Home Updated May 26, 2007
Resource Distribution Grids for Missions Prioritizing, Planning, and
Decision Making
David Mays
For most
churches missions is broad but not all ministry opportunities are equally
strategic. Using a grid like the
examples below can help you make missions decisions in line with your strategy
or priorities.
1. Categorize the ministries supported or being considered in order to
analyze where your church is deploying its resources. The several grids suggest possible
categories.
2. Set priorities for the future.
3. Analyze your current missions investments.
4. Establish goals.
5. Use the chart you select to help you make future financial
decisions.
Following are several sample
grids. Customize these to fit your
situation.
Full Model:
|
Deployment
of Missions Resources |
Local |
U. S. |
Global |
|
|
Cross-Cultural |
Church
Planting |
Cross-Cultural |
|
NOW |
|
|
|
|
% of missions dollars |
|
|
|
|
# of missionaries |
|
|
|
|
# mission projects/partnerships |
|
|
|
|
# mission trips |
|
|
|
|
GOAL – 5
YEARS |
|
|
|
|
% of missions dollars |
|
|
|
|
# of missionaries |
|
|
|
|
# mission projects/partnerships |
|
|
|
|
# mission trips |
|
|
|
Examples of Alternative Categories:
|
U.S. Local, |
International/Global |
|
|
|
|
Same/Near Cultures |
Cross-Cultural |
|
|
|
|
U.S. |
International |
|
|
|
Reached |
Unreached |
|
Local/Regional |
International/Global |
|
Ministry
in near cultures in our city, state, or country |
Ministry to internationals locally or globally. |
|
U.S. |
International |
|||
|
Evangelistic |
Compassion |
Our Church |
Within Reach |
Out of Reach |
|
Local/Same Culture |
U.S. Cross-Culture |
Global |
|
|
|
|
|
Local |
U. S. |
Global |
||
|
Cross-Cultural |
Church
Planting |
Cross-Cultural |
Task Focus
Area |
Audience Focus Area |
|
Local |
U. S. |
International |
|||
|
Evangelistic |
Compassion |
Church
Planting |
Cross-Cultural |
Selected Partnership |
|
|
Jerusalem |
Judea |
Samaria |
Ends of the Earth |
|
Local witnessing ministries |
Regional witnessing ministries |
Cross-cultural witnessing ministries |
International witnessing ministries |
|
U.S. Ministries |
International Ministries |
||
|
All types |
Missionary Support |
Organization Support |
Partnerships with Indigenous Ministries |
|
Local and U.S. |
Domestic Church Planting |
International and Cross-Cultural |
|
Same
or near culture evangelism and social ministries |
|
|
|
Local and U.S. |
International and Global |
Internal/Mobilization |
|
Same
or near culture evangelism and social ministries |
Cross-cultural
evangelism and cross-cultural ministries, local and global |
Administration,
conferences, resources, missions events, travel,
mission trips |
|
U.S. Ministries |
International Ministries |
||
|
|
Direct Ministry |
Support Ministries |
Aid & Social Ministries |
|
Evangelism
and social ministries, both same, near, and cross-cultural |
Evangelism,
church planting, leadership development |
U.S.
staff of international ministries, aviation, medical, missionary care and
support organizations |
Relief,
development, persecuted church, justice |
|
Same/Near-Culture Ministries |
Timothy-type Ministries |
Least Reached/ Unreached |
Mobilization |
|
Reaching
and serving Americans at home or abroad |
Overseas
missions where the church exists |
Ministries
to people in least reached areas |
Internal
education and trips, Helping other churches |
Further instructions on using grids for prioritizing and
budgeting, see helps from DualReach:
http://www.dualreach.org/missions/bm~doc/GI-8.doc
http://www.dualreach.org/missions/bm~doc/bdt-t7.doc