by David Armstrong

How can small churches motivate their people to missions?

As a leader of a small church, let me first recognize the very limited time a pastor or leader of a small church has to focus on any one thing. Pastors and leaders in small churches do everything from sweeping the floor to teaching the Word to settling petty arguments. And those things happen when they happen, not when you want them to happen.

So how in that busy, unpredictable setting does one motivate people to missions? My best response is — intentionally. It won’t happen by chance. Everything else will work to keep it at the bottom of the pile of good things to do.

As you start 2011, start by defining what two things you would like to see happen in your church in terms of mission emphasis. Make one of those goals educational in nature. Help them to better understand what God is doing around the world today. Help them understand what missions really is. Help them understand more clearly God’s heart of compassion. Help them visualize how they could be Jesus’ hands and feet in our really messed up world.

There are resources available to help you in this endeavor. You don’t have to be the expert, but not just anyone will do. Hand pick a missionary who has helped you better understand what God is doing around the world and have him speak. They need to be able to relate to your people and communicate in ways your people find interesting. (more…)

by Paul Nielsen

This is an interview with my father-in-law, who has pastored numerous small churches for the past twenty years or so. At some point last year it occurred to me that he probably has some interesting things to say when it comes to mobilizing smaller congregations. 16% of Americans attend a church of less than 100 people (57% are in a church of less than 500).

Propel: What have you done in order to mobilize your churches for missions?

Roy: The first thing I have done to mobilize the church I pastor for missions is to attempt to lead by example. I’ve also had various missionaries come in the church and speak about their work.

White Church by John Starne

Propel: What has been the most significant hurdle in getting a small congregation to understand the importance of the Great Commission?

Roy: The most significant hurdle is getting the people in the pews to realize that there are people needing to know Christ in other parts of the world. Many of the folks have been in the same home since marriage and they remain within 50 miles of the school where they graduated high school. 

Propel: Describe some of the successes you’ve had energizing your churches for missions.

Roy: One of the greatest successes I’ve had was to get the church to send $25 a month to missions. This amount goes along with the money that I send to missions.

Propel: What level of mobilization do small churches generally need? i.e., Where do they start out?

Roy: Small churches that I am familiar with are very difficult to get to move at all. If they are supporting missions, the possibility of getting them to add another missionary is almost nil. They are stuck right where they are and don’t want to change. Every church wants to grow but no one wants to change and growth will result in change. Hence, no growth. The churches that I am familiar with have an “outreach” item in their budget and at the end of the year, those dollars go to support the local volunteer fire department or the local senior center. 

Propel: What are your goals for mobilizing within your small churches?

Roy: I’d like to see our church giving at least 10% of its budget to missions. Missions meaning supporting those who are full-time in telling the Good News both in the U.S. and abroad.

Propel: What would a small church look like if it was fully, so-to-speak, mobilized?

Roy: The church would be giving 20% at a minimum to missions and the missionaries would be hosted by the church families so that they know the missionaries personally. Missions would have an emphasis during at least one service a month to update the congregation as to what was happening to “their” missionaries. Ownership would occur and missions giving would increase. 

Propel: Do you know of any good resources you could recommend to other leaders in small churches to help get their congregation on fire for missions?

Roy: I think the best thing is to continue to pray and tell the stories of the missionaries that are personal to you. I also think that messages from the pulpit on missions will ultimately do the work through the Holy Spirit working on the hearts of the believers. He has to move the hearts. He is the only One that can change them. 

Originally posted to Ed Stetzer’s blog, the following article by Nathan James — co-pastor of Epoch Church in Little Rock, Arkansas — looks at various aspects of being a Transformational Small Church.

At times it may seem that small churches can do little for the kingdom because of limited resources. But in reality we are all called to reach the nations, and every church is empowered by the gospel to make a global impact, regardless of size. Nathan is here today to address that very issue.

Mobilizing People For Missions

God can transform your life and show you his heart for the nations if you allow him. I had one of those experiences not long ago when our church took its first international mission trip. I had the chance to lead a team of twelve to serve the Lord in Haiti on July 4th, 2010. I had been on an international trip before, but this was the church’s first. I want to point out something I was starkly reminded of: When you are willing to follow the Lord’s mandate to reach the nations, then it is as if God pulls back the curtains and gives you a wider kingdom perspective. The way you pray changes. When you pray, Our Lord, it has a whole new meaning. The way you worship in song changes. When you sing, “How Great is Our God,” your worldview broadens. The way you see those around you changes. When someone is hurting, you have a keener sense of compassion. Are you willing to allow the Lord to broaden your kingdom perspective? (more…)

by Paul Nielsen

M-DAT has been good friends with mission mobilizer John McVay for ten years now. His projects have included mission conferences and websites along with his service with In His Image, which trains medical professionals for Christian service. In this interview he talks specifically about mentoring the next generation of missionaries.

Propel: When and how did you become involved and interested in missions as a mobilizer?

John McVay: I read an illustration by Ralph Winter who said, “If you see a roaring fire you can grab your bucket, run to the stream, then run to the fire and pour water on it—and you can do that repeatedly. Or you could wake 100 sleeping firemen.” Missions mobilization is waking the 100 sleeping firemen. In my current season of life God is guiding me to wake the 100 sleeping firemen.

Propel: What is the importance of mentoring in the context of missions?

John McVay: Most aspiring missionaries struggle with feelings of inadequacy. They need mentors to encourage them to abide in Christ and trust in His strength. (more…)

by Greg Fletcher

Many mission agencies are experiencing a decline in numbers as the attrition from retiring personnel is not offset by new members. The option of expansion simply doesn’t exist for most agencies these days. In some cases, the very survival of the agency is even at stake! Mobilizers must ask some hard questions and make course corrections in response.

There are many facets to this issue, and oversimplification is not helpful. However, there are indicators that solutions exist, and we must pay attention to them. To ignore them would be to our own peril.

Institutional Loyalty vs. Relational Loyalty
One key element to be considered is the current generation’s concept of loyalty. Loyalty has taken on a different form from that of prior generations. We must recognize that we cannot afford to “do what we’ve always done” and expect to “get what we’ve always gotten”.

To an earlier generation, the concept of loyalty related directly to institutional loyalty. If Junior became a missionary, it was assumed he would join Dad’s agency. Recent generations do not function that way. They are more interested in your identity and your capacity to engage the work than your history as an agency. (more…)