AVIZANDUM: Disappearing Missions Conferences

Avizandam In Scots law, this term describes the careful consideration given by the judge before an important decision. Join me each week as we explore various topics from a spiritual perspective and take matters. Avise endum Not all that long ago, most churches had annual missions conferences. They might last a long weekend or even a full week. But this seems to be changing.

In some churches there is just a mission Sunday if there is a missions focus at all. No. I understand there's nothing mandated in Scripture about how long a missions conference should be, or even if churches should have a missions conference.

Well, having said that, I wonder if the decrease in the number of missions conferences. represents a decrease of overseas mission. and a decreasing in commissioning missionaries to go overseas with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And some who are commissioned don't seem to last very long and the missions failed. The Great Commission still stands.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. But are we, the Church of Jesus Christ, doing this? Seems to me that missions for some churches is planting their daughter churches in various places throughout the globe.

So It would be like us at Calvary Church planting little Calvary churches in Mumbai, India. Timbuktu, Mali, Saint Andrews, Scotland, Rechovik, Iceland, Coimbra, Portugal, Bangkok, Thailand, and so on. We would recruit local pastors for these churches, and in some cases pay them relatively small sums. Then we would fly back and forth to these churches. Have mission trips to these places, expending a lot of money, and in this way consider we are fulfilling the Great Commission.

That may be an effective strategy in some cases. although I have some concerns.

Some larger churches almost entirely focus on local missions. and do not commission people in their own congregation to go into full-time missions overseas.

So is becoming increasingly difficult for missionaries to raise their support as not many churches want to give support. even to members of their own churches.

Well, I'm glad we have mission conferences at Calvary. Each year for a full week, Sunday to Sunday, we bring about a third to a quarter of our missionaries to Calvary. We hear their stories. There's accountability. Our congregation interacts with the missionaries on a personal basis.

The missionaries teach our children about missions and challenge the congregation regarding their own responsibilities. And we pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send out laborers into the harvest fields. One of the blessings of our missions conference is to remind us that the gospel goes to all nations and all peoples. This mitigates against us being insular and parochial in our thinking. Calvary as an independent church has the privilege of working with various missions agencies rather than just one or two.

We seek to discern where the Holy Spirit is working, Where people are being called to serve the Lord, and so partner with missionaries who are working there. Every year, we have the joy of commissioning new missionaries who have just been adopted by us at Calvary. Our congregation also has the joy of having some of them stay in their homes, taking them out to dinner, and so on. A personal face is put on missions. which is particularly impactful for our children and students.

Let's keep overseas missions always in front of us. making disciples of all the nations. Avizandum. You're listening to the weekly Avizandam podcast from The Verdict, featuring Pastor John Monroe. John is Senior Pastor at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Listen to John's daily program, The Verdict, on broadcast radio or major podcast platforms. For more information about the Verdict Ministry, visit us online at calvarychurch.com slash the verdict.