Develop and expand your strong ecclesiology into and through your missiology.
A strong ecclesiology leads to a strong missiology. When we develop a strong ecclesiology and we extend the responsibility of the church to make disciples of all nations, it leads to a strong ecclesiology on the mission field. In other words, missions begin when local churches plant local churches in other nations through missionaries sent from their church. This is why it is often said that missions begin and end with the church. If your ecclesiology is expressed as the priority of the local church, but your priority is on your own church, you are missing the disciple-making mandate to all nations. The priority of the church focused only on local outreach is falling short of the heart of God for the nations.
Develop a strong view of church planting in your missions purpose.
A strong ecclesiology narrows the focus and priority of missions to Gospel advancement through disciple-making as the foundation and fountain of church formation and planting. Christ is building His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Christ is not only building His church, but He is also sustaining His church. Social ministries may provide some relief and economic development while leading some people to Christ through individual discipleship, but discipleship without a church lacks the enduring power and purpose of building and multiplying disciples. A strong ecclesiology in the church plants leads to a sustainable multiplication of churches spreading across a region or of reaching a nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Recognize that biblical missions require the Word and power of the Holy Spirit.
I have often asked the question: “If what we call missions can be accomplished by unbelievers, is it really biblical missions?” It may be better to call it humanitarian or philanthropic work which are all good things. But we must recognize that the mission of Christ requires the ministry of the Word and the Spirit at work in the life and proclamation of the missionary. The Gospel is good news to be declared. The missionary is the herald or ambassador of Christ preaching the Gospel so that faith may come through the hearing of the Word. Establishing church planting as the purpose of the mission requires missionaries equipped to preach the Gospel, gather, and make disciples into a fellowship community that will become a church as they equip the saints to do the work of the ministry and entrust the work to gifted and qualified men whom they have trained to serve and shepherd the church.
Supplement your church planting purpose with the loving care of those in need.
I also want to acknowledge that biblical missions is not exclusively church planting. A church planting focus and priority is supplemented well by meeting the direct human needs due to poverty or medical care. But history and experience prove a lack of churches planted when the primary focus is meeting humanitarian needs. Develop your missions strategy to plant churches while loving and serving the people who need the Gospel.
Move beyond the focus of missions on your missionary to the local church planted.
Have we focused our missions programs on the missionaries we support? If we have, what do we know about the disciples they have established or what of the church(es) they have planted? I ask these questions because we believe that the work of the Great Commission is an extension of the greater Mission of God. If His mission is Christ building His Church, why would we primarily focus on the messenger and the effects of the message instead of the advance of the mission all attributed to the plan, purpose, and work of Christ to build His kingdom for the glory of God? Have we made the missionary the hero of the story? Do we put the missionary front and center? Have we created a pedestal upon which they stand tall before our people? Now, I do not mean to degrade the value, investment, and sacrifice our missionaries have made nor diminish the significance of the necessary labor. Still, they are servants of Christ, dependent upon the faithful Word and fruitful Spirit to accomplish their mission. Let us honor the missionary while giving glory and focus on the fruit of the mission in changed lives and growing churches planted among the nations.
Develop a mentoring and prayer relationship with the leadership.
Pastor, begin your journey to know the fruit of your missionaries’ labor by identifying and praying for the emerging leaders of the future or current church plant. Learn as much as you can about them. Inquire through your missionary about their life before Christ and how it has now changed. What was their way of life, skills, and vocation? Ask about their family. Extended family is very important in many foreign cultures, so learn as much as you can about their family beyond their wife and children. Begin to pray privately and publicly for these men, their families, their labors, and the developing ministries. Become a sounding board for your missionary as they guide you through their biblical and doctrinal training. Pray for their study and preaching of the Word of God in their church(es). Seek to understand the challenges they face in learning to shepherd their people. Your love for them will increase through your growing interest and participation. Your missionary will welcome your increased interest in their work and mission.
Plan for strategic visits to encourage and advance the strengthening of the Church.
Stepping into the world of your missionaries and their host culture will expand your knowledge and experience of how God is at work around the world. It often provides a needed perspective to realign and dismiss many of the issues we face in our churches and culture. Refocusing on the main things is helpful. In addition, your visit can serve as an encouragement and advance the strengthening of the church plant. It is good for the believers to know the pastor and people who have sent the missionary to bring them the Gospel. You strengthen the influence of the missionary. It is also good for you to know, serve, and fellowship with the leaders and the church. It will provide a foundation for future strategic mission trips to aid in the maturity and multiplication of the church as you help establish a strong ecclesiology into your mission.
A strong ecclesiology leads to a strong missiology. When we develop a strong ecclesiology and we extend the responsibility of the church to make disciples of all nations, it leads to a strong ecclesiology on the mission field. In other words, missions begin when local churches plant local churches in other nations through missionaries sent from their church. This is why it is often said that missions begin and end with the church. If your ecclesiology is expressed as the priority of the local church, but your priority is on your own church, you are missing the disciple-making mandate to all nations. The priority of the church focused only on local outreach is falling short of the heart of God for the nations.
Develop a strong view of church planting in your missions purpose.
