Building Missions Month By Month
Paul Brannan

It is not enough to have a successful faith promise response from your congregation. The challenge of missions must be kept fresh throughout the year. Let’s look at some steps that will keep your congregation involved in missions 52 weeks of every year!
A monthly missions: Sunday is the cornerstone to building missions vision once the convention is over. There are many other elements, but you can’t build missions effectively without missions Sunday.
SO PLAN IT CAREFULLY, SUCCESS DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN
* Give this monthly missions slot a name, such as “Window on the World”.
* Each Sunday’s presentation may vary from 3 to 10 minutes.
*
LET�S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MIGHT
PLAN FOR MISSIONS SUNDAY

USE VIDEOS AND DVDS
* Many of our missionaries are now making videos on the field. Take advantage of these 3 to 5 minute glimpses of their lives and ministries. They truly do create a “Window on the World”.
* Search out those sites that have quality DVDs such as agmd.org. Many things can be downloaded that will bless your congregation.
PRAY AROUND THE WORLD
– There are seven geographical areas in World Missions.
1. Africa 5. Latin America and the Caribbean
2. Asia Pacific 6. North America
3. Europe 7. Northern Asia
4. Eurasia
* Share a prayer request from each area and have corporate prayer.
* Publish these requests in the bulletin on Missions� Sunday.
USE FLAGS FOR EMPHASIS
* Purchase or create a flag for each country where you support missionaries.
* Display a flag every missions Sunday.
* Display that flag when the missionary visits for a service or when prayer is being offered for that country.
CALL A MISSIONARY
* Call prior to Sunday and set up an appointment by phone.
* Amplify the conversation through your system and interview the missionary family during the service.
* Have the congregation pray for the missionaries while they are on the line.

INCLUDE MUSIC AND DRAMA
* Use skits with a mission’s theme.
* Present human videos with a missions song.
* Don’t forget mime.
* The more people involved, the more successful your effort to build passion for the lost of the world.
* SHARE EXCERPTS FROM MISSIONARIES? LETTERS
* This should be done on a limited basis.
* Only when the content is so exciting or so urgent that it should not be ignored.
* All missionary newsletters should be posted on your “World Harvest” bulletin board.
GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL TESTIMONIES
* Share a testimony from a member who has experienced divine blessing and provision resulting from making a “Faith Promise”.
* The congregation will better identify with the pew than with the pulpit.
* Others will be inspired.
KEEP THE CONGREGATION INFORMED ABOUT FAITH PROMISE GIVING ON THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
* Share faith building words to encourage the continued support for missions.
* Publish missions giving in the church bulletin. Remember, this is in your local currency. The following is just an example.
Faith Promise Total…. $24,000
Due to Date…. $6,000
Received to Date…. $6,500
Praise God for Victory!
or
Faith Promise Total…. $24,000
Due to Date…. $6,000
Received to Date…. $4,750
Pray! Pray! Pray!!
SINCE YOU KNOW THAT YOU WILL HAVE 12 �WINDOWS ON THE WORLD� EACH YEAR, PLAN AHEAD. YOUR SCHEDULE MIGHT LOOK LIKE THIS:
* January: Boys and Girls Missionary Project
* February: DVD or video
* March: Women’s or Men’s Missionary Project
* April: Mini – Convention
* May: Youth Missionary Project
* June: Personal testimony from someone who�s Faith Promise was supplied
* July: Read excerpts from missionary letters
* August: DVD video
* September: Phone interview
* October: Convention Faith Promise Sunday
* November: Read excerpts from missionary letters
* December: DVD
GET CREATIVE, BUT BE SURE YOU PLAN AHEAD!!!
THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS TO KEEP MISSIONS BEFORE THE CONGREGATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AS PASTOR, PREACH ON MISSIONS, PERSONAL EVANGELISM OR THE WORTH OF A SOUL AT LEAST ONCE EACH QUARTER
* The congregation needs to hear your passion for the lost.
* Your most effective leadership is by example.
PLACE A GOOD ASSORTMENT OF BOOKS ON MISSIONS IN THE CHURCH LIBRARY
* Include biographies of great missionaries from the past.
* Books on missions, principles and methods should be available.
* Include current magazines and periodicals on missions.
CREATE AN ATTRACTIVE MISSIONS DISPLAY
* In a well-lighted, well trafficked area
* A bulletin board for newsletters from missionaries and other late-breaking missions news, etc.
* Surround it with the certificates of monthly support for the missionaries.
* Use globe wall art as the centerpiece of the display.
* Listed below is information that will assist you in securing a wall sculpture for your missions display.

SPONSOR AN OVERSEAS MISSIONS TRIP
* If your church is unable to do it alone, check with your national world missions department about what they may have planned.
* This will transform the attitude of those who go.
* They will, in turn, influence many others.
GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED WITH A FEW MISSIONARIES
* Develop a personal relationship.
* Give more substantial monthly support to these missionaries.
* Consider providing housing or schooling assistance while they are home for their itineration cycle.
ADOPT A FAMILY
* This may be done by a class, a department, or by the congregation.
* Remember each family member’s birthday and at Christmas.
* Research their country of ministry and become their prayer partners.
GET TO KNOW YOUR MISSIONARIES
* Ask the Assemblies of God World Missions Office to provide you with the birthdays and anniversaries for the missionaries and families that you support.
* Remember the missionaries on their special days and at Christmastime. COPY AND CIRCULATE MISSIONARY LETTERS AMONG THE CONGREGATION
* This will help your members get acquainted with your church’s missionary family.
* They will learn that missions is not about a program but about people.
GIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO THOSE WHO MAKE A FAITH PROMISE
* Following the convention, hold a “Thank You Banquet” just for the “Faith Promise Partners”.
* Treat them special.
* Give a lapel pin exclusively to the “Faith Promise Partners”.
ENCOURAGE PRAYER FOR MISSIONS
* Publish a monthly missions prayer page.
* Form missions prayer groups for each area of the world.
* Conduct frequent 5 to 10 minute intercessory prayer times during regular services.
SCHEDULE FREQUENT MISSIONARY SPEAKERS
* Missionaries impart vision and burden, qualities needed by the local congregation.
* Missionaries make it possible for the congregation to obey the Great Commission.

THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS BUT HOW WOULD I EVER FIND THE TIME TO DO IT ALL? YOU DONUT!
REMEMBER? THATUS WHY YOU NEED A MISSIONS TEAM TO HELP LIFT THE LOAD
Jesus said, “All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” John 9:4 TLB

The above article, “Building Missions Month By Month” was written by Paul Brannan. The article was excerpted from The Missions Commission: checklist for Building Missions in the Local Church.
The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.
This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”