The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Have we institutionalized Missions

Just piggybacking on the thread that Paul started. My church just finished a Missions conference where 4 missionaries spoke. It was a fine time and everyone gained much insight in the various works.

However, I wonder if the church has institutionalized missionary work. In my church I would guess that everyone is excited about the work done by missionaries in other locales and fields, but less than 5% of the congregation lifts a finger in doing any kind of outreach within their families, friends, neighborhoods or communities. Aren't we all called to be involved with ministry of the gospel message?

John C,
You've hit on a subject that's a bug-a-boo of mine.

Why do we spend literally thousands and thousands of dollars every year to send a half a dozen missionaries halfway around the world when those many thousands of dollars would by a lot of tracts, train a lot of pew-potatoes, and generally go a lot farther?


The sad fact is...most in the church DO NOT care much about spreading the gospel. They are content to sit in the bunker and let someone else do the shooting.


Only 2% of Christians go out of their way to share the gospel on any sort of regular basis according to Bill Bright. What does that say about the state of the church?


You don't know how many times I've been walking out of church and someone says "hey...wanna go for some coffee at (restaurant name here) and I say "what about we go to the mall for an hour and pass some tracts out?"

Ah..no thanks..I'm busy...


It's just sad.

Our church has been going on short-term mission trips to the Ukraine for a number of years now. Initially, we learned about the plight of some Reformed Pastors in Eastern Europe through the work of COAH and prayerfully sought ways to help them. We sent money to help build a church building and to help the Pastors so that they could do the work of the Church. Then several from the church went over for a couple of weeks of work: teaching the Pastors; giving dental treatment to the children of these poor village churches and area orphanages; providing them with a Russian or Ukrainian Bible, and a copy of Blanchard's Ultimate Questions in Ukrainian; provided lots of clothes (most of the kids got some new shoes, stockings, winter coats, hats, mittens and scarves, etc.) While part of the crew engaged in dental clinic work, others did construction work on the churches. Our "practical" involvement with the churches helped us to "roll up our sleeves" and partake of the common work with our brothers there and develop a closer relationship with them.

In recent years, there have been several other churches participating in sending members, helping financially, sending clothes and supplies. One organization has sent medicine that was needed by some in the churches there as well. We continue to pray about how the Lord would have us to serve in that part of the world.

For those who have gone out to serve on these missions, it has been quite transformational. I think I can speak for most of the others who have gone by saying that we have gone out to serve but have come back so much richer. It is a joy to be able to help others, not looking to gain personally be having gained so much joy. We saw God grant us each the grace we needed as we walked in His good works.

My husband ast joined a PCA church here in Chattanooga. We started to "shop-around", but when we went to this church, we heard a different approach to Missions.
The focus of the chuch is that each member would have a personal relationship with Our Savior and learn how to enjoy Him and embody Him to all those God has put in our sphere of influence. It is an inner city church with small home fellowships during the week.
The idea is that if we are each learning from Jesus and enjoying Him, we will just naturally "do" missions in our homes, communities, towns, cities, country etc.
I see it working and we are excited because there is such an energy and vitality in the church and a real sense of family. We feel very loved and we have only been here 4 months.
It seems to me that this is the way to go.
I see more of Jesus as we share in this work of sharing the "good News"