The centrality of the local church in God's purposes is too often eclipsed by our skewed cultural values of independence and resistance to vulnerability to others. The Bible makes it clear that the local church is God's agent for His work in the world - not just for missions, but for local ministry to each of us and through each of us to our community. The New Testament repudiates a "Lone Ranger" mentality. Churches may come in all kinds of forms and sizes; healthy biblical churches are absolute...
Apr 30, 2021•15 min•Ep. 40
This series has highlighted 13 Keys to Effectiveness as a Missionary. Every one of them could also be applied to our local church and to ourselves in our spiritual life. This wrap-up episode gives two other simple concepts for evaluation of missionary candidates, in particular: a battery of straightforward questions, and what Propempo calls the "Six C-s". The over-arching concept of all of this is that the local church has a vital, biblical role in raising up, developing, evaluating, sending, an...
Apr 23, 2021•14 min•Ep. 39
We've touched on the importance of the missionary knowing the Word and of demonstrating the authority of the Word. This key deals with the practice of teaching the Bible as the central message and source of teaching and training in the missionary's ministry. References to the content and teaching of God's Word should naturally ooze out of the missionary from informal settings and conversations to formal meetings and teaching. God uses the Word to save and to transform lives. No other book has th...
Apr 16, 2021•14 min•Ep. 38
Frightening attrition of missionaries permanently coming off the field highlight this key to effectiveness: stay on the field! Life on the mission field is tough. Longevity and staying power are key to fruitfulness. There are ways we can help enable this key, through doing our part as sending and through encouraging our missionaries to do their part to trust God through the suffering and challenges to be durable, have the stamina it takes for the long haul. Propempo helps senders, churches, and ...
Apr 09, 2021•15 min•Ep. 37
Praying in times of crisis comes naturally. Making prayer a priority in normal daily life does not. The most effective missionaries make prayer for the work in all its aspects a clear practice and priority. Studies show the most effective church planters commit 30 minutes per day to pray for the people and the work of the ministry. It is taught, modeled, encouraged, and commanded in Scripture. Why isn't the priority of prayer more evident in our missionaries and in our own churches? Prayer shows...
Apr 02, 2021•12 min•Ep. 36
This series gives emphasis to the importance of the Bible in missions ministry in three of the keys to effectiveness. The first deals with basic Bible knowledge and the ability to know and find answers from the Bible. This one deals with applying the Bible to practical life, ministry, church, culture, and personal roles and issues on the field. The third will come soon, that is the priority to teaching the Bible as our primary sourcebook. The missionary needs to model and teach that the Bible is...
Mar 26, 2021•14 min•Ep. 35
This key is subtle because missionaries tend to make a lot of assumptions based on their own culture and experience or even a mandate of authorities over them which also make assumptions. If the missionary is going to be effective into the second and third generation of followers, he must be sensitive to adapting to methodologies that are accepted, embraced, and practiced in the local (target) culture. Our highly Western and technology-driven life here tends not to be reproducible there. Choices...
Mar 19, 2021•12 min•Ep. 34
Most missionaries and individual churches and Christians, in fact, understand the practicality of having simple priorities day-to-day and clear biblical goals. Few, however, see beyond the first major milestone to see the bigger picture. Committing to the really long-term view of 10-30 years can be transforming to choices made early in the start of a ministry. In fact, it is a key to effectiveness. Doing things right now that facilitate the reproducibility of the ministry into the second and thi...
Mar 12, 2021•15 min•Ep. 33
This is one of my favorite topics, partly because it is so rarely discussed. It is often assumed and not understood. It is also incredibly practical even in our stateside churches. Indigenous churches are the goal. They don't get that way without giving attention to indigenous principles from the very beginning. It changes the way the missionary acts and thinks as the church develops. Valuing indigeneity can be dangerous! But it is absolutely worth it. Access the episode transcript page....
Mar 05, 2021•15 min•Ep. 32
Believe it or not, missionaries all too often don't have this assumed key to effectiveness in their toolbox. It's not enough to have a passion for missionary ministry! Even sincere candidates (and missionaries on the field!) have such a simplistic understanding of the Gospel and of the Bible that they freeze up if called on to explain the storyline of the Bible or find a reference in one of the Minor Prophets. Having a good grasp of Bible content, the interpretation of Scripture, contexts, bibli...
