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Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church

Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church. Part II: Establishing Priorities. David Mays. I. CONTENT. B. Secondary Inputs for Setting Priorities. A. Primary Inputs Scripture - Goal Missions - Scope Church - Purpose The World - Challenges. B. Secondary Inputs Audience Balance

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Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church

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  1. Developing a Missions StrategyThat Fits Your Church Part II: Establishing Priorities David Mays

  2. I. CONTENT B. Secondary Inputs for Setting Priorities

  3. A. Primary Inputs Scripture - Goal Missions - Scope Church - Purpose The World - Challenges B. Secondary Inputs Audience Balance Focus History ‘Our Own’ Our Roles Participation Partnership Task Strategy Content

  4. Audience • Are some groups especially critical or strategic? • World regions? Continents? Countries? • World religions? (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Other?) • People with least access to the Gospel? No church? • Nominal Christians? • Persecuted church? Developing church? • Needy people? Suffering people? • Children and/or youth? • Local Internationals? • Are we focused on a particular audience now?

  5. In our strategy the choice of people to whom we minister should be A central, strategic factor An important factor Just one of many factors This is a Big change Small change No change Audience

  6. Balance: Local – Global Is local ministry included in missions or separate? • Our community? City? State? U.S.? • Cross Culture? Same culture? • Evangelistic ministries? Social ministries? How does our church structure for reaching • People like us nearby? • People unlike us nearby? • People unlike us far away?

  7. Local ministry should be Highest portion About equal Small proportion Not at all? It’s a separate ministry of the church. This is a Big change Small change No change Balance: Local – Global

  8. Focus: 1000 Points of Light or a Beacon? • How broadly should we invest our resources or how narrowly should we focus? • What factors help us decide? • Our style of church • Our breadth of interests • Our current involvements • Our opportunities to communicate • Our resources • A “purpose-driven” vs. “relationship” mentality • Do we have any “focus areas” now?

  9. We should focus on Just 1 or 2 major thrusts A few major emphases and several smaller ones Several large efforts and many smaller ones A broad variety of missionaries, projects and partnerships This is a Big change Small change No change Focus

  10. History • How has God led us in the past? • What missions efforts have been important to us? • What missionaries have we been involved with? • What factors have determined our decisions? • Which of these factors are still important to us? • What do we strongly want to continue?

  11. History • Is it important to maintain the ministries and values of our past or do we need to change? How much? • How can we best minimize trauma in transition? • Critical ministries • High level of congregational investment • High level of missionary/ministry dependence on us • Is there a compelling reason to break with the past? • To become more effective and purposeful • To gain leadership and congregational support

  12. Our new strategy should Be a lot like now Make minor changes slowly Make major changes slowly Make major changes quickly The biggest change should be ___________________ This is a Big change Small change No change History

  13. ‘Our Own’ • What priority do we give to personnel from our church? Our fellowship or denomination? • What value do we place on a prior relationship with the ministry, missionary, or organization? • How important have relationships been in the past? • Is this too important to us or not important enough? • Will we partner with missionaries, organizations or projects with which we do not have a history of relationships?

  14. In our new strategy partnering with ‘our own’ should be Central to our strategy One of a few important factors Just one of many factors This is a Big change Small change No change ‘Our Own’

  15. 5. Our Roles • What priority should we give to getting involved in ministries that ‘fit’ our congregation? • This could involve our particular social situation; our spiritual gifts, vocations, skills, & expertise; or other special circumstances involving our church. • It could relate to our values, philosophy of ministry, or the special connections and bridges God has place in our path. • See Building Global Vision, David Mays, pp. 49-55

  16. Our Church Roles – References • Building Global Vision, David Mays • “Our Church” Worksheet, Stuff II, p. 18 • “Our Values,” Stuff IV, p. 25

  17. Partnership • How important is it for our church to partner with other organizations in missions ministry? • How important is it for those we support to work • In teams? • With churches or organizations on the field? • With other churches, organizations or movements based in the U.S or in our area? • With our denomination or a particular agency? • What partnerships are we involved in now?

  18. In our new strategy partnership arrangements should be Central to what we do One of a few important factors Just one of many factors This is a Big change Small change No change Partnership

  19. Participation • Is it important for our people to be able to participate directly in the ministry? • Is it important that it occurs where we can go? • Is it important that there is work we can do? • Does it have to be nearby? • Is it important that our people benefit from it?

  20. In our new strategy the participation of people in our congregation should be Central to what we do One consideration Not very important This is a Big change Small change No change Participation

  21. Task • Is it important for us to focus on ministry that we understand is critical, essential, or strategic? • Pre-evangelism? Friendship? Translation? • Evangelism? Church planting? Discipleship? • Leadership development? • Service? Support? • Compassion? Relief? Development? • Social justice? Poverty? • Improving quality of life? • Are we strong on a particular task now?

  22. In our strategy the choice of strategictasks should be A central, strategic factor An important factor Just one of many factors This is a Big change Small change No change Task

  23. B. Secondary Inputs Audience Balance Focus History ‘Our Own’ Our Roles Participation Partnerships Task Which have been most important in our past? Which are most important for the Kingdom? What needs to change? Who needs to change? Where do we need education? Discussion

  24. B. Secondary Inputs Audience Balance Focus History ‘Our Own’ Our Roles Participation Partnership Task Which do you think are most important to key others? Who has vested interests? Where do you anticipate disagreement? Prayer Items? Discussion

  25. Secondary Inputs for Establishing Priorities

  26. How do you draw people away from their personal preferences and bring the focus back to the Key Question? The Key Question: What does God want to accomplish in the world through our church?

  27. B. Secondary Inputs Audiences Ministry Tasks Balance Focus History Relationships Our Roles Partnership Participation Steps for our group: Items for Prayer Strategy Content

  28. End of Section Two

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