Missions Blog for Churches

by David Brooks

“Gwen, come read this.” It was 1981, and we had just returned from a partnership trip to several churches in the South. Young and ready to go back to the mission field full-time, we needed more partners. This trip had been frustrating for a variety of reasons, so in my “thank you” note I had given some suggestions on how one church might improve its conference in the future. Then came the response from the senior pastor—he was very upset. I was stunned. I went back and reread my letter, seeing no problem. So I sent both letters to a colleague working with MTW at the time. His response was that I should write back and ask for forgiveness. But I had done nothing wrong! Out of respect for my colleague I did what he suggested, but it was certainly not out of conviction.

Twenty years later, a separate incident occurred. I was called my leader’s office. “Dave, I am going to resign. I see no other way forward for the work and I have always said if I became a part of the problem or could not do my job correctly then I would resign. I have reached that point.” I was not surprised but I was sad. Here was my leader, mentor, and friend making a difficult decision, and in this case the right decision because of unresolved conflict in a crucial partnership.

I was asked to replace him, and I began well. I met with several partners, listened, made changes, and things were improving. We were moving forward, and programs talked about in the past began to see results. But two years later I had an urgent meeting with the director of a major network that was key to the growing multiple partnership. We had hit a wall. He was frustrated with me and I was frustrated with him. We made some decisions and got past it but neither of us was happy with the other. (Continue reading this article in InVision…)

In the past year, Faith Promise and giving to missions in general, has been on my radar screen a bit more than usual. This is due mainly to the economic times we find ourselves in, but also partly to my own struggle between a heart for God’s Kingdom and a heart for this world’s stuff.

In grabbing a cup of coffee before SS on a recent Sunday, I noticed on the counter a brochure entitled Giving Through Faith Promise. Our pastor, Chuck DeBardeleben, wrote it some years back, and in reading it I discovered it was one of the best, brief explanations of Faith Promise. I especially appreciated Chuck’s pastoral heart in helping people understand this concept. Click here to view the explanation of Faith Promise.

Remember, when it comes to missions giving that goes beyond the tithe, one explanation and/or exhortation isn’t enough. We have a culture that screams in our faces, every waking moment, “buy stuff to find happiness, contentment, pleasure, etc…” So your people aren’t simply going to find ways after just one sermon to sacrifice so that they can give more throughout the year. You are competing with the world’s message, and they are getting more than a healthy dose of that seven days a week. Continue to encourage and challenge them to look for ways to live differently today, so they can be more generous tomorrow (e.g. How can not eating out tonight enable me to give that $40 to equip a national pastor in India? How can not buying every feature on my next car enable me to give to see another church planter launched? How can my being thrifty with my clothing enable me to give provide medical care than opens the door for the sharing of the Gospel?). Maybe the church can lead the way by example, choosing to do something differently in their daily business, or in building/expansion plans, or some other way so that the church can redirect that money for missions giving. I met with one church who tithed off of their capital campaigns and through that saw entire churches built in other countries. What ideas do you have?

If you have anything like this in your files that you’d like to share with others, please send it my way.