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THE NEW REALITY
The next missionaries
“What is the future of missions?”
The question, posed by International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood during a recent online workshop, is chal- lenging for a number of reasons. U.S. church attendance is down, as is the num- ber of Americans who identify as Chris- tians. And young believers are increasingly skeptical of traditional mission practices.
Among engaged Christian young adults 18-34, Barna found:
72% say missionary work is very valuable
34% say mission work has been unethical in the past
41% say Christian mission
is tainted by its association
with colonialism
As they seek to engage the highly di- verse next generation in the Great Com- mission, current leaders might consider the words they use to describe Christ’s call to the church. Barna found some long-used terms aren’t viewed as favorably by teens and young adults.
“Sharing faith” was by far the term viewed most favorably by people in the 13-17 and 18-34 age brackets. Among the most objectionable: “convert” and “win- ning souls.” Thankfully, Barna noted, the respondents who object to those terms are also more likely than others to know a mis- sionary personally and to have been on an international mission trip. In other words, “Their objections don’t inevitably lead to disengagement from missions altogether.”
The challenge for churches, Barna said, is to reach young would-be missionaries who are ready to engage practically, but may hesitate to do so emotionally. Also at stake is the mobilization of demographic groups ready to be on mission now. During the IMB/Barna workshop, Jason Thomas noted the encouraging statistic that black churchgoers are eager to engage in mis- sions. As the IMB’s black church mobilizer, he works to help African Americans “see themselves” in the history of missions.
– Baptist Press, Barna
Illinois Baptist
QChristmas in...October?
I know it may be early to talk about
Christmas, but do you have any ad- vice on saving for the holiday season?
A
If you don’t have anything put aside yet,
I’d suggest setting some spending goals now. Taking a close look at your income and living expenses should be part of this. If you’re not doing it already, what I’m talking about here
is living on a written, monthly budget. Look
at how much you can afford to put toward Christmas each month, make a gift-giving goal amount, and stick to it. Along with this, you might consider opening a separate account just for your Christmas savings. Start looking for
gift deals now, too. There are end-of- summer sales still going on, and you
never know what you might find. You don’t have to spend a lot
of money to have a wonderful
Christmas or make the season special for others—even when
it comes to giving. Thoughtful handmade items, meaningful photo-
graphs set in a frame, or special baked
It’s never too early to talk about
Christmas! I’m glad you’re
thinking about things ahead of time.
A lot of people wait until December
to buy gifts and make plans. That’s
fine if they’ve got the money set aside to
handle things, but most of them don’t.
Then, they panic and turn to credit cards. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you’re still paying off Christmas in April.
dave says
DAVE RAMSEY
goods are great ways to show the folks in your life you’re thinking about them and how much you care.
Now, let’s talk about next year. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with including a line just for Christmas in your budget each month. Christmas doesn’t sneak up on you. It’s on December 25th every single year. Putting a little money aside all year long might just take some of the stress out of your Yuletide planning.
Financial advisor Dave Ramsey is a prolific author and radio host.
Edge Online Courses
EVENTS
“We need to dispel the myth that all generations and all ethnic groups aren’t called to
global missions.”
– Jason Thomas
Ministry innovation for uncertain times
November 6-7
Virtual missions conference for girls in grades 6-12
IBSA.org/awsom-conference
What: Multi-week courses are instructor-led, fully online, and highly interactive.
When: Two courses will launch Oct. 19: Leading Self and Introduction to Mobilization.
Register: IBSA.org/ibsa-online-courses Upcoming IBSA Webinars
Pastor Plus
On-the-job training for pastors and leaders
Leading to the Next Level
Equipping leaders in all areas of influence
ReVision Revitalization
Helping pastors lead in revitalization
Church Helps
Guidance on current topics for church leaders
IBSA.org/leadershipdevelopment
October 13
Virtual Training Night
What: Quality training for church leaders in leadership and ministry skills, delivered entirely online.
Register: IBSA.org/leadershipdevelopment
October 24
Illinois Kids’ Ministry Resource Conference
What: Current, relevant training for kids’ ministry leaders, plus a sneak preview of 2021 VBS. Where: IBSA Building, Springfield
Info: TammyButler@IBSA.org
November 4
IBSA Annual Meeting
Where: Tabernacle, Decatur Info: IBSA.org/annualmeeting