This guideline has served missionaries well and strengthened the church’s mission ministry. However, each church may adopt a shorter version that better fits its needs and circumstances. Missionaries in this case could include Christian workers home and abroad.

A. General Policy

Mission is defined as any endeavour by the local congregation to fulfil the Great Commission as in the Scriptures:

To share Christ’s heart for the world.
To save men and women and bring them to the knowledge of God.
To minister to the totality of human need.
To obey Christ by making disciples.

(Matt. 28v19,20; Mk 16v15; Jn. 20v31; Lk. 24v17; Acts 1v8.)

The purpose of the policy is to achieve a clear sense of direction and avoid making important decisions on an emotional or haphazard basis. There should be a reasonable margin of freedom to use personal and group discretion.
The policy may be reviewed as often as needed.
Goals – the Missionary Team shall set goals and shall define by who and when it should happen. The goals should be significant, achievable, measurable, manageable and should involve a step of faith.

B. Mission Team

The Mission Team will serve as a liaison between the church and the missionary programme.
The Mission’s Coordinator appointed by the Church Council, normally becomes a member of the Church Council.
The members of the Team will be appointed by the Mission’s Co-ordinator.
The members should have:

A deep interest in missions.
A commitment to the church.
A healthy spiritual life and a sense of vision.

Size of Team – depends on the situation.
Term of office – indefinite.
Officers:

Mission’s Co-ordinator.
Administrator.

C. Missions education within the church

The Missions Team will present news and needs regularly to the church and will encourage interaction with all departments of the church. They will:

Handle correspondence with missionaries.
Arrange visits of missionaries on furlough.
Encourage a family and or home group to concern itself with the needs of a single missionary or missionary family.
Organise bulletin reports: maps with locations of missionaries, missionary emphasis times.
Arrange a missions special event at approximately the same time each year.

D. Mission Team and recruiting

The Missions Team will continually challenge the church on the dimensions of the unreached world and the unfinished task.
They will maintain accurate records to know when missionaries will be visiting them and provide a liaison officer to oversee spiritual and physical care.
Requirements for new candidates:

A clear indication of conversion and call to the ministry.
Agreement with the doctrinal statement of the church.
An active participation in the church, showing the person’s gifts and training and how the job he/she is doing matches this.
Commitment to the church should ideally have been for at least 2 years but individual cases will be considered on merit.
Recommended by someone we trust if we do not know them well.
Show that they have made some personal commitment to their own training.
Any agency that they are wanting to work with must be in accord with the home church statement of faith.

Procedure for selecting new candidates:

Pre-selection questionnaire.
Pre-selection interview with the Mission’s Co-ordinator.
Informal meeting with the Mission Team.
Recommended to the Church Elders and Pastor(s).
All missionaries supported must sign the official statement of faith of the church.
Short term workers will have the same requirements as a career missionary.

E. Responsibility of the Supported Missionary to the Church

The church needs to be informed of needs and problems of the missionary while they are one the field. They request that the missionary correspond with the church at least quarterly. The church will send out newsletters if requested to do so.
The missionary should be discouraged from mentioning financial needs (solicit funds) with individuals from the church (if the church is going to support them), unless someone approaches them about their needs, but they should communicate directly with the Missionary Team. They may accept gifts of money if offered.
The missionary is expected to spend a block of time with the church while on furlough. This will be co-ordinated with the missionary agencies and the church Mission Team and/or pastor. In most instances the missionary will become a member of the church staff.

F. Responsibility of the church to the missionary

It will fulfil its financial obligations.
The church will hold the spiritual oversight of the missionary while on furlough.
The church will try and have people visit missionaries if someone is travelling nearby. The church will contact the mission agency for visitation of missionaries on the field.

G. Mission Finance

The Mission’s Team will decide on the dispersion of all funds. Some of it will come from the tithe of the church’s offering.
The Team will forward a financial report to the Church Council each month.
The Church Treasurer will pay the monies into the missionary account. Money may be withdrawn by two or three signatures on the missionary account.
The church will also have love offerings, encourage personal giving and have special fund-raising efforts if necessary.
If money for a specific project is unused it will be returned to the donor (if identifiable), otherwise to the mission fund.
The church will support the missionary rather than the agency.
The church will give priority to home-grown missionaries and others will be considered as individual cases.
One-time gifts for individual missionary will be immediately sent as designated.
Administrative cost will be handled under the general budget of the church.
Honorariums for visiting speakers will be handled under the general budget of the church and referred to the Church Council.

H. Individual missionary finance

For the church sending out workers, the Missionary Team will endeavour to assume responsibility for their full support. For non-members each case will be considered individually.
The church will relate to the total size and needs of the family in considering support. They will also consider cases on their merits, e.g. marriage between young people from different churches.
Commencement of financial support will be considered for each case individually.
Termination of support:
Members, including both Career and Short Term (e.g. 2 year) missionaries – until termination plus three months.
Evaluation and revision of support:
Members – consider inflation annually through the missionary agency.
Non-members – reconsider at the end of their term on the field.
Insurance – the church will work closely with the mission agency to be sure these items are properly handled.
Education for missionary children – the church will work closely with the mission agency.
Ongoing education of missionaries will be considered as the need arises.
Support for students preparing for missionary service, and/or summer holiday service:

Personal financial commitment to own training and support must be evident.
Special gifts based on needs is permitted.
Spiritual support will be given.

(This policy has been adapted and, to the best of our knowledge, is not copyrighted.)

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