do this, leave it in as positive and affirming way as possible.

Resources

1. Take the Propempo Church Missions Profile self-assessment

< Previous
How can I get my family involved in missions?

Return to Learn

Next >
What are paths to deeper involvement?