Missions isn’t just for individuals—It’s a calling for the whole church. When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). He didn’t just have one person or even one congregation in mind. The Great Commission is for every believer and every church that seeks to follow Jesus. Whether your congregation is just beginning to explore global outreach or has a long history of supporting missionaries as they carry the Gospel overseas, there are always new ways you and your church can partner in God’s mission to reach the unreached.
So what are some practical ways your church can deepen its engagement in missions?
It may feel overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. In this article, we’ll explore five simple yet impactful ways Canadian churches can get meaningfully involved in the world of global missions.
Table of contents
- Partner with God through Prayer
- Model the Importance of Missions
- Expose Your Church to Missionaries
- Educate Yourself and Your Congregation
- Provide Your Church With Opportunities to get Involved
- Conclusion
Partner With God Through Prayer
Prayer is foundational and essential to every part of global missions. In the book of Matthew, when Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6), He clearly assumes that His followers will be praying often, as he uses the words “when we pray”. Over and over, we see how Jesus showed us what a relationship of prayer looks like as he consistently and intentionally prayed to His Father. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears…” (Hebrews 5:7). As Christians, we pray because God invites us to join Him in a deep relationship through prayer. We believe prayer truly does have an impact on both ourselves and the world around us.
You and your church are already in possession of the greatest tool we have access to for reaching the world’s unreached—prayer. Apart from God, it would be impossible to accomplish the mission Jesus gave us, but the beautiful reality is that we don’t have to do missions, or anything for that matter, apart from God. He wants us to, like Jesus, consistently and intentionally offer up our prayers to Him.
So get your church involved in praying for global missions. It can be as simple as a call to pray for missions from the pulpit, or it can be as big as starting a monthly missions prayer meeting. It can be individually or in groups, in service or at bible study. Remind your congregation of the power of prayer and the need of the unreached. Remind your congregation that God wants them to partner with Him in bringing the Gospel to all people and places through prayer.
Want to know some specific things happening on the mission field that you can be praying about? Take a look at IMPACT, our monthly prayer calendar with requests from our workers all across the globe.
Model The Importance Of Missions
If you want to build a culture of missions in your church, you have to start by “practicing what you preach”. If you’re in any sort of position of leadership at your church, this step is extra important. Like anything in leadership, cultivating a culture of missions in your church begins with example. If you want your congregation to recognise the importance of missions, you first have to live like someone who genuinely values it. Your actions and words will set the tone for others to follow. This means talking regularly about missions and God’s heart for the nations. It means consistently praying for God’s work around the world. It means getting involved in local ministries focused on spreading the Gospel. It means personally supporting missionaries. If you’re a pastor, it means teaching about the great commission and God’s calling to His people to make disciples, and it means exposing your church to missionaries, like we talk about in the section below.
If you don’t hold a position of leadership in your church, don’t get discouraged; you still have a huge role to play in fostering a missional culture in the people around you. No matter what position you hold, you have people in your sphere of influence who notice the way you live and the things you value. Your passion for missions—expressed through your actions and words—can inspire others to get involved. You don’t need a title or position to lead by example; you just need a willing heart and a dependence on the Lord to guide you and give you strength. Often, it’s the quiet, consistent witnesses of believers that help shape a church’s culture, sometimes even more so than its leadership.
Expose Your Church to Missionaries
One of the most powerful ways to cultivate a heart for missions in your congregation is by giving missionaries a platform to share stories of what God is doing on the field. When churches provide missionaries with opportunities to speak—whether during a Sunday service or at an event—they create space for meaningful connection between their congregation and the world of missions. The Lord is working in wonderful and amazing ways all over the world and your church needs to hear about it! Who knows, maybe one impactful story from a missionary is exactly what God wants to use to change someone in your congregation’s life and set them on a path to becoming a missionary. Wouldn’t that alone be worth giving a missionary just a few minutes in front of your congregation?
If your church doesn’t have any pre-existing connections to any missionaries, don’t worry, that’s a perfect place to start. Talk to our Church Partnership team to learn more about how your church can get connected to the world of missions.
Educate Yourself and Your Congregation
If you want your church to be able to effectively engage in missions, it’s important that you equip them with a clear understanding of what missions is and what scripture teaches about it. Exposing your church to missionaries is a great first step to take down this path, but it’s important to not stop there. Because missions is such a deep and diverse topic, it’s easy for misconceptions to take root. That’s why it’s important to correct misunderstandings, challenge common myths, and continually seek new insights. It’s impossible to know all there is to know about the world of missions, and there is always more to learn.
Thankfully, the well of mission resources is near bottomless. There are countless books, podcasts, articles, and courses out there. The only trouble you may have is finding out which are worth your time. Below is a list of a few great resources we’ve hand-picked to get you started. We also suggest reaching out to the missionaries already connected to your church and asking what resources they would recommend.
Is the commission still great?
8 Myths About Missions & What They Mean for the Church
By Steve Richardson
When God Comes Calling:
A Journey of Faith. Wall Street to the World.
By Ted Fletcher
Provide Your Church With Opportunities To Get Involved
Education and exposure are great places to start, but once your church understands the heart of missions and is impacted by what God is doing around the world, they’ll be eager to get involved. A great way to start is by serving people from other cultures who live in your own community. Look for ways to get connected with existing ministries that are seeking to reach newcomers, refugees, or international students. This is a great way to provide your church with the opportunity to live out the great commission right in your neighborhood and develop a heart for people of other cultures.
If you’re ready to take things a step further, consider organising a short-term missions trip for a team from your church. This could be in partnership with one of your supported missionaries or through one of the many missions organizations that facilitate short-term opportunities. God often uses these trips to deeply impact the lives of those who go. Many long-term missionaries first experienced what it’s like to serve God overseas through a short-term trip. There are few better ways to get a taste of cross-cultural ministry than taking a step of faith and going, even if it’s just for a little while.
Many mission organizations offer programs that seek to let individuals who are interested in missions experience what life overseas is like. Check out our Edge and Venture programs to see if they may be the right fit for you or someone else in your church who wants to experience overseas missions and partner with God in bringing the Gospel to the unreached.
Conclusion
Missions is a calling for every believer and every church. Whether your church is just getting started or already deeply engaged in the world of missions, there are always new ways you and your church can partner with God in reaching the unreached. Through prayer, leading be example, exposing your church to missionaries, helping educate, and providing opportunities to get involved, you can have a huge impact in creating a culture of missions at your church. God wants to walk alongside each of us as we step into the great work He is inviting us into. Trust in Him to guide you and give you strength as you seek to partner with Him in bringing His good news to the nations.
Want to take the next step in getting your church involved in missions today? Talk to our Church Partnership team and see how we can help.