KING’S BUSINESS MISSIONARY FEATURE
Setting
aMissionary Goal
by Norman Lewis
D a r e t o s e t a g o a l for missionary giving. This re quires faith and courage. The clearer the objective, the more certainty there is of reaching it. Serious giving for world evangelization cannot be achieved without sac rifice. Think for a moment of our global responsibility. World evangelization demands huge expenditure. It is no accident that there are hundreds of verses on giving in the New Testament. Define your goal for missionary giving and determine to reach it. Setting the Goal The pastor is chiefly responsible for fixing the goal for missionary giving. Congregations are dependent upon their pastor’s vision. Blessed is the man who constantly lifts his people to new heights of practical consecration. The wise pastor and church board study the church’s missionary commitments before the annual missionary conference. They consider which projects are to continue. They evaluate possible advances. New missionary sup ports and projects are weighed. Faith is exercised. The question is, how much shall the church do in the light of Christ’s command and the world’s deep need? The new goal for missionary giving stems from the consecra tion and faith of the pastor and church board. This goal is presented to the church. It may be done shortly before the missionary conference or at its first meeting. It is well to present the figures on a large pos ter. Show the previous year’s total for missions and the new goal. Thermometer I know no better way to dramatize the new goal for missionary giving. A large thermometer is represented on a wall chart. The movable center column may be made of wide red ribbon. (See Figure 18.) The new goal is shown at the top of the thermometer in figures larger than the rest. That figure is a constant challenge throughout the missionary conference. The column stands at zero. As Faith-Promise cards are handed in on the final day. Sub-totals are announced and the red column is made to rise accordingly. The thermometer is the center of attention throughout the day. The aim is to “ break the thermometer.” It is a thrilling experience which no one can fully appreciate,who has not seen it occur. Not A Cash Offering The Faith-Promise Plan is not based on cash offer ings. Offerings are usually received during the mis sionary conference for necessary expenses. This is well and good. But a Faith-Promise is not a cash offering. The aim of the Faith-Promise is other and higher. What is it? The aim is that each person should determine the amount he dares trust God to enable him to give for missions each week for one year. The Faith-Promise cards are gathered. Their totals are summed up. This grand total is the church’s goal for missionary giving for the year.
Reaching The Goal But will the goal be reached? This question is often asked by people unfamiliar with the Faith-Promise Plan. Experience provides an encouraging answer. It is true some Faith-Promises are not fully paid. But others are overpaid. The total amount promised is generally re ceived. Use every right means to reach the goal. Pray. “We are ambassadors for Christ.” World evangelization is God’s business. It is for His glory. Let prayer be made throughout the year for the fulfillment of every Faith- Promise. Preaching on missions is also vital. Strong mission ary sermons should be given frequently. People must be convinced from the Word of God that world evangel ization is earth’s greatest enterprise. Let every Christian be taught that, whatever his job may be, missions is his true vocation. Keep Missions Present Publicity is an aid to reaching the goal. Keep mis sions vividly present. A large poster can be displayed to register progress in the payment of Faith-Promises week by week. The poster may show what part of the Faith-Promise total for missions should have been paid by a certain date, usually the previous Sunday. It may also show amount received. A closing word exhorts to praise or prayer. Such a poster reveals at a glance how the church is progressing toward its goal for giving. The church bulletin is a useful ally in this matter. Amount needed and amount received can be indicated frequently. These figures tell every reader whether pro per proportion of Faith-Promise has been paid. Make your prayer meetings count. Let someone with a sense of fitness read brief portions of letters received from missionaries. Use a world map. Relate letters to place on map from which they come. Be definite. Pray for the missionaries by name. Pinpoint their needs when known. It is good to display a large picture of each missionary or missionary family supported by the church. A project to obtain and maintain such pictures is worth while. Some churches send tapes to missionaries. The tapes are returned to the church with a message about mis sionary activities, problems and triumphs. Every legi timate means should be used to make world evangeliza tion more real and personal to people. Keep attention focused on missionary activity. Do not let foreign work remain vague and ambiguous. What is being done in far fields must be brought near. Money for missions is vital. That the church should reach its financial goal for mis sions is of high priority. Trust God. Press earnestly to ward the goal.
Rev. Lewis is author of "Triumphant Missionary Ministry in the Local Church," Back to the Bible Publishers, from which book this helpful article is taken.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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