MMN March Letter - Verwer
(posted in view of his closing comment)
We in the Mission Mobilisation Network are very committed to the local church. The Acts 13 concept is to see more local churches moving into global missions all over the world and this is happening.
One of the main purposes of our Network is to encourage people and churches to press on and keep up the good work!
I will soon complete 50 years of local church involvement, having had the privilege of ministering in thousands of churches around the world. I have made some mistakes along the way and have tried to learn from them. As we attempt to mobilise and work with local churches, here are some basics to keep in mind. I will limit myself to churches that are biblical and evangelical.
1. There are all kinds of churches. Try to get as much information about the church and their history. Try to get to know the leaders and especially esteem them highly in love and reality.
2. Watch your own attitude and make sure you move in humility and love with the right attitude. If you have been hurt by a church or church leader make sure you have forgiven the people involved.
3. I believe different kinds of approaches and strategies are needed. There are more package mission programmes and God can use them, but they don’t work in every church. We must always keep in mind what they are already doing.
4. Try to encourage and affirm what they are already doing. Avoid being critical and judgmental about things that you feel are less than best.
5. Beware of creating unrealistic expectations or if you represent an Agency that wants recruits, promising more than your organisation can really come up with.
6. We all need wisdom as we are facing so many great challenges and opportunities, but also many complexities and problems. Do everything you can to get key mission books and materials into the hands and hearts, especially the leaders.
7. Try to have a grace-awakened approach to the whole challenge. The first chapter of my book Out of the Comfort Zone speaks about this. I cannot emphasize this too much. Some missions speakers have really switched people off because even in their message there was a lack of love, grace and humility. We all have a degree of hostility and anger and we must beware it does not express itself in our message and ministry.
Let’s stand before God in love, brokenness, wisdom and in the anointing of God. Please pass this letter on to others.
His
George Verwer
Chairman
Mission Mobilization Network
info@missionsmobilisation.org
www.missionsmobilisation.org
=====
Amen & amen. Send the light, the precious gospel light ...
- MJH
We in the Mission Mobilisation Network are very committed to the local church. The Acts 13 concept is to see more local churches moving into global missions all over the world and this is happening.
One of the main purposes of our Network is to encourage people and churches to press on and keep up the good work!
I will soon complete 50 years of local church involvement, having had the privilege of ministering in thousands of churches around the world. I have made some mistakes along the way and have tried to learn from them. As we attempt to mobilise and work with local churches, here are some basics to keep in mind. I will limit myself to churches that are biblical and evangelical.
1. There are all kinds of churches. Try to get as much information about the church and their history. Try to get to know the leaders and especially esteem them highly in love and reality.
2. Watch your own attitude and make sure you move in humility and love with the right attitude. If you have been hurt by a church or church leader make sure you have forgiven the people involved.
3. I believe different kinds of approaches and strategies are needed. There are more package mission programmes and God can use them, but they don’t work in every church. We must always keep in mind what they are already doing.
4. Try to encourage and affirm what they are already doing. Avoid being critical and judgmental about things that you feel are less than best.
5. Beware of creating unrealistic expectations or if you represent an Agency that wants recruits, promising more than your organisation can really come up with.
6. We all need wisdom as we are facing so many great challenges and opportunities, but also many complexities and problems. Do everything you can to get key mission books and materials into the hands and hearts, especially the leaders.
7. Try to have a grace-awakened approach to the whole challenge. The first chapter of my book Out of the Comfort Zone speaks about this. I cannot emphasize this too much. Some missions speakers have really switched people off because even in their message there was a lack of love, grace and humility. We all have a degree of hostility and anger and we must beware it does not express itself in our message and ministry.
Let’s stand before God in love, brokenness, wisdom and in the anointing of God. Please pass this letter on to others.
His
George Verwer
Chairman
Mission Mobilization Network
info@missionsmobilisation.org
www.missionsmobilisation.org
=====
Amen & amen. Send the light, the precious gospel light ...
- MJH
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