Our Mission

The National Mission Board has a three-fold mission that we are actively, and intentionally seeking to implement.  We believe the Lord has called us to;

  1. Strengthen local churches
  2. Plant new congregations
  3. Encourage pastors

How do we strengthen local churches?

Jesus values the local church.  The efforts of the apostles during the days of the early church were focused on establishing and strengthening local congregations.  The commission Jesus gave His followers before He ascended back to Heaven was to go and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20).

Jesus loves the local church and so do we.  The local church is worth investing in.  Many local churches have a long history of serving people and helping them grow in their walk with Jesus Christ.  We want to see that continue.

For that reason, we seek to be a training, equipping, and staffing arm for the local church.  It's our goal to offer training and resources that helps the local church do things like;

  1. Reach their community in meaningful ways
  2. Communicate the Gospel clearly and effectively
  3. Raise up and train future leaders
  4. Teach children and youth what it means to follow Christ
  5. Value the full counsel of God's Word
  6. Make disciples who value Christ's calling on their life

How do we plant new congregations?

The National Mission Board is also directly involved with starting new churches and revitalizing struggling churches that seek outside assistance.

There are a variety of approaches that we take when it comes to fulfilling this part of our mission.  Some churches are started when a small group of people begin meeting together for prayer and Bible study in a home.  Other churches are started when a pastor or a pastoral team is sent to a specific area to focus on evangelism and outreach.  Some churches are started when a healthy, established church sacrificially gives away some of their best leaders with the goal of starting a sister congregation in a nearby community.

There is no "set way" of starting a new congregation, so we seek to be open to the Lord's leading as we prayerfully consider new opportunities.

How do we encourage pastors?

The NMB also believes it's vitally important to make continual investments in local church pastors.  Pastoral ministry is a joyful calling, but it can also be very discouraging, dangerous, and lonely.  It's not uncommon for pastors to experience seasons of "burn out" and emotional fatigue.  We are trying to be proactive by being a resource arm for local pastors and their families.  As these men faithfully give of themselves to serve their congregations, we want to create opportunities for these men to likewise experience the blessing of being refreshed and invested in by others.

Throughout the year, in various parts of the country, we offer training opportunities and seminars geared toward encouraging pastors and helping to equip them to serve the congregations they oversee.  We also provide books and resources to church leaders, and we meet with them when possible, often over the phone and sometimes in person.

Please continue to keep local pastors in your prayers.  They need as much strength, wisdom, and encouragement as they can get.