Developing a Missions Strategy
That Fits Your Church
Part II: Establishing Priorities
David Mays
I. CONTENT
B. Secondary Inputs for Setting Priorities
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Strategy Content
A. Primary Inputs
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Scripture - Goal
Missions - Scope
Church - Purpose
The World - Challenges
B. Secondary Inputs
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Audience
Balance
Focus
History
‘Our Own’
Our Roles
Participation
Partnership
Task
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Audience
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Are some groups especially critical or strategic?
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World regions? Continents? Countries?
World religions? (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Other?)
People with least access to the Gospel? No church?
Nominal Christians?
Persecuted church? Developing church?
Needy people? Suffering people?
Children and/or youth?
Local Internationals?
Are we focused on a particular audience now?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Audience
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In our strategy the choice
of people to whom we
minister should be
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A central, strategic factor
An important factor
Just one of many factors
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Balance: Local – Global
Is local ministry included in missions or separate?
 Our community? City? State? U.S.?
 Cross Culture? Same culture?
 Evangelistic ministries? Social ministries?
How does our church structure for reaching
 People like us nearby?
 People unlike us nearby?
 People unlike us far away?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Balance: Local – Global
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Local ministry should be
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Highest portion
About equal
Small proportion
Not at all? It’s a separate
ministry of the church.
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Focus: 1000 Points of Light or a Beacon?
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How broadly should we invest our resources or
how narrowly should we focus?
What factors help us decide?
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Our style of church
Our breadth of interests
Our current involvements
Our opportunities to communicate
Our resources
A “purpose-driven” vs. “relationship” mentality
Do we have any “focus areas” now?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Focus
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We should focus on
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Just 1 or 2 major thrusts
A few major emphases and
several smaller ones
Several large efforts and
many smaller ones
A broad variety of
missionaries, projects and
partnerships
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
History
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How has God led us in the past?
What missions efforts have been important to us?
What missionaries have we been involved with?
What factors have determined our decisions?
Which of these factors are still important to us?
What do we strongly want to continue?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
History
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Is it important to maintain the ministries and values of
our past or do we need to change? How much?
How can we best minimize trauma in transition?
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Critical ministries
High level of congregational investment
High level of missionary/ministry dependence on us
Is there a compelling reason to break with the past?
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To become more effective and purposeful
To gain leadership and congregational support
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
History
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Our new strategy should
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Be a lot like now
Make minor changes slowly
Make major changes slowly
Make major changes quickly
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
The biggest change should be ___________________
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
‘Our Own’
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What priority do we give to personnel from our
church? Our fellowship or denomination?
What value do we place on a prior relationship with
the ministry, missionary, or organization?
How important have relationships been in the past?
Is this too important to us or not important enough?
Will we partner with missionaries, organizations or
projects with which we do not have a history of
relationships?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
‘Our Own’
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In our new strategy
partnering with ‘our own’
should be
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Central to our strategy
One of a few important factors
Just one of many factors
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
5. Our Roles
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What priority should we give to getting involved in
ministries that ‘fit’ our congregation?
This could involve our particular social situation; our
spiritual gifts, vocations, skills, & expertise; or other
special circumstances involving our church.
It could relate to our values, philosophy of ministry, or
the special connections and bridges God has place in
our path.
See Building Global Vision, David Mays, pp. 49-55
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Our Church Roles – References
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Building Global Vision, David Mays
“Our Church” Worksheet, Stuff II, p. 18
“Our Values,” Stuff IV, p. 25
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Partnership
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How important is it for our church to partner with
other organizations in missions ministry?
How important is it for those we support to work
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In teams?
With churches or organizations on the field?
With other churches, organizations or movements
based in the U.S or in our area?
With our denomination or a particular agency?
What partnerships are we involved in now?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Partnership
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In our new strategy
partnership arrangements
should be
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Central to what we do
One of a few important factors
Just one of many factors
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Participation
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Is it important for our people to be able to
participate directly in the ministry?
Is it important that it occurs where we can go?
Is it important that there is work we can do?
Does it have to be nearby?
Is it important that our people benefit from it?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Participation
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In our new strategy the
participation of people in
our congregation should be
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Central to what we do
One consideration
Not very important
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Task
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Is it important for us to focus on ministry that we
understand is critical, essential, or strategic?
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Pre-evangelism? Friendship? Translation?
Evangelism? Church planting? Discipleship?
Leadership development?
Service? Support?
Compassion? Relief? Development?
Social justice? Poverty?
Improving quality of life?
Are we strong on a particular task now?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Task
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In our strategy the choice
of strategic tasks should
be
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A central, strategic factor
An important factor
Just one of many factors
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This is a
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Big change
Small change
No change
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Discussion
B. Secondary Inputs
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Audience
Balance
Focus
History
‘Our Own’
Our Roles
Participation
Partnerships
Task
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Which have been most
important in our past?
Which are most important
for the Kingdom?
What needs to change?
Who needs to change?
Where do we need
education?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Discussion
B. Secondary Inputs
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Audience
Balance
Focus
History
‘Our Own’
Our Roles
Participation
Partnership
Task
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Which do you think are most
important to key others?
Who has vested interests?
Where do you anticipate
disagreement?
Prayer Items?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Secondary Inputs for Establishing Priorities
Input
Audience
Balance
Focus
History
‘Our Own’
Our Roles
Participation
Partnership
Task
A Priority
B Priority
Notes
How do you draw people away from
their personal preferences and bring the
focus back to the Key Question?
The Key Question:
What does God want to accomplish
in the world through our church?
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
Strategy Content
B. Secondary Inputs
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Audiences
Ministry Tasks
Balance
Focus
History
Relationships
Our Roles
Partnership
Participation
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Steps for our group:
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Items for Prayer
Developing a Missions Strategy That Fits Your Church
End of Section Two