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Weighed
in the Balance
David Mays
"The
Church is engaged in an urgent global rescue operation."
What is the best balance
to maximize the effectiveness of your church in discipling the nations? Which way do you need to move on the
following continua?
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Missions
vs. Everything Else
Do we need more missions or is missions too heavily emphasized versus other
needs?
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Prayer vs.
Activity
Do we need more prayer for missions or more activity in missions?
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Vertical vs.
Horizontal
Do we need a more evangelistic emphasis or a more humanitarian emphasis?
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Discipleship
vs. Deployment
Do we need to utilize more of our missions experiences to disciple our people
or to more effectively accomplish ministry on the field?
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Long Term vs.
Short Term
Do we need to undertake more mission trips or more long term ministry?
Do we need to focus more on quick results or more on the long-term difficult
tasks?
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The World vs.
Our Community
Do we tend to neglect our community or do we tend to neglect the rest of the
world?
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American
Missionaries vs. National Partnerships
Do we need to focus more on partnerships with nationals or on sending trained
and equipped Americans?
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Missionaries
vs. Projects
Do we need to focus more on time-framed projects with defined end points or
on supporting long term missionaries who can learn the culture and influence
people?
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Hands Off vs.
Hands On
Do we need to get our people more hands-on in ministry overseas or are we
limiting our long term effectiveness by excluding ministry where our people
can't go help?
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Continuity
vs. Change
Are we bound by the past so that we can not advance or are we jettisoning the
past with too little regard for our faithful, long-term missionaries?
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Strategic
Needs vs. Our Interests
Are we missing out on the commitment of our people by focusing on strategic
needs that are beyond their range of understanding and involvement or do we
neglect critical and strategic needs because we limit ourselves to the
interests of our people?
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Out of
Reach vs. Out of Fellowship
Do we neglect those around us who are not believers to do international
ministry or do we neglect those out of reach of the gospel to put the great
majority of our efforts into those who have multiplied opportunities already?
How do you need to rebalance to maximize your
effectiveness in discipling the nations?
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Resources:
"Six
Challenges for the Church in Missions, David Mays, Evangelical Missions
Quarterly, July 2006
Missions
Pastor Interviews, "Church Missions and The Economy," www.TheMissionExchange.org/store
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