The Missions Board of our local church is pondering how to better integrate missions education into the church’s children, youth and adult ministries. As we started to consider what outcomes to pursue, I figured that someone probably has already thought this through. Why reinvent the wheel! Although I did not find what I was looking for on the internet, I remembered that in my library I have the ACMC Missions Education Handbook, which I purchased back in 1984. Sure enough, it lists these mission education outcomes:
- To develop an awareness of the biblical basis of missions in each individual in the congregation
- To develop an awareness of the needs of the world in each individual in the congregation.
- To create a climate in which God’s leading into missions service can be heard, confirmed and obeyed.
- To send motivated and capable persons into missionary service.
- To equip believers to support (prayerfully, emotionally, materially, etc.) the cause of mission and missionaries serving on the field.
- To develop competent leaders to direct the missions ministry of the local church.
(The Association of Church Mission Committees. Missions Education Handbook. Wheaton IL. 1983: page 19.)
These seem rather comprehensive and lay a good foundation for missions education in the local church. The handbook also includes specific outcomes, objectives and programming ideas for each age level in the local church, which I find helpful.
With these ends in mind, the Mission Board can now enter into dialogue with the Children’s Ministry Board and Adult Ministries Board, as well as the ministry staff, to learn what is already being done to pursue these outcomes and dream together about what else we can do to help all generations in the church to actively “declare His glory among the nations” (Psalm 96:3).
Can you help us out with some creative ideas? What is your church doing to promote the six outcomes mentioned above? Share an example or two here to encourage others.
Disciple All Nations 