Are churches losing global mission focus? + How to fix this! - with Tim Silberman
Dec 3, 2024
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Tim Silberman, a lecturer in cross-cultural mission at Sydney Missionary and Bible College, discusses the concerning decline of global mission focus in Australian evangelical churches. He reveals findings from his study on church engagement that show decreasing missionary participation and local church attendance. Silberman emphasizes the need for churches to foster strong relationships with overseas partners to revitalize their mission work. He also advocates for a balanced approach that combines local and global mission efforts, enhancing overall outreach.
Churches must foster strong relationships with overseas mission partners to enrich both global and local outreach initiatives.
The decline in missionaries emphasizes the need for congregations to balance local and global mission engagement to inspire broader involvement.
Deep dives
The Importance of Church Engagement in Global Missions
For effective mission work, it is essential for churches to build strong relationships with distant mission partners. These relationships not only enhance global efforts but also strengthen local outreach initiatives. Engagement with various mission partners can lead to richer resources and support, allowing churches to fulfill their mission more effectively. The podcast emphasizes that an intentional focus on global missions can also stimulate local mission work.
Declining Number of Missionaries
Concerns about the decreasing number of missionaries have been raised, indicating a slow but steady decline over the past couple of decades. This trend is linked to diminishing church attendance and a shift in focus towards local mission work rather than global outreach. The podcast highlights the importance of fostering pathways for individuals to engage in global missions while also addressing the increasing number of people committing to local ministries. This dual focus may create a situation where more gospel-enthused individuals choose local over international missions.
Diverse Approaches to Local and Global Mission
Evangelical churches exhibit a wide range of engagement strategies for local and global missions, with varied levels of success. Some churches are thriving and deeply involved in their local communities while actively sending missionaries abroad, whereas others may excel locally but lack a broader global vision. The podcast suggests that increased global mission engagement often correlates with improved local mission efforts, indicating a beneficial relationship between the two. Consequently, churches seeing success in one area may find inspiration and efficacy in the other.
The Role of Church Size and Beliefs in Mission Engagement
Research indicates that church size can impact both local and global mission involvement, with a sweet spot found in smaller to mid-sized congregations for global engagement. Larger churches often excel in local activities but may struggle to maintain a global perspective due to becoming too internally focused. Additionally, the beliefs and attitudes of congregants significantly affect engagement levels; churches with a greater sense of responsibility for global missions tend to pursue opportunities more actively. Ultimately, cultivating a strong relational network and instilling a belief in the abundance of resources can enhance a church's mission efforts.
The number of overseas missionaries being sent out is down on ten years ago.
Church and mission leaders have encouraged Christians to respond to the need for mission locally, especially as church decline accelerates.
Yet there’s a growing concern that global mission involvement is being neglected in many local churches.
Sydney Missionary and Bible College Lecturer Tim Silberman has just completed a study on practices and perspectives on mission among evangelical churches in Australia.
Tim says for mission to prosper, churches need to have strong relationships with overseas mission partners, and this will help the gospel globally and our local mission work.