2021 Missions Activities
Data overview of missions organization activities.
As we look back over historical data (for example, on page 58 of the Mission Handbook, 22nd edition) we can see a significant decline and change in activities surrounding evangelism/discipleship/church planting from North American agencies. Until 2005, 70% of the organizations that participated in this type of data gathering were primarily focused on evangelism and discipleship. As the 2000’s progressed, that percentage decreased as more organizations became focused on another three areas: education & training, agency support and relief & development. In 2016 with a larger data set, the number of organizations primarily focused on evangelism/discipleship/church planting had shrunk to 44%. Of the 367 agencies taking part this year, 35% have a primary focus in this area.
Many organizations over the years have diversified their activities. Fields that were once unreached now have thriving church communities, so organizations changed their focus to equipping, training and resourcing national movements around the world. Holistic efforts to provide necessary community development projects to complement the spread of the gospel has also led many ministry programs and organizations to adapt. We see this most clearly in the fact that the number one activity that most agencies participate in is leadership development, followed by disciple making movements and missionary worker training. Equipping and discipling of new generations of missionaries from outside the North American context to serve globally has become a primary initiative.
The role of the North American mission enterprise will continue to change as the church around the world continues to grow its capacity to participate in global missions. We must endeavor to continue to send out those called and seek new means of global partnership to see the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.
Responses