Churches encouraged to awaken their hearts for missions to see gospel growth

Churches can affect the world missionally and engage the culture while doing so, but it requires being actively engaged in mission, said Clinton Lowin, associate director of Texas Baptists’ Center for Missional Engagement and director of the Missionary Adoption Program. 

In a Monday afternoon session titled “Awakening the Church’s Heart: Igniting Mission Through Six Transformative Ps,” Lowin both provided ideas for congregations and introduced some current mission work that shows the power of missional churches.

Defining missional engagement as both demonstrating the gospel through actions and sharing the gospel through evangelism, Lowin shared the following six considerations:

• Pain: Cultivating a love for our neighbors that compels us to reach out.
• Passion: Recognizing God’s investment in the church, such as any unique talents that can be tapped for mission work, like medical or financial professionals.
• Product: Executing tangible gospel actions – how churches can create not just a seed but an orchard.
• Partnership: Fostering collaborative efforts to serve with other like-minded churches, perhaps even in the same city.
• Parenting: Launching new missional endeavors together with the goal to wean them to be self-supportive.
• Prayer: Grounding all actions in God’s guidance.

Lowin then introduced several individuals already involved in this missional church effort and how that has impacted both the churches and the mission field they serve. Greg Breedlove, pastor at First Baptist Church in San Angelo, spoke of his church’s longtime involvement in missions in Peru, working in partnership with Missionary Larry Johnson. He said, while putting together a team to serve may seem daunting, “God has put it together for us.”

Carlos Valenzuela, a retired postal carrier from San Angelo, shared about how he volunteered in Peru through FBC San Angelo for several years, then felt called at age 70 to go live in the South American nation permanently. He has done so for 18 years, serving as a translator, a missionary evangelist and host to medical mission teams and others.

“If you’re getting up in age and think God’s through with you, think again. Your best days can be ahead of you,” Valenzuela said.

John Hall, chief mission officer with Texans on Mission, then spoke about the organization’s broad impact and how church volunteers have fueled that by working in both disaster relief and other efforts. He spoke of how Texans on Mission have drilled 90 water wells a year in Uganda, starting Bible studies led by locals with each well. Of those, he said 92 have grown into self-sustaining churches. Drilling has begun in Peru as well, but more volunteers are needed.

“We want a consistent Christian presence on the ground 24/7, 365 days a year. We follow the GC2 model as well,” Hall said, issuing a challenge to pastors to set up a mission trip. “We will set up all the details and arrange a consistent stream of ministry so Texans can multiply what is happening in the world. How can your church, with a minimal commitment, make a monstrous impact?”

Stephen Sojourner* spoke about mission work in West Asia, where he splits his time with Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) work in Dallas. He said the gospel is changing lives, as more Muslims in the country have turned to Christ in the past 25 years, despite being one of the largest unreached people groups. Prayer-walking in particular has been effective, even without outright evangelism.

The group also heard from Alex, a Peruvian believer impacted by the work being done there who now feels called to serve Christ in his own country and multiply that impact.

Lowin said the Center for Missional Engagement is partnering with global entities that are already doing good work and coming alongside them. This includes working with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and training national leaders to multiply the work.

“Our mission is to engage our churches in corporate missions through strategic opportunities in Texas and around the world without duplicating the role of traditional mission-sending agencies. We anticipate the end result of more partnerships, more reach and leveraging resources together,” said Lowin. “We also want to form church-to-church partnerships around the world similar to sister cities. We also want it to look like short- and long-term missions. Be willing to release your people to a long-term impact. Trips are a way to awaken the imagination.”

*Name has been changed due to the sensitive area of ministry.