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Prioritizing Missions in the Church
Encourage Long-Term Faithfulness in Missions with a Biblically Informed Strategy That Recenters the Church
The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. Scripture calls on missionaries to start and strengthen churches where new believers—and more missionaries—can grow. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the missions cause.
In this brief guide, pastors John Folmar and Scott Logsdon share their decades of experience working as pastors in Muslim countries. Showing how healthy churches are essential for fulfilling the Great Commission, they teach biblical ecclesiology and missiology with wisdom and real-world advice from the field. They also caution listeners against movement-driven missions, theological minimalism, and other techniques that replace the church's God-given roles of equipping, training, and sending missionaries. Offering an effective, biblical strategy for global evangelism, Prioritizing the Church in Missions helps pastors and churches not only make Christ known throughout the world but ensure that God's word is preserved long after missionaries leave.
Accessible Guide on Ecclesiology and Explores the biblical role of the church in equipping, training, and sending qualified missionaries as well as the dangers of unhealthy missions practices Equips churches for effective evangelism, expositional preaching, prayer, and partnering together in the Great Commission Helps Churches Build a Biblically Informed Missionary Ideal for missions-minded pastors, staff, students, and lay believers Part of the 9Marks Church-Centered Missions Series PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. Scripture calls on missionaries to start and strengthen churches where new believers—and more missionaries—can grow. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the missions cause.
In this brief guide, pastors John Folmar and Scott Logsdon share their decades of experience working as pastors in Muslim countries. Showing how healthy churches are essential for fulfilling the Great Commission, they teach biblical ecclesiology and missiology with wisdom and real-world advice from the field. They also caution listeners against movement-driven missions, theological minimalism, and other techniques that replace the church's God-given roles of equipping, training, and sending missionaries. Offering an effective, biblical strategy for global evangelism, Prioritizing the Church in Missions helps pastors and churches not only make Christ known throughout the world but ensure that God's word is preserved long after missionaries leave.
Accessible Guide on Ecclesiology and Explores the biblical role of the church in equipping, training, and sending qualified missionaries as well as the dangers of unhealthy missions practices Equips churches for effective evangelism, expositional preaching, prayer, and partnering together in the Great Commission Helps Churches Build a Biblically Informed Missionary Ideal for missions-minded pastors, staff, students, and lay believers Part of the 9Marks Church-Centered Missions Series PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Published May 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 14, 2025
At some point in the 20th century, Christian missions began to be detached from the church. Like a car hurtling down the interstate after its tires have blown off, so missions detached from the church is a loud, ugly, and dangerous behemoth. On the other hand, a church that has no interest in missions has failed to be amazed by the gospel. Either error is awful.
In this book, Aaron and Harshit look to strengthen the union between missions and the church by acknowledging that what God has joined, no man should separate. The authors argue that while missions are often viewed as another category of church activities that must be checked, missions should be viewed in lock step with the regular life of the church. In other words, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, raising up elders, and more aren’t alternatives to prioritizing missions but are necessary elements in a healthy church seeking to prioritize missions. Furthermore, the authors offer practical wisdom in seeking to keep the mission of the church ever before churches. The result is an instructive and helpful work written for those who love Jesus’ bride and desire to obey His commission.
On a personal note, I am a joyful member at Mount Vernon Baptist Church. The ideas and practices presented in this book aren’t simply ideals or theorizations, I see them played out in the life of our congregation every week, and I am grateful to God that they are!
In this book, Aaron and Harshit look to strengthen the union between missions and the church by acknowledging that what God has joined, no man should separate. The authors argue that while missions are often viewed as another category of church activities that must be checked, missions should be viewed in lock step with the regular life of the church. In other words, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, raising up elders, and more aren’t alternatives to prioritizing missions but are necessary elements in a healthy church seeking to prioritize missions. Furthermore, the authors offer practical wisdom in seeking to keep the mission of the church ever before churches. The result is an instructive and helpful work written for those who love Jesus’ bride and desire to obey His commission.
On a personal note, I am a joyful member at Mount Vernon Baptist Church. The ideas and practices presented in this book aren’t simply ideals or theorizations, I see them played out in the life of our congregation every week, and I am grateful to God that they are!
July 4, 2025
A great book on the responsibility of local churches to engage the nations. A chapter on the exegetical case for their definition of missions would've made this book just a bit better and more useful to pastors and congregants.
August 15, 2025
Clear, concise, compelling. I found it deeply edifying!
November 17, 2025
Awesome look into what a missions centered church looks like. Wish every church would read this!!
August 6, 2025
Helpful and practical. This is being incorporated into our missions team at BHBC.
