Make Mission a Vital Part of the Life of the Church

Making mission a vital part of the life of the church is one of the best things you can do for your church. Involve your congregation in learning more about the world and about mission, in praying for unreached peoples, in praying for specific missionaries, and in vision trips to the mission field led by a partnering mission agency. Encourage the congregation to reach out to peoples of different cultures or languages in their communities.
You can do this by looking for those within your congregation who possess the vision and drive to lead these mission-focused ministries.
Here are some resources arranged by topic to help you get started.

Learn More About Mission and What’s going on in the World

• Take the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement study course.
• Missions in the 21st Century by Tom Telford is an excellent book to get started.
• Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper sets a sound theological foundation for mission.
• Loving the Church, Blessing the Nations by George Miley describes the role God designed for the church in mission.
• Operation World by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk is an encyclopedic yet accessible prayer guide detailing God’s work in the countries of the world.
• Global Purpose

Get connected to Resources

• ACMC (Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment) helps churches mobilize their resources for effective involvement in world evangelization. ACMC provides training events, consulting/coaching, and local mission leader networks.
• AIMS (Accelerating International Mission Strategies)

Investigate Short Term Missions

The best short-term mission programs are those conducted by established mission agencies. Check with the mission agencies you already know or have relations with. Some links to help you get started are below.

• National Short Term Missions Conference
• Mission Finder
• Short Term Missions

Start a Mission-Oriented Children’s Program

• Hero Tales (4 volumes) are timeless lessons for families from great Christians of the past, published by Bethany House.
• Window on the World is a beautiful full-color book that brings to life the rich cultures, histories and traditions of diverse peoples.
• Global Express Kids Club - Learn about the world and God’s work through the Global Xpress. Options exist for every child, family, and church.
• Outside the lines – Perspectives for Kids

Partner with Mission Agencies

God’s ministry is always in cooperation with other believers. We can’t do it by ourselves. Mission is easy to learn about on the Web or from a book, but it’s the experience and expertise that agencies have that is integral to doing mission well. If the church is a part of a fellowship or denomination, then this partnership would be with the mission office of that fellowship or denomination. If the church is independent, then partnership should be sought with the mission agency or agencies with whom the church is already in relationship.