One of the great joys of my ministry has been to lead our church family to meet the needs of missionaries in our Annual Missions Conference.
It started as a simple suggestion from a senior missionary conference speaker over 30 years ago and has developed into an annual highlight event on our church calendar.
Organizing the Missionary Needs Meeting
Every year we have seven missionaries: the main speaker plus six missionaries to present their works. This number works well for our Sunday–Wednesday conference schedule.
At the Saturday evening Orientation Banquet, along with other paperwork, we have the missionaries write down their personal, family, and ministry needs, and prioritize them 1–3, etc., in each category. We also have them include color, size, cost, and any helpful info for our folks to get a clear picture of what is needed.
We gather this info on Sunday morning, clarify any questions with the missionaries, type it up, and distribute it on Sunday evening. I read through the list from the pulpit and ask our folks to see the missionaries if they need any further clarification. Then we ask the folks to look over and pray over the list and to come back Monday night prepared to help meet as many of the needs as possible.
On Monday night, we make the list available again for anyone who needs a copy. I open the “bidding” by telling the folks what our church will do (from the Missions Conference budget voted on 12 months ago), what my family will do, then open the floor for the folks to “bid.” One by one, the items are taken care of by people raising their hands, me calling on them, and them saying how much they will give toward which items for which missionary.
It is amazing to behold as the Holy Spirit leads each individual and family to give to the many needs—everything from medical to dental to eyewear to gas cards to computers to airfare to vehicles—you name it.
(Check out Dr. Sisk's article on "3 Reasons Faith Missions Giving is Effective" Here)
A Recent Example
Last year’s conference was a classic example. A young missionary on furlough came to me humbly and said that he really didn’t know what to put on his list. He said that all of their needs were really taken care of with one exception. They had put out thousands of dollars in repair costs in recent months on an older vehicle, and he felt that they were unnecessarily hemorrhaging cash but didn’t know what else to do, and certainly didn’t want to put “a new car” on his list. I told him it was a need, and this “giving meeting” was about meeting needs, so just put down “reliable vehicle” and see what happens.
Sunday night, when I read the list to our folks, I explained how he had humbly, sheepishly approached me with the problem, how I had advised him, and we would see what the Lord would do.
Well, one of our men knows an auto shop owner and told him the story. The shop owner “just happened” to have a one-year-old, low-mileage vehicle he had repaired and was wanting to sell at an unbelievable price. This church man is a man of means and talked to some other men of means in the church; plus, other church members gave to the need. Before the missionary left town, he had a one-year-old, low-mileage, newly repaired vehicle to finish his deputation with. It was a win-win for the missionary, the givers, the church family, the shop owner, and even the widow who stored the vehicle in her garage until the missionary could fly back to retrieve it a few months later.
The church family rejoiced that the Lord used them to help meet a great need, and the missionary rejoiced, saying that although he was a second-generation missionary with a year of deputation under his belt, the Lord had taught him a great lesson of living by faith and trusting the Lord with all his heart to meet his family’s needs. This vehicle, along with thousands of dollars of other missionary needs being met, was a great encouragement to all parties concerned.
The teamwork of the ministry is an awesome enterprise to be a part of. From our very first year hold a Missions Conference, we have had a multi-day conference. We plan, prepare, budget, decorate, advertise, and get our people involved. It builds excitement, is well attended, and the church is “abuzz” about it for weeks before, during, and after. And the folks are very excited to support new missionaries whom they met in the conference.
Steps for a Successful Missions Conference
I believe the formula that we have developed and follow will work in any size church that is willing to put in the prayer, time, effort, and resources (financial and otherwise):
- The pastor must have a heart for missionaries and missions.
- The pastor must transfer that vision and passion to the people.
- The pastor must lead the effort to plan and execute a successful conference.
- Establish a budget and incorporate the Missions Conference expenses into your annual Missions Budget.
- Establish a date for the conference. Usually spring and fall are primary Missions Conference times.
- Book a main speaker 1–3 years ahead to get the best ones. Use men with Missions Conference speaking knowledge and experience.
- Learn yourself, then teach your people the principles of Faith Promise Missions, especially in the weeks/months leading up to your conference. You can have a seasoned Missions Conference speaker help you with this. There are also some helpful materials available.
- Line up as many missionaries as possible for your church to be with you for your conference. We usually do this within 6 months to 2 years of our conference.
- Recruit your people to be involved in as many ways as possible: prayer, giving, meals, housing, transportation, decorating, etc. This can be planned and controlled in such a way as to avoid embarrassing situations.
- Plan your conference details and events well in advance, and keep your people informed, and keep communication flowing with your missionary guests.
The Great Commission: Our Marching Orders
Obviously, we all know that the Great Commission is the marching orders of the church. Any church that is not fulfilling the Great Commission has lost its right to exist. We are to preach the gospel and baptize and disciple the converts in our Jerusalem, our Judea, our Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The only way to do that in the uttermost parts, and perhaps some other areas mentioned, is through supporting others to go.
Many churches will have an uttermost focus to the neglect of their Jerusalem, or vice versa. I believe that a well-balanced church should always strive to reach as much of their local area, support as many of their nation's church planters, and support as many foreign missionaries as possible—all at the same time. After all, it does say “every creature.” And a great way to reach one's nation and the world is to have an effective Missions Conference.