How to Influence Church Leaders for Missions

This resource equips church missions leaders to influence those in authority alongside them or over them—sometimes referred to as “leading up”—by building trust, casting vision, and serving with humility. Drawing from real ministry experience, it offers practical ways to engage church leadership in shaping vision for missions and sending, even without formal authority. It is best used alongside the complementary “Worksheet for How to Influence Church Leaders for Missions,” which helps leaders apply each principle within their own church context.

When I first became a missions pastor, I assumed one of my most significant leadership challenges and opportunities would be leading the members of my church to be on mission. What I quickly learned, however, was that my greatest challenge—and greatest opportunity—was influencing the decision-makers of my church toward a global vision.

This resource is about how to do just that: how to work faithfully and effectively with those in authority over you to help shape your church’s missions direction. This can be described in many ways:

• Leading up

• Managing up

• Influencing from the middle

• Gaining leadership buy-in

• Leading without authority

Whatever the terminology, the idea is the same: finding healthy, God-honoring ways to communicate vision, build trust, and contribute meaningfully—even when you don’t have the final say.

In my eight years as a missions pastor, I found that how I influenced those above me in leadership was often more consequential than how I led the people directly under my care. In what follows, I hope to encourage you to stay the course in your relationship with church leadership, offering practical ideas and sharing a few of the mistakes I made along the way.

The Church Leadership Structure

Nearly every church has some kind of leadership structure. Many are organized in such a way that they have a team of decision-makers—these might be referred to as elders, deacons, or a leadership team. It could be the lead pastor or a member of the executive staff team. Regardless of the structure, most mission leaders are not part of that decision-making body. Whether in a lay, part-time, or full-time role, most missions leaders function in a mid-level management role within the church.

In this structure, it’s important for missions leaders to recognize that they’ll need to balance their own vision for global missions with the overall vision of the church’s leadership. Ideally, there are opportunities in your context to influence that leadership team. If not—if you have little or no interaction with those making decisions—you may find yourself in a tough spot. If you have strong convictions and a clear vision for global missions, you’ll need to be in an environment where your voice can be heard.

While this idea of leading up may seem challenging, I want you to see it as an opportunity. While it often takes more time and intentionality to influence leadership than it does to implement your own ideas, in the long run, it’s a better path—for a few key reasons:

• Learning to submit to leaders is a vital way to honor God. Though it may be difficult, it’s an integral part of our sanctification.

• The decision-makers in our churches are typically those with the most visible platforms. What they talk about is often what captures the hearts of the congregation.

In this resource, I want to share some attitudes I’d encourage you to “put on” as you seek to influence your church’s leadership team.

Leadership in the Church is God’s Design

God has designed the church to be led by a team of leaders who are grounded in godly character. In 1 Timothy 3, these offices are referred to as “elders” and “deacons.” Elsewhere in Scripture, they are sometimes referred to as “overseers” or “prophets and teachers.” While churches differ on how they apply these terms, for the sake of this resource, we’ll use the phrase “leadership team” to refer to the group of people who have been given the authority to make decisions and cast vision for the church.

Throughout Paul’s missionary journeys, he consistently established leadership teams in the churches he planted (Acts 14:21–23). These leaders were to be chosen carefully (1 Timothy 3:6), honored and trusted (1 Timothy 5:19), and called to shepherd God’s people with humility—not selfish ambition (1 Peter 5:1–2).

Scripture teaches that submission to one another is a way we show our love for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). Regarding submission to spiritual leaders, Hebrews 13:17 instructs: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Paul also urges believers in Romans 13 to “submit to governing authorities.”

Scripture gives far more admonitions to submit than to be independent. In the few places we are called to resist leadership, it is when we must: (1) stand up for the name of Christ (Acts 5:29); or (2) confront false teaching (Matthew 7:15; Acts 20:29–31).

In the Western context, submission to leadership doesn’t come naturally. We tend to be individualistic and value autonomy. This can make us more prone than some other cultures to resist leadership and stir division.

