The local church is the key place for preparation of future missionaries. Bible Colleges and mission agencies play roles in areas of specific training and processing to the field, however the local church is where the lives of these people are forged and strengthened. It is where ministry gifts are discovered and built upon. It is where Christian growth occurs through nurture and mentoring, and it is where Christlike characters are forged. The role of the Pastor in raising up future missionaries should not be underestimated.

The following resources will provide you with a few simple suggestions to help you help your people along the road to fulfilling God’s plan for their lives:

Running a Missions Conference

One of the best ways to inspire your people to mission is through a First Priority or World Changers Conference. This may be done over a full week, one Sunday, or a weekend. The mission’s conference shows the church you are serious. Share the dream; share the vision with your people.

Don’t just throw something little together. Do it with excellence. Make it the biggest event of the year.

Some of the key issues in planning such a conference include:

Appoint a Missions Director or conference planner who can carefully consider every aspect of the conference.  Encourage them to be in touch with other Missions Directors who are experienced, to gain as much insight as possible.

Invite a guest speaker competent in Missions Conferences and who has transitioned their church to be a First Priority Church.

It is a definite plus to have workers from the mission fields as your special guests. If you are already supporting people on the field, they would be ideal to have at the conference. They can be allowed to share short positive reports on their work.

Your conference should have a festive, enthusiastic mood that incorporates as many in the church as possible to bring it all together. Many congregations start off with a fun event such as a church wide Bar-B-Q or a special dinner. Special events such as men’s or ladies breakfast’s, youth event or even a golf tournament. While missions must be taken seriously, there is room to enjoy ourselves in the task.

It is a great idea to have a special theme for each conference. This theme can be used in your advertising, and will create an expectation. Theme’s such as “First Priority”; “Harvest Time”; “Come Change The World”; “Reaching the Lost”; “A Passion for Souls”. 

Establish and maintain a spirit of excitement and enthusiasm throughout the conference. Introduce new songs that relate to touching the world and changing lives. Many churches have a flag procession or parade of the nations. Others display special banners and decorate the auditorium. The key is to be creative and let your congregation know that you are serious and excited about taking the Gospel to the nations

Every method possible should be used in promoting your vision for the world. Videos (short & fast paced), colourful overheads demonstrating what has been accomplished the previous year and projecting next year’s projects. Missionary displays, photos of the works you are supporting, etc. The more you can present visually the greater impact will be made.

Plan the conference very carefully. This may sound obvious.  However, if your conference is not one of excellence, you will demonstrate to the church that it is not really all that important after all.  It is possible that these first meetings may be some of the most strategic you will ever hold in the life of your church.

It should be scheduled well in advance, even up to a year, to allow adequate time for planning, preparing, contacting speakers and handling all of the details involved.

Endeavour to start the conference on a weekend, perhaps the Saturday night banquet followed by Sunday meetings.  This decision depends on the size of the church and the exposure the church has had to missions in the past.  If it is a totally new emphasis, we suggest you educate the church very specifically and carefully in the 6 weeks prior to the conference.

Set the date and publicize it.

Make prayer a focus of your conference. Impart the vision through prayer.

Running a Missions Day

While the mission’s conference is critical in developing a First Priority church, it is just the start. To maintain the passion for touching the world, the vision must be constantly kept before the congregation.

Many churches establish a “Missions Sunday”, designating one Sunday a month to devote to the vision. This is a time to educate and inspire your people. Do something creative and interesting on missions Sunday. Feature your own missionaries in the service e.g.  Have a live hook up to one of your missionaries. Think of fun ways to do it. Have one of your givers give a testimony of God’s grace and goodness through giving. You may also choose to take a second offering once a month, designated entirely to missions.

Here are some suggestions for conducting a First Priority Sunday:

• Have a guest speaker with a First Priority passion and substantial experience in conducting Missions Conferences. Or preach on missions yourself. Preach a message that in some way revolves around the Great Commission and God’s heart for the world. 
  
  
• Explain to the church that you are available at any time to answer questions regarding the ministries and vision of the church and that you welcome input and suggestions, understanding that the final decision is yours with your senior leadership team.
  
  
• Give the church a few weeks to adjust to the new emphasis, if it is a new emphasis for you.  Follow up with the second Missions Sunday or full on Missions Conference a month or two later.

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