January 01, 1994 by Dave Imboden

A Cloud the Size of a Man's Hand?

Could a significant increase in the number of mission-active and frontier-mission oriented churches as well as a corresponding increase of prayer, finances and personnel be on its way? Read on and see what good things have been developing behind the scenes this past year and what looks like the beginning of a fresh wave of cross-pollination and cooperation within the mission mobilization industry.

In August 1992, a small team of mission mobilizers came together at a Pre-Consultation meeting of the AD2000 and Beyond Movement in Phoenix, Arizona. The outcome was the formation of the Mission Mobilization Resource Network (MMRN) of the AD2000 movement in the U.S. The initial beginning of this team came from the invitation of Luis Bush, AD2000's International Director. Both ACMC and the U.S. Center for World Mission were invited to provide co-coordinators for the proposed track. Larry Walker, Southwest Regional Director for ACMC as well as Dave Imboden, Regional Offices Coordinator for the USCWM, were loaned by their respective ministries to coordinate the track.

A Brief History

In addition to Larry and Dave, the initial gathering in Phoenix included Dave Dougherty, Director of Public Ministries/OMF, Bruce Camp, Church Missions Consultant for the Evangelical Free Church denomination; Brad Cronbaugh/Perspectives Office; John Hardin, Caleb Resources; and Phil Bogosian, Chairman of Mobilization Division, USCWM. Since the initial meeting others have been held in Pasadena, Minneapolis, and Colorado Springs, with the next one scheduled for Wheaton, Illinois next April.

Purpose, Goals and Direction

The following is the purpose statement drawn up at the Pre- Consultation:

The purpose of the Mission Mobilization Track of the U.S. AD 2000 and Beyond Movement is to increase the vision and involvement of U.S. churches in world evangelization to contribute to the objective of "A Church for Every People and the Gospel for Every Person by the Year 2000"

Strategies and goals initially formulated during the Pre-Consulta- tion were:

Goals:

To assist each AD2000 congregation in meeting the following minimum criteria with a special emphasis on unreached peoples:

1. 10% of the membership involved in weekly specific prayer for world evangelization
2. 10 % of the budget devoted to cross-cultural missionary outreach
3. 1% of the adult membership involved in (or preparing for) vocational cross-cultural missionary service.

Strategies

1. Development of a nationwide network of professional mobilizers committed to cooperation and coordination in the development of strategies, programs, philosophies and tools (mobilizers, agencies & churches)
2. Development of a nationwide list of models for metropolitan networks/ fellowships committed to missions mobilization; encouraging, equipping, facilitating the development of additional networks/fellowships in major metro areas.
3. Development of models and of a database of professional mission mobilizers
4. Development and distribution of a catalog of key missions resources and ministries.
5. Development of professional standards and a training program for recognizing professional mobilizers (denomination, agency representatives and mobilization organizations).

Further Developments

Since the creation of this initial document, follow-up meetings have resulted in the following plans and developments:

    Pursuit of an agency that would facilitate "focus groups" to help the mission industry better understand its audience (churches) and increase its ability to mobilize them toward world evangelization.
    Ongoing discussion of Adopt- A-People as a significant strategy for mobilizing churches toward world evangelization
    Gathering CEOs of key mission agencies together with key church leaders to interact on topics such as missionary training, sending etc..

A Unique Consultation

Of all that's consultation to be held in Denver Colorado next June, directly before the ACMC national conference. All professional mission mobilizers as well as those desiring training and recognition in this industry are welcome. Greater details can be found on the next page.

In Closing...

Time will tell how much this new networking effort will accomplish yet one thing is certain, it is well worth watching, supporting and praying for.