Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church

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Developing a Missions StrategyThat Fits Your
Church

• Part III Getting Started and Getting It Done
• Process and Implementation

David Mays
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David Mays

• Director of Learning Initiatives for The Mission
  Exchange
• Ministry Training, resources, and networking to
  help church and mission leaders
• Dream A movement of churches centered on The
  Great Commission
• www.DavidMays.org

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PROCESS

• A. Guiding Principles
• B. Process Steps

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A. Guiding Principles

• Key Leader Involvement
• Include Your Missionaries
• Prayer
• Consensus
• Research
• Proactive
• Continuity
• Open to Future Scrutiny

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Key Leader Involvement

• What may happen if key leaders are not involved?
• Who needs to be involved in developing the
  strategy?
• Whose input needs to be solicited or considered?
• What issues or problems do you anticipate?
• Are there prayer items here?

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Include Your Missionaries

• Let them know in advance.
• Update yourself on their vision, goals,
  strategies.
• Ask for their input.
• Consider how their ministry relates to your
  hopes.
• Reassure them.

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Prayer

• If we want Gods direction, we must ask for it.
• If we want wisdom, we must ask for it.
• If we want harmony, we must ask for it.
• If we want commitment, we must ask for it.
• How might you pray for this process?
• How might you help others pray?
• Prayer moves us beyond our small agendas to his
  big ones.

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Consensus

• When we listen, we learn.
• When we solicit broad input we have a better
  understanding of where we are beginning.
• The loudest voice may not make the best decision.
• When people are heard, they are more likely to
  commit to the end product.
• Decisions made by all are better than those made
  by one.

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Research

• What do we need to know?
• How do we learn what our leaders know and want?
• How will we get key information on needs and
  opportunities in the world?
• What will we do with what we learn?
• How will we research our current ministries?

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Proactive vs. Reactive

• How do we set direction and make decisions? Are
  we
• Request Driven?
• Relationship Driven?
• Purpose Driven?
• Involvement Driven?
• Excitement Driven?

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Continuity with Past Ministry

• How much continuation? How much change?
• Not a continuation but not a disconnection
  either.
• What common threads or themes do we see?
• What should be continued and what changed?
• What current ministries fit new realities?
• What ministries could be tweaked to fit?
• What should be grandfathered?
• Where do you expect disagreement? (prayer item?)

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Open to Future Scrutiny

• We do the best we can, with what we know, and
  Gods guidance, but realities change.
• Future leaders may be expected to review and
  revise what we do here.

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Discussion

• Key Leader Involvement
• Prayer
• Consensus
• Research
• Proactive
• Continuity
• Open to Future Scrutiny

• Which principles have we best incorporated?
• How is it working out?
• Which of these principles have most influence?
• Which principles do we need to elevate?
• Where do you anticipate disagreement?

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The Key Question

• What does God want to accomplish in the world
  through our church?

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PROCESS

• B. Process Steps

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B. Process Steps

• Establish the Strategy Team
• Set up a Meeting Schedule
• Survey your leaders
• Communicate with Congregation and Missionaries
• Analyze the Missions Ministry

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B. Process Steps

• Research the major inputs.
• Write a purpose statement for the missions
  ministry
• Your key missions Scripture
• Supplemental missions Scriptures
• Your definition of missions
• How the missions ministry fulfills your church
  purpose statement

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B. Process Steps

• Research the world and the church
• Agree on the major factors
• Establish priorities
• Establish categories and goals
• Draft the strategy document
• Get feedback and approvals
• Communicate broadly
• Implement over time!

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Grid for Priorities and Decisions
Local same culture Local U.S. cross-culture International
Now
of
missionaries
partnerships
5 Year Goal
of
missionaries
partnerships
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Grid for Priorities and Decisions
Local U.S. Cross Cultural
Now
of 30 35 35
missionaries 0 0 3
/ projects 5 5
5 Year Goal
of 30 20 50
missionaries 0 0 6
/ projects 3 2
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Grid for Priorities and Decisions
U.S. International Unreached
Now
of 55 40 5
missionaries 0 5 0
/ projects 5 5 0
5 Year Goal
of 40 45 15
missionaries 0 5 2
/ projects 3 2 1
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Grid for Priorities and Decisions
Local Evang Local Marcy Local/U.S. Ch plant Global Unreached Group
Now
of 25 25 25 50 0
missionaries
5 Year Goal
of 10 10 20 40 20
missionaries
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People like us nearby People unlike us nearby People far away
Dollars () Now
3-yr
People full time () Now
3-yr
Volunteers () Now
3-yr
Facility Use () Now
3-yr
Staff full time Now
3-yr
Staff (volunteer hrs) Now
3-yr
Calendar ( events) Now
3-yr
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Discussion

• Have we left out something important?
• What have you been doing best? Benefits?
• What do you see as
• Most urgent?
• Most difficult?
• Most likely to cause misunderstanding?
• Potential roadblock?
• Prayer Items?

