Author: Jeffrey Bush

Personal notes from the book Missions by Andy Johnson

1. Assess their Character 

Men that are self-starters, honest, spiritual and will get the work done. 

2. Assess their Fruitfulness 

Are they taking up space or producing fruit? If they are not producing fruit where they are at, they most likely will not produce fruit on the field where they go.

3. Assess their Bible Knowledge 

People who stand out in their knowledge of the Scriptures. They should both know for themselves what they believe and know how to teach the Scriptures to others so that it can be reproduced and lived out in the lives of others.

People that are not faithful and fruitful members of the church will not be good missionaries.

Evaluate the missionary that you’re going to support by making sure he is still logically sound, has a good work ethic, has the right understanding of the church and has character. Find out their goals and plans on their field.

Have you considered taking a missions trip this summer? North Africa, Thailand, Japan, China, Burkina Faso, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and India are just a few of the places Vision Baptist Missions offers trips to visit. Affordable prices, effective ministries and unforgettable experiences is just a taste of what you will see if you go on one of these missions trips. So let us give you a couple of reasons for why you should plan a missions trip this summer:

1. It will open your eyes. 

Get out of the normal routine of life and see that the world is much bigger and different than where you live.

2. It will give you a burden for those without Christ. 

Almost 95% of the world’s population live outside the borders of the United States. People are religious yet without Jesus Christ.

3. It will give you an appreciation for what God has given you. 

A church, a Bible, freedom to worship, a pastor who loves you, possibilities of hearing gospel preaching on the radio, online, and almost everywhere you turn, are just a few things that we take for granted living in the United States.

4. You will return as a changed person. 

You may not come back wanting to be a missionary, but you will return a different person.Seeing the need for laborers, understanding the missionary, an urgency of getting involved in your church and realizing the responsibility to get the gospel out are just a few of the changes someone has when they return from a mission strip.

So it’s time to make a decision. Plan your trip and watch how God changes your life. Check out our website to find a list of trips we offer. Prepare your youth group or church group to take a missions trip this summer. If we can help you, contact us at info@visionmissions.com

Here to Serve, 

Jeffrey Bush

Over the years, pastors or churches have told me they would like to send out missionaries from their church, forming a small mission board in their local church. This is certainly a worthy cause, but allow me to give you some things to consider before jumping in. Now, here are some practical thoughts: 

1. Have you counted the cost? It is a worthy goal to be able to send missionaries through your local church, but you have to consider if you can supply a secretary fully dedicated only to the missionaries needs. Receiving checks, sending receipts, allocating fund to their bank account or bills they may have, various paperwork, etc. Some churches can afford paying a secretary for the mission board, but not all can do so.

2. What experience do you offer? The financial side is very important to a mission agency, but it is not the most important. Yes, you need to make sure finances are above board to keep out of the crosshairs of the IRS, keep integrity with churches and efficiency for the missionaries, but that is the minimum a mission agency should provide. The best thing a mission agency can provide for missionaries is experience. Many colleges “train” missionaries from theory because they do not have anyone who has “been there, done that.” A mission agency should be able to know about cross-cultural adaptation, learning a language, how to plant a church, multiple churches, national-leader training and much more. Just as not every church should have a Christian school, college or daycare, not every church is prepared to have a mission agency either. Missionaries need a counselor to know how to live in a foreign environment, a guide to do ministry in a different culture and an encourager to keep going in a third culture ministry. Someone who has been there and came out affectively on the other side without quitting can understand and help the missionaries better than someone who has a heart but not an understanding of what missionaries are going through. So, personal experience in the area of missions is of utmost importance to having a mission agency. 

3. What accountability is set in place? A pastor has his plate full with preaching, visiting, planning, supervising and loving his flock. He likely does not have time to keep up with the missionaries while balancing the ministries on the home front. Someone needs to keep the missionaries accountable in areas such as their marriage, personal struggles, finances, and miscellaneous areas of their life. I’m not talking about controlling, rather helping them to stay accountable by contacting them, visiting them and staying in regular communication with them. 

So, there are a few things to consider. I also have tried placing important subjects and tools on my website as well (www.missions.tips) if any of it can be of help.

Here to Serve, 

Jeffrey Bush