DRAFT MISSIONS POLICY FOR A GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH PREAMBLE:

The church recognizes that the task of missions rests with the church and that the church exists for Mission. The Mission of church is Missions. The church also recognizes that every member of the body of Christ is involved in going with the gospel and that we no longer depend only on the so called clergy and professional missionaries. The church sees that Mission is the centre of the churches life and ministry. All other ministries emanate from Missions The Church also stands in agreement with Dr. John Piper that Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church: worship is. Missions exists because Worship does not. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the Redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, Missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity , but worship abides forever. Dr. John Piper Let the nations be Glad

CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT:

Our church exists to worship God and Witness for Him. Our Church exists to Know God and Make Him Known (BU Mission Statement) We plan to Worship by:The regular gathering of the community of believers for public expression of worship to God through, psalms and hymns , spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19) prayers, bible study and searching the scriptures, fellowship and breaking of bread, giving our offerings etc . We plan to Witness by mobilizing the entire church to spread the gospel as it is stated in Acts 1:8 In the power of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, All Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth In other words to be Local and Global at the same time.

CHURCH MISSION PLAN:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Mobilize, train and equip its entire constituency in mission and evangelism Undertake short term mission trips Organize church outreach and evangelistic meetings Prepare and send career missionaries Partner with mission agencies including the BMD in mission work

6) Support the BMD financially in whatever way possible 7) Call regular missionary prayer times for existing missionaries and mission work. 8) Provide missionary care for all missionaries sent out by the church. 9) Provide adequate motivation and teaching on the biblical mandate for missions 10) Make the church aware of Gods Mission Vision for the church always.

MISSIONS COMMITTEE:
The church shall elect a missions committee made up of people who have a passion for mission, with the pastor/pastors being an integral part. Others may be chosen from the various departments/ministries of the church. While the entire church engages in mission, the missions committee is the driving force behind it.

CHURCH MISSIONARIES:
Both long term and short term missionaries will be regarded as our church missionaries Long term missionaries may choose to go to a field of the Lords calling in partnership with the church, a mission agency and the field. A memorandum of agreement may be entered into by all three parties concerned. The agreement will contain, fixed time periods on the field, financial and accountability structures. Funding may be sourced from within and outside the church constituency. All Funds shall be administered by the church or the agency concerned. The church shall also support the missionary from its central funding. This indicates the churches interest and heart for missions. Missionaries are to be encouraged to go to the least evangelized countries of the world eg countries within the 10/40 window. All missionaries are subject to an interview and screening by the church missions committee and or others eg the Baptist Missions Department. Missionaries are to be open to becoming bi-vocational when considering closed access countries. All career missionaries shall need to raise sufficient funds to cover living and ministry allowances as well as contributions to Medical Aid and Pension.