So, my first encouragement to you as a missions leader is to seek a posture of submission. Be willing to do what your leadership asks of you. If it’s not heretical, be ready to say yes. In doing so, you will honor your leaders, show reverence to Christ, and model humility. The way of the world says to claw and fight your way to the top. The way of Christ is to submit—to wait to be invited to the front of the table.

Take a 30,000-Foot View of Your Church

When you’re in an airplane at 30,000 feet, the world looks smaller. From that vantage point, the things that consume your day-to-day thoughts suddenly feel less significant.

As missions leaders, we need to recognize that the leadership team of our church is operating from that kind of perspective. They are responsible for the entire life of the church—youth ministry, children’s ministry, elderly care, benevolence, and more. They also have to consider addressing the hot-button topics relevant to our culture today—important issues like race, adoption, pro-life ministry, and, yes, global missions. While most readers of this resource would agree that a global vision should be central to the church’s identity, it is not the only thing a leadership team must focus on.

This should lead us to adopt a few key attitudes:

• Recognize that leadership carries a heavy burden.

• Remember that you’re likely thinking about global missions way more often than they are.

• Extend grace when they forget the details of what you do.

• Extend grace when it seems like they’re prioritizing other areas of ministry.

• Be patient with their timelines.

• Ask yourself in moments of frustration: “Do I care more about the whole life of my church, or just about my area of passion?”

Patience and perspective are essential character traits for effective leadership. We need to understand the role we play in the broader organization—and whether we’ve been invited to help set vision or are primarily there to implement someone else’s vision. If your church has given you complete freedom to shape global missions, then lean into that. But more often, leadership will offer direction they want you to carry out.

Work with your supervisor or leadership team to clarify the difference between what’s a directive and what’s open to your innovation. This can be a tricky dance, but a simple question can help: “Would you prefer me to be visionary and innovative, or would you prefer me to regularly reflect and reinforce the leadership team’s vision?”

Putting It into Practice

We’ve talked about the importance of influencing your church’s leadership with humility, patience, and vision. But what does that look like day to day? How can a missions leader earn trust, gain influence, and contribute meaningfully within the fundamental structures and pressures of church life?

This next section offers a series of practical ways to do just that—ground-level actions and attitudes that demonstrate character, build credibility, and help you lead effectively, even without formal authority.

Be a Servant

Begin by seeking opportunities to serve the broader church. This posture not only shapes your own heart but also demonstrates humility and a willingness to support the church’s overall mission.

Serving might look like volunteering to set up chairs, jumping in to help another ministry leader, or taking on a project that has nothing to do with global missions but meets a real need. These actions speak volumes about your character and commitment to the church as a whole.

During my eight years as a missions pastor, there were seasons when I was asked to help lead small groups or take on operational responsibilities during staffing gaps. Did those roles directly advance our global missions strategy? Not really. However, they expanded my perspective, aligned my heart more closely with the church’s overall needs, and helped me become a more effective servant leader. They also showed our leadership team that I could see the bigger picture—and that I was willing to pitch in wherever I was needed.

Take Leaders on Trips

Whenever possible, take church leaders with you on overseas trips. While a book study might be more time-efficient, nothing compares to a firsthand experience with your global partners. When a leader sees the work up close, their buy-in to a global vision increases exponentially—without taking up space in leadership meetings.

No matter the cost, consider setting aside funds in your budget to take members of the leadership team to key international partnerships every 2–3 years. These trips are long-term investments in the heart and direction of your church.

In addition, try to connect individual leaders with specific global partners. Develop a plan that aligns with both your missions budget and your leadership team’s availability. In your context, it may be more effective to return to the same location every few years, or it might be better to rotate visits across different partnerships. The key is to establish lasting relationships between your church’s decision-makers and the work God is doing around the world.

Develop Your Leadership Skills

Become the kind of leader people want to follow. If you’re not seeing much traction in your church’s global missions efforts, it’s worth asking: Am I growing in leadership and influence? Take ownership of your development. Don’t just wait for opportunities—prepare for them.

