Outside the Walls

Strategic Plan for Mission Global and Local

1.0 Mission Statement

Empowering the body of PCC to own both the responsibility and privilege of the Great Commission.

2.0 Vision Statement (3 year plan: June 2004 - May 2007)

Evangelism and discipleship through Community Development
The focus areas of Community Development are given by five categories. It is intended that new missionaries, mission teams (such as short-term mission trips), as well as new mission ministries focus in areas that can be described in one or more of the following broad categories:

Basic needs (defined as food, clothing, shelter)
Communication (written, radio, television, Internet, in addition to teaching English)
Business development
Sports outreach
Church Plant that incorporates the above as connections to draw people into this new body

These focus areas will remain in effect until October 2006 when a new DNA group will be appointed to evaluate the results of this plan and make recommendations for the future.

3.0 Criteria for Project Selection

As new projects are proposed and planned, criteria will be used to evaluate a new ministry, missionary, or missionary team. Evaluation will be done to assess how the ministry does or does not fit within the strategic focus.*

Connection to current Peninsula Covenant Church (PCC) partnership relationships.
Relationship with Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).
PCC member support and interest.
PCC staff liaison.
Invitation by national church, receiving missionary, or sponsoring organization.
Clearly defined, measurable objectives with either single or multiple focus areas as determined (see section 2.0) by the PCC Mission Strategic Task Force.
Language skills adequate for the task or objectives.
Foundational relationship that fosters long term, multi-directional partnership (i.e. movement in both directions), with PCC serving as a hub for cross-global ministry.
Survey trip commissioned and sent by a Mission Team toresearch and confirm potential for strategic focus areas for 2007 and beyond.
Missionaries outside of the U.S. consider PCC their church home.

4.0 Levels of Partnership

4.1 Partnership -- 7 or more criteria matches
A missionary, mission team, or new ministry, whether short-term or long-term, with a strong connection with PCC and its body is deemed a Mission Partner.
The benefits of being a Partnership Missionary or Mission Team include the following.

The ability to raise money from within and outside of the church budget. Funds from the church budget will be available subject to Mission Committee review and planning. Assistance will be given by the Mission Committee to raise funds outside the budget if appropriate and in accordance with any existing rules on fundraising from the Church Council.
A relationship with the PCC Mission Committee, Mission pastor, and pastoral staff who help facilitate sending teams and provide opportunities for sharing reports upon return, as part of the accountability process.
Multiple announcement opportunities in worship services, congregational Care groups, weekly bulletin and The Bridge.
Commissioning by PCC congregation.

There are responsibility guidelines for a Partner. Exact responsibilities will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Mission Committee or a designated team.

An annual written report should be presented to the Mission Committee. The annual report should include a brief statement of financial accounting for any support funds.
Supported missionaries are encouraged to communicate about and plan their Home-Assignments in consultation with PCC mission leadership. They are requested to “live among us” whenever possible on home assignment, donating at least two weeks and three weekends of time for ministry. Duties may include teaching to small groups, summer day camp, or Sunday school classes; preaching at a service; or training of future missionaries, both short and long term.
The supported partner needs to provide a written statement connecting the ministry to strategic focal areas listed in section 2.0.
A willingness of missionaries to assist PCC leadership in the effective development of short term relationships.
A willingness of short term teams & individuals to submit to the direction of PCC Mission pastor (or pastoral or Council appointed lay leadership for international mission) in establishing guidelines for training and debriefing.**

4.2 Endorsement -- 4-6 criteria matches
The benefits for an endorsed missionary, mission team, or new ministry include:

Funds can be raised outside of the church budget in accordance with any existing rules on fundraising from the Church Council. Annual discretionary funds or fund raising may be available at the discretion of the Mission Committee or designated Team.
One-time announcement opportunity in worship services, Congregational Care groups, weekly bulletin or The Bridge.
One-time sharing report opportunity upon return.

The responsibilities for an endorsed missionary, mission team, or new ministry include:

A brief written mission report describing the annual or trip activities and results of the ministry.
A vision statement enhancing the relevance of the ministry to PCC and its body.

4.3 Acknowledgement -- 1-3 criteria matches
It is recognized that God elevates ministries from entrepreneurial roots to future mission focus areas. An acknowledged missionary, missionary team, or new ministry represents a ministry that is not currently congruent with the Mission Focus of PCC. It is not the intention to invalidate any ministry striving to fulfill the Great Commission. Therefore, it is recognized that PCC and its body can commit to supporting Acknowledged Ministries in the following ways.

Public acknowledgment of the missionary, mission team, or ministry by the Mission Committee or designated Team through any methods of communication deemed appropriate (e.g. web, email, The Bridge).
Intentional prayer by the Mission Committee membership or the body at large.

Footnotes

* This strategic plan affects the relationships with our current missionaries as of 2004 by serving as a basis for documenting evaluations. It does not alter financial support in any way. All current and existing career missionaries supported at the time of adoption of this focus will continue under PCC International Mission support, regardless of how the field of ministry connects with the current focus areas. Each is encouraged to look for creative applications of these areas of strategic focus and suggest a means for involving the PCC body in ownership and responsibility for that particular ministry. Beginning with ongoing dialogue with international mission leadership, followed by implementing specific goals and a program for involvement in a specific ministry, PCC’s total support in time, prayer, relationships, and finances can continue to grow through these mini-partnerships.

** While training and especially the debriefing process is still in development, one requirement will be for the returning team to be engaged in subsequent sending teams, through prayer, communication and other types of help.