There are primarily three areas of missions: local, home and foreign. Local missions reach out to those within our geographic region. Home missions include other ministries to those out of our local geographic area, but still within the United States. Foreign missions are ministries to those outside of our own country.

What I have usually observed is that people seem to be supportive of local and maybe home missions, but not of foreign missions, or supportive only of foreign missions. I believe we need to find a balance and be supportive of all missions because we see that in Scripture. In Acts 1:8, for instance, we are told that when Christ would come into the lives of the early disciples, they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Jerusalem would represent local missions, Judea could represent home missions, Samaria could represent cross- cultural ministries and, of course, the ends of the earth would represent foreign missions.

There are many opportunities to get involved in missions, either by serving or giving. Locally, through the cooperation of churches, we have the soup kitchen, food pantry and crisis pregnancy center. In our church, our newest outreach is a backpack ministry offering food for the weekends to children who are homeless in our area. In home missions, I know our church supports a children’s home, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and church planting projects, including ethnic ministries. We support mission work around the world, including a ministry to disaster victims, voice of the martyrs and our primary emphasis of a ministry to the Caribbean, which I head up statewide.

I encourage you to get involved in some way. Check about opportunities if you are part of a local church, or if not, contact me at 912-308-7635 and I will assist. If you are interested in being part of a Caribbean mission trip, we have several opportunities available. Just remember that our primary goal is to reach people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:14-15 says, “ How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? How can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” Are you willing to be one of those who are sent?