In my model of a healthy church, I argue that a healthy church is committed to going to the nations. The Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) demands such a commitment. Today, use these questions to ask if your church has willingly accepted that mandate.
- Do the members of your church recognize that global missions is a commitment of the congregation? That is, do the leaders not only cast such a vision, but also help others buy into that vision, too? If the members don’t know this commitment, the commitment is probably not that strong.
- Do your budget and your church’s giving reflect a commitment to global missions? Giving is sometimes the easiest way to support missions, but it is still a necessary way to help others reach the nations. A church who consumes their budget on themselves is likely only inwardly focused.
- Does your church schedule ongoing and/or at least annual events to emphasize missions—and are they committed to securing participation? It’s not enough simply to put an event on the church calendar; globally-minded churches work hard to encourage members to participate.
- Do your church leaders continually “call out the called” to go overseas? The strongest globally-minded churches have senior leaders whose hearts beat for the nations—and who regularly challenge their best to consider God’s call to the world. They rejoice at sending members rather than regret their loss.
- Do missionaries speak regularly at your church? One of the best ways to promote missions is to get to know believers who are giving their lives for this work. Somehow, knowing a name, seeing a face, and hearing a story can dramatically turn our hearts outwardly to the nations.
- Does your church (corporately or in small groups) pray for missionaries by name? I say “by name” because a generic burden (“Lord, please bless the missionaries”) is often not really a burden at all. Real burdens have names, faces, and places.
- Has your church adopted an unreached people group to pray for and seek to reach? Every globally-minded church may not have taken this step yet, but it does reflect a heart commitment to make a difference. Loving and praying for a UPG can change a church’s perspective toward the world.
- Does your church have missions education for your preschoolers, children, and students in addition to adults? I realize this type of education has changed over the years, but globally-minded churches make sure next generations know the needs of the world. They teach missions from childhood.
- Does your church know about, pray for, and seek to reach the nations around them? God has brought the world to us—in some cases, bringing people here who would have little opportunity to hear the gospel in their home country. Globally-minded churches are willing to cross the street to reach others even as they cross the ocean to do the same.
- Does your church provide opportunities for members to take mission trips? COVID has, of course, limited these options, but strong churches are already thinking about next steps when travel is a possibility again.
How about your church? Is it globally-minded?
