Getting Started in 2009 with Mission & Outreach

I was talking with Steve last Friday about our goals for this year and we agreed that whatever we do this year it needs to be quantifiable and measurable and so with missions and outreach the first thing to do is to get started today, right now so that at the end of the year we will have something that we can point to and say “this is what we did this year!”

Does your church want to be more active in missions and outreach? Then let’s do it by the numbers …

1) Find the need(s). Find the people and the resources to meet the need(s) and you will be well on your way. What has your church done in the past … What worked … What didn’t. What is God telling you that needs to be done?

2) Select a leader. Chances are that no matter how big or small your church is there is someone (perhaps many “someones,” but you only need one) who can organize, direct, motivate, support and guide the work of other church members in this endeavor. This person does not need to be the pastor.

3) You need to allocate time to doing this ministry even if you have to give up some other less important time commitment (and you probably will have to). All involved in missions and outreach need to realize that this is a God instituted and led ministry which needs to be given the proper time and attention.

4) Praying/Planning, Giving and Doing. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be active in your midst helping you locate the need, the leader, the people and the resources needed to get your mission and outreach ministry active; and that in the act of obedience to do mission God will give you the faith and confidence needed as well as the time necessary . And when you give, remember, you are giving not only of your treasure, but of your time and talents. When you put it all together and you go out and do the ministry that God charged you to do you will be a blessing as well as being blessed!

Begin with the end in mind and at the end of this year you and your church can look back on 2009 and hear Jesus say 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance' and ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Does your local church cluster have a training coming up? If so I will be glad to come, let me know! Jorge