The Rise and Role of the Missions Pastor: Parts 1, 2, and 3

The way by which evangelical churches—especially in the United States and Canada—participate in global missions has undergone subtle, but significant shifts over the last few decades. I refer to this shift in missional engagement as being “from agency to church.” By “agency” I refer to the prominent role of missions agencies like YWAM or Pioneers as well as large missionary-sending denominations like the Assemblies of God or the Southern Baptist Convention. Missional engagement has taken place throughout the world primarily through these missional agencies and denominations, but this is beginning to change.

In this short series, I am not encouraging disengaging from such agencies. Actually, I have consulted with several such agencies on how they can engage the substantial trend of local churches doing their own mission sending. Read Part 1 Part 2 Part 3