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IMPLEMENTATION

• A. Principles
• B. Steps

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A. Implementation Principles

• Continuity
• Addition
• Attrition
• Saying No
• Disassociation

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Discussion

• Continuity
• Addition
• Attrition
• Saying No
• Disassociation

• What have you done well so far?
• What do you need to change?
• Where do you anticipate difficulties?
• Prayer items?

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B. Implementation Steps

• Expand ministry in your priority areas.
• Find out how current missionaries relate to the
  strategy and help them contribute.
• Allow attrition in non-strategic areas.
• Use a grid or point system for decision making.
• Say no.

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B. Implementation Steps

• Project budgets and personnel for coming year.
• Send mission trips to priority ministries.
• Educate the congregation.
• Raise up your own missionaries.
• Recruit and deploy congregation members.

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B. Implementation Steps

• Establish Structure
• Recruit and Train Personnel
• Develop and Follow Policies
• Develop and Follow Procedures

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Strategy Diagram
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Structure

• Organization
• Reporting
• Teams
• Subgroups
• Number

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Structure Possibilities

• One person
• Small group
• Large group
• Board, Committee or Team
• Sub Teams
• Steering Team
• Task Teams

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Missions Team Responsibilities

• Organize team
• Assist leaders
• Learn about missions
• Develop strategy
• Set goals plan
• Develop policies
• Generate prayer
• Educate church
• Orient new team
• Develop budget

• Coordinate projects
• Care for missionaries
• Promote missions
• Raise funds
• Handle finances
• Do mission trips
• Raise up missionaries
• Involve congregation
• Evaluate missions
• Develop cross-cultural understanding

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Task Groups

• Planning Policy
• Finances
• Education
• Promotion
• Prayer
• Mission Trips

• Projects
• Missionary Care
• Recruitment
• Training
• World Region

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Personnel

• Qualities
• Skills
• Commitments
• Knowledge
• Job Descriptions
• Responsibilities

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Missions Pastor Job Description

• Internal
• External
• Administration
• People Orientation
• Communication

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Missions Pastor Tendencies
Field Focused
Personal care for workers Counsel missionaries Go on mission trips Mentor candidates Organize mission trips Keep up with mission trends Develop strategy and goals Evaluate mission efforts abroad Oversee implementation
Influence church leaders Build interest in individuals Mentor trip leaders Develop individual leaders Build a missions philosophy Organize missions committee Develop mobilization strategies Develop a missions education Develop candidate training
Relational
Administrative
Church Focused
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Missions Pastor Qualities

• Personal Qualities

• Experience

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Qualities

• Learner
• Flexible
• Follow through
• Communicator
• Creativity
• Administrator
• Time

• Spiritual maturity
• Concern for lost
• Active in church
• Missions savvy
• Leadership
• Cooperative
• Strategic Thinker

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Missions Pastor Job Description

• See Handout
• Which responsibilities are most important for
  your church?

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Who do we want on our team?

• Qualities
• Skills
• Expertise

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Qualities

• Learner
• Flexible
• Follow through
• Communicator
• Creativity
• Administrator
• Time

• Spiritual maturity
• Concern for lost
• Active in church
• Missions savvy
• Leadership
• Cooperative
• Strategic Thinker

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Indispensable Qualities

• Leader rallies directs the troops
• Doers do the work
• Administrator keeps it all together
• Influencer persuades recruits
• Learner builds knowledge

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Policies

• Criteria
• Guidelines
• Finances
• Approvals
• Resource Church Missions Policy Handbook

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Procedures

• Operation
• Meetings
• Responsibility Assignments
• Orientation
• Processes

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B. Implementation Steps

• Next Steps for Your Church
• Prayer Items

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Resources

• Building Global Vision, David Mays
• Operation World
• Exploring World Mission
• Stuff CD

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This is the most rapidly changing and creative
and productive time in the history of the world
missionary movement.Paul Pierson
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We are poised on the brink of the realization of
Careys dream - the completion of world
evangelization.Patrick Johnstone
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For the first time ever, it is possible that the
Great Commission could be fulfilled in our
lifetime and Jesus come back. Ralph Winter
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