Missions in Your Church: Is it a Program or a Passion?

One of the reasons churches are not doing more to reach a lost world is that missions is just another program. Without passion for the mission of God, there will be little motivation to do what it takes to take the gospel to unreached people groups or even to the unsaved in our own community.I have always been amazed at the marketing and promotion needed to convince church members to attend an event or enroll in basic programs needed for their spiritual growth and the health of the church. Why do people have to be influenced and persuaded to do what should be normative for a follower of Jesus Christ? Such passivity probably reflects the low level of commitment on the part of the average church member, but does it also reflect on the shallowness of time-consuming activities in which participation itself is presumed to reveal spirituality?

Naively, I have always thought the innate value of programs and ministry should promote themselves without the need to berate and plead with members to attend. Unfortunately, missions falls into the same category. It is unrealistic to think members are going dip into savings to fund a mission trip, take their limited vacation time and endure the discomfort of spending a week in a remote third world country because of a promotional appeal hidden in the midst of a plethora of church announcements. Read more