May 31, 2025
Prioritizing Missions in the Church is a part of the 9Marks Church-Centered Missions series. This important work challenges Christians to reorder their personal lives around the purposes of the Great Commission.
The authors, Aaron Menikoff and Harshit Singh are both seasoned pastors who share a mutual love for the church, church planting, and global missions. They write:
A mission-centered church takes the Great Commission seriously. Such a church doesn’t simply pay lip service to Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations … This kind of disciple-making is at the very heart of being a Christian, which means it should be at the very heart of every church.
Prioritizing Missions in the Church alerts readers to the need for global missions, urges Christians to play a strategic role in the process, and provides practical guidelines for churches to initiate, lead, nurture, equip, and send qualified leaders to carry out the Great Commission to the nations. This book is the perfect blend of encouragement, inspiration, and challenge, sure to make a lasting difference in many lives.
Soli Deo gloria!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
The authors, Aaron Menikoff and Harshit Singh are both seasoned pastors who share a mutual love for the church, church planting, and global missions. They write:
A mission-centered church takes the Great Commission seriously. Such a church doesn’t simply pay lip service to Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations … This kind of disciple-making is at the very heart of being a Christian, which means it should be at the very heart of every church.
Prioritizing Missions in the Church alerts readers to the need for global missions, urges Christians to play a strategic role in the process, and provides practical guidelines for churches to initiate, lead, nurture, equip, and send qualified leaders to carry out the Great Commission to the nations. This book is the perfect blend of encouragement, inspiration, and challenge, sure to make a lasting difference in many lives.
Soli Deo gloria!
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
June 19, 2025
I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The primacy of the local church in missions is something I have thought a lot about for some time now and this book explains that very well. Highly recommend for those aspiring to pastoral ministry and missions.
October 15, 2025
There were some great things in the book, but there were some things that I disagreed with. That is often the case when I read books like this, where the author (or in this case, the authors)explain their philosophy on how missions should be done.
November 11, 2025
Very good. Easy to read and convicting in all the right ways. This book accomplishes a lot in a little. It sets up an excellent vision for ecclesiology, as well as a biblical theology for missions. It remains inspirational and practical. I look forward to handing it out in the future.
June 20, 2025
This book is top tier. I highly encourage churches to give this a read!
September 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and thought it had some great practical advice! Below are some things I personally gleaned from this book:
If your church is going to be a Missionary, sending Church, it must be:
Governed by Scripture.
Everything we do must come from the Scripture — 2 Tim 3:16-17
Does your church know why it exists?
Feeding the poor, along with so many other good intentions, are worthy causes, but they are not the reason the church exists. God’s glory is the ultimate goal of life.
Ps 150 let everything that breath praise the Lord.
The church exists to give God glory.
Does the pastor(s) model shepherding?
1 Peter 5. John 10:21.
A Pastor does not need to know the name of every congregant, but he does need to know the state of the flock.
Missionaries tend to reflect the pastor of the church that sent them, so if the Pastor is not shepherding well, the Missionary does not have much of a chance.
Missionaries with a low view of the pastor will most likely not prepare and set up pastors for the churches they plant.
Is depth as important as breadth?
Yes, we need as many churches planted as possible, but we need healthy churches as well.
Only strong churches survive and multiply.
How many churches were once thriving but now dead or no longer preaching truth?
Is the cost of discipleship clear on the church?
The prosperity gospel is more prevalent then just areas in a foreign world.
The Christian life is hard and many times marked by suffering.
Get the church wrong and you will soon get the mission wrong.
Churches on the field will look much like the churches that sent them.
“Go and tell” is the mission of every church.
Local churches should be greenhouses for future missionaries.
We cannot leave it to good books, agencies, or rallies to stir up the need for sending missionaries. The local church let’s keep the need in front of the people.
If our churches are not praying for missionaries and hearing about the need for missionaries, how do we expect them to surrender missions?
Healthy churches plant healthy churches.
Missionaries must be sent out, but they first must be godly individuals.
The best preparation for an aspiring missionary is to be the church member now they want to pastor tomorrow.
The most fruitful missionaries are those that are the best church members right now.
Do not leave it up to colleges or agencies to find good missionary candidates. The church is the best training grounds for a missionary. Here are six things to look for in a missionary candidate:
A Love for God. Matthew 22:37.
You can love God while quietly working instead of being recognized we’re having a public position. What you do is less important than who you love.
A Love for God‘s word. Psalms 119:166–168.
Faithful Christians believe God speaks where His Word speaks. Those who seek daily time in the Word and desire to be around where the Word is preached.
A Love for people.
