Interview with the Missions Committee
We've been hearing from our missionaries at our monthly prayer meeting and our Missions Committee has been working behind the scenes to connect with our missionaries. Here, we interview Elder Jonathan to find out more about the Missions Committee and the work they've been doing.
1. Hi! Can you tell us more about what the Missions Committee does?
The Missions Committee currently:
Cares for our missionaries in the field through our missions liaisons. Our liaisons act as a bridge between missionaries and the church, they keep the church informed of the needs of our supported missionaries, and in turn keep our missionaries up-to-date with developments in the church.
Rallies the church around our missionaries through the CG adoption program and prayer meetings.
Administers our missions funds to support our missionaries and special projects.
Connects with like-minded Gospel partners to create short-term missions opportunities.
2. What then, are some plans that the Committee has for 2022 (and beyond)?
Our main focus will be updating our missions policies with our revised mission statement of:
Sending and supporting disciple-makers among peoples and nations in Asia, prioritising the unreached;
Growing indigenous local churches; and
Working through sound partnerships to advance the gospel.
A major thrust of this focus will be to teach and explain the biblical basis for these priorities to our members over the coming year through various platforms.
Locally, We plan to increase prayer and awareness of the unreached people groups right here in Singapore. And to better identify avenues to serve among unreached people groups here.
Regionally, we hope to develop more short-term missions options and encourage more of our members to participate in short-term missions when the COVID situation allows.
Longer term, we'd like to develop a pipeline of members who can be equipped to be sent out.
3. These sound like exciting plans. But, for the average Christian, why is missions so important?
Since COVID, I'm sure we all have a newfound appreciation for the essential work in our society— work that keeps our basic functions in society running so that we can carry on with our lives. How much more so should we feel about bringing the message of the life-giving good news of Jesus Christ to the lost? Missions is essential because it is one of the primary ways in which people come to know Christ through repentance and faith, and to know the power of His resurrection (Phil 3:10).
4. How can we all participate as a church, both corporately and individually?
We can participate by either going or sending.
For those who sense God's call in your life to go into the missions field, you can start by interning in the church to understand how various members are cared for and shepherded, or going on short term missions trips, before getting affirmation from God's people on His call to step out as career missionaries.
For the majority in the church who are participating in missions by sending, we encourage you to get to know our missionaries, their needs and struggles as well as joys in the field. This can be done through our monthly prayer meetings where our missionaries are invited to share their work and prayer needs, CG adoption programs, and written correspondences. You can also consider visiting and partnering them through short-term missions trips during which you can help to babysit their children, bring up valuable supplies and gifts or support them in their missions projects. And of course not forgetting regular and committed financial support.
If you are interested to find out more about how to be involved, you can contact Elder Jonathan at jonathantan307@gmail.com.
Also check out an earlier article about biblical priorities in praying for missions to learn more about how we can be thinking about and praying.