WMU empowers churches to engage in missions. This guide provides practical ideas to fit your church’s needs. It helps everyone grow in understanding and passion for missions. Mobilizing the local church for missions, WMU walks alongside churches for intentional steps to learn.
Understanding WMU and Its Role in Missions
WMU, or Woman’s Missionary Union, has a rich history of mobilizing churches for missions. For generations, WMU has walked alongside churches to take intentional steps to learn, pray, support, and engage in missions. WMU’s core purpose is making disciples of Jesus who live on mission. The organization empowers every person to grow, thrive, and belong through creativity, research, innovation and compassion, contributing to making the world a better place.
WMU assists churches in growing and implementing a missions strategy for adults and children, expanding leadership skills. WMU resources help your church learn, pray, give, and serve missions by coordinating with the overall SBC calendar. WMU’s missions discipleship resources provide your church with biblically-sound learning opportunities and meaningful missions experiences for all age levels. This comprehensive guide provides practical ideas you can use and modify to fit the needs of your church and help everyone in your church grow in his or her understanding of and passion for missions.
Identifying Church Needs and Goals for Missions
Before diving into missions activities, it’s crucial to assess your church’s unique context. Talk with the pastor and ask for his support to begin WMU as a way to help church members learn about missions. Planning a short meeting to talk about what WMU can be in your church is essential. Consider your church’s size, demographics, existing ministries, and available resources. What are the pressing needs within your local community and around the world that resonate with your congregation’s heart?
Next, define clear and measurable goals for your missions involvement. What specific outcomes do you hope to achieve through your missions efforts? Do you want to increase awareness of global needs, raise funds for a particular project, engage more members in hands-on service, or develop long-term partnerships with missionaries or organizations? Ensure that your goals align with your church’s overall vision and values. The Triple A serves as a guide for planning WMU to help your church decide on ways you can be involved in missions.
Seeking Out Leaders for WMU
The success of any WMU program hinges on identifying passionate and dedicated leaders. Look for individuals within your church who have a heart for missions, a willingness to serve, and strong organizational skills. Consider those who have previously been involved in missions activities or who express a keen interest in learning more. The suggested way of organizing WMU in a church is to have a WMU director and missions groups for any or all age levels. Or the WMU director, the pastor, or another church leader may lead missions awareness and involvement activities.
Don’t limit your search to traditional church leaders; seek out individuals from various age groups and backgrounds who can bring diverse perspectives and talents to the table. Effective WMU leaders are not necessarily those with the most experience but rather those with a genuine desire to make a difference and a commitment to empowering others to get involved. Talk with the pastor and ask for his support to begin WMU.
Forming a WMU Leadership Team
Once you’ve identified potential leaders, the next step is to form a cohesive WMU leadership team. This team will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing missions activities within the church. Aim for a team that represents a diverse range of ages, backgrounds, and skill sets to ensure a well-rounded approach. Form a WMU leadership team to plan and coordinate the missions.
Clearly define roles and responsibilities for each team member, such as a director, treasurer, missions coordinator, and children’s ministry leader. Encourage collaboration and open communication within the team to foster a sense of shared ownership and responsibility. The suggested way of organizing WMU in a church is to have a WMU director and missions groups for any or all age levels. Or the WMU director, the pastor, or another church leader may lead missions awareness and involvement activities.
Ordering WMU Resources
WMU resources are essential for planning and implementing effective missions activities. These resources provide timely, inspiring, and challenging information. They help engage the church in missions and offer guidance for various age groups and interests. Using WMU resources will help you plan missions involvement and share information that is timely, inspiring, and challenging. Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide is a great overall resource to help you get.
To order WMU resources, visit wmustore.com or call 1-800-968-7301. Explore the wide variety of materials available, including the Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide, which is an excellent overall resource to help you get started. This guide provides practical ideas and can be modified to fit your church’s needs. Remember to order materials that align with your church’s specific goals and target audience.
Using the Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide
The Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide is an invaluable tool for churches seeking to enhance their missions involvement. This comprehensive guide provides practical ideas that can be adapted to fit the unique needs of your church. It assists in planning activities and experiences that engage the church in missions. The guide helps everyone in your church grow in his or her understanding of and passion for missions.
This resource offers insights into various aspects of missions, including prayer, giving, and compassion ministries. It also provides guidance on engaging children in missions and utilizing the Missions for Life curriculum. The Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide helps you develop a comprehensive missions strategy that aligns with your church’s goals and values. It is an excellent overall resource to help you get started and stay organized throughout the year.
Planning Missions Activities
Planning engaging missions activities is crucial for fostering a heart for missions within your church. Begin by identifying the needs of your church and community, and then select activities that align with those needs. Consider incorporating diverse activities such as collecting school supplies for backpacks, distributing water at sports events, or delivering meals to homebound individuals. These hands-on experiences allow church members to actively participate in missions and witness the impact of their efforts.
Utilize WMU resources to gather ideas and inspiration for your missions activities. The Missions Leader: WMU Planning Guide is an excellent resource for planning missions involvement and sharing timely, inspiring, and challenging information. Remember to choose activities that fit the needs of your church and community. Involve the WMU leadership team in the planning process to ensure that activities are well-coordinated and effectively executed.
