Many Christians long to see their local church grow in its vision for missions. Whether they are leaders or members, they desire a deeper passion—for themselves and for their church—for God’s every-tribe-and-tongue work in the world. Yet while that desire may be present, many struggle to know how to help their faith communities grow in that vision.

Part of CFCI’s mission is partnering with local churches to help them engage in God’s global mission. One helpful way to think about that journey is to break it into five stages. Here they are—and how we can help.

1. Knowing

Every journey begins with understanding some foundational truths. God’s people need to know things like:

• The gospel is not meant to end with us; it is something we receive and then share with others.
• The kingdom of God is advancing, and we are invited to offer our lives in service to that work.
• God’s mission is global, encompassing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
• The Great Commission is the mission of the Church.

Teaching these truths is essential. If people do not understand them, the later stages will never take root. Most churches, however, do teach these things. The challenge is that many Christians can repeat the information without allowing it to shape their hearts and lives.

Why does that happen?

2. Doing

In the Christian life, knowing leads to doing. Until truth is put into practice, it has not yet fully taken root. When it comes to missions, one of the best ways to understand God’s heart for the nations is to participate in His work.

At the same time, growth happens in stages. Jesus spent three years preparing His disciples before sending them out. Paul likewise spent years growing in faith and understanding after his conversion. Yet throughout that process, he was already participating in God’s mission.

So what might those first steps look like?

Begin by making a concrete plan to join God’s work in your local community or a neighboring one. Learn to serve, witness, and love people in your own cultural context before stepping into another.

This is the vision behind CFCI’s Urban Plunge program. It creates opportunities for churches to engage with the spiritual and physical needs of a nearby urban center. Along the way, participants are challenged to deepen their own walk with Jesus as well.

3. Going

While local ministry is invaluable, few experiences help believers catch a vision for God’s global mission like a short-term mission trip.

These trips do two important things:

• They call us out of our comfort zones. As we take larger steps of faith into unfamiliar situations, our trust in God grows as we experience His faithfulness.
• They introduce us to the wider Church. Serving and worshiping alongside indigenous believers and leaders is often transformative. We discover that God—and His people—are far bigger and more beautiful than we imagined.

CFCI facilitates these experiences through our Global Trips. These trips provide opportunities for teams to serve alongside local ministries around the world, witnessing what God is doing and contributing in meaningful ways to that work.

4. Partnering

It is one thing to experience the global Church. It is another thing entirely to develop lasting relationships within it.

Cross-cultural partnerships make the communion of the saints visible and tangible. They remind us that we belong to one body, united in Christ despite differences of language, culture, and geography.

One of the most exciting aspects of CFCI’s Global Trips is the opportunity they create for ongoing partnerships. Teams can return to the same ministry locations year after year, reconnecting with familiar faces and witnessing firsthand how God continues to work. We are always excited to help cultivate and strengthen these long-term relationships.

5. Sending

While every church can know, do, go, and partner, our prayer is that God would also call some individuals to devote their lives to cross-cultural ministry.

This calling is not for everyone, but it is something every church should celebrate, support, and pray for.

CFCI provides a unique environment for those exploring such a calling. Our Global Ambassadors program offers training, support, and opportunities for longer-term service experiences lasting up to a year. We can also serve as a sending organization for those whom God leads into long-term missionary service.

Wherever your church may be on this journey, it is worth asking: What is the next step?

How might God be inviting your church to grow into a deeper vision for His mission?

And wherever that next step leads, know that we at CFCI are here to help.