Purpose

The Missions Committee exists to care for Grace’s outreach partners, encourage members of the church family pursuing full-time and short-term missions, and promote world evangelization among the congregation.

Qualifications

All committee members should meet the following qualifications:

  • They must be active members at Grace.

  • They must be faithful in their support of the local church with their finances, their cooperation, and attendance to the services.

  • Age should not be a factor for serving except as it relates to church membership.

  • They must be of a cooperative spirit, willing to follow as well as lead.

  • Finally, each Missions Committee member must manifest a love for the lost in general and a special attraction to missions in particular. This love should be confirmed by their prayers for missionaries and their generous financial support for missions.

Responsibilities

The Missions Committee has three primary responsibilities: caring for our Outreach Partners, encouraging personal missions involvement, and promoting world evangelization among the congregation. These responsibilities include tasks such as these:

  • The Missions Committee should meet with outreach partners who visit the church for a discussion about their personal and financial needs.

  • The Missions Committee will have the authority to distribute gift cards, conference fees, or care packages to provide periodic encouragement for our outreach partners. The church budget provides funds under the heading, “Missions Special Projects” for these purposes.

  • The Missions Committee will review the Missions Budget annually and recommend changes for the board’s review before the Annual Congregational Meeting of the church.

  • When outreach partners visit Grace, the committee will plan special events that will give the congregation and the outreach partners maximum opportunity for fruitful interaction.

  • The Missions Committee will encourage, direct, and support members of the congregation who express interest in full-time or short-term missionary service. This includes:

    • Faithfully praying for the men and women interested in missions.

    • Helping those who are interested in missions evaluate their suitability for service. People looking forward to missionary service should give evidence of being called by God by demonstrating a godly life and an active interest in world evangelization. Furthermore, the missionary candidate shall have been a member of the church for a sufficient length of time (a suggested period of two years) to have gained the confidence of the congregation and its leaders. He or she shall be serving actively in the ministries of the church. The Missions Committee should interview candidates (particularly those interested in full-time missions) before making any support recommendations to the elders.

    • Recommending an initial monthly support level (or one-time gift amount for short term missions) to the board of elders. This amount should be no more than 50% of the candidate’s monthly needs. If the support is approved by the elders, the congregation must also approve support for new missionary candidates (incremental raises for currently supported missionaries does not require congregational approval). Members of the congregation should be supported at no less than $200.00 per month, with the aspiration of supporting members at 10% of their support need. Regular monthly support will begin at the discretion of the Missions Committee. Factors that influence this decision include: the amount of money the missionary must raise, the length of time he or she has been raising support, the amount of time he or she dedicates to raising support, the status of outgoing funds, and current financial needs.

    • Assisting those raising support by promoting their work in the congregation, and providing contacts and information about opportunities outside the congregation to raise support.

    • Consulting with mission agencies and their support personnel where necessary to encourage candidates as they raise funds.

  •  The Missions Committee will review the work of Grace’s outreach partners and evaluate as best as possible the ongoing efficacy of their ministry as it relates to cultivating followers of Christ around the world. This includes determining their level of agreement with Grace’s doctrinal statement. Missionary candidates must review and indicate their agreement by signing our doctrinal statement as part of this decision-making process. Current missionaries will be asked to review our doctrinal statement during their periodic visits to the congregation.

  • The Missions Committee will initiate means necessary to promote knowledge of, prayer for, and acts of kindness among the congregation for our outreach partners

 

Contact

If you have any questions or want to get involved please contact Cheryl Keiper (cherkeip@gmail.com).