Monday, February 27, 2012
(Note: This is the first in what I hope will be a week- long series of posts related to global missions as part of our 2012 Missions Conference)
Sunday was fun. For the first week of our 2012 Missions Conference we did an in-service conversation with a select group of our visiting missionaries. I worked hard to compile a list of questions that addressed contemporary questions/issues concerning global missions. Quite honestly, these are the questions I and our leadership are currently grappling with.
The feedback has been positive. If you missed it, you can enjoy the audio for either service here. I asked overlapping, but also some different questions between the two services . . .
9:00 AM service audio
10:45 AM service audio
And here, also, is the whole set of questions I put together. Even between the two services, I didn't get them all asked, but I thought you might benefit from the peak into my head and heart. . .
-
Where has the Lord placed you and how did He lead you to your field of ministry? Describe your day-to-day work. Give us your 60 second elevator pitch.
-
One of the things we say often is “Everything we do is mission, whether locally or globally. Our shared mission is the Great Commission; to make disciples who will make disciples. This is why we exist.” How do you personally tie your ministry back to the disciple making commission of Jesus? How is what you do on a daily basis related to making disciples who will make disciples?
-
What is the relationship between the Great Commission charge to make disciples and church planting? How do those two things relate to one another?
-
Where do we see the Spirit of God at work in the world today? Are there more fruitful harvest fields in the world today and do you think it’s appropriate to focus resources toward fruitful harvests?
-
What are “unreached peoples” and why should they be a focus in global missions?
-
What is an "indigenous church planting movement?” Why and how should we support them?
-
Why is bible translation foundational for laying the groundwork for future church planting?
-
Why is university ministry a strategic place of ministry to reach unreached peoples?
-
Supporting missionaries on the field is glamorous and exciting, yet so much of missions today involves administrative and technical support of missionaries on the front lines. This can be a tough sell for potential supporters. Can you address this issue and tell us why is valuable and worthwhile to support "missionaries" who serve in the support roles/functions?
-
The world is changing. Missions is changing. What do you think about the viability and effectiveness of sending western missionaries to foreign fields today? In what situations is that appropriate and when should we avoid it?
-
Is the call of global missions today "Go" or "Support" or “Partner” or a combination?
-
What is the place/value/benefit of short term teams in global missions today? Should we spend the money to send short term teams? Or should we just send the money instead of the team?
-
The Great Commission is about making disciples who will make disciples. This is what Jesus did. This is the commission He gave. A vision for multiplication is built into the Great Commission. Yet why do so many churches and even mission organizations lose sight of this multiplication focus and comfortably settle? How do we move our local churches and missions efforts back to this strategic multiplication focus?
-
Describe your vision for local church involvement in global missions today. What would/could that look like to you? In other words, how can we, “the blessed”. . . . “be a blessing”?
-
If our mission is the shared mission of being and making disciples of Jesus, then do you have any input for us as we seek to obey and fulfill our mission here on the Central Coast? What should that look like from your perspective?
This Sunday we'll do something similar involving a panel of our recent short term team to India. If you'd like to submit a question for our team in a comment, I will definitely consider asking it. Also, I'd love to hear what you thought of last Sunday's conversation.