One hope that I have with the emergence of our post-denominational missional context is that it will help congregations overcome our desire to do a “mission project” with our name and ideas attached. For example, I recently spoke with a representative from http://www.churchworldservice.org and one of the challenges that they have faced is that congregations would rather start a project themselves than contribute to an organization that has already cleared the mounds of red tape that exist when doing international assistance to those in need. Why?! So we can be assured that our money is well spent through personally going to these places and getting a stamp on our passport?
A true missional congregation will ask what is a need that they want to impact, pray, and then look around at all the organizations that exist that may already be addressing the problem. Christians need to view humanitarian efforts with the same perspective as they do their own spheres of influence. They are both mission fields. We are called to witness to our families, co-workers, neighbors, etc. If we want to address a need that we see in the world like hunger, why does it have to be a “Christian” organization. What better way to be the Church then to partner with self professed humanist relief organization. When asked why, you can say, “because the Son of God has come into the world to set the poor and oppressed free, give sight to the blind, and make the lame walk.”
Rev. Shawn J. Smith 