Missions Blog for Churches

I never thought I’d be posting an article written by an atheist, but here goes. This gentleman is making an argument for more missionaries in Africa. And it’s quite compelling.

Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it’s Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.

It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.

Now a confirmed atheist, I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.

I used to avoid this truth by applauding – as you can – the practical work of mission churches in Africa. It’s a pity, I would say, that salvation is part of the package, but Christians black and white, working in Africa, do heal the sick, do teach people to read and write; and only the severest kind of secularist could see a mission hospital or school and say the world would be better without it. I would allow that if faith was needed to motivate missionaries to help, then, fine: but what counted was the help, not the faith.

But this doesn’t fit the facts. Faith does more than support the missionary; it is also transferred to his flock. This is the effect that matters so immensely, and which I cannot help observing.

First, then, the observation. We had friends who were missionaries, and as a child I stayed often with them; I also stayed, alone with my little brother, in a traditional rural African village. In the city we had working for us Africans who had converted and were strong believers. The Christians were always different. Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world – a directness in their dealings with others – that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. They stood tall. [...keep reading this article by clicking here...]

“I don’t need much. I simply want to be someplace where I can serve. If I am working with the poor then I might want to live in their neighborhood, or if I’m working with students, could I have a national for a roommate?” This perspective expresses the heart of many who are looking at missions today. They want to live in the home of a national, or with a national roommate. They might see themselves living in a village, embracing the same lifestyle and facing the same challenges as the people living there. They are at a unique crossroads of personal freedom and have a strong desire to minister in challenging situations, such as living among the poor. They are ready to embrace life on the edge.

MTW’s new EDGE program will allow participants who desire a stripped-down missions experience to live more closely with those to whom them minister. Featuring lower support costs and hands-on ministry experience, EDGE is a two-year missions experience that will be offered in addition to current intern, short-term, and career missionary tracks.

However, EDGE will not be for everyone. We believe this ministry path will be most attractive to those in their 20s, just graduated from college, or singles who are free to travel and take risks. It may also fit for newly-married couples without kids, or even couples whose kids have moved out (provided the circumstances are right and they have a tolerance for risk). If someone is looking for hands-on experience and a service-oriented ministry, then this could be for them. A caution is that more than any of our other programs, EDGE will take participants to the extreme in terms of personal sacrifice. This is not to say that the opportunity to sacrifice is not present in other programs; in fact, on the surface it doesn’t look much different from our intern level of support. The difference is that this is a two-year endeavor, a lifestyle. It is embracing subsistence living over a long period of time as a means to connect. Click here to continue reading this article…

If you want to discover how you can serve God with the business experience He’s given you, the Missions in Business Weekend is just for you.

Who Should Attend:

• Business owners
• Business executives
• Retired businesspeople
• Entrepreneurs
• Spouses (special program)
• Young businesspeople who desire to be mentored

Missions in Business Weekend
August 19-22
The Cove
Billy Graham Conference Center
Asheville, NC

Click here for more information and to download a registration form.

Joe Novenson and Paul Kooistra will be the plenary speakers at the upcoming PCA Global Missions Conference, November 5-7, in Chattanooga, TN. Joe recently sat down with MTW’s Global Support Ministries International Director, Brian Deringer, and shared about his heart for missions and raising up the next generation. This is the first of four previews from that time.

GO GLOBAL!

Missionaries know that in order to reach people with the gospel, we must be willing and able to speak their language.

The upcoming generation in our culture speaks a different “language” too, a language shaped by media sound bites, dynamic video, action-oriented extreme sports, and fast-moving technology like social networking, mobile web surfing, or texting.

We believe it is our responsibility to speak to this generation, to help them catch a vision for the world around them and begin to focus outside themselves.

In an effort to connect with them by speaking their language, MTW has created a new micro website, “Go Global,” showcasing young people who are engaging in missions. Read their comments about what God has taught them. Hear and see their stories in videos about missions and missionaries. You’ll even find a little humor if you look for it.

But, we need your help to spread the word: share it with leaders in your church’s youth ministry, post a link on Facebook, and mention it to your friends. Feel free to use your imagination.

http://GoGlobal.MTW.org

Thanks for your support. And Go Global!

MTW has just launched a new micro-website called GoGlobal. This is an online effort to effectively connect with and communicate to the upcoming generation. Check it out and share with others: goglobal.mtw.org.

God has opened the doors for MTW and RUF to collaborate more closely than ever. At this year’s General Assembly, a report will be given on these efforts and a short film will be shown. The following is a preview:

MTW & RUF are working together to mobilize students around the world. This video is a preview of a short film that will be shown at the 2010 General Assembly in Nashville.

The 2010 PCA Global Missions Conference is scheduled for November 5-7, 2010 in Chattanooga, TN. Join fellow believers from across the PCA in Chattanooga this November in a joyous celebration of hope hosted together by Mission to the World and Covenant College. Hear about the work of Christ in church planting, mercy ministry, medical outreach, student internships, arts in missions, and much more. Personally connect with others in the PCA as well as in the global church. Learn more about partnerships. Be challenged by ministry updates. Prayerfully explore your role and that of your church. Encourage others. Most of all, join in the worship of Christ—The Hope of Nations!

Plenary speakers include Paul Kooistra and Joe Novenson. Dozens of workshops on various subjects pertaining to missions will be held. This is a highly encouraging and practical three days. Plan on being there! If you can’t be sure your church’s missions committee is sending representation. Click here to find out more and sign up.

The starting point in mobilizing a church for missions is education. All Christians should be aware of the biblical imperative of cross-cultural missions, how God is working through missionaries, and what other cultures are like. The Holy Spirit uses this information to draw his people into service and support of world evangelization. The following are some of the many ways missions leaders can encourage their congregations to become more educated about the Great Commission. Using a creative variety of topics and venues throughout the year will keep missions education fresh.

