Home Updated February 2011 David Mays

What Shapes Our Church Missions Ministry?

We tend to be…

Denomination Shaped. We support our denomination.

Excitement Shaped.  We tend to pursue specific, short-term, high visibility projects so our people can be stimulated by seeing the results of God at work in the world. 

Leader Shaped.  We have confidence in our pastor or the leader of our missions ministry and generally support what he or she recommends.

Needs Shaped.  When there is a crisis in the world or in our country, or where we discover people have great needs, we get involved.

Participation Shaped. We undertake ministry where our people can participate on a regular basis.  We benefit by growing more fruitful disciples in our church.

Purpose Shaped.  We have an understanding of God’s purposes for our missions ministry. We proactively organize and direct our missions efforts to fulfill these purposes.

Relationship Shaped.   We help people we know, love, and trust.  Our focus is on our friends and those we know.

Request Shaped.  We are primarily a “Foundation” or “Bank” for missions.  We support the visions, strategies and needs of individuals and organizations by deciding which requests to fund.   

Trip Shaped.  Our missions ministry consists primarily of mission trips or ministries where we can take trips to help.

Vision Shaped.  We have a mental picture of a preferable future in a particular place or among a particular people and we seek the best, most effective and practical ways to make the picture a reality.

Evaluation Questions:

q Do any of these models fit our church?

q What are the advantages and disadvantages of the models we tend to follow?

q In what directions would we like to move?

56565656565656565656