The Mission of the Church: Missions.
“The mission of the churchis missions.” The church is filled with individuals who each haveunique God-given abilities to fulfill their role in the mission. But first,Christians must be educated about their world and how to reach it. For thisreason, providing a platform for missions education has become a vital role oflocal churches.
Missions education is a critical component of World Missionsand relies on the development of missions programs in each local church. Thedevelopment of an annual World Missions Conference is an important step towardestablishing a vibrant missions program in your local church.
Like the idea but don’t know where to start? The manual,“How to Host an Effective World Missions Conference at Your Local Church”, is akey resource to help you plan, promote, produce and evaluate a World MissionsConference in your local church
Why a World MissionsConference?
Some people think the idea of hosting a World MissionsConference sounds old-fashioned and dull. It’s true; a World MissionsConference could become a dusty old tradition if we ignore current trends andfail to take advantage of the technology and tools available to us.
We live in a world that is much smaller than the world ofour grandparents. Cell phones, the Internet and countless media outlets havemade Marshall McLuhan’s “global village” a reality. The mission field thatseemed dark and mysterious 50 years ago is now a place we see on TV, in themovies and, sometimes, even on vacation.
We live in a day when we interact with people from othercountries and cultures on a daily basis. We see them at work, chat with themonline, watch them on TV, etc.
With the changes we see around us today, a World MissionsConference is more important than ever and can continue to be an exciting andanticipated event of the church calendar.
As local congregations become more and more familiar andcomfortable with people from other cultures, it becomes increasingly importantfor us to show them the great need these people still have for God—the needthey have for missionaries who will share the gospel with them.
As a celebration, a WorldMissions Conference in your local church will:
- ENCOURAGE a greater missions awareness through exposure to missionaries and nationals from the field.
- GIVE members of your church a better understanding of what God is doing through the Church of God in different countries of the world.
- INTRODUCE your church to missionaries, missions field personnel, and the many ministries of Church of God World Missions
- INVOLVE each department of your church in conference preparation, allowing them to feel a part of the Great Commission.
- PRESENT the current needs of missions, giving church members an opportunity to respond with prayer and financial support.
- ENLARGE the vision of your local church, creating a greater burden for the lost.
- IDENTIFY local people who want to get involved in missions.
- CELEBRATE God’s faithfulness to His church around the world.
- EDUCATE the church about missions needs.
- RAISE financial support for the worldwide work of World Missions.
- TEACH local church members how to prepare for the lost around the world.
- CREATE a local church with a global perspective.
- HELP your local church discover how it can fulfill the Great Commission.
--Copied from the revised“How to Have a World Missions Conference at Your Local Church” manual.
