We tend to think of missions as evangelism of people in faraway places. And that’s part of it. But missions includes sharing Christ with people locally, too…
God is calling Kingsview to be an inwardly healthy church with an outward focus – we’re called to be missional disciples of Jesus wherever we are.
This picture illustrates the pathway or journey that we’re on toward wholeness in Jesus. It highlights the typical milestones or mileposts that someone reaches on the path to becoming a fully devoted disciple of Jesus.
Missions can help people reach Milepost #1: Exploring a relationship with Jesus.
Healthy churches reflect local-global ministry practices that help people reach these mileposts. Jesus didn’t stay in Nazareth in hopes that people would come to him and get to know him.
He went out and sent his disciples out to develop relationships with people in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the Earth. Ideally, healthy churches are engaged in the following some of these discipleship/missions activities.
Witnesses in our Jerusalem:
The church has an outward focus and an intentional evangelism program in its community (Studio 15, and Elements (Youth Group)) and the church is exhibiting concern and consistent prayer for the lost with an understanding of the church’s obligation to the poor and disenfranchised.
Witnesses in our Judea:
The church is involved in initiating or partnering in the planting of a new church in an unreached community (support of FMCiC initiatives and a C4C missions).
Witnesses in our Samaria:
The church is involved in ministry with international students, new Canadians, inner-cities, First Nations peoples, other language groups , or unreached people groups – or is partnered with churches so involved (ESL Ministry, Studio 15, Youth Group, and support of C4C missionary).
Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth:
Local-Global ministry awareness is integrated in outreach, worship & educational programs of the church. The church has an ongoing system for encouraging short & long-term involvement from local members in global ministry and regularly sends pastors, leaders and short-term workers or ministry teams on global ministry assignments (individuals, KSP Teams, and Ghana Mission Teams).
The church is also making a support commitment (financial, prayer, care) to at least one missionary (Dean & Stephanie Babcock, Debbie Hogeboom, Chris & Terri Payk, and Jenn & Sam Harris).
Other support:
Kingsview maintains financial support for Core Giving (10%) to the FMCiC, in addition to Giving Streams, which includes Church Development (e.g. in Quebec), Other Culture Ministries, Scholarships and FMCiC Global Ministries.
If you are not already involved in local-global missions in some way, there are really excellent opportunities to get involved through Kingsview. To find out more, please talk to me or any of the Leadership Team members, in particular, Lowell Brown who is Chair of the Global Missions Team.
By: Pastor Darrin Lindsay
Benchmarks for a healthy church reflecting local-global ministry practices, www.fmcic.ca/images/stories/global/documents/Benchmarks.pdf