SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT: “S” Stands for Strategic

by Charles Costa

As we continue to examine our middle name — MISSIONARY — using an acrostic, we move to “S” for Strategic. In the previous articles (see the June 26, July 10 and July 17, 2024 issues), I suggested that “M” is for Motivated, “I” is for Impactful and “S” is for Servant-hearted.

I suggest the second “S” stands for Strategic. I invite you to sit back, get your coffee and let your thoughts drift into another level of ministry and missionary operations. In speaking about strategy, there are inherent concepts therein that we sometimes unwittingly forget or ignore:

• Cooperation — Isn’t cooperation the core of our being as an association? Of course, it is based on common foundations, the joint effort of the willing and divesting oneself of personal agendas for the sake of the associational vision and agenda. In other words, seeing the big picture. That is where the Missions Department can play a crucial role. With expert leadership, the scope is wide, focused and rational. It affects the choice of personnel, processes, target countries/regions and dispensing of funds. Such an operation will allow the right people to be placed in the right place with the right resources. No one can argue the fact that a local church can send out a missionary to any place in the world and inundate him with funds, but the question is, “Is that strategic?”

Cooperation will protect against such individualism and make sure decisions are made together for the sake of greater impact of the gospel. Looking at Eccl. 4:9-12 (NKJV) we see this concept and rationale: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Cooperation means the more the merrier, for you cannot really do it alone.

• Selectiveness — Strategic thinking is choosing where to place your human and financial resources wisely for greater impact. You learn early in Missions 101 that you cannot do it everywhere. With an association as small as ours, we have to be selective. That is where the concept of cooperation and working together through the Missions Department comes in. We cannot do it alone. Working together means making strategic choices on where to invest our resources. When churches, under the assumption of acting autonomously, send missionaries haphazardly, we miss many opportunities for effective ministry. Theoretically, following this model, we could all send our missionaries to one country or region. When churches come together and associate through a proper governance-based operation, we can ensure proper reach of many countries with the gospel. This should start with admitting we cannot reach every country worldwide.

Pragmatism — In the BMA, we have been hesitant to reach out to other like-minded agencies to exchange expertise or even cooperate. We have to realize we cannot do it all. Some organizations and foundations often have the same convictions and goals and would love to support what the BMA is doing. If the giving is unconditional and will not give these foundations leverage in any way on decision making or doctrinal convictions, we should be open to approaching them for support and cooperation. If the wrapper does not have Baptist on it should not mean much if the content is Baptist or “Baptistic.” In today’s world, and with today’s economy and resources, it is not only pragmatic but rather wise and advisable to reach out and bridge the divide.

Pragmatism in an atmosphere of cooperation means we need to divide the tasks, such as local associations supporting different fields, to avoid pouring money into one field while ignoring the others. It also means specifying fields that the Missions Department has the wherewithal to oversee rather than leaving it to the romantic fantasy of an individual who feels called to some exotic part of the world. Years ago, I became acquainted with a couple of missionaries (not BMA missionaries) who were stationed on the island of Cyprus. They spent most of their time playing tennis and being on the beach (no exaggeration). So sad. They would still tell you God called them there. What’s even worse is that their supporting churches never knew what went on.

• Trust — You learn that you cannot do it alone. You need to trust others. You cannot buy trust or manufacture it. It is earned on one side and granted from the other side. That is the true dynamic within the life of an association united in one vision and mission. When that is lacking, a fresh look needs to be taken at the relationships within that body of churches.

Trust can be built with proper governance. Sometimes, we belittle the term governance. Governance provides proper procedures. It provides mutual accountability, and in a small community like the BMA, it protects the community from conflict of interest.

I am grateful for the current governance setup of our departments, but there are chinks in the chain, like differing governing approaches between the different departments. Those chinks hinder building solid trust. We must keep this in mind to protect against personal whims, interests and agendas; empower our department leaders to forge forward undergirded by their boards; and put our money where our mouth is when it comes to reaching the world without bias because all need Jesus. The bottom line is if Jesus could trust a bunch of uneducated fishermen, you can trust a group of well-trained leaders who make us all proud.

Having said all this, here is the question: Are we thinking strategically about missions as churches with “Missionary” as their middle name? It helps to put the shoe on the other foot.