Engaging Children in Missions
Children are naturally enthusiastic about sharing God’s love, and engaging them in missions is a vital part of their discipleship journey. Through missions discipleship, children learn to share His love in multiple ways, from collecting school supplies for back-to-school backpacks to passing out water at sports events, from taking a meal to a homebound community member to even sharing a smile or a prayer with someone who needs it.
Encourage children to learn by doing. Missions activities should be interactive and hands-on to capture their attention and make a lasting impact. Consider involving them in age-appropriate projects such as creating cards for nursing home residents, collecting items for care packages, or participating in local outreach events. These experiences teach them compassion and the importance of serving others.
Consider utilizing resources like “Missions for Life” to engage children in intergenerational discipleship. This curriculum includes Bible studies, mission studies, prayer guides, and project ideas that can involve the whole family.
Utilizing Missions for Life Curriculum
Missions for Life is an excellent missions discipleship resource for churches, especially those with small memberships seeking intergenerational curriculum. This resource offers a comprehensive approach to missions education and engagement for all age groups within the church.
Each monthly unit includes a variety of components designed to enhance understanding and participation in missions. A Bible study provides a solid foundation in scripture, while a mission study features an SBC ministry or missionary, exposing participants to real-world missions work. A prayer guide focuses prayer efforts, and project ideas cater to both adult groups and families.
This curriculum also highlights special missions or SBC emphases, providing opportunities to support specific causes and initiatives. By using “Missions for Life,” churches can effectively integrate missions into their ongoing discipleship efforts, fostering a heart for missions in individuals and families.
This curriculum offers biblically-sound learning opportunities and meaningful missions experiences for all age levels.
Incorporating Prayer in Missions
Prayer is an essential component of effective missions work. It is vital to incorporate prayer into all aspects of your church’s missions efforts. Prayer should be the foundation upon which all missions activities are built. Encouraging consistent prayer for missionaries and the people they serve will create a deeper connection to the missions field.
Using a prayer guide that focuses prayer efforts will aid in incorporating prayer in missions. Dedicate specific times during services or small group meetings for focused prayer on missions initiatives. Consider creating a church-wide prayer chain or group dedicated solely to praying for missions-related needs and opportunities; Provide regular updates on missionaries and their work, including specific prayer requests, to keep the congregation informed and engaged.
Additionally, consider partnering with missionaries to learn about their specific prayer needs and challenges. This personal connection will deepen your church’s commitment to praying for them effectively. By making prayer a central part of your missions strategy, you empower your church to participate more fully in God’s work around the world.
Supporting Missions Through Giving
Giving is a tangible way to support missions and extend your church’s reach globally. Encourage generous giving to missions causes as a vital part of your church’s discipleship. Educate your congregation about the various avenues for giving, emphasizing the impact of their contributions. Highlight specific missions projects and missionaries your church supports, showing how their financial gifts make a difference in real lives.
Consider organizing special offerings or fundraising events dedicated to missions. Promote the Cooperative Program, which supports a wide range of missions efforts through the Southern Baptist Convention. Provide opportunities for members to give directly to specific missionaries or organizations your church has partnered with. Emphasize that giving is an act of worship and an expression of gratitude for God’s blessings.
Regularly communicate the financial needs and successes of your missions efforts to keep the congregation informed and motivated. By fostering a culture of generosity, you empower your church to play a significant role in advancing the Kingdom of God through financial support of missions.
Serving in Missions Through Compassion Ministries
Compassion ministries provide opportunities to serve in missions by meeting the practical needs of people in your community and around the world. These ministries demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways, opening doors for sharing the Gospel. Identify needs in your local area, such as hunger, homelessness, or lack of access to healthcare, and develop ministries to address them.
Partner with local organizations and agencies to maximize your impact. Organize food drives, clothing collections, or volunteer days at shelters or soup kitchens. Consider starting a ministry that provides tutoring, mentoring, or job training. Extend your reach beyond your community by supporting international compassion ministries that address poverty, disaster relief, or human trafficking.
Encourage church members to use their skills and talents to serve others. Emphasize the importance of building relationships with those you serve, showing them genuine care and compassion. Remember that compassion ministries are not just about meeting physical needs but also about sharing the hope and love of Jesus Christ. By engaging in these ministries, your church can make a real difference in the lives of those in need while fulfilling the Great Commission.
Achieving Triple A Recognition for WMU
Triple A recognition serves as a guide for planning WMU activities throughout the entire church year. It helps your church decide on ways to be involved in missions, providing a framework for a well-rounded missions program. Triple A is also a recognition tool, acknowledging the efforts of your WMU to engage in various aspects of missions discipleship.
To achieve Triple A recognition for your church WMU, a certain number of actions from a predetermined list must be completed and the form submitted to the designated office within a specific timeframe. This encourages churches to actively participate in a wide range of missions activities, ensuring a comprehensive approach to missions involvement.
The Triple A program promotes engagement in missions through learning, praying, giving, and serving. By striving for Triple A recognition, your church WMU demonstrates a commitment to missions discipleship and plays a vital role in fulfilling the Great Commission. It provides a structured way to measure progress and celebrate accomplishments in missions engagement.