1. Education

Goal: Understanding – What God desires and how God has worked in the past

Education is the foundation, the basics. What does the Bible say about God's heart for people? How did God work through the Bible? How has God worked in history? Who are the great missionary heroes? What are some of the past great missions events and turning points? What groups and movements have been influential in the spread of the Gospel?

Resources: Books, videos, curricula, archives, Perspectives Course, missionaries, missions courses

2. Awareness

Goal: Knowledge – What is happening now

Current missionary stories; arrival, schedules and departures of missionaries; missionary goals, progress, needs, obstacles, dangers; current world events, local events that affect missions; natural disaster; wars and unsettled regions; persecution and threats to believers; immediate missionary challenges and opportunities; the status of peoples and nations with respect to spiritual, physical and social needs; church missions partners and involvements

Resources: Your denomination periodical, international news, missionary emails, Operation World, web sites, e-zines, mission expert consultations, your missions pastor or missions team

3. Promotion

Goal: Action – Catch attention. Get people to do something

Fliers, posters, announements, mailings, skits, personal invitations to people to give, pray, participate in events such as missions conferences, missions classes, meeting or hosting missionaries, mission trips, volunteer projects, and service to the church or missions team.

Resources: Samples from other churches, creative people, fliers, handouts, video, special appeals,

4. Exposure

Goal: Relationship – Familiarity, Connection, Concern

Contact and relationships with missionaries, mission workers, outside speakers, new converts, international or ethnic Christians. Perhaps visiting a missionary on the field or hosting them in your home. Learning what God has done for them, in them, and through them and their ministries, how God is at work, how lives are being transformed, how God uses individuals.

Resources: Missionaries, Chrisian internationals, testimonials, friendships, hosting

5. Experience

Goal: Commitment – Determination to be Involved

Getting people involved in hands-on ministry across barriers of language, culture and/or distance serving in the missions movement. Learning the hazards and joys of missionary involvement and discovering the need and possibilities of involvement along with a desire to contribute and make a difference.

Resources: Missions opportunities for volunteers

Application

Which ones do you do best?

Are any neglected in your church?

What is one step you can take now?

56565656565656565656

David Mays, March 2008. www.davidmays.org