Zambia Hunt

Every Church Should Have A Missions Policy

The local church is responsible for sending missionaries to spread the gospel, make disciples, and establish healthy, thriving churches. Every church must be intentional and proactive in fulfilling the Great Commission rather than leaving it to chance. Therefore, every church should develop a missions policy to guide its active engagement in God’s mission.

Having a missions policy in a church is important for several reasons, as it helps to clarify the church’s stance on missions and provides a structured framework to guide the missions outreach of the local church. Here are some of the key reasons why a church should have a missions policy:

Direction: A missions policy provides clear direction and focus for budgeting for the church’s global outreach. Where you spend your money identifies your priorities. It helps in identifying the church’s priorities in missions, whether local, international, short-term, or long-term missions. This focus ensures that the church’s resources are used effectively in areas you believe make the most impact, and with which you are philosophically aligned.

Accountability: A well-defined missions policy ensures consistency in how the mission program of the church is carried out and how support is provided to missionaries. It sets standards for selecting and supporting missions and missionaries, which in turn fosters accountability among those involved in the mission work.

Stewardship: Churches operate with limited resources, and a missions policy helps in the wise stewardship of these resources. It guides decision-making on financial support, resource allocation, and other forms of assistance, ensuring that the church’s contributions are strategically invested in line with their biblical priorities for missions.

Congregational Participation: A clear missions policy can unite the congregation around a common vision for missions. It guides the congregation in applying the biblical theology of missions taught from the pulpit. It educates and informs church members about the church’s missions work, encouraging their participation through prayer, giving, and active involvement in missions outreach.

Partnership: A missions policy can facilitate partnerships with other churches, mission organizations, and agencies. This is especially necessary when the church is serving as the primary sending church for a missionary. The policy outlines the criteria for forming partnerships and ensures that collaborations are strategic, effective, and aligned with the church’s theological convictions and mission goals.

Evaluation: Finally, a missions policy allows for regular objective evaluation of the church’s missions activities. It provides a basis for assessing the effectiveness of missions work and making necessary adjustments. This ensures that the church is able to evaluate a particular work and workers in light of objective guidelines, helping them make helpful adjustments to their ministry work.

A missions policy is a vital tool for any church engaged in missions. It provides clarity, direction, and structure, ensuring that the church’s mission efforts are effective, strategic, and aligned with its broader vision and values.

Conclusion 

This policy has been prepared to clarify Kitwe Church’s position on some of the issues related to missionary service for both those who go and those who serve as senders. The church elders sincere desire that this paper be helpful. Please feel free to contact the church elders if you have any questions. We are here to serve Jesus Christ, His church, and you. 

This policy will be reviewed and revised as often as needed, with a thorough review every two years. All revisions will have the full support of the elders and the Missions Committee.