Being focused on missions is obviously one of the keys to the growth of the local church. Churches that keep all of their resources for themselves will end up having few. Failing churches, like failing believers, make statements like “Charity begins at home.” The Biblical response to that statement is “No, responsibility begins at home, charity begins next door!”
It was no surprise to me that every strong, growing church whose leaders I have interviewed had a power commitment to missions both domestically and globally.
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“A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder.” -Thomas Carlyle
The same can be said of churches, but the purpose must be God’s. The only purpose of the church of Jesus should be to see more souls saved. This theme is developed in unending ways.
- Church planting – local/ U.S./among nations
- Supporting missionaries – Prayer/finances
- Sending missionaries from the local church
- Inner city work
- Feeding the homeless
- Christmas to the poor
- Pregnancy crisis centers
- Short term missions teams
- Aids outreach
- Orphan and widow ministry
- Emergency hurricane/tornado, flood relief
- Building homes
While each of the churches surveyed supported missions differently, each gave at least 10% while one gave 33% of the total income of the church. Some churches gave a percentage of their general fund, some also tithed on their building funds and, some utilized “Faith Promise”, and almost all took up special offerings to give away. When we give to God’s heart, God gives back to His people.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”–Malachi 3:10
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Matthew 6:33
It is one thing to read those truths, while it is another to obey the text and live the message individually and as a church.
“Someone has said that the church does not exist FOR missions, but rather BY mission. If you peek inside the fastest-growing churches in the world, you will discover that, without exception, these churches are missions-minded, and have caught a vision of “world-conquest.” Our own church really became alive when missions was placed on the front burner and became a top priority, visible for all to see and hear.” –Bob Moorehead
The local church grows as she gives herself away. God’s way is the opposite of the world’s way. The principle will not make sense, but God’s way always works.
“The preacher, the governing body, and the other key leaders must start the process. Missions isn’t optional. It’s what the church is all about. What we call the Great Commission has too often been the Great Omission. Yet, Jesus declared that missions is why the church exists. That’s why the Great Commission appears five times in the New Testament. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8.) What oxygen is to fire, missions is to the church. As fire exists by burning, so the church exists by missions. No missions, no church. I once read where an artist was asked to paint a picture of a dead church. Masterfully, he worked day and night, and finally the portrait was finished. When it was unveiled, it showed a box on a table in the church foyer. On the box was printed the word MISSIONS. There was a slit in the top of the box for the offerings, and across the slit was a spider web. It could never have been said more eloquently! Until the leadership of the church acknowledges the centrality of missions, then provides the members to become personally involved in the support of missions, that church will not grow beyond just a few hundred people.” –Bob Moorehead
Part four tomorrow!
