Ministries
Missions—Ways to Serve
Goal of Missions and Missions Committee
1. To sacrificially obey the Great Commission by the sharing of the Gospel, and the discipling and training of believers and the leaders of the Church.
2. To involve APC members through persistent prayerful, corporate and individual financial support, friendship, and mutual accountability.
3.To stimulate commitment to, involvement in, and heart for missions among the APC congregation, including short-term missions.
In keeping with the vision of the Session, the Missions Committee has pursued a policy of “going deep” with missionaries supported by APC. The Missions Committee has the responsibility for recommending to the Session applicants who are seeking to partner with APC.
Role of Missionary Liaison
The Missions Committee desires to enhance our two-way communication as evidence of our caring concern for the missionaries supported by APC and for their ministry, as well as increase our financial support.
A critical component of this vision is having a liaison for each missionary. Each Missions Committee member serves this role, as well as other APC members who have a passion for serving those in the field. We invite members of APC to serve as a liaison. Covenant Fellowship Groups may also choose to represent one of these dedicated servants of the Lord.
What would be expected of you? First and foremost, you would represent APC to the missionary and the missionary to APC. You would communicate regularly and be able to share with specificity both prayer concerns and financial needs. You would commit to pray for the missionary regularly and ensure that the committee is aware of specific prayer needs before each Missions Committee meeting. When the missionary visits APC, you would coordinate arrangements for him/her to speak to the congregation, meet members of the church, and connect with the committee. You would ensure that the text and photograph for the worship folder inserts and the APC web site are accurate and timely.
We hope that you will give prayerful thought to entering into a relationship with one of the missionaries highlighted in these pages. It is sure to be a rewarding experience for you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Missions Committee:
So You Want to Serve as a Missionary?
The following web sites have quite a bit of information about what the life of a missionary entails, recommended reading and possibilities for missions work:
Mission to the World is the mission-sending agency of the Presbyterian Church in America, helping to fulfill the Great Commission by advancing Reformed and covenantal church-planting movements through word and deed in strategic areas worldwide.
The passion of Mission Training International is to see cross-cultural messengers of God’s grace and their families experience effectiveness, longevity and a deep sense of satisfaction in their calling. For this reason, MTI provides character development training and debriefing on the issues that are very practical and highly relevant to thriving in missions.
World Harvest Mission is a missions sending agency that was begun in 1983 and today has over 130 missionaries in 13 countries. Their vision is to see people and communities everywhere being made new by the gospel. To that end, they serve the church by sending people who are being changed by the gospel to begin new churches and strengthen existing churches.
Missionary Candidate Selection and Update Process
APC continually receives requests from prospective missionaries for commitments of financial and prayer support. In order to efficiently manage these requests and provide the applicants with appropriate expectations, we have devised the following timeline for Missions Committee activities related to this.
Generally, the Missions Committee will review candidates twice a year. A subcommittee will initially review all applications and be primarily responsible to arrange and conduct interviews. Once the Missions Committee has concluded its deliberations, the recommendations are forwarded to the Session. Applicants will then be notified of the Session's decisions.
Please download APC's Missionary Candidate Questionnaire here.
In addition to long-term missionaries, APC seeks to encourage Members to participate in short-term mission opportunities. Several of the missionaries supported by APC would welcome the participation by short-termers. There are a number of opportunities which arise through the initiation of APC members. If you are seeking support from the Missions Committee for such opportunities, our Short-term Mission Candidate Questionnaire may be downloaded from our Member Area.
Criteria for Selection of Missionaries/Missions
1. Theological commitment common to APC.
2. Qualifications of missionaries must reflect the character of individuals APC would consider on its own staff: need to have an appropriate and well-conceived mission and the capacity to fulfill the mission outlined.
3. Priority given to missions which can be replicated.
4. Geographical diversity and variety of mission objectives.
5. Focus on un-evangelized part of world, especially the 10/40 window.
6. Ability of APC congregation to participate in evangelistic/mercy ministries.
7. Domestic missions have a particular emphasis on youth outreach.
8. Special consideration and attention given to members of APC.
Missions Opportunities When Time is Limited
Members of the APC community are encouraged to prayerfully consider the possibility of devoting a week or more of their time, skills and resources to work alongside the missionaries supported by our church. A number of the missionaries would welcome the opportunity to utilize your gifts as they minister to their communities.
Teams from APC have been organized for medical missions in the Dominican Republic, for construction labor and youth outreach in Belize and Honduras, for construction and leadership training in Paraguay, as well as post-natural disaster, humanitarian relief teams.
The Missions Committee welcomes the opportunity to hear about how the Lord is leading you toward this act of service and obedience. Consider the possibility of gathering a team to join in this endeavor. A modest level of financial assistance is available for APC members seeking to participate in such valuable and life-changing opportunities. The application form is available in our online Member Area.
Goal of Missions and Missions Committee
1. To sacrificially obey the Great Commission by the sharing of the Gospel, and the discipling and training of believers and the leaders of the Church.