Invest in becoming a more effective communicator, collaborator, and strategist. Consider books like:

• How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge by Clay Scroggins

• The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell

• Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders

• Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck

Learn how to communicate clearly and persuasively. Donald Miller’s StoryBrand is an excellent resource for learning how to tell compelling stories instead of just sharing facts. Books like "Church Unique" by Will Mancini or "The Advantage" by Patrick Lencioni can help you grow in clarity, strategy, and organizational leadership.

If you want your leaders to take your vision seriously, lead in a way that earns their trust and respect. Grow in both skill and character—and let your development speak for itself.

Be Passionate

Let your passion for God’s global mission be visible. Talk about it often—especially around other church members and leaders. Passion is contagious, and your consistent enthusiasm can help keep global missions on the radar of those who aren’t thinking about it regularly.

I’m an internal processor and an introvert, so this wasn’t always easy for me. However, I made it a habit to keep a recent and compelling story in mind from one of our global partners, so I could naturally share it in conversations. You don’t need to force it. Find natural, unforced opportunities to share your passion for God’s global vision.

The goal isn’t to become the loudest voice in the room—it’s to be a faithful, Spirit-filled witness to the beauty and urgency of God’s global work.

Simple Vision-Casting

When you have the opportunity to cast vision to your church’s leadership, keep it simple and focused. Be prepared, but don’t overwhelm. Leaders often have limited time, so prioritize what you need clarity on to perform your role effectively.

Know the core of the vision you want to communicate, and share it in a clear, concise format (see Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz). A one-page, front-and-back handout is ideal. Avoid lengthy documents. I love to write and tend to anticipate every possible question—but I’ve learned from experience that a ten-page handout rarely wins over a busy leadership team.

Clarity and simplicity show respect for their time and help your message stick. 

Bring Partially Baked Ideas

Church leaders often want to help shape and speak into new initiatives. One way to invite their involvement is to bring “partially-baked” ideas—visions that are well thought-out but still open to refinement.

Your goal is to present enough detail to show you’ve put serious thought into it, but also enough flexibility to welcome their input. I struggled with this early on. I felt I needed to bring a perfect, polished plan to every leadership meeting to prove my competence. But what I often communicated instead—unintentionally—was pride or resistance to collaboration.

Let your ideas be strong, but not finished. This communicates both initiative and humility—and opens the door for meaningful ownership by your leaders.

Innovate within Your Church’s Identity

We need to understand the systems and structures of the church and work within them effectively. Rather than creating a whole new missions class and offering it on a Thursday night for 15 weeks, think about your church’s structure for equipping and “innovate within the identity” of your church.

Perhaps your church equips members through 4-week classes held on Sunday evenings. While it might be ideal to run a 15-week class on a Thursday when nothing else is going on, ensure that it actually works within the church’s systems. Innovate within the identity of your church.

Build Relationships with Leaders

In some church structures, a member of the leadership team is assigned to various ministries to help provide oversight and advocate for that area. If that’s the case in your church, take the opportunity to work closely with that leader.

Suppose you have the opportunity to present something to the leadership team and work on it with them. Lean on them to understand what will resonate with the rest of the team and what likely won’t. Give them the freedom to speak on your behalf or to clarify something you’ve said.

Do a Book Study

Upstream’s book, The Sending Church Defined, is an excellent resource for helping leaders grasp the theological vision of what a sending church can be. It would be a strong choice to read through with your leadership team. You can also find “The Sending Church Defined Study Guide” on the Upstream website to use in conjunction with the book.

If a book feels too overwhelming, consider finding a resource that conveys the vision you want to share. Here are a few options to consider:

• “Sending Church Observations from the Church at Antioch” by Upstream

• “The Story of God’s Glory” by Stephen Hawthorne

• Chapter 5 of Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper

• Chapter 6 of Gaining by Losing by J.D. Greear

Invite a Missionary’s Influence

With some of your best partners, look for opportunities to bring them into a leadership or staff meeting to share what God is doing among the nations. Give your leadership team the chance to ask questions, learn from them, and speak truth into their lives.

