Sometimes it is challenging to discuss measuring "performance," especially in spiritual things. Yet, information is a friend to effectiveness. Why you measure is essential. You want to have the right attitude about using metrics to better achieve your goals to mobilize the congregation in missions. What you measure may be obvious, less obvious, or even least obvious. It all works together to build a larger vision for what your Missions Team and your church can do to fulfill God's great purposes for His glory in Christ through the local church.

This episode could be used by every ministry group in the church! Here we'll look at key principles to having effective Missions Team meetings, decision-making processes, and the subtle dynamics that make for genuine unity.

Beyond the usual mechanical functions of a Missions Team, the deeper efforts of mobilizing the whole congregation for missions, missionary candidate development and sending, and larger partnerships come into play. Go the extra mile to become a Propempo-minded church in your role and functions.

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Finding the right people on the Missions Team can be a minefield! Sometimes people with strange ideas want to be on the Team to leverage their agenda. How do you avoid that? Who and how do you get the right people on the Team to do this great ministry? Build a good foundation for qualifications, expectations, and team spirit as you serve the church in this vital ministry of world missions.

Structure, specialization, and delegation are keys to effectiveness, both short-term and long-term. This episode walks through 9 key areas for specialization in structure in order to have maximum impact on mobilizing the congregation for missions and for effectiveness with your field workers.

The Charter might be a stand-alone document that frames the most key principles for why, how, and what your church Missions Team does. It is a core piece of orientation for any church member, but especially for new Missions Team members. This episode uses a great model Missions Team Charter to walk through its elements and the significance of each part of it.

Few churches really think, pray, and lead their church in adopting a world missions focus and strategy. Those that do so, excel in missions ministry and launch their congregation to a higher level of understanding and involvement in missions. It takes work and time to pray through to the right focus for your church. But, it is worth it!

Building Your Church Missions Handbook will require you to think about key definitions which will guide your church for years to come. A side benefit is that good definitions, accepted by all in leadership, prevent a lot of misunderstandings and future wrangling over the same issues. Think well about these key definitions. Then, communicate them well to all concerned.

The first two keys for defining the Scope of Authority for Your Missions Handbook or Your Missions Team are: clarifying the differences between local outreach ministries and overseas, cross-cultural missions; and, getting your Elders or highest board of authority to conceptually mark the Guiding Principles or Guiding Values within which the Missions Team ministries will operate. This helps all concerned. Then move on to the standard questions of chain-of-command, scope of authority, reporting, and approval of key decisions.  Let's write or review our Missions Handbook together!

As we begin building our Church Missions Handbook, the very first major element should be the biblical basis. We always start with the Scripture as our authority for life and ministry. Remember your audience: keep it simple and relatively short. It isn't a theological treatise or comprehensive. It is representative and builds a case for the priority of missions and the local church's role in missions.  Blessings!

Hey, if you want more resources, check out the Propempo Guidebook on Missions Policy.