How the Church Can Engage in Missions: Globally

Paul, in the closing remarks of his letter to the Philippians, writes, “And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only” (Phil 4:15). Paul knew the value of partnership throughout his missionary journeys, whether alongside individuals like Barnabas and Luke, through the faithful sending of the church at Antioch, resources of the Philippians, or prayers of believers throughout Asia Minor. We too, as believers, are called to take Paul’s commendation and call for partnership among those we support. In writing his letter of 3 John, the apostle John admonishes Gaius, “we ought to support people like these that we may be fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 8). The missionaries we support as a local church are those we have sent out ‘for the sake of the Name’ (3 John 7). So, as we think about how the local church can be involved in missions globally, it’s important to consider what partnership looks like on varying levels and what the expectations should be between the church and her supported workers. Let’s explore further!

Levels of Partnership:

As we consider those we send to the field, we can think in levels of partnership. Some, Lord willing, the church will raise up and send out; others will come to your church because of relationship or like-minded ministry philosophy, and others will go out from the local church and be sent with blessing but not necessarily with funding. The local church’s commitment and partnership alongside each of these might look different based on like-mindedness, relationship, or conviction in the work. Here are some examples of levels of partnerships:

Level 1 – Local Church-Specific Teams & Individual Workers:

These are individual or teams equipped, trained, and sent out as members of your local church that are like-minded, have similar vision/mission, and are worthy of cultivating long-term partnerships. Support of Level 1 partners could have these various components:

1. Financial Support: Extensive and ongoing along with funding of special projects.
2. Pastoral Support: Regular annual visits by elders/staff.
3. Strategic Support: On-going development of strategy that involves a variety of the church’s membership.
4. Prayer Support: Listed in membership directory or on website, receive monthly updates from them, and highlighted in newsletters and in worship services.
5. Personnel Support: Sending short-term teams and recruiting other church members to join with and support the team long-term.
6. Membership: Continued local church membership if necessitated by the sending agency, but it would be encouraged to join with another local body in their ministry context.

Level 2 – Non-Local Church Member Supported Workers:

These are non-church members who seem well-qualified and like-minded and who involve your church in their plans and support but are not those whom you as a church have raised up and sent out. Your partnership with them may be long-term or could be on a shorter timeframe due to the strength of relationship and conviction in the work. The church would partner with them in prayer, finances, and possible personnel support (through short-term teams), though primary member care would not be as extensive. Support of Level 2 could carry these components:

1. Financial Support: Annual Support and/or occasional special projects only.
2. Pastoral Support: Emails and video conferencing, but no member care visits.
3. Strategic Support: On-going development of strategy that involves a variety of the church’s membership.
4. Prayer Support: Listed in membership directory, receive monthly updates from them, highlighted in newsletter and worship services.
5. Personnel Support: Sending short-term teams as needed and possible long-term help as is deemed strategic.

Level 3 – Local Church Members with Non-Church Partnerships:

These are members who seem qualified and whom we feel comfortable sending but who partner with work outside of the local church’s strategic mission partnerships. This could be a member who is serving short-term with a demoninational organization but not in an area that we are strategically focused long-term. Support of Level 3 could carry these components:

1. Financial Support: None.
2. Pastoral Support: Emails, video conferencing, member care visits (only as needed).
3. Strategic Support: On-going development of strategy that involves a variety of the church’s membership.
4. Prayer Support: Receive monthly updates from them, highlighted in newsletters and worship services.
5. Personnel Support: None.
6. Church Memberships: Continued local church membership if necessitated by the sending agency, but we would encourage them to join with another local body in their ministry context.

While some aspects of partnership look similar across the three levels, others differ to various degrees as it relates to areas such as financial support, how much your church highlights them, and how frequent you visit them on short-term trips or member care visits.
While your church may not have all these categories or may not be in a position yet to send out your own members, you need to think strategically through your global partnerships. Churches often can boast in the number of partnerships they have, but the faithfulness of your mission strategy isn’t in its number. It is in your commitment to nurture those you send and support. That means that the local church needs to have solid global partnerships that you rightly align with in theology, in understanding the role of the church in missions, and in a contextualized mission strategy. As you rightly identify those partners, you can implement these levels and expectations of partnership. After you determine your partners, think through what missionary care looks for them. I would encourage you to read further on how to catalyze such care in my previous blog and in the series on pre-field care, on-field care, and post-field care.

Read Part 1 of this 3-part article series.

Read Part 2 of this 3-part article series.

Ryan is also the author of Holding the Rope: How the Local Church Can Care for Its Sent Ones.