Understanding Global Mission:
Global Mission, often referred to as foreign mission, encompasses the work God is doing worldwide. The term “mission” itself implies a purposeful movement—being sent from one place to another to fulfill a specific purpose.
In Mark 1:38, Jesus exemplifies this purpose-driven movement: *”And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.”
Challenges and Misconceptions:
- Local Needs Are Abundant:
Some argue that there are already more than enough needs to address within local communities. - Limited Resources:
Many small churches feel they lack the financial resources and manpower to support foreign missions effectively. They believe foreign mission should better be handled by large congregation only. - Resource Allocation Concerns:
There is a common belief that foreign missions might be a misallocation of resources that could otherwise support local initiatives.
Why Engage in Foreign Mission?
When learning to ride a bicycle, it’s common advice to keep your eyes up and not fixate on the pedals, as doing so can lead to losing balance and falling. This simple lesson reveals an important truth: maintaining steady progress requires looking ahead.
In the same way, for a church to experience steady growth and spiritual strength, it must learn to “lift up its eyes.”
John 4:35 (KJV) says, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
This principle encourages us to look beyond our immediate surroundings to maintain balance and direction. Just as a steady flow of clean water from a well or pond requires continuous outflow, so too must a church engage in constant outreach beyond its local context to sustain growth and vitality.
How Can a Small Church Engage in Foreign Mission?
- Discover a Platform:
Identify and partner with missionary teams or organizations, similar to how the Antioch Church partnered with Paul and Barnabas (3 John 6-8, Romans 10:15). This collaboration allows churches and missionaries to work together to extend God’s kingdom worldwide. - Send Out Mission Volunteers:
Not everyone can go, but those who stay can support those who do. Churches can collaborate to raise funds for willing volunteers to participate in short-term missions. - Monthly Mission Offerings:
Regular financial support can be organized for ongoing needs such as housing, food, education, and healthcare for missionaries and their families. - Prayer Support:
Displaying pictures of supported missionaries or mission areas can encourage congregational prayer, recognizing the spiritual warfare aspect of missions. Missionaries often find great encouragement knowing they are supported in prayer. - Educational Sponsorship:
The church can sponsor the education of a child or a pastor in mission fields, providing long-term support and fostering deeper connections. - Live Connection:
Hosting foreign worship services via live telecast can connect the local congregation with the mission field, making the global church feel more unified. - Hosting Missionaries:
Periodically inviting foreign missionaries to share their experiences can inspire and inform the local congregation about the realities and impacts of their work.
Benefits of Foreign Mission:
- Church Planting:
Partnerships in foreign missions can lead to new church plants, expanding the global reach of the gospel, as seen in the early churches of Asia. - Spiritual Joy and Growth:
There is a unique joy and spiritual fulfillment in participating in the global mission, as seen in Isaiah 53:11, which speaks of the satisfaction of seeing the results of one’s labor in God’s work. - Strengthening the Local Church:
Engaging in foreign missions can strengthen the local church in spirit, purity, and mutual love, much like the continuous flow of water keeps a pond or well fresh. - All-Around Prosperity:
As the church engages in God’s global mission, it can experience growth and prosperity, aligning with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, which calls for reaching “all nations.”
Conclusion:
The Antioch Church serves as a powerful example of how a satellite church can play a significant role in foreign missions. Their involvement led to a spiritual renewal so profound that believers were first called Christians in Antioch. Small churches today can take inspiration from their success, knowing that they too can make a significant impact.
Royal Missionary Outreach International in the Sahara Desert is eager to partner with global churches to bring Christ to the people groups of the Sahara.
Connect with Us:
Royal Missionary Outreach International
https://royalmission.org/wp_962
Email: contact@royalmission.org