Equipping the Church for Global Impact
Written by Pieter Potgieter
06/11/2025
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)
Throughout the centuries, the Church has played a vital role in equipping, supporting, and caring for missionaries. Through prayer, financial assistance, and spiritual encouragement, the Church has remained a carrier of the missionary calling. Yet, the question remains: Does the Church today still carry the same passion and commitment for missions as before?
Many congregations now focus primarily on internal ministries. Meanwhile, the outward vision — to be part of God’s greater mission — has often faded.
Has the Church become lukewarm in her calling and function? Are we still passionately involved in advancing God’s Kingdom, or have we become comfortable within our own structures?
This guide, The Church Equip4Mission, is written as a practical tool to help Churches and ministries expand their reach — from a local focus to a global impact. It is an invitation to rediscover what it means to be part of Jesus’ Great Commission, and to boldly declare once again: “Here we are, Lord — send us!”
Practical Suggestions: How the Church and Believers Can Engage with Mission Organisations
Aligned with the vision of INcontext International
- Mobilise Your Church Through Awareness
Before a congregation can actively engage in missions, there must first be awareness — an understanding of the need, the calling, and the opportunities within the global mission field. When members understand why missions matter and how they can participate, natural involvement follows.
Practical Steps:
- Start with prayer and teaching.
Use INcontext International’s resources, newsletters, and global insights to show the congregation how God is working worldwide. Incorporate global prayer themes and mission teachings in Sunday services, small groups, and Bible studies. - Host a mission’s seminar or special event.
Invite INcontext International to present a mission’s seminar or interactive session for your church or small groups, focusing on strategic global engagement and partnership. - Share testimonies and mission stories.
Personal stories from missionaries or believers involved in global missions bring reality to life and stir hearts. Testimonies connect vision with personal experience. - Create a regular missions prayer focus.
Incorporate global mission topics in church prayer meetings. Focus monthly on a specific country, organisation, or missionary. Use INcontext’s global updates to pray for real-time issues and breakthroughs.
- Create Opportunities for Involvement
Mission engagement must go beyond theory — it requires practical participation. By creating opportunities for exposure, action, and partnership, church members are transformed from spectators into participants in God’s mission.
Practical Steps:
- Organise exposure trips.
Inform the congregation about available short-term trips offered by INcontext International or other reliable mission partners. These trips help believers experience the mission field first-hand and develop a deeper understanding of God’s work globally. - Encourage continued involvement after trips.
An exposure trip should mark the beginning of ongoing engagement. Encourage participants to continue supporting missionaries, praying for the nations, or joining future initiatives. - Plan annual mission trips or partnerships.
Establish a yearly mission focus in the church calendar. Build a long-term partnership with a specific organisation or project that the congregation supports and visits regularly, fostering lasting relationships. - Identify skills within the congregation.
Every member has unique gifts and abilities that can be used in missions — from teaching and logistics to healthcare or administration. Create a skills database and explore practical ways these talents can serve in mission contexts. - Support financially and strategically.
Missions are sustained not only by going but also by giving. INcontext International currently supports over 55 missionaries and organisations worldwide through donors. Churches can partner by contributing financially or adopting specific initiatives. - Adopt a missionary or project.
Choose a missionary, nation, or project as the church’s dedicated focus. Pray consistently, maintain regular contact, and offer both spiritual and practical support. - Share updates regularly.
Dedicate brief moments during Sunday services or gatherings to provide updates on supported projects and missionaries. Use INcontext’s global news and reports to keep the congregation informed and inspired. - Be active, not passive.
INcontext International emphasises that believers are not called to be passive observers but active participants in fulfilling the Great Commission. Every believer and every church has a vital role to play.
- Establish a Structure for the Church’s Mission Vision
To ensure sustainability and effectiveness, churches need a clear structure for missions — one that maintains focus, accountability, and momentum. Missions should not be a project but a core part of the church’s identity.
Practical Steps:
- Form a Missions Committee or Leadership Team.
Appoint a small, dedicated group that meets regularly to monitor global trends, identify new opportunities, and plan the church’s next steps. This team serves as the key link between the congregation and mission partners such as INcontext International. - Host an Annual Mission Strategy Session.
At least once a year, gather the congregation to reflect on the past year’s activities and pray about future involvement. This keeps the church aligned in vision and purpose. - Invest in training and equipping.
Invite INcontext International to present workshops and training sessions on practical mission topics such as cultural intelligence, global discipleship, and strategic engagement. - Create a Missions Partner Portfolio.
Display a “Missions Wall” in the church foyer or an online space featuring photos, reports, and prayer updates of supported missionaries and partners. This keeps the mission focus visible and alive. - Integrate and follow up on experiences.
After every mission trip or project, hold a debriefing session to share lessons learned and testimonies. Use these reflections to inspire the congregation and shape future mission plans. The goal is transformation, not just activity.
- Key Thinking and Theological Foundations
For a mission ministry to remain healthy and enduring, it must be grounded in solid biblical and theological truth. Missions are not simply a human initiative — they flow from the very heart of God.
Core Principles:
- Remember the biblical foundation. Jesus Christ Himself gave the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). Missions are not optional; they define the Church’s purpose. INcontext International stresses the need for the Church to actively engage and interpret the world through God’s mission.
- See missions as participation in God’s plan.
Missions are not about human effort but about joining what God is already doing. The Church is invited to partner with Him in His redemptive plan for the nations. - Be sensitive and humble.
Global missions require humility, listening, and cultural sensitivity. As we engage across cultures, we must be ready to learn, show respect, and build relationships rooted in love and service. - Unite local church and global mission.
The local church and global mission are not separate — the local church is the mission. Every church is called to be a light in its community while also participating in God’s global work.
- Example: A 12-Month Roadmap for the Church
Below is a simple 12-month roadmap to guide churches in practical partnership with INcontext International and in building a mission culture step by step.
Months 1–2: Build Awareness
- Host a missions awareness event using INcontext International’s resources and materials.
- Establish a missions committee or leadership team.
- Communicate the church’s mission vision and goals clearly to the congregation.
Months 3–4: Grow in Knowledge and Prayer
- Launch a small-group study focused on global missions, selecting a specific region or nation.
- Identify two or three mission partners or organisations to support.
- Begin a monthly prayer focus for these partners and the regions they serve.
Months 5–6: Discover and Equip
- Host a workshop for members interested in deeper involvement.
- Identify gifts, skills, and interests within the church that can contribute to missions.
- Build a database of potential team members or supporters.
Months 7–8: Create Experiences and Partnerships
- Plan an exposure trip in partnership with INcontext International.
- Begin fundraising and prayer campaigns for the team.
- Work only with trusted partners who manage field relationships responsibly.
- After the trip, share testimonies and insights with the congregation to strengthen vision.
Months 9–12: Reflect, Learn, and Plan Ahead
- Review the trip or project: what went well, what could improve, and what spiritual growth took place.
- Integrate lessons and stories from the mission experience into services, small groups, and future training.
- Start preparing early for the next year’s mission focus and activities.
This roadmap is not a fixed formula but a living process — a guide that helps churches take steady, intentional steps towards active participation in God’s global mission.
With INcontext International as a trusted partner and resource, every church can rediscover its calling to equip, send, and impact the nations for the glory of God.
For more information or to become involved, contact pieter@incontextinternational.org
