How To Have A Mission-Hearted Church In A Mission-Minded World 2
Posted by wagardner - 25/03/08 at 02:03:57 pmBy Greg Locke, Pastor of Global Vision Baptist Church
4. EXPOSITIONALY PREACH ON MANY MISSIONS PASSAGES. The Pastor should consistently preach on missions themes throughout the Bible. If he has difficulty in finding them, he ought to reconsider his current status as a preacher. They are all over the pages of the Book. Whatever the Pastor continually emphasizes from the pulpit will become the energy and character that drives the church ahead. Dealing with mission-hearted messages once a year during the annual mission’s conference will only force people into a quick view of missions and I can promise that the conference will be the least attended of any during the year. The Great Commission and our financial responsibility to it must be preached on and thundered from the pulpit on a regular basis. People must hear, see and know before they can be expected to get heavily involved.
5. EDIFY MISSIONARIES THROUGH THE CHURCH CONGREGATION. The people of the church should be actively involved in encouraging and ministering to their missionaries. They need to be taught to communicate by phone, e-mail and especially cards and letters. When the congregation feels as if they are a part of a ministry, then and only then, will they do their part for that ministry. Don’t just send a few checks overseas and expect an overnight heart for missions. It takes work, concern, compassion and total church involvement. And on a side note: DO NOT put leftover junk in the mission’s closet and expect people to develop a love for missionaries.
6. EXALT MISSIONS ABOVE BILLS AND BUILDINGS. If the church shifts its focus from reaching the world to just staying afloat. Then, it will never reach the world and always feel as if it is barely getting by. Bills should never be the primary reason for taking up money in a church. People need to be taught to give to the vision of the church and not to the needs. Now meeting the needs will ultimately lead to fulfilling the vision. But people grow weary of giving just to keep the lights on. If missions is exalted and held high, then God will pay the bills. This is no doubt an attitude of faith, but isn’t that what Christianity is all about. If we will get busy about financing the Kingdom of God, He will surely be busy paying the bills when they come due. You will always get what you go after. And if a missions-hearted church is what you want, then missions MUST be made the primary focus of the finances.
7. EQUIP THE CHURCH WITH A GENEROUS LIFESTYLE. Generosity is not what we do; it is in essence who we are. If people are consistently taught the giving principles of the Word of God, it will change the way they do business. If a person is taught to tithe, and be benevolent with their funds, then missions is an automatic fit. If the congregation will just be boldly led down a path of daily generosity in every area of their life, then the missions program will not be forced upon them. It will be a welcome reminder of their responsibility to world-wide evangelization. As individuals, we have heard for years that you simply cannot out give God. If that be true, and it certainly is, then why not teach an entire church to believe it and practice it as a local body. Now, generosity is something that must be modeled. As the saying goes, “its better caught than taught.” True generosity is the key to unlocking the financial bondage of materialistic church members.
8. EXAMINE THROUGHLY WHERE THE MONEY GOES. It will not do a church much good just to throw the Lords’ money in any direction that they feel is a worthy cause. We must be wise in how we spend as well as how we give God’s money. Getting to know the missionaries first hand is a great way to weed out the phonies and filter the resources in the right direction. We should give money where we know that it will not only be used properly but also where it will bring forth the most fruit that may abound to our account. In order for a church to reap properly, they must at some time have sown properly. Find the best soil and sink the seed there!
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