When I served on the board of a denominational mission agency, I noticed that every career missionary we approved became interested in missions through short-term trips. That fact convinced me that the people in my church also need to lift up their eyes from the busyness of domestic life in order to see and experience the needs and opportunities elsewhere. Here are the five ways I show people these other opportunities:
1. Explore Personally
Visiting field missionaries every 1218 months to maintain my missions vision; Encouraging missionaries through these trips by showing interest in their work.
2. Invite Others Along
I always take others with me on overseas trips, providing opportunities for them to serve. One year, I took our college pastor to Indonesia. The next summer he returned with 10 collegians. Another year, I took 20 church members to India. Now, one is on the board of an India-based missions agency. All are giving more generously to missions.
3. Host Your International Staff
1. Personal enrichment. Missionaries are modern-day heroes of the faith. By sharing their experiences, they set a challenging and motivating example of commitment. 2. Mutual encouragement. Missionaries easily can feel isolated and forgotten. Their visits provide a spiritual and emotional boost for the missionary and the church. 3. Strategic exposure. When missionaries speak, young and old alike are challenged to care deeply, pray passionately, and plug in strategically to missions.
4. Communicate the Excitement
5. Launch Here and There
Copyright © 2003 Christianity Today International. Originally appeared in Leadership.
Discuss
2. Who are some leaders other than the pastor who can lead missions in our church? 3. Is our pastor too busy to be involved in missions? How can we help in this area? Weighing the benefits and challenges of adding another service. Develop an effective budget that will help your children's ministry flourish. When To Add a Service Predict the outcome of expanding based on your church's life cycle. Is Strategic Planning Biblical? Looking at leaders from scripture.
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