A strong ecclesiology narrows the focus and priority of missions to Gospel advancement through disciple-making as the foundation and fountain of church formation and planting. Christ is building His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Christ is not only building His church, but He is also sustaining His church. Social ministries may provide some relief and economic development while leading some people to Christ through individual discipleship, but discipleship without a church lacks the enduring power and purpose of building and multiplying disciples. A strong ecclesiology in the church plants leads to a sustainable multiplication of churches spreading across a region or of reaching a nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Recognize that biblical missions require the Word and power of the Holy Spirit.
I have often asked the question: “If what we call missions can be accomplished by unbelievers, is it really biblical missions?” It may be better to call it humanitarian or philanthropic work which are all good things. But we must recognize that the mission of Christ requires the ministry of the Word and the Spirit at work in the life and proclamation of the missionary. The Gospel is good news to be declared. The missionary is the herald or ambassador of Christ preaching the Gospel so that faith may come through the hearing of the Word. Establishing church planting as the purpose of the mission requires missionaries equipped to preach the Gospel, gather, and make disciples into a fellowship community that will become a church as they equip the saints to do the work of the ministry and entrust the work to gifted and qualified men whom they have trained to serve and shepherd the church.
Supplement your church planting purpose with the loving care of those in need.
I also want to acknowledge that biblical missions is not exclusively church planting. A church planting focus and priority is supplemented well by meeting the direct human needs due to poverty or medical care. But history and experience prove a lack of churches planted when the primary focus is meeting humanitarian needs. Develop your missions strategy to plant churches while loving and serving the people who need the Gospel.
Move beyond the focus of missions on your missionary to the local church planted.
Have we focused our missions programs on the missionaries we support? If we have, what do we know about the disciples they have established or what of the church(es) they have planted? I ask these questions because we believe that the work of the Great Commission is an extension of the greater Mission of God. If His mission is Christ building His Church, why would we primarily focus on the messenger and the effects of the message instead of the advance of the mission all attributed to the plan, purpose, and work of Christ to build His kingdom for the glory of God? Have we made the missionary the hero of the story? Do we put the missionary front and center? Have we created a pedestal upon which they stand tall before our people? Now, I do not mean to degrade the value, investment, and sacrifice our missionaries have made nor diminish the significance of the necessary labor. Still, they are servants of Christ, dependent upon the faithful Word and fruitful Spirit to accomplish their mission. Let us honor the missionary while giving glory and focus on the fruit of the mission in changed lives and growing churches planted among the nations.
Develop a mentoring and prayer relationship with the leadership.
Pastor, begin your journey to know the fruit of your missionaries’ labor by identifying and praying for the emerging leaders of the future or current church plant. Learn as much as you can about them. Inquire through your missionary about their life before Christ and how it has now changed. What was their way of life, skills, and vocation? Ask about their family. Extended family is very important in many foreign cultures, so learn as much as you can about their family beyond their wife and children. Begin to pray privately and publicly for these men, their families, their labors, and the developing ministries. Become a sounding board for your missionary as they guide you through their biblical and doctrinal training. Pray for their study and preaching of the Word of God in their church(es). Seek to understand the challenges they face in learning to shepherd their people. Your love for them will increase through your growing interest and participation. Your missionary will welcome your increased interest in their work and mission.
Plan for strategic visits to encourage and advance the strengthening of the Church.
Stepping into the world of your missionaries and their host culture will expand your knowledge and experience of how God is at work around the world. It often provides a needed perspective to realign and dismiss many of the issues we face in our churches and culture. Refocusing on the main things is helpful. In addition, your visit can serve as an encouragement and advance the strengthening of the church plant. It is good for the believers to know the pastor and people who have sent the missionary to bring them the Gospel. You strengthen the influence of the missionary. It is also good for you to know, serve, and fellowship with the leaders and the church. It will provide a foundation for future strategic mission trips to aid in the maturity and multiplication of the church as you help establish a strong ecclesiology into your mission.
Read other articles in this series: Church Engagement
A Church-Centered Paradigm Shift
Mar 17, 2025 3 min · Joel H Churches and ministries are recognizing the need for a shift in how they do missions. For too long parachurch ministries have operated independently of local churches. And the damage is evident. Ministries… Read More
How Small Churches Can Serve a Global God
Mar 07, 2025 Less than a minute. · Joel H Many churches think that they are too small to be meaningfully involved in global missions. Yet, God's kind providence has seen fit to make the majority of churches in the world a small church. How can… Read More
Prepare Yourself and Your Church for the Missionary Task
Jan 24, 2025 Less than a minute. · Brian W This a good article from a big mission agency that recognizes there needs to more and more space in missions for the local church. People across the mission world and from every perspective are recognizing… Read More
Five Ways Pastors Can Prepare Missionaries
Jan 17, 2025 Less than a minute. · Brian W This article by Matthew Bennet is a good overview of how the local church prepares its own church members to be successful missionaries. It is a great read for anyone who wants their church to take a central… Read MoreAuthor
Steve B
Steve served as a church planter, pastor, leadership developer, missions trainer, and in missions leadership over the 37 years prior to stepping into the leadership of MɪssɪᴏSERVE Alliance. Steve is married to Terri Jo and they have four adult children and 13 grandchildren.
Steve served as a church planter, pastor, leadership developer, missions trainer, and in missions leadership over the 37 years prior to stepping into the leadership of MɪssɪᴏSERVE Alliance. Steve is married to Terri Jo and they have four adult children and 13 grandchildren.