Missions: The Preparation
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“Faith that God is at work in this way causes us to prepare”
A church should be a factory, not a warehouse. Warehouses are successful if they are big and organized and the things that go in stay for a while then come out nice, safe, and unchanged. Factories in contrast are successful if they build something—if the materials that enter in are processed into something new and useful. A church’s structure and culture should match Ephesians 4:1-16, which describes the local church structure as an assembly line. In the church factory, it should bring a believer from immaturity to maturity and functionality. At MBT, we want to make disciples of Christ and leaders in the church. Our assembly line includes what we call mission prep. Mission Prep is both a culture of anticipation and a deliberate process of preparation.
We have a culture of anticipation at MBT. This encourages members to prepare for something yet to come. A quick look at Hebrews 11 reveals that faith is the evidence of things not seen. In other words, faith believes without seeing. That is what Abraham did as he left his home for an unknown destination. And Noah…being warned of God of things not seen yet and his response was moved with fear by preparing an ark to the saving of his house. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. It goes on and on.
Faithful men and women about whom God himself brags in the Hero’s Hall of Faith are those who believed God was at work and anticipated God’s future plans for them or their families. We anticipate God working in and through the structure of MBT and LFBI to win souls, train leaders, and send them out to make disciples as missionaries or church planters. Faith that God is at work in this way causes us to prepare. We can look down the assembly line and see trained leaders being sent out—this is a great encouragement to prepare. It makes no sense to be a part of MBT and not be preparing for what God is doing. We know the mission God has given us; we do not know when or to what we might or might not get called to though. The tension between the known mission (God’s will) and the unknown missionary calling (God’s plan) creates anticipation which makes this ministry exciting and mission prep a mentality as well as a process. Obviously, not all will go elsewhere, but some will, and those that stay need to be trained too.
“Our entire church structure is set up for you to get equipped to take part in the mission God gave us”
Whether we are training or being trained (you should do both), we are preparing for God’s plan by buying into his will. Will God call you? Better train up your replacement just in case. Will God send your disciple? Better get him or her trained up to do something when he/she is sent. A culture of mission prep is a culture of faithful anticipation and action.
The process of mission prep is both general and specific. Any member serving in ministry and working through the discipleship/LFBI axis is both doing and being trained in ministry and the word of God. All of our ministries should be training leaders. This is general and applies to all of us. Our entire church structure is set up for you to get equipped to take part in the mission God gave us. Keep moving forward in discipleship, LFBI, and ministry and you will end up getting equipped.
There is also a more focused mission prep group that meets for monthly dinners during which those with a specific calling or a burden meet as a group to prepare to be sent off. Sometimes we call this the chute—as if we spew you out to the field after a trip down the tube. I like it! Actually, sometimes it functions as a filter to let members know that the time is not right, but for many, it has been a chute to the field. The Templetons, Scheidt’s, Reneaus, Miyoko, Toti’s, Merritts, Brooke Sidebottom, and Mckelveys all took part in the mission prep dinners before being sent off to make disciples/plant churches. The presence of this group should not diminish the culture of anticipation as if the mission prep group were some sort of specialists and the only ones that needed to prepare. It is nice however for those with a location and timeline to have a deliberate preparation and a focused band of brothers and sisters to support them, as well as pastors and missionaries to guide and direct them through this process. Talk to your ministry leader if you think you need to be part of the mission prep dinners. We’d love to have you.
“...let’s go walking down the line”
I really like Sean Hayes’ version of a Bob Dylan song called “Walkin down the Line.” I think that song is about a homeless guy walking down the railroad tracks because he has “a heavy-headed gal and she ain’t doing well” and he has no money and has a worrying mind. But that is not really the point. The point is that I think about this guy who says he has his shoes and what else could a poor boy do? So, he’s walking down the line. And really, we are not at home in this world. We are indeed homeless. And we have a line, not a railroad track, but an assembly line to go down. What else is there for us to do? So, let’s go walking down the line and see where it leads!
On behalf of MBT’s mission team, I invite you to come to take part in the culture and processes of mission prep, and let’s be a factory, not a warehouse!
Chris Best is the Missions pastor at Midtown Baptist Temple. He serves alongside his wife, Cristine, in their Sunday Fellowship Living Well, and is the father of five.