Feb 26, 2021•14 min•Ep. 31
Sound understanding of biblical theology and the discerning ability to accurately apply it to life, even amidst a foreign culture, is a key to missionary effectiveness. It's too easy for the greenhorn missionary to be judgmental of cultural practices and features based on their home culture or personal preferences. Discerning theological structure provides the biblical framework for teaching God's truth for new believers. The oppressive religious practices, from major world religions, to animism...
Feb 19, 2021•14 min•Ep. 30
Who would have guessed that learning the target language and culture was so important, so time-consuming, so rewarding? Commit to giving the time and effort to learn the language and culture well, for you are dealing with intangible truths that affect your audience's eternal destiny. It is truly one of the most basic, and most dismissed keys to effectiveness. Don't be among those who minimize the importance of language and culture to the long-term detriment of the ministry. Access the episode tr...
Feb 12, 2021•14 min•Ep. 29
It's extremely challenging, as a missionary, to maintain and focus on a few simple priorities. The challenges of cross-cultural living, an environment lacking in comforts and conveniences, even the standard utilities, of "home." Missionaries can get side-tracked by well-meaning urgencies, self-focus, self-family-focus, trendy strategies, and striving to accrue statistics. All these blunt and misdirect the sharp focus of achieving that clear biblical vision. Learning how to keep simple priorities...
Feb 05, 2021•14 min•Ep. 28
Second in our series of Keys to Effectiveness. The concept here actually can be applied to Missionaries, to local churches, to pastoral leaders, and to individual Christians. Asking a missionary candidate or missionary to express a singular, distilled vision for the preferred outcome of their long-term ministry just might be one of the best things you could do to help them focus and to help you evaluate the ministry (or potential ministry). Ask yourself the question, "Do I have a clear biblical ...
Jan 29, 2021•17 min•Ep. 27
Since we understand the centrality of the local church, effective missionaries must have an experiential, functional, and informed understanding of practical ecclesiology. Lacking ecclesiology is a source of many woeful shortcomings on the field. This episode will also specify a list of assumptions of Christian life and character essential to beginning to build effectiveness. May God use this for His glory in effective missionaries, effective sending churches, and effective sending saints. Acces...
Jan 22, 2021•15 min•Ep. 26
How can you tell if a missionary candidate is prepared for effectiveness on the field? How can you evaluate a field missionary? What are the most important markers of effectiveness? Propempo submits this series to help the discussion. 13 keys will be examined, one each week. We'll try to define each one, show which shortcoming each may address, and suggest some remedies to build the qualities that are the keys. Our goal is to avoid preventable attrition and prepare effective field missionaries f...
Jan 15, 2021•12 min•Ep. 25
We'll use the Arlington Statement on Bible Translation to highlight some contemporary problem issues with translation and the corrective principles. We also want to urge sound churches to consider making Bible translation a priority by praying, recruiting, and sending qualified Bible translators to the harvest fields. May it be so for God's glory! Access the episode transcript page....
Jan 09, 2021•14 min•Ep. 24
We can talk about pioneering missions ministry. Yet, an essential element that is often neglected is the priority of Bible translation. No Bible, no ministry! We need to affirm the importance of sound Bible translation by sending our best and brightest to become translators and translation consultants. It is difficult, long-term, and essential to indigenous church planting. Access the episode transcript page....
Jan 02, 2021•15 min•Ep. 23
Christmas is a special time for missionaries on the field. The meaning of Christmas is one of the main reasons they are there! It can be very different on the field than the celebrations and traditions from back home. It can be lonely and even depressing. But it holds a wonderful opportunity to share Christ and the Gospel through the Incarnation. Missionaries may have to be subtle or creative in their personal celebrations. You can help with that. Access the episode transcript page....
