Why I Support the World Missions Network
By Dr. Mark Dunn
Pastor, Crestview Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

The unofficially named “World Missions Network,” founded by Texas Baptists, will quickly become an important missions organization as Texas Baptists seek to bring Jesus Christ to the people of the 21st century, both in Texas and beyond. Of course, to call this network an organization runs the risk of conjuring up images of unwieldy bureaucracies and red tape. The idea of network is a far better representation of what is being undertaken. We want to connect churches directly to the mission field. The proposed network is the vehicle to strengthen that connection.

The concept of networking missions efforts is not new, but it has not been done on the massive scale as dreamed by the originators of the present missions networking action as well as by those who are guiding and shaping the concept into a working missions system. Actually the very concept of networking missions was the way Texas was saturated with Baptist churches in the latter half of the 19th century.

Today’s concept of networking missions moves beyond the Baptist effort previously seen in Texas. It is based upon the value that missions begins in the local church and carries through directly to the missions field contact point itself—wherever in Texas or beyond in the world that point may be. In the past, by necessity of less modern means of transportation and communication, missions efforts had to be operated by central agencies. Now we can link churches in Texas directly with global mission points—to the benefit of the mission points and the churches alike.

Some will certainly object that this new world missions network will become a rival to the existing SBC International Mission Board. Even if relations between Texas Baptists and Southern Baptists were perfect, our Lord could still use more avenues to tell people about Jesus Christ. More is better—more Christians, more churches, more missions!

I support this new effort not because some think it will rival SBC’s IMB, but because I know from the viewpoint of reality in the southwest Dallas inner-city that church-as-usual is not reaching our communities for Christ as our Baptist movement once did. Jesus Christ and his message is the same, but the people in the world community about us have changed: we must find new, engaging ways to communicate the marvelous, old message of God’s salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Above all, what I am really excited about regarding this new missions network is how it will enable and encourage my congregation to connect directly with missions work in our city, our state, our nation, and our world.

Our church, like 76% of all Texas Baptist churches, is a small congregation (125 or fewer in attendance) for which missions as usual has left us isolated from missions. Though the people of my church give 13% of our all our receipts to missions causes, few of these causes provide some kind of missions involvement that is right-sized and feasible for our church. Now my church has an opportunity to participate in something huge that will shape the future of missions and also be just the right size for us!

April 2003