A call to serve. God is a call to love people both home and abroad. Assess your relationships – do you know lost people and try to reach out to them? Are you sharing the gospel right now?
A Love for hospitality.
Hospitality is meeting the needs of others. Hebrews 13:2. Hospitality is connected to loving others, and we are commanded to do so without grumbling – 1 Peter 4:8–9.
A Love for holiness.
1Timothy 3 teaches spiritual leader should be tried before they are sent.
1 Timothy 4:16 – your holiness will save you and those watching you.
Churches should keep three things front and center when sending out a missionary:
Are they known in their church?
Are they honest about their sins?
Do they have the character and maturity of a spiritual leader?
A Love for their church.
Every Christian should love the church, but this individual realizes the importance of the church above other areas.
When a church sends a missionary, they should know who they are, encourage them, strengthen them, and support them.
The nations don’t just need missionaries, they need the right kind of missionaries.
If your church is going to be a Missionary, sending Church, it must be:
Governed by Scripture.
Everything we do must come from the Scripture — 2 Tim 3:16-17
Does your church know why it exists?
Feeding the poor, along with so many other good intentions, are worthy causes, but they are not the reason the church exists. God’s glory is the ultimate goal of life.
Ps 150 let everything that breath praise the Lord.
The church exists to give God glory.
Does the pastor(s) model shepherding?
1 Peter 5. John 10:21.
A Pastor does not need to know the name of every congregant, but he does need to know the state of the flock.
Missionaries tend to reflect the pastor of the church that sent them, so if the Pastor is not shepherding well, the Missionary does not have much of a chance.
Missionaries with a low view of the pastor will most likely not prepare and set up pastors for the churches they plant.
Is depth as important as breadth?
Yes, we need as many churches planted as possible, but we need healthy churches as well.
Only strong churches survive and multiply.
How many churches were once thriving but now dead or no longer preaching truth?
Is the cost of discipleship clear on the church?
The prosperity gospel is more prevalent then just areas in a foreign world.
The Christian life is hard and many times marked by suffering.
Get the church wrong and you will soon get the mission wrong.
Churches on the field will look much like the churches that sent them.
“Go and tell” is the mission of every church.
Local churches should be greenhouses for future missionaries.
We cannot leave it to good books, agencies, or rallies to stir up the need for sending missionaries. The local church let’s keep the need in front of the people.
If our churches are not praying for missionaries and hearing about the need for missionaries, how do we expect them to surrender missions?
Healthy churches plant healthy churches.
Missionaries must be sent out, but they first must be godly individuals.
The best preparation for an aspiring missionary is to be the church member now they want to pastor tomorrow.
The most fruitful missionaries are those that are the best church members right now.
Do not leave it up to colleges or agencies to find good missionary candidates. The church is the best training grounds for a missionary. Here are six things to look for in a missionary candidate:
A Love for God. Matthew 22:37.
You can love God while quietly working instead of being recognized we’re having a public position. What you do is less important than who you love.
A Love for God‘s word. Psalms 119:166–168.
Faithful Christians believe God speaks where His Word speaks. Those who seek daily time in the Word and desire to be around where the Word is preached.
A Love for people.
A call to serve. God is a call to love people both home and abroad. Assess your relationships – do you know lost people and try to reach out to them? Are you sharing the gospel right now?
A Love for hospitality.
Hospitality is meeting the needs of others. Hebrews 13:2. Hospitality is connected to loving others, and we are commanded to do so without grumbling – 1 Peter 4:8–9.
A Love for holiness.
1Timothy 3 teaches spiritual leader should be tried before they are sent.
1 Timothy 4:16 – your holiness will save you and those watching you.
Churches should keep three things front and center when sending out a missionary:
Are they known in their church?
Are they honest about their sins?
Do they have the character and maturity of a spiritual leader?
A Love for their church.
Every Christian should love the church, but this individual realizes the importance of the church above other areas.
When a church sends a missionary, they should know who they are, encourage them, strengthen them, and support them.
The nations don’t just need missionaries, they need the right kind of missionaries.
June 18, 2025
So excited to see that 9marks is finally moving more into missions-territory!
It is an answer to prayer, and was really a matter of time, since as the book says, "missions IS church-planting."
Missiology is a subset of ecclesiology; if missions is divorced from the church, both disciplines become unfaithful to the Bible and incomplete (and even dangerous) in practice.
This book is about how local churches can practically ensure that they are taking ownership of the Great Commission task that Jesus has entrusted to them, rather than leaving the work up to parachurch agencies.
READ THIS BOOK! Ch2 on the whole Bible as a missionary text, and Ch5 on missionaries just being faithful "ordinary Christians" are worth the price of the book.
