Growing as a Sending Church

If you hope to increase your congregation’s global engagement, start by talking and praying about the nations more frequently. Look for opportunities in your Sunday services, small groups, church programs, discipleship materials, and more.

Teach on passages where God declares his heart for the nations. Educate your congregation about physical and spiritual needs around the world. Share stories about how God has worked and how he is working. Pray for specific regions, people groups, and workers. Cast vision for your members about how they can get involved in what God is doing globally. And don’t forget to do this often! Repetition is important.

“When you are tired of saying it, people are starting to hear it.”
– John Doerr

If the harvest is plentiful, why are the laborers so few? Often, it’s because comfort and safety are so enticing. When Christians value comfort and safety too highly, they are reluctant to serve in challenging, uncertain contexts. They may even deter others from going into the harvest fields, warning them that they aren’t “safe.”

What your church members need, then, is a robust theology of risk and suffering. They need to understand that discipleship is costly and suffering is normal. They need to remember that Jesus has not called them to preserve their lives, but to lose them (Matt. 16:25). This doesn’t mean that we should dismiss safety and security concerns, but that we should put these concerns in perspective.

“Holiness, not safety, is the end of our calling.”
– Lilias Trotter

Unless your church members have some personal experiences abroad or close relationships with overseas workers, they may not readily grasp what cross-cultural work actually entails. And without that context, it may be difficult for them to discern their role in God’s work globally – whether in sending, praying, supporting, or going. So, one way to equip the saints (Eph 4:12) is to increase their exposure to cross-cultural work.

Start small! Recommend biographies. Invite a cross-cultural worker to come visit your church and share a bit about their experience. Encourage your members to attend conferences or events focused on God’s work globally. Even simple steps, like these, can give your church members vision for how to support workers, care for them in times of hardship, and partner with them in prayer – and can even help them discern whether God is leading them to serve internationally.

Additionally, look for opportunities to connect your church members to hands-on experiences. God often uses our experiences to shape us, guide us, and give us clarity about how he’s leading us. Plus, very few cross-cultural workers commit to serving long-term before participating in some kind of short-term or mid-term opportunity. Not sure where to start? Take a look at some of ours!

In order to thrive, cross-cultural workers need several layers of support. Beyond the logistical assistance, training, and resources they can receive from a sending organization, they also need the encouragement and support of their primary faith community. We find it helpful to think about this support in four different dimensions: moral, practical, financial, and intercessional.

MORAL

One significant way to provide moral support is by affirming your cross-cultural worker’s calling to serve. It’s one thing for your church member to believe the Holy Spirit has directed them to serve; it’s another to know the Lord has confirmed it in the hearts of others as well. So, be intentional about affirming their call. Do this when you initially send them out and throughout their journey as well. When things get tough, this affirmation can give them the strength they need to press on.

PRACTICAL

Moving to a different country comes with all sorts of logistical challenges. As overseas workers prepare to go, they may need to give someone power of attorney, find someone to rent their home, put a few boxes in storage, and get help selling their car or other possessions. Your church can ease the mental and logistical load by stepping in to assist them! When they return to the States for visits, they may also need help finding temporary housing and a car to borrow – or they may simply need a ride from the airport and a home-cooked meal to welcome them! What blessings can your church members steward to help meet their needs? What systems can your church put in place to quickly address these needs as they arise?

FINANCIAL

As they serve in challenging regions with few resources, cross-cultural workers rely on the generosity and partnership of others. In addition to raising financial support to cover major expenses, such as lodging, transportation, and education, they may also raise funds for special projects. Your church can bless overseas workers and advance their work by becoming financial partners – and by stepping in to address specific financial burdens when they arise.

INTERCESSIONAL

Another important way you can support your overseas worker is by partnering with them in prayer. With so many challenges and needs in front of them, cross-cultural workers depend on the faithful prayers of others. So, consider how you can spur your church members on to faithfully intercede for them. Pray for their spiritual vitality and relationship with God, as well as their health, endurance, language acquisition, cultural adaption, and effectiveness in their work. Pray for meaningful relationships and unique opportunities to make Christ known. Pray for their community and for regional needs. You can also use our prayer guide!