The Challenge and The Goal of Missions

The Challenge:

God desires all people of the world to worship and glorify Him as Father. Missions exist because almost six billion people do not worship Him.

The Goal:

Mississippi Baptist churches significantly mobilized for strategic worldwide missions impact.

In an unprecedented time of changing parameters for mobilization, unparalleled opportunities and understanding exists.

1. The focus will continually shift toward churches becoming mobilized as missionary. Churches will be affirmed as the basic sending agents.
2. The reorganization of the International Mission Board with a focus upon people groups is now complete. Mississippi mobilization has been very much in line with this people group focus for the past four years.
3. Mission connections will be longer-term and relational. However, churches will develop multiple strategic connections. These connections will be strategically focused, more rifle-focused than shotgun. This is empowered through less emphasis on doing a mission trip and/or project.
4. Specialized areas of volunteer missions will play a greater part in future mobilization requiring serious partnering:
   • Extended short-term (an MMOB designation)
   • Mississippi Sports Missions Network
   • Missional Business Network
   • Retreats for small, isolated mission teams
5. More focus will be upon work with national missionaries.
6. Passionate prayer initiatives for lostness will become a priority.
   • Awareness
   • Adoption of unengaged people groups
   • Prayerwalking
   • Virtual prayer emphasis
7. Networking will be the key for churches becoming mobilized. This is the major strategy of Missions Mobilization. These key networks engage at the four levels of prayer, personnel, resources, and advocacy.
   • Network Target areas:
     • Unreached people groups
     • Unengaged people groups
     • Missionary and/or missionary team
     • Unreached cities
   • Network Leadership Team for each connection:
     • Network leader
     • Prayer coordinator
     • Personnel coordinator
     • Resources coordinator
     • Advocacy coordinator
   • Network Covenants
8. Missions Mobilization will play a major role with potential networks and developing networks through:
   • Coaching
   • Vision journeys
   • Connection platforms
   • Conferences
   • Speakers