If no one is home on furlough for a season, consider setting up a video call instead. Even a brief interaction can bring your global partnerships to life and foster a deeper connection between your leaders and the work of missions.

Be of Strong Character

My wife and I’s theme verse for our marriage is Ephesians 4:2–3: “Be completely humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” It’s one of the most important verses in Scripture for our relationships within the body of Christ.

However strongly you feel about global missions, you are always called to be a person of strong character in your leadership. Avoid manipulative or guilt-driven methods of motivating others toward a mission. Instead, inspire them through the hope of God’s glory among the nations.

But What If I’m Not Getting Anywhere?

As you’ve read this resource, some of the attitudes or ideas about influencing leadership may have resonated with you. But for others, it may still feel like an impossible task. You feel stuck.

You might be experiencing:

• A church with a powerful senior-pastor-led model, making it challenging to influence leadership.

• A highly inward-focused church.

• A church in the middle of a building campaign.

• A church facing budget cuts that are hitting global missions especially hard.

• A different theological viewpoint on global missions.

• A church moving in a different direction than what you feel called to give your life to.

While I outlined a disposition of submission earlier in this resource, there is a time for challenging leadership—and even for stepping away from your role because of unaligned leadership. While global missions might not be an issue worth “turning over the tables” like Jesus did, it is indeed central to what the church should care about.

That said, we must be careful. There’s a fine line between righteous and unrighteous anger—both in motivation and in how it’s expressed. Before challenging leadership, ask yourself:

• Is my frustration about God’s mission or my own? These can be difficult to distinguish, but asking the question can help you pause and respond with more Christlike character.

• Is my temperament showing trust in God’s sovereignty and waiting for his work—or am I striving in the flesh to make things happen in my timing and way?

We must avoid manipulation in how we promote a missions vision. But if you do feel justified in bringing a challenge, first run your thoughts by someone you trust outside your church. If they affirm your concerns, start by addressing individuals in leadership who already demonstrate some openness. Give them room to influence the rest of the team.

If that doesn’t result in change, consider bringing your case to the whole leadership team. However, if you continue to face resistance, it may be time to reconsider whether this is the proper context for your ministry. Loyalty and perseverance are good and godly traits—but they aren’t always permanent. Sometimes there are necessary endings. And often God uses closed doors to open new ones. 

The One Who Holds It All Together

Jesus is the Chief Shepherd of his church. He is building his global church, and he has placed you in a unique role—not to carry the weight of it all, but to be a faithful steward of what he’s entrusted to you.

Throughout this resource, we’ve explored what it means to influence those in authority over you—not by force or manipulation, but through humility, patience, clarity, and character. You’ve seen that this kind of influence takes time. It may feel slow. It may feel unseen. But it is often the most lasting and fruitful kind of leadership.

Stay rooted in the character of Christ. Speak with grace. Serve with joy. Take the long view. Be the kind of leader your church can trust—not just for what you say about missions, but for how you live in submission to Christ and his body.

Take seriously the opportunity to lead your church toward God's heart for the nations. But don’t let it crush you. Jesus leads his church. Your role is to walk faithfully with him, day by day, conversation by conversation, trusting that he is always at work—even when you can’t see it.

So “lead up” with courage. Lead with love. And lead with confidence in the One who holds it all together.

Next Steps

The journey toward sending well happens one step at a time. Here are three ways you can continue growing as a missions leader:

1. Make a list of people in your church—whether above you or alongside you in leadership—who would benefit from going on a short-term mission trip. Estimate the cost of sending them every 2–3 years and begin incorporating it into your budget and plans.

2. Are you facing challenges with church leadership that have made it hard to lead with confidence? We’d love to encourage you. Reach out to us at info@theupstreamcollective.org to connect with someone from our team.

3. If you’re new to leading global missions, check out our Foundations of Missions Leadership Cohort at theupstreamcollective.org/cohorts. It’s a significant first step in building a strong foundation for the road ahead.