Firstly I´m talking about mission mobilisation -- so anything that encourages the church to take on it´s responsibility to share the good news with their neighbours, near and far. Some of that is to do with processes and training of those specifically called to serve in another location, but actually it´s a lot more to do with empowering the whole church to engage with global issues, to pray for unreaching groups, and to consistently support those who do 'go'. (For ease, I´ll quote from an article I wrote earlier this year..)
A church that is mobilised for mission is one which has a consistent commitment
to pray for the world, both in terms of the need for integral mission and
evangelism globally, as well as an engagement with world news and events. It is
a church with a global perspective – regardless of whether it has any
mission candidates within its congregation or whether it supports any specific
missionaries.
When a church is mobilised for mission, then
those within the congregation who feel they might have a call to missions, are
encouraged in that call and trained up. Their church leadership is able to
signpost them to appropriate training institutes, or Bible colleges. They may also give them space to test out
their calling, by serving within the church, either locally or by sending them
on a short term mission within their own country. A church that is mobilised for
mission will help and walk alongside the person in evaluating the pros and cons
of different mission agencies or denominational sending structures, as well as
different regions of the world to which they may feel called. A church that is
mobilised for mission will then support that candidate through application,
selection processes and further training. A church that is mobilised for
mission, will give spiritual covering to appropriate candidates, and support
them in their fundraising efforts. They will then send them out with the
churches blessing and prayers, and with a long term financial commitment
(regardless of its size) to them. A church that is mobilised for mission will
keep in regular contact with their missionaries and continue to pray for them
corporately and encourage individual church members to do the same. A church
that is mobilised for mission, will cooperate with the sending agency /
denominational sending structure in the pastoral care of the missionary, both
whilst they are in their country of service, as well as when they return, for ‘home leave’ and when they complete their
time of service. A church that is mobilised for mission (but that doesn´t have
any candidates from within its own congregation) will also seek to make contact
with and support missionaries from neighbouring churches or their denomination
or elsewhere.
In short, mobilisation is the groundwork needed
for successful recruitment, and for sustainable and prayerful support for any
missionaries a church sends or supports.
Some churches will already be doing this. My experience here in Guatemala, is that very few churches have a vision for missions, and even less for the global needs outside of our borders. Although I meet lots of people who tell me of God´s calling on them to serve in another culture, few of them have had any encouragement or support from their church leaders. That´s the situation that I would like to help change. So I´m looking into resources and courses which would enable church leaders (and 'ordinary' Christians) to catch hold of God´s passion for the world, and do something about it. When that changes, then the processes of actually sending and supporting a missionary will become much more straight forward.
