Every well developed team at a mission goes through five levels of engagement. These levels correspond with the concept of "Keeping the bar low."
5. Prayer Trigger - The lowest level of engagement and the basis of everything we do is prayer. Most people will pray IF they're reminded to. That's the main reason that missionaries give out prayer cards to put on friend's refrigerators. Leaders should download pictures of the kids they'll be working with and put them where they'll be seen. During prayer times at church, the pictures should be handed out and prayed for regularly. Prayer Triggers personalize the mission. Prayer is not A strategy, prayer is THE strategy. So make sure we trigger people to pray frequently.
4. Collection - The easiest way for a congregation to get involved with ministry in the community is through collecting items needed during the year. These break down roughly quarterly.
- Easter - Collecting candy and Easter eggs
- Summer - School supplies for children
- Thanksgiving - Food for families
- Christmas - Shoe box Christmas gifts. (We have lists.)
3. Distribution/Outreach Event - The team goes on site to give out the items collected for the event or holiday. These are special events related to Easter, Summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Outreach Event (discussed under Menu for Success) is more evangelical, usually involved a cookout, games, balloons and face painting. An Outreach Event can be held any time during the year.
2. Weekly Participation - Individuals from the team come to help regularly with After School programs, ESL classes or other ministry opportunities. It takes about 20 people who help with an Outreach Event to get one person willing to help every week. Therefore it's very important to continue to provide opportunities for individuals to participates at the lower levels of engagement.
1. Full-Time - These individuals have been called to work in the ministry for an extended period of time. They may be bi-vocational. Unless we engage hundreds of people in the lower levels of engagement, we'll never reap the full time workers.