Collaboration in Mobilization
By Mark Stebbins
“…I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God….” II Tim 1:6
Why Collaborate?
The scriptures trumpet the heart of God to rally His people to be on the move for Him, for His larger purposes, and for His greater joy and glory. The taking of the promised land, the building and re-building of the temple and wall of Jerusalem, and the Great Commission inflame our hearts into a burning longing to be used collectively in God’s redemptive drama.
God uses larger causes to call us out of too small a thing for Him. Collaboration in mobilization innovation is just such a cause—a big, holy, audacious, goal that no one of us—no single part of His body—could accomplish. It is big enough to call for and compel our collaboration!
The world is waiting for the Gospel. The next generation of goers is watching. How might we spectacularly inspire messengers to take up the torch of missions? We corporately need fresh, breathtaking campaigns of promise and unified resolve to launch fresh hope and chart bold rescue from North America to the doorsteps of the unengaged at the farthest reaches of the earth.
Why now?
As we watch the demise of western civilization, it seems the church is increasingly victim to worldly influence and that a window for our strong contribution to the nations may not remain open for long. Might God be calling us (the North American church) to a final push into the nations before our influence, resources, and zeal significantly wane?
In my role as mobilization Mission Advisor with The Missio Nexus, I have been networking with mission agencies, denominations, and mission specialists to listen and learn what God is putting on our hearts. A clear pattern emerges that those in mission mobilization have a deep desire to connect relationally, share resources and ideas, and to explore collaboration.
There is a compelling cry to concretely raise the tide for North American missions mobilization and to create a new wave of collaborative missions sending. Many other workers in the mobilization arena have likewise affirmed that we are ready for “such a time as this.”
Why us?
The North American missions’ community is well-positioned to implement mobilization collaboration. Connection and integration begin with conversation. God-led consensus and agreement must lead the way. Ideas are birthed by God when his people begin talking strategy for what’s on His heart.
Hammering out concrete details for collaborative enthusiasm and dreams gives a necessary reality check. Specifically identifying who will serve, in what capacity, and where functions will be housed must be determined, but the hard work of building structures to accommodate this ambitious vision for collaboration can be done.
Current mobilization practitioners have immense expertise, networks, knowledge of process and pathways, and understanding of the missions landscape to provide a secure scaffolding for mobilization collaboration. Courageous leaders can give access to integration points needed for moving forward.
This generation of North American missions professionals has the readiness, the resources, and the remarkable courage to combine their individual campfires of passion for God and His mission into a unified, blazing bonfire of sending to those so desperate for Christ. May God fan our flames!
This article is submitted by Mark Stebbins from The Navigators. The Navigators is a Missio Nexus member. Member organizations are welcome to provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.
