Ten Ideas for Growing Your Involvement in Missions
By Michael Smiel — “Get involved in missions!” they say, but how? The world of missions is vast and figuring out how to get involved can leave you in a daze or simply intimidated. Here are ten ideas for growing your involvement in missions so that you can take one step further into the world of missions.
1. Pray for missions, missionaries, the lost, and unreached peoples
What if I told you that you are already in possession of the greatest catalyst for reaching the unreached? Prayer is exactly that! The truth is that, apart from God, we cannot accomplish the mission Jesus gave us, but that’s why he said he has all authority and would be with us (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:5). Start praying and see what happens.
2. Learn from missions-specific teaching and training in the church
You don’t have to take this journey alone. See if you can join your church in learning about missions or if they will join you. What is your church already offering? Nothing? Let people at your church know you are interested in learning more about missions and see if you can get something started. Look at that! You are already involved in missions and getting others involved too!
3. Meet a missionary and hear about their work
Many people’s involvement in missions began when they met a missionary and heard their story. Ask your church about having a missionary come for a visit or if you know a missionary, ask them to meet with you.
4. Grow as a disciple of Jesus and learn to make disciples
Disciple making is one of those topics that is broad, feels very abstract, and the steps forward are hard to see. Being a disciple and making disciples is what every follower of Jesus is called to do (Matthew 28:18-20). But how?
5. Minister to people from different nationalities, cultures, and religions in your local area
I recently drove past an area near where I live and noticed people were wearing clothes that stood out to me as different, signs were in a language I couldn’t read, restaurants advertised food I’d never heard of and there were several Mosques nearby. I had stumbled across a Pakistani community in my city. Is there an area where a people group and different culture is obviously congregating? Go there and eat at a restaurant, shop in the grocery store, try to interact with people. That is a majority of missionary life. See if you can make a friend or two by regularly frequenting a place!
6. Pursue additional missions and Bible education
Maybe you’ve been to Bible college or seminary but didn’t learn very much about missions. Maybe you’ve never had any formal Bible training. That’s okay! See if you can find a nearby Bible college, seminary, or church that may offer a class that would fit you.
7. Receive encouragement toward missions and ministry
When you read the word “encouragement”, who did you think of? When I began to consider getting involved in missions I approached my mentor because I thought he was a mature believer who knew me and knew about missions. He was not only able to encourage me to get involved in missions but he also encouraged me throughout my time on the mission field as well! Who is your encourager?
8. Attend missions events and conferences
I never quite know what to expect from a conference or event. How will God use it to inspire, encourage, or edify me? I usually walk away from a conference with at least one concept or idea that I want to implement in my involvement in missions.
9. Take the Kairos missions education course
Kairos is a course with a vision to see the whole Church mobilized for cross-cultural mission to the world’s least-reached peoples. I have seen people energized and inspired to get involved but they also knew how to do so after completing the course.
10. Hear sermons about God’s heart for the nations, evangelism, and missions
We began this list of ideas with prayer. It’s fitting that we end it with hearing God’s Word. Sermons can often be one refreshing form by which we are exposed to the Scriptures. Hear what God has to say about the nations and his love for people. In 2012, David Platt preached a sermon at the T4G conference and John Piper tweeted , “This may have been the most powerful missions message I’ve ever heard.” It’s worth a listen!
1. Pray for missions, missionaries, the lost, and unreached peoples
What if I told you that you are already in possession of the greatest catalyst for reaching the unreached? Prayer is exactly that! The truth is that, apart from God, we cannot accomplish the mission Jesus gave us, but that’s why he said he has all authority and would be with us (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:5). Start praying and see what happens.
- Here is where you can find what to pray for: Pray here
- Want to know more about prayer in missions? Check this previous blog out here
2. Learn from missions-specific teaching and training in the church
You don’t have to take this journey alone. See if you can join your church in learning about missions or if they will join you. What is your church already offering? Nothing? Let people at your church know you are interested in learning more about missions and see if you can get something started. Look at that! You are already involved in missions and getting others involved too!
3. Meet a missionary and hear about their work
Many people’s involvement in missions began when they met a missionary and heard their story. Ask your church about having a missionary come for a visit or if you know a missionary, ask them to meet with you.
- Sometimes meeting a missionary in person is difficult so here is a biographical collection of missionaries and their stories: From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions by Ruth A. Tucker
- Subscribe to Explore where a panel of our missionaries answer questions monthly: Explore
4. Grow as a disciple of Jesus and learn to make disciples
Disciple making is one of those topics that is broad, feels very abstract, and the steps forward are hard to see. Being a disciple and making disciples is what every follower of Jesus is called to do (Matthew 28:18-20). But how?
- Our SEND U wiki page has a great resource page for those who want to take further steps in disciple making: Disciple making resources
5. Minister to people from different nationalities, cultures, and religions in your local area
I recently drove past an area near where I live and noticed people were wearing clothes that stood out to me as different, signs were in a language I couldn’t read, restaurants advertised food I’d never heard of and there were several Mosques nearby. I had stumbled across a Pakistani community in my city. Is there an area where a people group and different culture is obviously congregating? Go there and eat at a restaurant, shop in the grocery store, try to interact with people. That is a majority of missionary life. See if you can make a friend or two by regularly frequenting a place!
6. Pursue additional missions and Bible education
Maybe you’ve been to Bible college or seminary but didn’t learn very much about missions. Maybe you’ve never had any formal Bible training. That’s okay! See if you can find a nearby Bible college, seminary, or church that may offer a class that would fit you.
7. Receive encouragement toward missions and ministry
When you read the word “encouragement”, who did you think of? When I began to consider getting involved in missions I approached my mentor because I thought he was a mature believer who knew me and knew about missions. He was not only able to encourage me to get involved in missions but he also encouraged me throughout my time on the mission field as well! Who is your encourager?
8. Attend missions events and conferences
I never quite know what to expect from a conference or event. How will God use it to inspire, encourage, or edify me? I usually walk away from a conference with at least one concept or idea that I want to implement in my involvement in missions.
- Here is one event I recommend: 30 Days of Prayer
9. Take the Kairos missions education course
Kairos is a course with a vision to see the whole Church mobilized for cross-cultural mission to the world’s least-reached peoples. I have seen people energized and inspired to get involved but they also knew how to do so after completing the course.
10. Hear sermons about God’s heart for the nations, evangelism, and missions
We began this list of ideas with prayer. It’s fitting that we end it with hearing God’s Word. Sermons can often be one refreshing form by which we are exposed to the Scriptures. Hear what God has to say about the nations and his love for people. In 2012, David Platt preached a sermon at the T4G conference and John Piper tweeted , “This may have been the most powerful missions message I’ve ever heard.” It’s worth a listen!
- Listen to David Platt preach, “Divine Sovereignty the Fuel of Death Defying Missions”
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
