The Top 20 Core Values of CCC’s Missions Ministry
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We believe that a commitment to the Great Commission…
1. INCLUDES ALL PEOPLE GROUPS
Matthew 28:19 (NIV) “…go and make disciples of ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Luke 24:47 (NIV) “…repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to ALL nations…”
The “nations” Jesus was talking about were not limited to the 193 geopolitical countries we are accustomed to seeing. Jesus was calling us to reach every “people group” (Ethnos). There are now an estimated 16,801 people groups in the world, over 43% of which are unreached!
We believe that
2. THE UNREACHED MUST BE PRIORITIZED
While we are committed to reaching “into ALL the world” geographically, our overall missions strategy takes into account “under-evangelized” regions, unreached people groups, and divinely directed opportunities. Any or all of these factors may be considered when determining where cash gifts are directed and new support is invested.
We believe we should intentionally maintain…
3. A BALANCE BETWEEN HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS
There should NEVER be a competition between missions dollars invested at home and those invested on the foreign field. We shouldn’t approach it as an “either/ or” proposition, but rather ALWAYS as a “both/and” commitment.
We embrace a commitment to reach out locally, statewide and across our nation, in ADDITION to the “ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). However, in light of the fact that all of our church’s members and ministries are to be committed to reach out locally, and considering limited access to the Gospel in many foreign lands, and population distribution, we have made a commitment to invest 75% of our total missions dollars into the foreign field and 25% into US and local missions.
We believe our focus should be on…
4. MAKING DISCIPLES, NOT JUST DECISIONS
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”
Missionaries and missions ministries should not be judged solely on “numbers of decisions” made for Christ. Seeing the lost led to Christ is critical, but this is only the FIRST STEP of discipleship. Believers must be discipled on to spiritual maturity, becoming REPRODUCING followers of Christ, sound in faith, doctrine, and practice (2 Timothy 2:2; Eph. 4:11-13). In fact there are many missional frontiers where workers have just BEGUN “clearing the ground and tilling the soil” so that the first “seeds’ can be sown.
We believe that…
5. EVERY CHURCH IS CALLED TO BE MISSIONAL
We believe that every church, including those in third world nations, must also be discipled to embrace the great commission for themselves. This responsibility is intended for EVERY CHURCH irrespective of geography, or personal means and will come as a result of skillful, spirit-filled leadership and pastoral training. A maturing national Church should accept the responsibility of reaching not only its OWN PEOPLE, but BE sent AND be a SENDING BODY. We look to partner with missionaries who are willing to embrace and teach this and we avoid those who don’t.
We believe it is imperative to…
6. AVOID CREATING DEPENDENCE
We believe that working with nationals must be done in a careful and accountable manner. We must avoid the trap of creating an unhealthy and perpetual DEPENDENCE on foreign resources (personnel and funding). Instead, we should look to foster a growing commitment to ongoing spiritual and fiscal health and accountability. This is usually best accomplished by U.S. churches working with missionary personnel already established in the country and going as sending and supporting missionary personnel who are committed to the “indigenous principle”.
We believe in the…
7. INDIGENOUS PRINCIPLE
We believe in the effectiveness of TRAINING NATIONALS and the work of “indigenous ministry.” Nationals are most effective in reaching nationals (Africans reaching Africans, Urbanites reaching Urbanites, etc.).
We believe in…
8. A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MISSIONS
The work of missions is not limited to sharing the Gospel message. Though this must remain the CENTERPIECE of missions ministry, we also acknowledge that demonstrating God’s love through meeting the practical needs of the individuals or people groups we are trying to reach with the Gospel will often result in OPEN DOORS, INVITATIONS and a CREDIBLE VOICE, with which to communicate the good news. CCC’s missions ministry includes compassion, social AND evangelistic efforts.
Matthew 25:35-36 (NIV) “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, … sick and you looked after me, … in prison and you came to visit me.’”
James 1:27 (NIV) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…”
We believe God has called us to function as…
9. A PARTNERING CHURCH
We function by joining with others and other churches in PARTNERSHIP together to support missionaries and their work globally. We support multiple missionaries at home and abroad. We are neither a “fully-funding” church (being the sole supporter of any one missionary), nor a “single people group” focused church (focusing on the reaching of only ONE people group).
We believe it is equally important that…
10. WE STRONGLY SUPPORT OUR OWN MEMBERS IN MISSIONS
We are committed to strongly support those individuals from our body who participate in missions, from 1-2 week short term mission trips to longer assignments of 1 month – 2 years, and especially those who sense the calling to serve as career missionaries. We allocate budget-based funds annually to our Children’s, Youth and College and Career Departments to assist with missions trip expenses for the pastors, leader(s), or participants as determined by the pastor over that department.
Additionally, we attempt to budget money to assist our adult trip leaders, pastors and participants and our missionaries’ family members. Finally, when a CCCer is called to make a longer commitment, we work to support these individuals at a much higher level.
