We desire to strengthen the relationship between the church, agency and missionary through providing resources that will enhance efforts to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
These resources will help churches with mobilization, missionary care and short term trip training.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NIV)
JUST PUBLISHED!
CHURCH SIGNS: 7 Metaphors that Clarify the Mission of the Church
Just because the word "church" appears on the outside of a building does not mean that it is the church of the Living God that Jesus died for, was raised for, and will come back for when he returns!
PIPELINE: Engaging the Church in Missionary Mobilization
This book will help churches understand their role in fulfilling the Great Commission by raising up and sending out the next generation of missionaries.
MIND THE GAPS: Engaging the Church in Missionary Care
Encourages missionaries, enhances the efforts of sending agencies and engages churches in proactive and intentional missionary care.
TRANSFORMING MISSIONARIES: A Short Term Mission Guide
A resource for training churches, groups and individuals who are seeking to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ around the corner and around the world through short term mission trips.
Dr. David Wilson, Author/General Editor of Mind the Gaps: Engaging the Church in Missionary Care
"The church doesn't always know that they are welcome to participate in this relationship beyond prayer and sending money. Often the agency doesn't fully realize the untapped possibilities of a church that is properly engaged in missionary care and mobilization. And missionaries are eager to discover the blessing of a dynamic and fully engaged support network that seeks to care for them spiritually, physically and emotionally."
Patrick Johnstone, Author of Operation World
“Possibly the most defective partnership is that between mission agencies and local churches.... The centrality of the local church in missions needs to be emphasized, and agencies must be more accountable to their supporting churches for their ministries and use of workers. However, both are vital components of the church and must work together."
Dr. Ralph Winter, Founder of U.S. Center for World Mission
“…our efforts today in any part of the world will be most effective only if both of these two structures [the church and the agency] are fully and properly involved and supportive of each other.”
Three Strand Partnership - Church, Agency and Missionary
Here is a brief outline of the potential roles and responsibilities for each of the three important members of this three-strand relationship.
CHURCH
- Sending—primary partner, stakeholder, and participant of the Great Commission
- Selecting—affirming the character and competence of a missionary
- Praying—before the field, on the field, ministry contacts, family at home, reentry
- Mobilizing—short-term trips, mid-term opportunities, and long-term support
- Nurturing—providing a spiritual community as a base of primary support
- Resourcing—ensuring the missionary is well equipped (What are their ministry needs?)
- Caring—holistic support contributing to effective ministry through missionary care
- Communicating—ensures a clear and transparent understanding between partners
AGENCY
- Supervising—overall on-field oversight, leadership, and accountability
- Facilitating—recognizes the centrality of the church as the sender while preserving the mutually deferential roles of each participant
- Organizing—provides the administrative services that free the missionary to focus on ministry
- Consulting—offers timely consultation to the church on major decisions regarding personal, family, and ministry difficulties and decisions
- Caring—holistic support contributing to effective ministry through member care
- Communicating—ensures a clear and transparent understanding between partners
MISSIONARY
- Calling—an overwhelming confidence that God has this purpose for their life
- Performing—conducts the ministry on behalf of the sending church and the agency to meet mutually desired goals
- Deferring—ultimately responsible to the sending church, while on-field supervision and accountability is delegated to the agency
- Reporting—provides regular (monthly/quarterly) and honest (achievements and challenges) reports to the church, agency, and ministry partners
- Conferring—with both church leadership and agency leadership on major issues
- Caring—holistic support contributing to effective ministry through soul care
- Communicating—ensures a clear and transparent understanding between partners
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