How to Start Missions in a Church?

The theme of my seminar, ”How to start missions in a church?”, dates back to three decades in Indonesia. During that time, at the request of GPdI’s leadership of the church, I had carefully prepared a practical strategy on how to start missions from Indonesia. (Strategy means learning how to win a war. Of course, such a thing is also needed in spiritual warfare guided by the Holy Spirit.)

But the strategy I had prepared in Indonesian for months was buried under the pressures of the central management. In the end, I had completely forgotten about it.

Disappointed, I had buried the material I was working on in the depths of the archives until I called Indonesia in January 2023. During the call, the forgotten material came to my mind again. I dug out the plan I had written and translated it into English.

Now, at the course in Tanzania, for the first time I ‘tested’ that grassroots plan for the participants. I enriched the topic with field experiences and said that when oppositions and attacks come, it is vital to keep the main focus on the calling so that the forces are not wasted.

I described how an eagle spreads its wings and rises to great heights when threatened. Same way a believer with an eagle mindset omits malicious comments, instead focuses on his calling and aims towards his life purpose. In spirit you can rise high and wide with the wings of prayer to an open, vast space. From there, you can see far and can hear better what God is saying.

I invited the participants to spread their ‘wings’ and feel how God’s winds can lift each one above difficulties. The lecture hall was filled with ‘flapping wings’ and everyone had a good time.

Arto Sädeaho