Sending Church Starter Kit
Eight Free Resources for Sending Well
A word from Larry McCrary
President, The Upstream Collective
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I’ve been a church planter and pastor for the majority of my life. Believe me, I’ve made my share of mistakes. But if I could go back and redo just one thing it would be this:
I’d cultivate sending from the beginning.
I had so many reasons not to: my core team needs, our limited budget, the fear of losing leaders instead of gaining them—on and on.
But then I encountered the church of Antioch.
From the beginning they were generous and cross-cultural. And when the Spirit called their very best, they sent them out. They changed global missions forever.
Why can’t your church do the same?
Here are seven steps for any church—large or small, young or old. And good news is, you can do them all for free! Click on the images below to learn more.
1. Learn about the sending church elements
We’ve created a framework called the Sending Church Elements. Seventeen Elements that help will give you a framework for developing your church as a healthy sending church.
2. Take an Assessment of Your Church's Sending
Download this sending health assessment to see where you can grow as a sending church. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss your results. We'll also send you a free book.
3. Cultivate Missions Awareness
As a leader in your church you have the ability to cast vision and lead others to understand global missions. This resource will give you ideas on how to lead the leaders and members of your church towards a greater understanding and application God's global mission.
4. Establish Missions Convictions
What you biblically believe about global missions really matters for how you will be involved in global missions. This resource will help your church set the biblical vision you have for global missions and communicate it as you look to send well.
5. Nurture Future Missionaries
You likely already have someone in your church who is considering global missions. If you do not now, you will in the future. This resource will help you cultivate and nurture them as you look towards sending them out.
6. Provide Missionary Care
Once a missionary is sent, the job is not over for the church, it has just begun. The sending church plays a vital role in providing care for the missionary and their family. This resource will guide your church through a care framework called "advocacy teams."
Like the church at Antioch consider strategic one-time gifts and on-going gifts to a missionary or a missions project. This resource will guide you through developing a missions focus & funding model for your church.
8. Go on a Vision Trip
Perhaps the most meaningful way you can kick off your journey as a sending church is by experiencing the mission field yourself. Go visit someone with whom you might consider a partnership. If it’s not possible for you to get away, then take a local vision trip into a cross-cultural neighborhood. Check out this resource for ideas for a vision trip and key questions and experiences to consider.
​Taking a few of these steps can start your sending journey well. If nothing else, lead your church to pray for the gospel to move among the nations. And remember, we’re here to help!
— Larry
Larry@theupstreamcollective.org
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P.S. Interested in more resources about becoming a healthy send church? Check out resources based on the Sending Church Elements.
