Developing a missions strategy for your church.

Chris Gardner

There is an age old saying that says,“When you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.”  This would define many of our mission outreaches.  We give money to all the wrong peopleand for all of the wrong reasons. Many of them may be great missionaries with great plans but they weren’ttaken on for the right reason. Each church needs to develop THEIR OWN strategy and philosophy formissions.  The great Commission wasgiven to the local church, that means your church.  This also should imply to us that the responsibility lies inthe church and not in the individual missionary to do all that they can toreach the world with the gospel.  

o   The word, "strategy" is a military term referring to a plan of attack. Itimplies that a group of people seriously want to accomplish something; andbecause of this, they construct a well-researched and thought- out planconcerning how to achieve their desired objective. Churches that take theirmissions mandate seriously do missions on purpose (missions is their purpose -Acts 1:8). These churches have pastors who understand that Jesus commanded thechurch to look on the field for a reason (John 4:34 -35). 

o   A missions strategy is usually three-dimensional: it has a biblical dimension whichprovides the church's basis and direction; a personal dimension whichincorporates the uniqueness of that particular church and recognizes itsGod-given opportunities (things such as strengths, resources, contexts, thechurch's own experience in missions, and its passions); and a practicaldimension which seeks to meet obvious world needs as well as finishing the taskof reaching the world. 

o   The strategy validates why we do what we do. It ensures that our decisions arebased on our missions convictions. It allows us to make decisions more readilyand consistently when we measure each decision to our stated strategy (anopportunity is easily shown to contribute or not contribute to our strategy).And finally, the strategy allows us to say yes to some and no to others(mission opportunities) based on purpose and conviction rather than bias or"beauty."

o   Missionshas to be the program of the church, we do not have a ladies ministry achildren’s ministry and a missions ministry.  Our church exists to reach the world with the gospel ofJesus Christ.  It is not a spoke onthe wheel, it is the hub and center of the church, everything else ought tofeed off of our desire to reach the world with the gospel.

o   Our missionaryoutreach should be balanced and simultaneous in its local,regional, national, and international involvement (Acts 1:8). We believe thatno part of God's harvest field is more important than any other. The missionfield is not defined by geographical borders. While no one local assembly canbe everywhere at the same time, we have the responsibility to be simultaneouslyinvolved in as many areas as God gives us opportunity. Our desire is to havethe greatest impact possible on the local, regional, national, andinternational levels.

o   In America,we have some serious problems with being balanced.  The Bible says that we are to do both.  There are churches who will not supporta missionary to the states and then there are others that will barely supportforeign missionaries any more because of the importance of the home land.  Be careful to be balanced in the kindof missionaries that you are supporting. Another thing where we are not balanced is in the supporting ofnationals or of North Americans. We have to be balanced, there is a place to support nationals as well asNorth Americans and may I say that there are as many national flops out thereas American ones.  It all comesdown to the same thing, we must support the right kind of men that fit into themissions philosophy and strategy of our local church.

o Our missionary outreach should result in fruit of a permanent nature and of eternalconsequence (John 15:16). We believe that success in missionary endeavoris measured in permanent results, rather than mere activity alone. The supremeobjective of the Great Commission is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Ourefforts are ultimately directed toward those activities that in some concreteway contribute to the establishment of local assemblies of believers that willremain as a testimony to future generations.

o Our missionary outreach should be faithful to the instruction of scripture (2Timothy 3:15-17). We are committed to the infallibility and inerrancy ofthe divinely inspired word of God. Jesus Christ, Himself, is the content of themissionary message (Acts 1:8). True missions is concerned with bearing witnessto His person, not the many wonderful things that can result as the fruit ofmissions or as a tool for missions. Medical and social work, social reform,relief and development are only means to an end.

o Our missionary outreach should be a clear demonstration of divine power (Matthew28:1820; Acts 1:8; John 20:21). We believe that our source of authorityand power is the very person of Jesus Christ. However much activity weaccomplish and at whatever place, and by whatever motives, unless the power beof God, that effort is ultimately of no lasting consequence. Missionaryoutreach, therefore, should be rooted and grounded in the spiritual life of thechurch and the individuals that comprise it, and in their corporate andindividual prayer as God displays His faithfulness to His promises. While wehave the responsibility to utilize our God-given talents and intelligence inthe development of missions strategy, we confess that all decisions andstrategy are totally subject to the leadership of God's Spirit (1 Corinthians12: Romans 12; Acts 13:1-4; Acts 16:8-10).

