What’s involved when making a missionary connection?
Making a connection with a missionary means to personalize a relationship with an individual or family serving with the IMB. Missionaries need churches that love them and pray for them. You are encouraged to make the connection one that the entire congregation embraces. Seek God’s guidance in the selection of the missionary. The development of this personalized relationship should be led of God and your continued involvement and prayers be directed by the Holy Spirit.
What are the different levels of involvement with a missionary?
The 3 possible levels of involvement are: (1) provide encouragement through correspondence; (2) consistent prayer; (3) an in-depth commitment to become a part of the field strategy if the need is indicated by the missionary.
- Correspondence Connection — establish a communication channel either directly with the missionary or through their prayer advocate. You will receive updates on prayer needs, answered prayers and ministry reports. This level of prayer support may be for a specific time period or open-ended. The best way to stay connected is to become part of the missionary’s prayer network.
- Consistent Prayer Connection — develop a long-term prayer commitment to a missionary, their team and their people group. This involves a deeper commitment gaining an understanding of the people group and types of ministry used to reach them with the gospel. Security issues may limit access to the missionary. Most missionaries are developing prayer and advocacy networks for their teams and people groups.
- Strategy Connection — commit to become an active part of your missionary’s strategy for engaging their people group. This level requires deeper relationships with the missionaries, their team, their network of churches and partners. This developing relationship will guide your church’s participation in ministry efforts toward reaching their people group. The scope of this relationship moves well beyond acquaintance and concern for the missionary to an intentional involvement with his or her strategy and work to reach his or her people group.
How do we identify this missionary?
- Does your church already have an existing relationship with a missionary?
- Are there missionaries you know from having worked with them on mission trips?
- Has a particular missionary speaker left a lasting memory and motivated a desire for continued connection?
- Is someone from your church family serving on the mission field? Extended family?
- Do you have interest in an unreached people group, city or country and wish to connect with a missionary seeking to reach these peoples?
Do we have to financially support this missionary?
You are already providing financial support for your missionary by giving to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® for International Missions. There is no additional personal financial support required by your church when you make a missionary connection. God may lead your congregation to increase your giving goals as a way to enhance the work of your missionary and others.
IMB policy does not permit missionaries to solicit funds from SBC churches for individual projects. Particular project support is handled through the Development Office at the IMB. If your church wishes to contribute to a specific project, you are encouraged to contact the Development Office to guide you in getting your gift to the designated project. All designated funds are applied as instructed. For information pertaining to designated funds, please contact us at 800.999.3113 or development@imb.org.
Can we develop a relationship with more than one missionary family?
Yes. God may lead your church to commit to more than one missionary family. However, this should be done carefully and prayerfully. We encourage you to establish these relationships one at a time. Caution should be exercised so as not to diminish the relationship between the church and existing missionary connections. In some congregations, Sunday School departments or mission organizations may feel led to commit to individual personalized prayer for multiple missionaries.
What do we do for missionaries once we have made a commitment to them?
- Commit to faithfully pray for your missionaries and their families. As you personalize your relationship with them, you will need to have regular communication with them and/or their prayer advocate/leader in order to know how to effectively pray for their personal needs, their ministry and your involvement.
- Learn as much as you can about IMB strategy for reaching his or her people group. ALWAYS consult your missionary or their advocate for direction in how your church can best be a part of their strategy for reaching their people group. Always seek the counsel of your missionary or their advocate before attempting direct ministry among their people group. Although your intentions are good, your efforts may be ill-timed or even ill-advised. Remember, your missionary knows the best strategy and when and how it should be implemented. Be flexible, and allow God to lead you into ministry with your missionary.
- Wednesday prayer service is an ideal time to arrange for your congregation to write short prayergrams. Let your missionary know you’re committed to pray for their concerns.
- Email your weekly prayergrams if security isn’t an issue.
- Prepare bulletin boards throughout your church for all age levels as a reminder of your commitment to your missionary. (If your missionary serves in a secure area, seek guidance how to share their information publicly. Exercise great caution not to jeopardize the missionary, their family, ministry or people group. Contact the IMB at 800.999.3113 or imb@imb.org for assistance.)
- Project their pictures weekly during your worship service; especially if your church has weekly opportunities on PowerPoint.
- Birthdays and holidays are a meaningful time to interact with your missionary as long as security communication permits. Let them know how much you care.
How do we get a missionary to speak in our church?
Missionaries receive many invitations to speak in churches. In fact, they receive so many that they cannot possibly fill them all. Only a small percentage of field staff is stateside at any given time. It is extremely important that a church secures a desired missionary speaker at least a year in advance. Please be aware that stateside missionaries do not have a US travel allowance. All travel, lodging, meal expenses (and optional honorariums) will be the responsibility of your church when inviting a missionary speaker. The IMB will be happy to supply you with a list of stateside missionaries who are security level 1. They may or may not be available during the time of your mission event.
Call 800.999.3113 to obtain a list of missionaries or for help from your Church Mobilization Specialist to enlist a speaker. This team is able to communicate with missionaries at all security levels. Your Church Mobilization Specialist is also available to share how you can speak to your missionary where they serve on the field via a conference call. If you need additional help connecting with a missionary, please call the IMB at 800.999.3113 or email imb@imb.org.
If you already know the name of the missionary with whom you are personalizing a relationship, you may register your commitment at the same address.
NOTE: It’s important to know that all missionaries can’t openly communicate due to security issues. This does NOT mean that prayer support is not desired or needed; instead, it should be given without expecting the missionary to be involved in direct communication. These missionaries often have stateside advocates that communicate prayer and ministry needs on their behalf. Your expectations should be guided by what’s best for the missionary and their people group. (Please review security levels to have an understanding of security issues before attempting to contact a missionary on the field.)
- Level 1: Open Communication
- Presence of missionary and evangelism is openly known and practiced.
- No restrictions on communication from or to the field.
- Media coverage is governed by common sense.
- Regional office may ask from time to time to be cautious about certain items.
- Level 2: Cautious Communication
- Environment is tolerant but suspicious toward evangelism.
- There may be limited physical danger and the risk of loss of presence.
- Communication is indirect and guarded.
- Communication with public is prudent and limited.
- Consult on means with Regional Office.
- Level 3: Restricted Communication
- Environment is intolerant and antagonistic toward evangelism.
- Field personnel relate to IMB only through limited circle of administrators.
- Communication to/from the field is restricted to the essentials and routed through the Regional Office.
- No public statements about work.
