View
216
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Developing a Missions Strategy
That Fits Your Church
Part II: Establishing Priorities
David Mays
I. CONTENTI. CONTENT
B. Secondary Inputs for Setting Priorities
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Strategy ContentA. 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Audience 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Balance: Local – Global 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Focus 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
History 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
‘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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
‘Our Own’ 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Our Church Roles – References Building Global Vision, David Mays “Our Church” Worksheet, Stuff II, p. 18 “Our Values,” Stuff IV, p. 25
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Partnership 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Participation 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
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Task In our strategy the choice
of strategic tasks should be
A central, strategic factor An important factor Just one of many factors
This is a Big change Small change No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
DiscussionB. 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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
DiscussionB. 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?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Secondary Inputs for Establishing Priorities Input A Priority B Priority Notes
Audience
Balance
Focus
History
‘Our Own’
Our Roles
Participation
Partnership
Task
The Key Question:
What does God want to accomplish in the world through our church?
How do you draw people away from their personal preferences and bring the focus back to the Key Question?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Strategy ContentB. Secondary Inputs
Audiences Ministry Tasks Balance Focus History Relationships Our Roles Partnership Participation
Steps for our group:
Items for Prayer
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
End of Section Two
Recommended