o Our missionary outreach should be as effective as possible in the utilization ofhuman and material resources (1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Peter 4:10). It isrequired that we be faithful as stewards of the resources God has entrusted tous. Under the leadership of God's Spirit, we will attempt to use our resourcesin such a way as to create a multiplying effect in their employment.

o Our missionary outreach should be an example and an encouragement to other churches(2 Corinthians 8:1-8; 1 Timothy 4:12; Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9;1Thessalonians 1:6-8). We believe that the correct fulfillment of the GreatCommission results in a multiplying effect. Our desire is to encourage otherassemblies of believers to join with us in asking God to burden our hearts forthe harvest, to pray for laborers, and to be obedient to His mission.

o Our missionaryoutreach should strive for the total involvement of the congregation (1Corinthians 12; Romans 12;1 Peter 2:9; Acts 13:1-4). While only a smallpercentage of our fellowship will ever be specifically sent out ascross-cultural missionaries, every member can participate directly in prayer,giving, special projects, short-term missions, encouragement, and other areasof personal involvement.

The missions objectives of your churchcan be realized with a threefold strategy.

1. Reaching Key Cities:

This is an effective means of multiplying our efforts andresources. When bases are established in key cities, the gospel naturallybegins to flow outward to the surrounding regions that are economically,socially, politically, or in other ways dependent upon them (Acts 13:49;19:10). This is an approach that was effectively used in the Book of Acts.

Establishing local churches is the best way to provide forpermanent results, effective use of resources, accountability, and the makingand training of disciples.

Reaching key cities is a strategy that is applicable toregional, national, and international outreach. Reaching the middle classes ofurban areas is an effective means of reaching the cities. They are often mostreceptive to leadership training, more responsible, and have the necessaryresources to assume eventual leadership responsibility for local, regional, andnational outreach. They often have greater mobility, both up and down, in thesocial spectrum. 

2.  Sending and Supporting Key Men:

o They arechosen and qualified through discipleship and leadership training.

o  Key menworthy of being sent and supported will not necessarily have similarministries, but rather conform to one of several biblical models: Paul —pioneer, leader, multi-gifted, church planter, visionary; Barnabas — pioneer,leader, able to be second member of team, exhorter, encourager; Timothy —apprentice, pastor/ teacher; John Mark — support personnel, servant; and Luke —specialized ministry, team player.

o  Key men canbe supported in various ways: prayer, financial support on a monthly basis,special onetime offerings, training, help on special projects, and providingneeded resources directly or through networking.

o  The missionary is accountable to the lord of the harvest and expresses thataccountability through his relationship to the local church which hascommissioned and sent him. The local church does not control the missionary.The missionary does not work as an independent agent. The relationship betweenthe sending church and the missionary is based upon mutual trust, respect, andcommitment to the lord of the harvest.

o   The idea ofkey men will totally change the way that we go about supporting missionaries,the guy that is the most persistent is not the guy that gets before our churchto tell them of his burden, the man who gets before our church to share withthem is a key man with potential of impacting his part of the world with thegospel.  This will mean that you asa pastor will start looking for certain missionaries instead of them lookingfor you because you know that they would be great in helping your churchfulfill its part in reaching the world. 

o   Some thingsthat ought to be considered about the men that you are supporting are thingslike: What did this man do while he was in the states?  In Peru, we have sent missionaries outaround the world.  Before they aresent out, they must have won, baptized and discipled into a thriving relationshipwith Christ at least 20 believers. This ensures that when they go to the field that they can and will beable to reach and train others to serve Christ.  Most missionaries have never even taught a Sunday Schoolclass in the states yet we are going to invest thousands into their potential toreach a country with the gospel. If you have to send him a lot of questionnaires then he is probably notthe kind of guy you want on the field. We must start supporting men of purpose on purpose that have provedthemselves where they are.  Anymissionary that goes out unprepared came out of a local church.  If hedoesn’t know how to preach or do the work where do you think he learned what hedoes know?  If he is well prepared or under prepared then think who isresponsible?  Is the Bible College responsible for his preparation or isthe church under the leadership of the pastor?

