The Power of Saying No: Prioritizing Effective Christian Missions

 Engaging in Christian missions is a noble endeavor that seeks to bring hope, love, and faith to those in need. However, to serve others, churches (I would add Missionaries and Mission Organizations to this list) must learn the art of saying "no." By carefully selecting projects and initiatives, they can allocate resources more effectively and achieve a more significant impact. This article explores three key reasons why learning to say "no" is crucial for churches, especially regarding their mission efforts: realizing that not all projects achieve their intended goals, managing limited financial resources efficiently, and maintaining a focused strategy.

1.     Not All Projects Achieve What They Are Supposed To

While all Christian missions begin with good intentions, only some projects yield the desired outcomes. Acknowledging that not all initiatives align perfectly with the needs and goals of the church and the community being served is vital.

As a mission pastor, I receive many proposals from church members, missionaries, and organizations desiring our attention and money. Sometimes I feel guilty for saying no to the many good opportunities presented to me. That little voice always says, “Why can’t we add another program”? Or I will also hear something like, “Don’t you care about the orphans of ____________ (you fill in the blank) country? What are you … cruel? It can be haunting at times.

At the same time, I am reminded that we are on a path that God designed and developed in the heart of our church many years ago. When I moved home from overseas and began my time as missions pastor at Libertylive church, we developed a mission strategy to guide our work. Through many years of learning from some of the best missiologists we could find, they influenced our plans, giving guardrails to our mission efforts. It keeps us from being sidetracked in a hundred different directions. This plan lets us say yes to new projects aligning with our work. A strategy helps evaluate the potential impact of a project and helps a church make strategic decisions, allowing for a more efficient allocation of resources, time, and energy.

Saying "no" to projects does not imply a lack of compassion or commitment. Instead, it reflects a mature understanding that resources are limited and should be directed toward initiatives that offer the highest possibility of making a lasting difference. By making informed choices, churches can ensure that their efforts produce tangible results and positively impact the lives of those they serve.

2.     Money is Limited, and Therefore it Utilizes Resources Better 

Christian missions often operate on limited financial resources, necessitating prudent financial management. Churches can utilize their financial resources more efficiently by saying "no" to projects unlikely to yield significant results.

One of the problems in church missions is that they will do any project as long as they are doing something, even if the outcome is sometimes detrimental to the work on the field. I had a friend share his story of a mission organization approaching him and asking him to develop a mission strategy he knew and a waste of money and resources. He refused. They kept persisting. In frustration, it finally came to the point where he asked why they were pushing so hard to do this ineffective mission strategy. They said, “ We cannot be seen as doing nothing.” It was all about appearances.

Sometimes doing nothing IS BETTER than doing something if it wastes resources and hurts the work1. If you spread yourself too thin, you may lack the finances to carry out what your church wants to focus upon. If you do a project because someone with a different agenda keeps pressing you, you can take resources away from another project with much better results and impact.

Through careful evaluation and discernment, churches can direct their financial resources to areas where they will generate an impact. This approach enables funding critical needs.

Our church’s mission strategy seeks to place our efforts in places with the least access to the gospel2. This includes both local and international efforts. This strategy allows us to focus on these areas of the world and focus our funds and efforts on places that most need the gospel. This is not what most churches are doing. For International missions, churches in America send less than one percent of the money they have received in offerings to reach the 2.5 billion people with little to no gospel access to the gospel. Over ninety-nine percent of the money taken in by American churches goes to places with the gospel. By optimizing funds, churches can make a more substantial and meaningful contribution to the people that need it the most.

3.     Saying No To Some Projects Keeps You From Pinging From Project to Project.

Maintaining a focused strategy is paramount in Christian missions for the long-term benefit of the work. It allows churches to have a clear vision and effectively be able to take the time to execute their plan. A focused approach has also given our laypeople a significant role in project development. For example, we have had several of our people group team leaders who have served as team captains for 9, 12, and 15 years. This can only come if we have a long-term focused strategy that we stay with. Instead of moving to different mission projects each year, these lay leaders have been able to work with the field and church leadership long-term to develop effective strategies, reaching people with little access to the gospel. They know that we will not shut down their projects so that we can reallocate resources to the next new project.

Churches prioritizing projects aligned with their strategic goals can leverage their strengths, expertise, and resources more effectively. When a church says yes to the many things others throw at them, they essentially allow others to set their mission strategy by default. A focused approach enables them to deepen their impact and build meaningful, long-lasting relationships within the communities they serve. By resisting the temptation to pursue every opportunity, churches and missionaries can remain true to their mission and pursue projects that align with their unique calling and strengths.

Conclusion

In Christian missions, the ability to say "no" to specific projects is not a sign of indifference or lack of compassion. Instead, it is a strategic decision that allows churches to maximize their impact by concentrating their efforts, resources, and expertise where they can bring about lasting change. By recognizing that not all projects achieve their intended goals, managing financial resources effectively, and maintaining a focused strategy, Christian missions can become even more potent in transforming lives and communities worldwide.

1 https://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/dependency

2 https://www.theengagingchurch.com/blog/why-we-do-what-we-do