Biblical Basis for Missions
A missions ministry that glorifies God must be biblically grounded. Further, there is no better way to capture people’s hearts for missions than to show them from the Bible how passionate God is towards extending his kingdom. The article in the Laying The Foundation series entitled The Great Commission in the Scriptures or Global Missions—Our Theological Foundations that follows here are good places to begin. This material could be copied and distributed to Sunday Schools, small groups, session members, etc. or adapted for a sermon. Mission to the World has also prepared an introductory missions curriculum called The Gracious Commission. This is a series of four interactive lessons on the biblical basis for missions, written from the perspective of grace rather than guilt or need. You can use just one or all four of the lessons in a small group or Sunday school.

Missionary Stories
People relate more to a person than a concept, so you will want to introduce your members to current and former missionaries. Such relationships will help them see that missionaries are just normal people, with similar struggles and weaknesses. Their stories of life and ministry in a different culture will help make missions real to your church. As you introduce your congregation to missionaries, be sure to identify those whose purpose and placement you endorse, as you are implicitly affirming their particular work by arranging a presentation.

Cultural Awareness
The world is a fascinating place, and every missions minded person has a God-given sense of adventure. Develop events that showcase particular cultures through a variety of senses, including visual presentations that depict people and places, meals that introduce members to local tastes and smells, and cultural objects that people can touch. Showing foreign movies is an excellent way to provide insights into other cultures. You can also promote homestay visits, where people from other countries stay in members’ homes for a brief period.

Cross-cultural Issues
Members will be interested in hearing about issues that missionaries face in another culture, and how national Christians live out their faith. Arrange presentations on topics such as how missionaries adjust to living in a new culture, how honor and shame dominate Asian and Middle Eastern values, or how Christians are oppressed or persecuted in many countries.

Forums
Most successful missions ministries host an annual missions conference, with the primary purpose of educating and mobilizing the church for missions. In addition, keep missions in front of members throughout the year by arranging various forums that are smaller and/or a single meeting. Open up a home for an evening with a missionary, arrange a panel discussion on a particular topic, pray for the persecuted church in a special service, or direct members to regional missions conferences. Or arrange a “Meeting For Better Understanding” (see Muslims and Christians at the Table below for more information) with local Muslims.

Missions Books
The following books are some of the excellent material on missions. Make these available to your members, give them to leaders, and/or host a missions book club.

This article is available in .pdf format for easier reading and printing by clicking here.

Some recent conversations with leaders in churches has me thinking about getting started in missions. I’ve expressed in other articles how I don’t believe missions should be just like other ministries of the church (and Richard Pratt did it much better at the 2007 Global Missions Conference). Rather, every ministry in the church should embrace our God-given mission. But missions often functions as a ministry (a committee, meetings, events, etc…), and rightly so for practical purposes. So how does a church get the ball rolling when it comes to engaging in what God is doing around the world? Here are some ideas, in no particular order, of things you could do to get started. (Of course, I would highly recommend you contact your church resourcing representative at MTW for suggestions to develop a more developed strategy!)

Have a missions emphasis Sunday. Invite a missionary. Have a guest speaker. Show a video clip. Focus for one day of worship on what God is doing around the world and how are to be a part of that. MTW’s Church Resourcing department can help you with this.

No other step will make the impact on your congregation as that of sending a short term team on a missions trip. Specifically, the participants’ lives will be changed and the ripple effect throughout your congregation will be significant. Consider visiting a missionary you support or would like to support. Or consider a Vision Trip to get to know other ministries. Contact MTW’s 2-week department for help with this process at 2wk@mtw.org.

Give the partnership share for each member of your church. It is currently around $25 per person, annually. It is probably the least exciting way to connect to missions. There’s no face on a prayer card, no thank you note from a missionary, and no push pin to stick in the map on the missions bulletin board. But this support makes a big impact, and so few churches in the PCA participate in this way. For MTW, the partnership share (also known as “the askings”) represents the amount of money missionaries raise to cover their home office support. Participating in the partnership share enables missionaries to raise less support and get to the field faster. It’s a great place for churches to start.

Begin supporting a missionary. Start in your own church or presbytery. Find people that are like-minded and have a similar philosophy of ministry. This will allow you to develop a deeper, more mutually-meaningful relationship, in the future.

Send a group to the PCA’s Global Missions Conference (Nov 5-7, 2010). This event is held every three years. Join fellow believers from across the PCA in a joyous celebration of hope. Hear about the work of Christ in church planting, mercy ministry, medical outreach, student internships, arts in missions, and much more. Personally connect with others in the PCA as well as in the global church. Learn more about partnerships. Be challenged by ministry updates. Prayerfully explore your role and that of your church.

Send your pastor (and if he’s married, his wife) to visit and encourage your missionaries. Missions is often hard, lonely work. Your church can be a huge blessing in this way. And the impact of your pastor’s time there will be felt when he returns.

Have a missions movie night. Pop some corn. Grab the Milk Duds. Whether it’s a modern movie like Beyond the Gates of Splendor or a classic like Hawaii (which demonstrates many things not to do!), movies can stir peoples’ hearts and generate meaningful discussion.

Have your Sunday School class go through a study like The Gracious Commission or read through a book like Let the Nations Be Glad, When Helping Hurts, or God: The Real Superpower.

Communicate with missionaries. Often, communication is one-way between missionaries and churches. The church expects the missionary to communicate their ministry to them, but rarely think about sharing their news and ministry updates with their missionaries.