A missionary comes to a church to present his burden and make his appeal for support.  Normally, if he makes a good impression, his name is retained.  When the local church's missions budget can handle an increase in its sending capacity, the average church makes its decision based on how well the missionary preached, communicated, and presented himself (along with his family’s appearance and behavior if they were present).  Some of these are valid considerations; but all too often, they are the sole criteria employed in the selection of missionary projects and candidates considered by the local church.

The word, "strategy" is a military term referring to a plan of attack.  It implies that a group of people seriously want to accomplish something; and because of this, they construct a well-researched and thought- out plan concerning how to achieve their desired objective.  Churches that take their missions mandate seriously do missions on purpose (missions is their purpose - Acts 1:8).  These churches have pastors who understand that Jesus commanded the church to look on the field for a reason (John 4:34-35).  Some of the field isn't being plowed.  Some of the field isn't being harvested.  The church with a missions purpose prepares a missions strategy because it has conducted research of world needs, prayerfully sought God for His direction and blessing, sought ownership among its members for its mission endeavors, and understood its own uniqueness as a church body for involvement in missions.

The church missions purpose is structured strengthened, and strategic when a plan is adopted that is biblical, personal and practical.  The strategy validates why we do what we do.  It ensures that our decisions are based on our missions convictions.  It allows us to make decisions more readily and consistently when we measure each decision to our stated strategy (an opportunity is easily shown to contribute or not contribute to our strategy).  And finally, the strategy allows us to say yes to some and no to others (mission opportunities) based on purpose and conviction rather than bias or "beauty."


Forget about how many pins you can stick on the map a mile-wide and an inch-deep.  God is not duped by a map with pins on it. How about justifying your missions involvement through earnest prayer, research, a strategy that is based on the Bible, your church DNA, and the neglected peoples of the world.  Make missions a priority in your church; and go about it with the intensity of a business man out to make money.  If Coca-cola can achieve an awareness of its product in nearly every corner of the globe and at least a sampling of its product among most of the same, then the church of the living God ought to pursue His purpose with an even greater passion.  But shamefully, too many have yet to, "Taste and see that the LORD is good."