o   There are some things that we can ask to know if they are key men and the kind of menthat we want to support.  Thingslike how much research have they done on their country.   Before a missionary comes to thechurch check out the general statistics of the country and ask him about themwhile he is there.  He ought not know all the general questions.  Ifhe hasn't studied his country enough then he probably isn't the kind ofmissionary that you want.  What is his work ethic?  Missions is overspiritualized many times.  Just because a person has been called by God toa place does not mean that he ought not be working.  The answer I have nothad to call any pastors and I think that is what God wants me to do is veryspiritual but very rarely works. On the mission field, a lot of times, the work is established throughGods leading and much hard work.  If they do not work hard here then howare they going to work hard there? God honors hard work.  Missionaries do not need to be taken on bypity or by need.  Many time the pastor and people in the church feel pityfor a person and when they do this, this causes the church to want tohelp.  Help by giving a one time offering maybe, but a missionary shouldnot be taken on by need they ought to be taken on by their fruit or by theirpotential of fruit.  Look for a man who will produce or has produced inwhat God has called him to do.  Weare sending way too many missionaries out to the field who are not prepared todo the job and cannot fulfill their own expectations for when theyarrive.  We ought to take on the missionaries like we would invest in abusiness.  If you had a stock in the stock market then you would watch itto see how it was doing.  In missions we ought to keep our eyes open as towhat is going on.  That doesn’tmean large numbers in attendance but he should be able to produce 2 or 3disciples in a term.

o   One clear sign of whether or not a missionary is the kind of man you would want tosupport is by asking him if his goals extend past the country that God hascalled him to minister in.  Mostget bogged down with the work and they forget that the Great Commission goes alot further than the country where they are working.  The Great Commission has to do with reaching the wholeworld.  What is his world view oris he very localized in his view of missions?  Many times, our missionaries are nothing more than pastorsin another field.  They get paidfrom America but are working over there. Ask him if he understands the importance of training others instead ofhim doing all of the work himself. If he states that there are no good people in his country this is notthe kind of man you want to be supporting.

3.  Providing Key Tools:

o   America's abundance of resources and materials should be made available to believersaround the world (2 Corinthians 8:13-15). We should give of what God has given to us so that we can see the worldreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. After all this is HIS COMMISSION for HIS CHURCH that we have theprivilege of working in.

o   How to getthe people to give more and believe more in missions.

o   One of ourgreatest problems with missions, is that missionaries are seen as bills.  I do not know of anyone who getsexcited when it is time to open up a bill.  Missions ought to be more than a bill, we ought to beinvesting our time and our money and our love in the men that God has given usto support and we ought to be informing our people of the fruit that is comingforth with the investments we have made. When little effort is expended, little results should be expected. 

o   Often theyearly Missions Conference is the least attended conference of the year.  Lets go over a few reasons for this andhow to work on making it better. Many of the problems that we have in missions is caused by the kind ofmissionaries that we allow in our churches.  Our people don't come to theconferences but it might be because they are tired of  what they see inmissionaries.  Pick the right ones to be before your people and your peoplewill get excited about missions, support the right ones and you will have achurch that thinks that it is impacting the world.  Support missionarieswho you would be happy to have on your staff position at your church.  When you say we are going to have amissionary speak, most of your people cringe, this shows that you are nothaving the right kind of missionaries in your church.  You should look for the absolute best missionaries you canget and when you do it will change the churches outlook on missions.  

o   Do not hidbehind a questionnaire because you don’t want to have missionaries in, have aplan and make sure that the missionaries fit into that plan.  Missions is not a necessary evil in ourchurch, it isn’t that we allow one missionary a month to come to the church, itshould be that our people love missions and missionaries because the kind ofpeople that they see as missionaries is exciting.  Having the right kind of missionaries in will change yourmissions program and also your sending power.  If church seemed as dull as most missionaries seem then ourpeople wouldn’t want to go to church either.  You are not doing your church or missions any service whenyou allow just about anyone to present their ministry in your church.  This is the responsibility of thepastor and staff of the church.

One of the ways to get the people to give more to missions isto teach them to be debt free.  Theinterest we pay to credit cards each month would revolutionize our missionsgiving.  Teach your people to freethemselves up to be able to give more to missions.

o   Teach thepeople to reorder their priorities. Americas problems of today are not economical, they are priorities.  A new $60 video game came out last weekand had 10,000,000 people waiting in line for it.  America just spent $600,000,000 on a video game, we spendtons on gourmet coffee and vehicles. Teach your people to rearrange their priorities.  Make God and his mission first.  

One of the best ways to make this happen is have your peoplevisit the mission field.  Have themsee first hand the fields that are white unto harvest.  This will change their giving and theirentire lifestyle, make sure and send them to an exciting field where they willlearn and be challenged about their call to be a part in reaching the worldwith the gospel.

Havea great Missions Conference, strive to make it the most exciting part of theyear.  It will change your peoplesoutlook on it if you invest heavily in your conference with your time and withyour finances.