Mission

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Mission is an important topic within the life of the church, being the subject of discussion, study, prayer and support within the ministry, fellowship and meetings of the church. The church has agreed a missions policy to help maintain the focus and development of mission within the church. The following text is taken from that mission policy.

We currently support one missionary couple who are serving the Lord in Japan. See www.seccombesinjapan.info for more information.

PREAMBLE

1. The importance of world mission

God desires the preaching of the Gospel to all the nations of the earth right up to the end of time (Gen 12:1-3; Matt 24:14; Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

2. The responsibility for world mission

Mission is the responsibility of the local church which recognises and sends suitably qualified believers who it believes have been set apart for the work by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-4), and the missionary is accountable to the sending and supporting church (Acts 14:27-28). The work may best be done in partnership with mission organisations which possess necessary experience, expertise, and facilities.

3. The task of world mission

The task is the preaching of the Gospel to the unconverted, and the establishing of local churches for the nurturing of converts. Missionary involvement in these local churches should be for as long as is necessary to lay a sound doctrinal foundation, and to secure local leadership recognised by the members (Acts 14:21-23). Allowing for cultural diversity, the sending church is seeking to reproduce what it considers important in terms of doctrine, church order, and brotherly love.

4. The urgency of world mission

The work of mission must be done. It must not be hindered if ideal conditions do not prevail. Wisdom is needed in the application of the following guidelines, so that where circumstances prevent the ideal from being achieved, the work can nevertheless be done without compromising essential principles.

1. PROMOTION OF MISSION IN THE CHURCH

1. Teaching the church

In the course of regular ministry, and by means of special focus on the subject of mission, the elders should present the church with the Biblical teaching regarding the importance, responsibility, task, and support of world mission.

2. Educating the church

By means of the invitation of missionary speakers, and the promotion of relevant literature, the church should be regularly informed of the needs, opportunities, history, and present work of world mission.

The criteria for selection of missionary speakers:

• Speakers should be chosen who are capable of providing reliable and useful information about mission.

• In the interest of increasing our knowledge of world mission, the criteria for selection of speakers may be broader than the criteria for supporting missionaries.

3. Encouraging individuals

Church members should be encouraged to consider mission as a vocation, and be given assistance in their mission enquiries.