DAVE MANSKE
Jesus Christ gave us the “Great Commission” (MT 28), calling all followers to be disciples – teaching and baptizing locally and globally. As the local church fellowship of believers, we participate in God’s mission as we cultivate new workers, meaningfully connect with IWs and actively engage with global ministries.
We are part of the US Christian & Missionary Alliance family. The Alliance started as a movement in the 1880s and developed into a mission-minded denomination with partners in more than 80 countries — The global Alliance World Fellowship.
The global Alliance Missions efforts place more than 700 international workers (IWs). Our North Central District churches specifically extend their reach through sending and supporting 21 IWs in 15 countries. They represent all 4 areas of Alliance global ministries: CAMA, Marketplace Ministries, aXcess, and Envision.
The North Central District family of churches has a rich history of raising up and sending IWs (international workers) for decades! We presently have 20 families and singles, working in 15 countries, representing the love and message of Jesus Christ as extensions of our local fellowships. All are living incarnationally in their host cultures, many among some of the least reached peoples of the world. Some live in difficult places, which we refer to as “creative-access countries” where communication is restricted. Won’t you keep all of them in prayer?
District IWs are sent out and supported by our local Alliance fellowships. These ministers are extensions of our participation in the reaching “all nations” as Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). We encourage your leadership team to explore the Missions Engagement Assessment Tool and discuss your participation with our North Central District IWs.
Partnering with our IWs can take various forms, which we have tried to summarize in 4 categories:
Building Relationships through: partnerships, short-term teams, member care
Prayer for: our leadership, for our overall missions corps and efforts, for individuals workers
Giving: supporting the GCF, intentional plans to fund Alliance ministries, creating awareness and opportunities for corporate giving as a church
Sending by: inspiring and identifying Christ-followers in your fellowship who sense a calling to be international workers (IWs), intentional discipleship and development of new workers, deploying - sending out - our best people to serve in the Alliance.
A Sending Church is a local community of Christ-followers who have made a covenant together to be prayerful, deliberate, and proactive in developing, commissioning, and sending their own members both locally and globally, often in partnership with other churches or agencies, and continuing to encourage, support, and advocate for them while making disciples cross-culturally and upon their return. Bradley Bell, The Sending Church Defined
Recently, Alliance Missions leadership and The Alliance Women have crafted a handbook for local churches. It contains recommendations and ideas on how we can connect better with Third Culture Kids (TCKs) as home churches and as a home district. Download your copy of the TCK Connect Handbook and explore new levels of engagement in your fellowship!
Alliance IWs are sent out by and supported by local Alliance churches like yours! All of them are funded by the C&MA’s “Great Commission Fund,” or GCF, to some degree or another. Your financial participation in the GCF funds opportunities, access, and workers as they work among the least reached peoples.
Do you have a personal connection with an Alliance IW, or maybe a passion for a particular ministry or people group? You have the option of giving specifically in this way, among all 4 aspects of The Alliance global ministries.
Interested in partnering with others? At different times, the C&MA has special offerings. Some involve matching funds. Others are part of a Year-End effort. Visit the Giving page periodically to learn more about these special opportunities.
The US Alliance is part of a Christ-centered global movement more than 6 million strong. Our Acts 1:8 family — inspired by Jesus’ love and empowered by His Spirit — is passionate to bring the good news about Him to our neighborhoods and the world!
If you’re interested in serving with The Alliance, whether stateside or overseas, there are opportunities for you!
Your North Central District missions team, along with your local church Missions Mobilizer, are leading the charge for greater engagement in Alliance global missions. District team members represent local fellowships from Minnesota and the Dakotas. Collectively we bring a variety of experience, passion and insight as, together, we participate in the gospel advance around the world.