2. To involve APC members through persistent prayerful, corporate and individual financial support, friendship, and mutual accountability.
3.To stimulate commitment to, involvement in, and heart for missions among the APC congregation, including short-term missions.
In keeping with the vision of the Session, the Missions Committee has pursued a policy of “going deep” with missionaries supported by APC. The Missions Committee has the responsibility for recommending to the Session applicants who are seeking to partner with APC.
Role of Missionary Liaison
The Missions Committee desires to enhance our two-way communication as evidence of our caring concern for the missionaries supported by APC and for their ministry, as well as increase our financial support.
A critical component of this vision is having a liaison for each missionary. Each Missions Committee member serves this role, as well as other APC members who have a passion for serving those in the field. We invite members of APC to serve as a liaison. Covenant Fellowship Groups may also choose to represent one of these dedicated servants of the Lord.
What would be expected of you? First and foremost, you would represent APC to the missionary and the missionary to APC. You would communicate regularly and be able to share with specificity both prayer concerns and financial needs. You would commit to pray for the missionary regularly and ensure that the committee is aware of specific prayer needs before each Missions Committee meeting. When the missionary visits APC, you would coordinate arrangements for him/her to speak to the congregation, meet members of the church, and connect with the committee. You would ensure that the text and photograph for the worship folder inserts and the APC web site are accurate and timely.
We hope that you will give prayerful thought to entering into a relationship with one of the missionaries highlighted in these pages. It is sure to be a rewarding experience for you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Missions Committee:
Bryant Streett, Ruling Elder
Jackie Shieh — Leslie Barefoot — Susan Brockhaus — Michael McKnight
Cliff Palmer — Andrew Schad — Lynn Streett — Dorothy Taft
Cliff Palmer — Andrew Schad — Lynn Streett — Dorothy Taft
So You Want to Serve as a Missionary?
The following web sites have quite a bit of information about what the life of a missionary entails, recommended reading and possibilities for missions work:
Mission to the World is the mission-sending agency of the Presbyterian Church in America, helping to fulfill the Great Commission by advancing Reformed and covenantal church-planting movements through word and deed in strategic areas worldwide.
The passion of Mission Training International is to see cross-cultural messengers of God’s grace and their families experience effectiveness, longevity and a deep sense of satisfaction in their calling. For this reason, MTI provides character development training and debriefing on the issues that are very practical and highly relevant to thriving in missions.
World Harvest Mission is a missions sending agency that was begun in 1983 and today has over 130 missionaries in 13 countries. Their vision is to see people and communities everywhere being made new by the gospel. To that end, they serve the church by sending people who are being changed by the gospel to begin new churches and strengthen existing churches.
Missionary Candidate Selection and Update Process
APC continually receives requests from prospective missionaries for commitments of financial and prayer support. In order to efficiently manage these requests and provide the applicants with appropriate expectations, we have devised the following timeline for Missions Committee activities related to this.
Generally, the Missions Committee will review candidates twice a year. A subcommittee will initially review all applications and be primarily responsible to arrange and conduct interviews. Once the Missions Committee has concluded its deliberations, the recommendations are forwarded to the Session. Applicants will then be notified of the Session's decisions.
Please download APC's Missionary Candidate Questionnaire here.
In addition to long-term missionaries, APC seeks to encourage Members to participate in short-term mission opportunities. Several of the missionaries supported by APC would welcome the participation by short-termers. There are a number of opportunities which arise through the initiation of APC members. If you are seeking support from the Missions Committee for such opportunities, our Short-term Mission Candidate Questionnaire may be downloaded from our Member Area.
Criteria for Selection of Missionaries/Missions
1. Theological commitment common to APC.
2. Qualifications of missionaries must reflect the character of individuals APC would consider on its own staff: need to have an appropriate and well-conceived mission and the capacity to fulfill the mission outlined.
3. Priority given to missions which can be replicated.
4. Geographical diversity and variety of mission objectives.
5. Focus on un-evangelized part of world, especially the 10/40 window.
6. Ability of APC congregation to participate in evangelistic/mercy ministries.
7. Domestic missions have a particular emphasis on youth outreach.
8. Special consideration and attention given to members of APC.
Missions Opportunities When Time is Limited
Members of the APC community are encouraged to prayerfully consider the possibility of devoting a week or more of their time, skills and resources to work alongside the missionaries supported by our church. A number of the missionaries would welcome the opportunity to utilize your gifts as they minister to their communities.
Teams from APC have been organized for medical missions in the Dominican Republic, for construction labor and youth outreach in Belize and Honduras, for construction and leadership training in Paraguay, as well as post-natural disaster, humanitarian relief teams.
The Missions Committee welcomes the opportunity to hear about how the Lord is leading you toward this act of service and obedience. Consider the possibility of gathering a team to join in this endeavor. A modest level of financial assistance is available for APC members seeking to participate in such valuable and life-changing opportunities. The application form is available in our online Member Area.
“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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20