"Local churches are both

the anchor

and

the lifeline

of missions."

VISIONS  

July 2008

Vol. 59, No. 3

Loving the Church

"I love the church," writes Chuck Swindoll. “When it is functioning correctly nothing beats the church for effectiveness. Babies are cradled, children are loved, teenagers are challenged, parents are instructed, seniors find fellowship, singles are strengthened, and families are nurtured. When a church is running smoothly on all cylinders, its impact on a community is nothing short of remarkable.”

We love the church too - it is the cradle of missions! The church is the place where mission vision is rooted…the place where mission passion is incubated…the place where concern for the lost is highlighted…the place where mission agencies discover their greatest asset – missionaries! The church is the place from where missionaries are commended for service…the place where mission funding is generated…the place where corporate prayers for missionaries are offered…the place where furloughed missionaries report, rest, get replenished and renewed…the place from where returned missionaries spring forth to cross cultures once again to bring people into the fullness of Christ. Local churches are both the anchor and the lifeline of missions. Thus, we in missions love the church, valuing our ecclesiastical relationships above all others. 

We love to connect with churches! The CrossGlobal Link tagline “Connecting in Mission” includes connecting with North American churches. This is why CrossGlobal Link recently approved an “associate membership” category for churches, which is more fully explained in the following article. This is also why CrossGlobal Link has established the new position of “Director of Church Connections” and has appointed a seasoned missions pastor to that position. These developments, plus an optimistic perspective on the future of churches’ global engagement by Ellen Livingood make this issue of Visions valuable.

Marv Newell

Executive Director

CrossGlobal Link