Dec 25, 2020•11 min•Ep. 22
Clarifying and balancing "preventable attrition" with the sovereignty of God. Who gets to go on a missionary care field visit? What are the keys for the role he/she/they play? What is the outline of what you need to talk about with your missionary in your pastoral/counselor shepherding care? These critical factors can make or break your effectiveness in field visits. Access the episode transcript page....
Dec 18, 2020•15 min•Ep. 21
In this second of three parts, we'll take a deeper look at the "Barnabas Team" concept. We'll dive a bit into nine of ten categories the Barnabas Team is responsible for with respect to the church's shepherding care of their missionaries. The tenth category we'll deal with in part 3 of this series. Access the episode transcript page.
Dec 11, 2020•16 min•Ep. 20
It is of utmost priority that your whole congregation understand and accept responsibility for caring for your supported and sent missionaries. It makes so much difference to your church's ownership of the missionary task as well as the effectiveness and longevity of your missionaries in their respective fields of service. This first of three in the series, explains some of the concepts to help you implement grassroots missionary care in your congregation. Access the episode transcript page....
Dec 04, 2020•15 min•Ep. 19
It's incredible how few churches actually think about how Short Term Missions fits into the bigger missions vision for the church. Often we are pushed and pulled by the glittering promises of whatever promotion is thrown our way. Better to have thought through the key elements of a comprehensive strategy that will guide and help us be effective in the long view. Better to selectively choose few and best, rather than more and worst! Access the episode transcript page....
Nov 27, 2020•15 min•Ep. 18
The first "Win" of our "Win-Win-Win" philosophy is the incredible opportunity your church has to pour intense discipleship into your STM participants. This could be life-changing for your STM Team! This episode outlines 12 key elements of discipleship for your STM Team. Sound foundations, structure, and practical aspects will help your STM ministry be a solid contribution to the church and the lives you impact for the Lord. Access the episode transcript page....
Nov 20, 2020•14 min•Ep. 17
Short Term Missions (STM) can be as confusing a standing in the middle of the broadway at a carnival or county fair. There are opportunities and conflicting visions and philosophy all around you. How can you and your church zero in on the BEST pathway for STM for your people? How can you select and design the most effective opportunities? Listen to this and the next two in this series on STM. Access the episode transcript page....
Nov 13, 2020•15 min•Ep. 16
The Pastor has to overcome deficits in missions leadership. But God has placed you there to come alongside in genuine, caring, thoughtful enablement. Here are ten ideas that will guide and direct your attention to the right things done in the right ways. Your Pastor needs your help to be all that he can and should be as the leader of missions in your church. Access the episode transcript page. Donate to help Propempo's Podcast...
Nov 06, 2020•13 min•Ep. 15
Part 3 of 4 - Please listen to the entire series! We've seen the necessity and the obstructions, now we talk about the practice of effective pastoral leadership. These 10 keys will help you, as a pastor, be faithful and fruitful in your role. Simple, practical, effective leadership of missions ministry does not have to be burdensome. It can be a joyful discovery of all God has for you and your church. Access the episode transcript page. Donate to help Propempo's Podcast...
Oct 30, 2020•16 min•Ep. 14
Pastoral ministry is tough! There is so much to do, so many voices to appease, so many areas of ministry that it doesn't seem like there is enough space for missions in the pastor's agenda. Add to that the fact that there is a vacuum of training and preparation to do this. This episode helps us understand the obstructions so that we can win the battle with a clearer vision. Access the episode transcript page. Donate to help Propempo's Podcast...
Oct 23, 2020•15 min•Ep. 13
If the local church is the key to missions, the pastor is the key to the church. Not only does Scripture indicate the priority of missions ministry for God's glory to all nations, it also gives solid footing to view the pastor's role in leadership of missions as a necessity for accomplishing that Great Commission goal. Listen to 10 reasons to embrace in the necessity of pastoral leadership. Access the episode transcript page. Donate to help Propempo's Podcast...
Oct 16, 2020•14 min•Ep. 12
This episode describes the essential elements of a good biblical definition of missions and explains what each means. We will offer a solid model of a biblical definition of missions for your church which cuts through the fog and gets to the point. Access the episode transcript page. Donate to help Propempo's Podcast...
Oct 09, 2020•15 min•Ep. 11
