In Need Of A Strategy

I love missions because it combines the study of cultures of the world, linguistics, preaching the Word of God, mercy ministry and strategy. Of course the foundation of missions is not my affection for study but God's command. I think the idea of a strategy for missions was foundational to Paul's thinking on missions but he never calls it that. He says he preaches to the Gentiles so that the Jews will be jealous to hear the message. He plans which churches he needs to visit. He plans to visit Rome way before he gets there. He plans to go on to Spain some time, but I don't think he ever got there. He seeks to use needs such as the famine in Jerusalem to bind the Gentile and Jewish members of the church together. Paul was a strategiest.

Business planning, investing, games and sports are areas that people of that people use their gift (or lack there of) in order to create and use strategy. I don't have a business, I don't have the comprehensive organizational skills. My investment strategies are simple and merger. I just don't have the income to through a lot into investing. So I'm happy to my my home my biggest investment. Sports offer a dilima for me. I'm not good at most sports and when I play, I have a hard time implimenting any sort of a strategy. So I gravitate toward sports which are more participatory, such as cycling and running.

I question what kind of a strategy I should impliment in my ministry. Should I minister here in the US or overseas? Should I pastor a small church or get on staff with a larger church as an associate? Urban or rural?

Having found the limits of my abilities in recent years through some failure, I'm sort of paralized in my vision. I'm hesitant to embrace a vision to even pray about. Without vision there is no strategy.

Prayer:

Lord,

I want to serve you. I do not want to give up. Give me the strength to stand alone when others oppose the vision you give. Give me the winsomeness to explain the vision you give me to others. Help me to use the talents and gifts you have given me to expand your kingdom here on earth.

Amen

Comments

Jesse said…
The Lighthouse: The Great Commission
There is a relation between Missions, The Holy Spirit and the Church. The Missionary today needs financial as well as prayer supports and doors of opportunity to open.
7:34 PM
pruittcommunications said…
The finances and the open doors are both things I think of and sort of can be intimidating. I was wondering what relationship between Missions, the Holy Spirit and the Church you were talking about. I agree but the relationships I'm thinking about might not be the same ones you are thinking of. I can see that mission work must be an effort of prayer on the part of the missionary. Paul said, " First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles." Here he has a strategy but prayer is essential to honing that strategy. The church as a whole and the Holy Spirit are involved in this process of prayer and planning. Is that what you were getting at?
8:17 PM
Jesse said…
The reasons I say the work of the Holy Spirit is critical to Missions is simply biblical ones:

1. The power to evangelize comes from the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8.
2. The Holy Spirit must bring conviction to the sinner. John 16:8.
8:37 PM
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