What is Mission?

By Robin Daniel for The International Missionary Training Network

Travelling Team

We have an incredible privilege to be alive in the middle of God’s story of reaching the world.  What part will we play? What steps am I willing to take to make a lifelong impact?  This four-part guide was designed to take you as far as you want to go in your personal vision and give you tools to rally others.  Your global impact can start today.

Mobilization

The incredible continuity of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Many believers think of the Bible as a collection of stories, rather than one continuous narrative with an overarching theme. The truth is that from Genesis to Revelation, we see that God has been revealing His one major purpose: that His glory may fill the earth. Use this lesson to engage with this truth in a personal way and reflect on how God may want to change your life through His Word.

Mobilization

Living out the main attributes of a World Christian. This week-long study is designed to walk you through some of the major passages that reveal God’s passion to redeem a people for Himself from every nation, as well as the biblical basis for living as a World Christian. Each day’s reading should only take 5-10 minutes; schedule an extra few minutes after you read to reflect on the passages using these questions:

Mobilization

EnVision

This is a 4-session group study resource for churches, and other Christian organisations, that uses video, discussion, online materials, personal reflection and optional activities to help people understand more about God’s mission. The sessions are facilitated by a designated member of your group.

International Missions Board

God’s Glory among the Nations is designed to explain the mission of God and how He purposes the people of God to join Him in His redemptive plan—through the missionary task—so a multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language will know and worship Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

Joshua Project

Missions is all about God. God acting to save His creation and bring it back in to a relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ. Learning about missions starts with learning about God through the Bible and seeing how He used men and women to fufill His purposes on earth. Missions is also about what God is doing today around the world to build Christ’s Church. Here are some ways to learn more.

DCI

This 12-part course examines God’s missions mandate through exploring key topics like the Great Commission, reaching unengaged people groups, ministering to the poor, and following Jesus’ incarnational model. With practical teachings on global evangelism and ministry, it aims to mobilize all believers to participate in completing the Great Commission.

Right Now Media

God has called all believers to go and make disciples of all nations, yet there remain thousands of people groups around the world who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ. The harvest is plentiful, so why are the laborers so few?

Rev Gibson

Arise to Missions – Introductory course on biblical foundations of missions in units for small group study. Covers basic theology and practice.
Missions Mobilize – Practical workbook for activating missions in one’s local church or group. Focused on engagement.
School of Mission – Lesson-based course on becoming a world Christian. Assignments to pray for unreached people groups.
Path to God’s Glory – Intermediate course on developing a biblical worldview and theology of missions. Based on Perspectives material.
World Christian Movement – Advanced, more in-depth course examining mission throughout history, strategies, and cross-cultural considerations.

Didasko

Unlock the building blocks of missions to gain an understanding of the practical and doable task of missions. Together with The Bible and Missions and Roles in Frontier Missions, this course forms an in-depth overview of the world of missions.

Centre for Mission Mobilization (VIA)

The NVision video series is comprised of 15 engaging and inspiring talks ranging from 5 to 7 minutes in length. Designed for small and large groups, the NVision video series teaches God’s invitation to join in His global purpose. It expounds on the world’s situation, looking at the major world religions and the status of world evangelization. It also paves the way forward to help you see how we can all be involved in impacting the nations for Christ.

Pathways and Harvest Media Ministry

This video series covers 12 sessions on topics like God’s global plan, blessing all peoples, church planting, connecting cross-culturally, and collaborating for kingdom impact, providing foundational perspective on pursuing God’s purposes among all nations.

Didasko

Discover your role in God’s mission to reach the nations. This course is not only about “how to become a missionary.” Rather, it investigates the many ways you can contribute to help finish the task Jesus gave us. This course also looks at the concept of “calling” and shares some ideas for steps you can take to contribute to God’s plan to reach the world.

Field Partner

The Antioch message is an important look at the first 15 chapters of the book of Acts. Ross presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem church or in Antioch Church. Ross unpacks what that means, and its critical importance, from the events of the early church in Acts. Why did Paul find Jesus in Damascus, not in Jerusalem? Why was Paul sent out with Barnabas from Antioch, not from Jerusalem?

Didasko

This course will show that the Bible contains one cohesive story, all the way from Genesis to Revelation. The course will endeavour to answer questions such as why we should do missions, what exactly it is that we should do, who should be doing missions, and when and where missions should be done. The goal of this course is that learners will gain insight from the Word of God which will help deepen their walk with Jesus, and that God will show them the importance of becoming involved in His plan for the nations.

Biblical Training by Timothy Tennent

Beginning with a Biblical foundation, the course examines key Scriptural passages in both the Old and New Testaments that relate to the mission of the church. The second part of the course addresses key theological and cultural challenges that the church faces in proclaiming the gospel and establishing culturally relevant and viable churches. The third portion of the course exposes the student to key concepts in 21st century mission thinking, including mission strategy, the role of forging global partnerships, and the need to focus on church planting. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on practical ways the church can be more effective in ministering cross-culturally and fulfilling the Great Commission.

Biblical Training by Timothy Tennent

Recognizing the responsibility of all Christians to complete Christ’s commission, this course gives an overview of the strategic and historical progress of worldwide missions today. The ways in which a local congregation can fulfill its worldwide biblical mandate are also considered.