Philosophy of Missions

Introduction

The responsibility of the church is the Great Commission and the goal of the Great Commission is the glory of God. Throughout Scripture we see that the mission of God always involves “sending.” This continues today and will continue until Christ returns. Global mission begins in and through the local church. This document lays out Doxa’s understanding and application of biblical missions by defining terms and explaining our motive, vision, strategy, partnerships, and priorities.

1. Defining Terms

Mission: The word ‘mission’ comes from the Latin verb missio, which means ‘to send.’ The church is sent by God to glorify Him by making disciples. This is accomplished by the church through intentional proclamation and demonstration of the  gospel.

Missions: Specifically refers to fulfilling the mission of the church on a global scale by crossing geographic, cultural, and linguistic barriers. The responsibility of the church is the Great Commission and the goal of the Great Commission is the glory of God in making disciples of all nations (ethnos).

Proclamation Ministries: Prioritizing biblical preaching and teaching. This is our primary objective in fulfilling the Great Commission and precedes all other types of mission work.

Mercy Ministries (Demonstration): Services and outreach that seek to meet physical needs of individuals, churches, and/or communities. This is the outflow of our faith in Christ, and fulfillment of the second half of the Great Commandment.

People Group: An ethno-linguistic group with a common self-identity that is shared by the various members. For strategic purposes it is the largest group within which the Gospel can spread without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance.

Unreached People Group (UPG): a people group which lacks a community of Christians able to evangelize without outside help. Categorically, it is a people group with less than 2% of the population identifying as Christian.

Unengaged Unreached People Group (UUPG): an unreached people group without any known church planting activity underway.

2. Motive: The "Why" of Missions

Worship: The ultimate goal of missions is to glorify God by making Him known among the nation. Missions is also the genuine response of those  reconciled to God. To know Christ, is to make Him known.

Love: Jesus reinforced the first and great commandment as taught throughout all Scripture, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He continued to explain that loving Him means loving others, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Missions is first and foremost an act of worship and love for our Lord and Redeemer demonstrated in love and compassion towards others.

Obedience: Additionally, Jesus commanded His church to proclaim His gospel and make disciples of all nations. We agree with Hudson Taylor who stated, “The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” Therefore, in response to God’s plan throughout the Scriptures, Doxa seeks to glorify God by mobilizing people and resources within our local church to make disciples of every nation.

3. Vision: The "What" of Missions

Considering the motive behind missions, we must understand what we are sent out to accomplish. We seek to glorify God by making disciples of all nations. A disciple is someone who has been born again, evidenced by repentance and faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, commissioned unto good works, and called to a process of progressive sanctification into the image of Christ from one degree of glory to the next. 

The Goal: establish disciple-making local churches committed to baptizing and teaching.

4. PROXIMITY: THE “WHERE” OF MISSIONS

Acts 1:8 does not teach that we must first reach our hometown, then our state, then our country and then eventually consider the rest of the world. The basic principle found in this introductory overview of the book of Acts simply shows that the gospel spreads from where it is to where it is not. Additionally, the small Greek word used in this passage “τε” is often translated as “both,” indicating that local and global missions should occur simultaneously. As a church, we should actively seek to fulfill the Great Commission at home and abroad.

5. Strategies: The "How" of Missions

Following the general model of missions described  in the New Testament, we believe that there are at least five ways in which we can contribute to global missions.

1. Church Planting (Sending)
2. Leader Training (Coaching)
3. Partnership (Serving):  Come alongside and under the authority of local church leaders to strengthen their ministry.
4. Shepherding (Member Care)
5. Supporting (Resources)

6. Partnerships: The “Who” of Missions

With the conviction that global missions advances in and through local churches, we prioritize recruiting, equipping, and mobilizing members of our own congregation as well as endeavor to build strong relationships with other like-minded churches both locally and internationally. We partner with parachurch organizations in so much as they truly function under the authority of local churches and come alongside them as a support in fulfilling the Great Commission. Every member of the church should be involved in at least one of five key components to active engagement in missions:

1. Pray
2. Give
3. Mobilize
4. Go
5. Welcome

Pray: Individual and corporate prayer are essential in recruiting, equipping and mobilizing gospel workers. Creating awareness and opportunities for prayer is a priority for the Doxa. 

Welcome: The Greek word for hospitality (φιλόξενος) literally means “love of stranger,” and is required of God’s people throughout Scripture. Church members must take the initiative. 

Go: Short-term mission trips provide the opportunity for members to experience life on the mission field as well as build meaningful relationships with ministry partners abroad. Long-term missions requires a greater commitment from the individuals going as well as the local church, but is necessary for healthy multiplication.

Mobilize: Creating a culture of missions within the church and providing opportunities to train, support, and send missionaries to the field.

Give: The biblical model for local and international mission involves sacrificial giving. This includes financial and other material resources.