Missions and Money [2021]

Last week we spent time looking over the current state of missions sending.  We see today that approximately 3% of all missionaries leaving the united states are going to a country or area where they are focused on unreached people groups.  Today I want to talk about Missions and Money.

Money always adds weight to any conversation.  It also adds weight to a relationship.  Even money finds its way into many scriptures and teachings that we have been taught over the years.  Thinking back to past sermons and bible studies as a kid, I can remember a handful of lessons on money.  It usually revolved around the teachings of the tithe and how we should be giving to the church. Just not missions and money.

One thing that stands out to me now as an adult.  I don’t remember any lessons or sermons on how to give to ensure all people can hear the Gospel. 

If you grew up like me in a small rural town in the Bible belt, you may have grown up not know that there are still people in our world that have yet to hear the Gospel.  It may be even more shocking to know that the population of individuals that still have not heard is nearly 3 Billion people.

 
How do we make sure those individuals hear the Gospel?  Money.

See I told you money adds weight to a conversation.

 
As someone who works for a missions sending agency, I get the privilege of seeing the faces of the individuals and families leaving their known culture in order to assimilate into an unknown culture for the sake of gospel advancement.  I take great pride in being that close to front line workers.  What’s disheartening is hearing their struggle to raise the needed financial support.

 
When asked how does the average church give to missions. Here is what I know. Currently, from the United States, we are giving 450 Million dollars a year to missions and missionaries that are directly working with unreached people groups.   The National Retail Federation in 2019 stated that Americans spent $3.2 Billion on Halloween Costumes.  That averages out to $31 per person that bought a costume.

 
No this isn’t going to turn into a Sarah McLaughlin commercial.  However, I do want to point out a few facts about missions.  We, speaking as an American, collectively spent more on Halloween costumes than we did funding missionaries going to unreached people groups.  If we want to see the Gospel taken to the Nations, we must invest in gospel advancement at a higher rate than we are now.

 
Here are two ways that your church can make an impact right now.

First, ensure that your church knows the current landscape of Gospel saturation.  Find ways to impart the knowledge that you now know, into the hearts and minds of your people.  Allow them to feel the weight and responsibility to be a part of ensuring that all can hear the Good News of Jesus.

 
How about a giving challenge?  In the time near Halloween, what if you challenged your congregation to match their total Halloween spending to go toward missionaries working with the unreached?  What if you can find 3 other ministers to do the same with you and all of your churches give to one missionary or group that is working with the unreached?

   
The second thing to do is to review how much your church is giving to missions.  Is your church giving more to reached countries than unreached?  Does your giving match the 1% going to the unreached?  By no means stop giving to missionaries working in reached countries, they need your support to continue building up the local believers and sending them out.  Although, if we wish to see the Gospel taken to all nations in this generation, we need to equip missionaries working with the unreached better than what we are doing now.

I hope you hear my heart for the entire church here in this post.  Please continue to give to missionaries in reached countries and audit your teaching and spending to ensure you are driving the Gospel deeper in lands that have not heard the Gospel yet. This is not a money grabbing post. In order for everyone to hear the scriptures we need churches that will be houses of prayer for Harvest workers and churches that will send their people physically to work with the unreached. It takes more than a checkbook to be effective in missions.

 
I’d love to help teach and guide your staff, elders, or missions team through reviewing and auditing your current strategy for local and global missions.  Feel free to click on the Let’s Connect tab in the upper right-hand corner or send me an email at [email protected] and we can team up and ensure that your church is making the greatest impact for the Gospel that you are able to!