We affirm…
11. THE VALIDITY OF SHORT TERM MISSIONS
We affirm the benefits of short term mission trips, provided they are planned and carried out within appropriate boundaries. We recognize the many pitfalls of poorly planned or executed short term trips. Trips are planned by invitation only. We go, not to be blessed, but to meet valid needs that strengthen the local church and culture, not subvert it. We encourage trip participants to build a partnership base versus simply raising funds. A detailed worksheet is available to all trip participants in advance of funds being due.
We believe in an intentional…
12. BALANCE BETWEEN AG AND NON-AG MISSIONS
We are fully supportive of our Assemblies of God missions movement. From its inception, the Assemblies of God was formed to be “the greatest evangelization effort ever known.” We prioritize support of AG missions and missionaries at home and abroad. We also recognize that there are OTHER evangelical sending organizations and/or missionaries God has called and who are being greatly used by God. Our missions strategy also leaves room to elect to partner with many of these efforts. Consequently, we budget within the guideline of 75% of our missions dollars being invested in Assemblies of God missions, while up to 25% may be invested into non-Assemblies of God efforts.
We also value being an integral part of the Michigan District of the Assemblies of God. As such, we also support the vast majority of our Michigan missionaries at home and abroad.
We believe in the vital importance of…
13. A HEALTHY, PARTICIPATORY MISSIONS PROGRAM
We are intentional about encouraging the PARTICIPATION of all who regularly attend CCC. It is our goal that CCCers participate in missions in 4 ways: by systematic PRAYING, sacrificial GIVING, consistently DOING the work of Missions by serving on a regional team, and by personal outreach/evangelism and for those physically able, to prioritize GOING on missions trip(s) at home and abroad. Currently, 10-15% of our congregation, (130 people) from age 17-70, are actively serving on one of 8 Regional Missions Ministry Teams! This is an increase of lay involvement of more than 900% over the last 8 years!
If we add the students and young adults involved in STL and missions trips, children involved in BGMC, and adults involved in Royal Family KIDS Camps, and seasonal outreaches we are well over 50% of those who regularly attend CCC being involved in some aspect of missions!
We believe in the importance of…
14. THE INTEGRATION OF MISSIONS AT EVERY AGE LEVEL
We feel that it is critical to instill the importance of missions and missions giving IN EVERY AGE GROUP. We want adults who have been participatory in missions from childhood. We attempt to expose every age group to visiting missionaries and strive to help each age level see themselves a part of the bigger missions team!
We are committed to a process that will…
15. ANTICIPATE AND ENGAGE IN EMERGING STRATEGIES
Every Regional Director and Team is committed to discover the past and current progress of the Gospel and God’s EMERGING strategy for evangelization UNIQUE to their region. Each team then anticipates how CCC can position itself for the most effective future engagement of prayer, funding and personnel.
The foundation and centerpiece of our missions ministry is active engagement in…
16. CONSISTENT AND SYSTEMATIC INTERCESSION
We believe that INFORMED INTERCESSION must be the FOUNDATION upon which everything we do is done. We are fully committed to the work of prayer concerning our own ministry and on behalf of those we serve. The scope of our prayer ministry is INTIMATE. Team members regularly solicit current prayer needs and pray PERSONALLY for EACH missionary, ministry and AG national leadership. Each team also prays together with a REGIONAL focus. Finally, the scope of our prayer is intended to be ALL INCLUSIVE. We pray regularly and systematically for EVERY NATION and ALL UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS.
We believe it is critical to build…
17. VITAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH MISSIONS AND MISSIONARIES
We connect members of our congregation to missions and missionaries with the intention of seeing a vital RELATIONSHIP develop. This is accomplished in part by PARTICIPATION in short term missions trips, outreaches and luncheons and fellowship opportunities with visiting missionaries. A primary way we build meaningful relationships between the congregation and the world of missions is by encouraging active and ongoing involvement on one of 8 CCC REGIONAL MISSIONS TEAMS.
We believe meaningful relationship produces…
18. A GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF MISSIONS
As congregants live in relationship with missionaries, and their families they develop a keen sense of CONNECTEDNESS to them and the “work “ of missions. They begin to see missions as “REAL” issues affecting “REAL” people.
We must nurture in the congregation…
19. A DEEPENING SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
As congregants are connected and build relationships with missionaries, they also pray for the needs they discover and are EMPOWERED to participate FINANCIALLY in their missionaries projects and needs through the budgets of our team structures. This results in a sense of significance and OWNERSHIP in the work of missions and the potential of our local missions program.
We value the importance of…
20. CONTINUING MISSIONS EDUCATION
We value the importance of ongoing education concerning world vision and GENERAL MISSIONS PRINCIPLES as an integral part of discipleship and the Christian life of our LEADERS and the congregation as a whole. Numerous opportunities are offered.