It is an answer to prayer, and was really a matter of time, since as the book says, "missions IS church-planting."
Missiology is a subset of ecclesiology; if missions is divorced from the church, both disciplines become unfaithful to the Bible and incomplete (and even dangerous) in practice.
This book is about how local churches can practically ensure that they are taking ownership of the Great Commission task that Jesus has entrusted to them, rather than leaving the work up to parachurch agencies.
READ THIS BOOK! Ch2 on the whole Bible as a missionary text, and Ch5 on missionaries just being faithful "ordinary Christians" are worth the price of the book.
September 25, 2025
This book is for anyone interested in supporting missions within their church, wanting to go on the mission field, or developing a healthy view of what missions truly looks like. This is a “must read” for pastors and mission councils/committees. The authors’ diverse backgrounds provide a broad scope and understanding of healthy ways to “send” people as well as developing a culture of missions by expositional preaching and believing that the Bible is the “authoritative manual for the basics of missions.”
January 16, 2026
I'm an elder in my church and we were all asked to read both this book and it's companion volume "Prioritizing the Church in Missions."
I've just finished this one. It's an excellent primer on the importance of the church furthering the Great Commission. This is done by each church being faithful to God's Word; remembering that the Bible in its entirety is mission-focused; networking with other churches and taking on the time-consuming work of identifying future pastors and missionaries. It's well-written and well-constructed and ultimately encouraging.
I've just finished this one. It's an excellent primer on the importance of the church furthering the Great Commission. This is done by each church being faithful to God's Word; remembering that the Bible in its entirety is mission-focused; networking with other churches and taking on the time-consuming work of identifying future pastors and missionaries. It's well-written and well-constructed and ultimately encouraging.
November 29, 2025
This is the first book in the new Church Centered Missions series by 9marks, and it's an excellent companion to Prioritizing the Church in Missions (which I read first). Menikoff & Singh bring a lot of clarity to the importance of missions and how this is something all churches should prioritize (what a spot-on title). There's lots here for pastors and elders to chew on in how they can be more intentional with keeping missions at the forefront of their church without sacrificing spiritual health and theological depth. But there's plenty for the "ordinary" church member as well (especially in chapter 5).
You can read my full review here: https://zakmellgren.substack.com/p/or...
Thanks to Crossway for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
You can read my full review here: https://zakmellgren.substack.com/p/or...
Thanks to Crossway for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2025
There's nothing groundbreaking here, and I mean that in the most positive way. This book clearly communicates what it truly looks like to prioritize missions in a church. In doing so, the authors simultaneously demystify and elevate the church's call to missions.
Ordinary churches can (and should) prioritize missions.
Ordinary churches can (and should) prioritize missions.
July 11, 2025
Solid and accessible. May the Lord be pleased to bring evangelical missions in North America back to a church-centric model. Healthy theology and biblical ecclesiology fuel God-honoring missionary efforts.
September 24, 2025
This is a wonderful and encouraging book, to help pastors and churches make missions a priority in their churches.
This book is theologically sound and practical.
This will be a book I come back to over and over throughout my ministry.
This book is theologically sound and practical.
This will be a book I come back to over and over throughout my ministry.
July 28, 2025
This is a theological and practical guide to thinking about putting missions as a central priority in our churches. Highly recommended.
August 1, 2025
Beautifully presenting God’s heart to reach the nations through the church
February 10, 2026
Simple. Clear. Compelling. Useful.
March 3, 2026
Great resource. Took the Missions book from the Building Healthy Churches series and made it immensely practical.
April 21, 2026
Very practical, very helpful.
May 26, 2025
I’ve been waiting for this book for a long time.
9Marks is launching their new Church-Centered Missions series and I couldn’t be more excited.
After reading this book, I can’t wait for the full series to come out.
Authored by Aaron Menikoff (Atlanta, Georgia) and Harshit Singh (Lucknow, India), Prioritizing Missions in the Church is a wonderful resource for pastors and church members who want to mobilize their congregations to participate in the Great Commission.
They lay an excellent foundation for church-centered approach to mobilization and distill these concepts in a digestible way!
9Marks is launching their new Church-Centered Missions series and I couldn’t be more excited.
After reading this book, I can’t wait for the full series to come out.
Authored by Aaron Menikoff (Atlanta, Georgia) and Harshit Singh (Lucknow, India), Prioritizing Missions in the Church is a wonderful resource for pastors and church members who want to mobilize their congregations to participate in the Great Commission.
They lay an excellent foundation for church-centered approach to mobilization and distill these concepts in a digestible way!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews