THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL POLICY ON MISSIONS

GENERAL STATEMENT
Jesus Christ our Lord has commissioned us to make disciples of all the nations. That means we should evangelize, baptize and teach people His Word (Matt. 28: 18-20; Mark 16:14-16). He commanded that this work of evangelization be done first in one’s own nation – Jerusalem – (home missions, Luke 24:47) and then in other nations of the world (foreign missions, Acts 1:8). We can see clearly from the commission itself and from apostolic implementation of it in the book of Acts that this commission is fulfilled by establishing Churches.

In order to fulfill its responsibility as given by the Lord Himself, the Redeemed People’s Mission shall maintain a “Missions” programme. The Missions programme includes those activities that take place outside the local Church programme and are directed to evangelism, discipleship, leadership training and Church planting. All “mission” activity should have as its ultimate goal the establishment and building up of indigenous local Churches.

Our Definition of Missions and Evangelism.
Throughout this written policy, whenever the word “Missions” occurs to describe Board, Policy, Department, etc, it shall be understood to include both Missions and Evangelism.
Missions to our Church is any endeavour outside our local congregations to fulfill the Great Commission by proclaiming the gospel of Christ, making disciples, planting churches and aiding in their growth and development both overseas and in various sub-cultures in the country and relating to the whole need of mankind - spiritual and physical.

The Scriptural Basis of Our Church’s Involvement in Missions
We are involved in missions to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ bringing people to salvation and the knowledge of God, ministering to the totality of human need (Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Matt. 25:31-46; Lk. 16:9; Lk. 16:19-31; Lk. 10:2; John 3:16; Rom. 10:13-15; Matt. 10:32-33; 41-51).

1. MISSIONS POLICY
a) The Missions Policies of the Redeemed People’s Mission are herein set forth to guide to Churches, Missions Departments, Ministers and Missionaries. Our missions policy is to be strictly adhered to. However, the approval of the Missions Department should be secured when an issue comes up that may warrant flexibility in the interpretation of the policy.

b) The Missions Policy can be revised by the Board of Directors upon the recommendation of the National Missions Board as often as needed.

c) The Purpose of Our Missions Policy
This written policy is to help us to achieve a clear scense of direction, maintain consistency, develop a loving accountability in our missions programme and work in better harmony with the Church wide leadership.

II MISSIONS BOARD
A. Selection of Members
The General Superintendent with the ratification of the CEC shall appoint members of the Missions Board.

B. Criteria for Selecting Members:
A person to be appointed into the Missions Board shall have certain qualities which include:

i. A deep interest, commitment and vision for missions
ii. Past experience on missions work and desire to learn more on missions
iii. Acquisition of a wide range of experience that could be useful for missions and missions related works.
iv. Demonstrated communication and leadership skills
v. Willingness to support missions in prayers, by financial commitment, and by periodical visits to missionaries on the fields.

C. The Membership of the Missions and Evangelism Board.
The membership of the Missions and Evangelism Board shall be determined as follows:
i. The key officers of National Department of Missions:
- Director
- Secretary
- Treasurer

ii. The Provost of Redeemed People’s Theological College
iii. Head of Missions, National Headquarters Church
iv. District Coordinators of Missions

D. Officers of the Missions Department:
The following officers shall be appointed by the General Supt. Subject to approval by CEC
i. Chairman - Director of Missions
ii. Secretary
iii. Treasurer
iv. Prayer Coordinator
v. Literature and publication Coordinator
vi. Exhibition Coordinator
vii. Programme Coordinator
viii. Welfare/Coordinator Logistic

E. Tenure of Office
The Director of Mission shall serve a term of four years, subject to renewal.
The key officers of the National Department of Missions and any other appointed.
National officers shall serve according to their term of office as specified in the Handbook.
The District Coordinators of Missions shall serve a three (3) year term subject to renewal.
The Local Coordinators of Missions Department is to be as provided for in the Handbook for appointments in the local Churches.

F. Responsibilities of Members:
Each member of the Missions Board is expected to fulfill some responsibilities, which shall include the following:

i. Regular attendance of meetings
ii. Serve as a member on one or more of the sub-committees, or as a head of any of the sub-committees of the Missions Board.
iii. Maintain regular prayer life. Bible study and other aspects of Christian spiritual maturity
iv. Pray for and maintain interest in communicating with the supported missionaries, and be prepared to carry certain portion of the burdens of the mission work (such as supporting certain missionaries or works in a certain area of the world or some other missions projects)
v. Be engaged actively and continuously in the study of missions and missions related matters and must have a working knowledge of the missions policy of our church.

G. Meeting of the Board(s)
i. The National Missions Board shall meet at least twice in a year
ii. The National Missions Department shall meet at least once every month
iii. The District Missions Board shall meet quarterly
iv. The Zonal Missions Board shall meet once in two months
v. The local church Missions Board shall meet monthly
vi. The meeting of the Board shall be presided over by the Chairman with the simple majority of members forming the quorum

H. Duties of the Board:
The duties of the Missions Board shall include:

A. Developing Prayer Concern
i. The Missions Board shall develop prayer concern for Missions in all Districts, Zones and Local Churches.
ii. The Prayer Coordinator shall be under the supervision of the Missions Board.

(a) Collect Missions news and disseminate it to the Church through Prayer bulletins from the missionaries, news briefs from the supporting Districts or news of unreached peoples in the area where missionaries are working.

(b) Shall device prayer strategies to assist local churches for effective missions prayer through the following suggested methods among others.
(1) Present news and needs from the pulpit, in Sunday School, and in weekly bulletins etc.

(2) Through prayer groups praying specifically for missions weekly, stimulating prayer in the congregation for missionaries

(3) Through an adoption programme whereby a family concerns itself with the spiritual and other needs of one missionary family.

B. Missions Education in Redeemed People’s Mission.
i. The Missions Board shall promote education in the Organization
ii. The Missions Board through the Missions Education Sub-Committee shall be responsible for the education of the children, youths and adults of the Church in missions.
iii. Strategies shall be developed for the implementation of missions through:
Missions retreats, missions conferences, unreached people surveys and maps, biographies of present or past missionaries, bulletin board displays, missions emphasis Sundays and special missions dinners.

iv. Recommend the percentage of the missions budget to be devoted to missions education.

C. Missionary Recruitment
A National Mission is an accredited missionary working in a cross-cultural setting either in Home or foreign missions fields.

i. The CEC through the National Missions Board shall recruit missionaries for the Church both for Home and Foreign Missions
ii. Missionary candidates shall be identified by the local Church Pastors
iii. Missionary candidates can be identified and recruited through altar calls in Churches, Missions Conferences and National Conventions etc
iv. Missionary candidates can be identified and recruited through REPETHEC

D. Qualification of the Missionary
1) He would have been a matured Christian who has been a member and a worker with good standing in a local Church or any other matured Christian as may be considered qualified by the Missions Board.
2) A graduate of REPETHEC or any other recognized missions training institutions, may be an advantage.

E. Sending Agencies
The national Missions Board shall be the ultimate sending agency for the Church. Every missionary candidate of the Church shall appear before the Missionary Selection and Evaluation Sub-Committee of the National Missions Board prior to an appointment.

The Missions Board/Department of District, Zones or local Church may sponsor a missionary to Home or Foreign missions field with due consultation and approval of the National Missions Board.

F. Caring for Visiting Missionaries
Redeemed People’s Mission shall establish a MISSIONARY GUEST HOUSE for visiting missionaries. The Hospitality/Welfare and Protocol Sub-Committee shall keep records of when missionaries shall be visiting and necessary arrangements shall be made for visiting missionaries to make presentations in local churches.

The Committee shall also maintain a missionary store to help supply and equip the missionaries. The missionaries furlough or vacation may be arranged to precede or follow immediately after the periods of Leaders’ Retreat/Conventions.

1. Continuing Education of Missionaries:
REPETHEC should periodically develop appropriate curriculum and programme for missionaries on the fields to be sponsored by the sending agencies.
A missionary shall be qualified for education sponsorship of a short term nature after four (4) years on the field and shall be qualified for one or two years of advanced study after seven (7) years of service. A missionary shall be invited home to attend the Convention of Leaders’ Retreat at least once in every two (2) years. (A missionary shall be invited home to attend the Convention or Leaders’ Retreat alternatively once in a year).

2. Missionary’s Furlough
A missionary on a foreign field shall be required to come home on furlough after four (4) years for at least three months during which he would be required to participate in the continuing education programme for missionaries and Missions Awareness Conferences.

3. Visitation of Missionaries on the Field:
The Director of Missions or his representative shall visit the missionaries on the field at least once a year and present reports of the work.

G. Responsibility of the Missionary to the Church.
i. Every Missionary shall give quarterly and annual reports to the Director of Missions in approved format given by the Board. Default in given regular reports as at when due may delay the regular financial support.

ii. Every missionary shall be required to submit annual budget proposals for his work which shall include proposed projects for the approval of the Missions Board.

H. Short Term and Vacation Missions Program, Selection and Approval:

1. The Missions Board shall develop within the Organization short term and vacation missions program for selected candidates and matching them with selected projects when the need arises.

2. Candidates to be so selected shall:
i. Be a Local Church member in good standing within the Church and shall have proven responsibility as a worker in the Local Church

OR

Have proven Christian experience and character, though may not yet be a Local Church member.

ii. An interested candidate below the age of 18 years shall obtain necessary parental permission and any other person needing consent would be required to obtain such.

3. Short term or vacation program can be initiated by the Missions Board of all levels of Missions administration in the Church.

4. The approval for short term workers shall come from the respective Church mission boards. (For instance, at the local church, the pastor based on the recommendation of the local church missions board, and at the district level by the District based on the recommendation of the district missions board).

5. Any short term program involving foreign missions must be approved and coordinated by the National Board of Missions.

I(a) Missions Budget and Funding:
i. The National Board of Missions shall prepare an annual budge proposal and submit same to CEC.

ii. Funding: Funds for missions shall be sourced through faith promise program, special donations from churches and individuals, and a percentage from the central tithes.

iii. The Missions Board in preparation of its budget shall endeavour to maintain a balance between the Home and Foreign missions. However, each request or opportunity will be considered on its own merit.

(b) Support for Missionaries
The Missions Board recognizes and considers candidates for tent-maker missionary. A tent maker missionary shall be qualified for our support.
i. A career missionary shall be fully supported by the Missions Board or through the Missions Board by other sending agency within the Church. The amount of remuneration shall take into consideration the marital status, size of family and the standard of living at the place of service.

ii. A tent maker missionary who will be qualified for our support must have been cleared or sent by the Missions Board.

iii. Support for foreign works shall be according to identified need and as shall be considered by the Missions Board. This shall be according to available funds.

iv. The work of every missionary shall be subject to annual review to determine continued support.

(c) Designated Gifts
i. All designated giving shall be spent as designated

ii. Where such designated gifts are sent directly to the missionary, there must be a prompt accountability given to the supervising board for a proper acknowledgement and appreciation of the donor’s good gesture.

J. Discipline:
The National Missions Board shall be responsible for the discipline of the Officers and Missionaries under it. The disciplinary procedure shall be according to the provisions of the Constitution of the Church

III. NATIONAL MISSIONS DEPARTMENT.

A. Overall Responsibilities of the Missions Department.
The Missions Department, at all levels, shall be responsible for the following:

i. To stimulate intercessory prayer of our congregations for world evangelization and for our missionaries.

ii. To educate and inspire the congregations in the field of world missions.

iii. To help stimulate and recruit volunteers for missions service

iv. To develop and manage fund raising programmes for the missions budget

v. To administer the funds allocated to missions

vi. To serve as a liaison between our Church and its related organizations, agencies, associations and missionaries

vii. To care for the missionaries on furlough

viii. To administer and evaluate the missions programme

ix. To update the missions policy

x. To interpreter the Church statement of faith to missionaries and agencies

xi. To submit quarterly reports to the General Superintendent and the Board of Directors.

B. Goal Setting:
The missions department shall set long, medium and short term goals for the Church against which our program can be measured and such set goals which are measurable should also involve a step of faith.

C. Units and Sub-Committees.
The following Units are recommended, others may be added as the need arises. Each Unit in the performance of its duties may enlist the services of Sub-Committees.

i. Personnel Unit.
The Personnel Unit shall be responsible for the following:

a) Selection and Evaluation of Missionary Candidates:- does the research on organization and individuals and makes recommendation on support decisions. It also evaluates the missionaries, their support level, and the agencies under which the missionaries are serving.

b) Correspondence: maintains missionary contacts, sends birthday cards, greetings and writes the inserts for inclusion in the bulletin

c) Hospitality/Welfare and Protocol: keeps track of missionary furloughs and provides housing and special dinners, etc.

ii. Mobilization Unit:

The Mobilization Unit shall be responsible for the following:

a) Prayer: coordinates a continual prayer effort for the supported missionaries.

b) Finance/Stewardship: responsible for the raising as well as allocation of funds, and also responsible for the planning and development of faith promise programs that will bring needed resources for the missions work.

c) Missions Conference and Awareness: responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing mission conferences and awareness programs.
d) Short Term Workers: encourages, identifies, recruits, recommends and guides young people for short term missionary service.

iii. Research And Publicity Unit
This Unit shall be responsible for the following:

a) Research and Planning: collects and maintains a data bank on Missions. Develops through research, short and medium range programmes, and far sighted missions programmes complete with goals and integrates this with the long range plans of the entire Church or Organization.

b) Literature and Publication: publishes books, journals, and bulletins and spreads the news about special projects, as well as the news and needs of the missionaries abroad. It also establishes the library, collects and distributes books or tapes or appropriate documents and encourages further missions knowledge in all our congregations.

c) Special Project: develops media programmes and coordinates Radio and Television Ministry for missions outreach.

iv. Training Unit:
This Unit shall be involved in the following:

a) Liaison: shall liaise with the training Institutions on matters pertaining to the training of candidates and retraining of serving missionaries

b) Education: interact with the Christian Education Department for including missionary emphasis in the Sunday School and Youth Programmes

c) Scholarship: administer the Organization scholarship programme for missionary candidates.

v. Missions Administration:
The Chief Missions Administration for our Church at the National level shall be known as the Director of Missions.
The DM shall have two Assistants namely: Minister of Home Missions (MHM) and Minister of Foreign Missions (MFM)

At the District and local levels, the administrators shall be designated as Coordinators of Missions. These officers shall be appointed by the appropriate authorities. Such officers may be part time or full time Ministers.

A. Duties of the Missions Administrator.

i. The Director of Missions shall be the actual administrator of the entire missions programme of the organization.

ii. The DM shall be responsible for the formulation, review and updating if the missions Policy of the Organization.

iii. The DM shall carry out the execution of the missions policy and programmes through the Ministers of Foreign and Home Missions respectively.

iv. He shall set periodical and annual goals on missions and Church planting for spiritual and numerical growth of the Organization.

v. He shall present a quarterly and annual report of the Missions and Evangelism Department to the Board of Directors.

vi. He shall, in cooperation with the respective District Overseers organize an annual National Mission Awareness Conference within the Districts.

vii. He shall see to the dissemination of missions information through regular missions bulletins and magazines.

viii. He shall coordinate the raising and management of missions funds

ix. He shall act as the liaison officer between churches in foreign countries and the General Superintendent.

B. Minister of Home Missions.

i. He shall be responsible to the Director of Missions.

ii. He shall identify unreached people groups and areas within the country in consultation with the respective District Superintendents and recommend strategy of reaching them.

iii. He shall supervise the activities of Missionaries in the Home Missions

iv. He shall propose the remunerations of serving Missionaries on Home Missions.

v. He shall see to the welfare of the serving Missionaries and their families on Home Missions including remunerations, education and such other needs from time to time.

vi. He shall coordinate through the District Superintendent, the Church Planting activities in Missions Districts of the Organization.

vii. He shall recommend the process of chartering of a Home Mission work at set target

viii. He shall submit quarterly and annual reports of his activities to the Director of Missions.

ix. He shall carry out other duties as may be assigned by the Director of Missions.

C. Minister of Foreign Missions:

i. He shall be responsible to the Director of Missions.

ii. He shall explore possible foreign missions fields and recommend strategy of reaching them by planting churches.

iii. He shall supervise the activities of Missionaries in the Foreign Fields

iv. He shall disburse funds made available to him for the work in other countries.

v. He shall propose the remunerations of serving Missionaries on the Foreign fields.

vi. He shall see to the welfare of the serving Missionaries and their families on Foreign Missions including children education and such other needs from time to time.

vii. He shall recommend the process of indigenisation of a Foreign Mission work at set target

viii. He shall submit quarterly and annual reports of his activities to the Director of Missions and Evangelism

ix. He shall carry out other duties as may be assigned by the Director of Missions and Evangelism.

ISSUES ON HOME MISSIONS

1. CHURCH PLANTING

A. Status And Description of Congregation
Any pioneering work by a mother church shall be referred to as a preaching point until it is chartered

B. Pioneering New Churches:
Primarily, the local churches are to plant new churches. In the case of a new area, a new preaching point may be initiated by a District or the National. However, such preaching points must linked to existing local churches for constant supervision and excellent coordination.

C. The Role of The National Department of Missions in Church Planting
The role of the National Department shall basically be in the area of:
i. Research work
ii. Provision of data
iii. Exploration and survey into new fields and unreached areas
iv. Production of Evangelistic and follow-up materials such as posters, tracts, etc
v. Initiate new fields where necessary
vi. Provide logistic support for Church planters
vii. Training, appointing and commissioning of ministers for church planting
viii. Initiating and coordinating all church growth and church planting activities in the Organization.

D. The Role of The District in Church Planting

As a National arm, the District shall:
i. Ensure implementation of national policy as regards missions and evangelism towards church planting in the organization
ii. Supervise and coordinate church planting activities of local churches through the Zones
iii. Disburse missions and church planting funds as designated
iv. Give a quarterly and annual reports of missions and church planting activities to the National Missions Board

E. The Role of The Local Church in Church Planting
i. The local church is the primary agency of missions and church planting

ii. Shall mobilize, motivate, encourage and equip God’s people to go, give and pray for missions and church planting endeavours
iii. The due remuneration of the church planters shall be paid by the mother church.

F. Recognition of Pioneering Work:
i. The existence of a preaching points will be recognized by the Zone as soon as the work begins. Such preaching points are to be listed under their respective mother churches for recognition.
ii. A pioneering work will be fully recognized by the District and National when it is duly chartered.

H. Dues by the Preaching Point
Members of preaching points should be taught the Biblical principles of giving to God right from the inception.

i. A preaching point will be required to send its monthly spiritual; and financial report to the mother church.

ii. A preaching point will only be required to pay a tithe of its tithes and offerings and all missionary giving to the mother church, which will be regarded as an income to the mother church. Such missionary income shall be designated for the missionary work of the mother church.

iii. The preaching point should be allowed to retain other income for its development in addition to the financial and moral supports from the mother church

iv. There shall be no additional financial obligation placed on any preaching point for any reason whatsoever other than the ones stated above.