Missions on Point

MoP039 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - Wrap-up of this series

This series has highlighted 13 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary. Every one of them could also be applied to our local church and to ourselves in our spiritual life. This wrap-up episode gives two other simple concepts for evaluation of missionary candidates, in particular: a battery of straightforward questions, and what Propempo calls the "Six C-s". The over-arching concept of all of this is that the local church has a vital, biblical role in raising up, developing, evaluating, sending, and shepherding missionaries. Solid attention to these things in the early stages will reap huge rewards in effectiveness, faithfulness, longevity, and, we believe, fruitfulness on the field. May it be so, for God's glory!
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MoP038 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 13 Priority of Teaching the Bible

We've touched on the importance of the missionary knowing the Word and of demonstrating the authority of the Word. This key deals with the practice of teaching the Bible as the central message and source of teaching and training in the missionary's ministry.  References to the content and teaching of God's Word should naturally ooze out of the missionary from informal settings and conversations to formal meetings and teaching. God uses the Word to save and to transform lives. No other book has the same power, promise, and potential. Teach and preach the Word!
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MoP037 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 12 Stamina or Durability

Frightening attrition of missionaries permanently coming off the field highlight this key to effectiveness: stay on the field! Life on the mission field is tough. Longevity and staying power are key to fruitfulness. There are ways we can help enable this key, through doing our part as sending and through encouraging our missionaries to do their part to trust God through the suffering and challenges to be durable, have the stamina it takes for the long haul. Propempo helps senders, churches, and missionaries do what it takes to make longevity a reality, by God's grace and for His glory.
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MoP036 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 11 Practice and Priority of Prayer

Praying in times of crisis comes naturally. Making prayer a priority in normal daily life does not. The most effective missionaries make prayer for the work in all its aspects a clear practice and priority. Studies show the most effective church planters commit 30 minutes per day to pray for the people and the work of the ministry.  It is taught, modeled, encouraged, and commanded in Scripture. Why isn't the priority of prayer more evident in our missionaries and in our own churches? Prayer shows humility and dependence upon God; then, God gets all the glory for the results!
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MoP035 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 10 Authority of Scripture Over Man

This series gives emphasis to the importance of the Bible in missions ministry in three of the keys to effectiveness. The first deals with basic Bible knowledge and the ability to know and find answers from the Bible. This one deals with applying the Bible to practical life, ministry, church, culture, and personal roles and issues on the field. The third will come soon, that is the priority to teaching the Bible as our primary sourcebook. The missionary needs to model and teach that the Bible is the highest authority to solve problems and conflicts as Christians, rather than tradition, cultural practices, external rules, social norms, popular trends, personalities, etc. Keeping the authority of Scripture will enable the indigenous church to grow strong and sustainable, even after the missionary leaves.
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MOP034 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 9 Reproducible Methodology

This key is subtle because missionaries tend to make a lot of assumptions based on their own culture and experience or even a mandate of authorities over them which also make assumptions. If the missionary is going to be effective into the second and third generation of followers, he must be sensitive to adapting to methodologies that are accepted, embraced, and practiced in the local (target) culture. Our highly Western and technology-driven life here tends not to be reproducible there. Choices in teaching styles, tools, and even lifestyle do have an impact on long-term effectiveness.
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MoP033 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 8 A Future Vision

Most missionaries and individual churches and Christians, in fact, understand the practicality of having simple priorities day-to-day and clear biblical goals. Few, however, see beyond the first major milestone to see the bigger picture. Committing to the really long-term view of 10-30 years can be transforming to choices made early in the start of a ministry. In fact, it is a key to effectiveness. Doing things right now that facilitate the reproducibility of the ministry into the second and third generation of leaders creates a legacy for God's glory. Visualizing what the finish line celebration looks like, helps motivate the missionary (or pastor, or individual) to do the right things for the long haul. That's what builds effectiveness!
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MoP032 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary - 7 Value for Indigeneity

This is one of my favorite topics, partly because it is so rarely discussed. It is often assumed and not understood. It is also incredibly practical even in our stateside churches. Indigenous churches are the goal. They don't get that way without giving attention to indigenous principles from the very beginning. It changes the way the missionary acts and thinks as the church develops. Valuing indigeneity can be dangerous! But it is absolutely worth it. 
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