Your Church and Christar

Partnering in the Great Commission

The Vital Role of the Local Church

Ministry in least-reached communities begins in and is continually sustained by the local church. From the moment believers begin to gain a vision for cross-cultural service to their time on the field and when they return, they depend on the local body of Christ to actively participate with them in ministry.

The local church’s role in fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission is ongoing and multifaceted, involving the entire body of believers. Beyond sending their most valuable resource (people!), congregations provide numerous forms of crucial support, enabling them to invest in global outreach—and ultimately in advancing God’s Kingdom in places where few have been introduced to the hope of the gospel. In turn, churches are blessed as they actively participate in the Great Commission and broaden their vision of what the Lord is doing around the world.

The Vital Role of the Church

How Christar Supports Your Church

Based on the model seen in Acts 13, we believe it is the role of the local church to send and support the ministry of cross-cultural workers. As a mission agency, Christar provides employment, strategy, care and donor-support structures that facilitate the sending process as congregations send workers to establish churches among the least-reached.

It is our joy to come alongside your congregation, helping members participate in the Great Commission in ways that align with your approach to cross-cultural ministry.

Structure

that helps churches navigate the complexities of sending workers internationally

Strategy

that equips workers for faithful and fruitful cross-cultural ministry

Support

and resources that enable workers to thrive as they serve in challenging environments

Learn more about how Christar partners with churches in the shared goal
of seeing Christ worshiped in places where He is not yet known.

Your Church and Christar

Our Church Engagement Team

The Christar Church Engagement team exists to help local fellowships participate in expanding the reach of the gospel across the globe. This team is comprised of workers with years of experience on the field: individuals who intimately understand the realities of cross-cultural ministry and the needs of those who serve overseas.

Our Church Engagement representatives offer training and resources that equip congregations to more intentionally engage least-reached people, to launch new church-planting initiatives and to send not only individuals but entire teams to serve cross-culturally. Our staff also works with churches to ensure that they are prepared in the event that the workers they send face a crisis.

We praise God for the churches that partner with Christar and for the opportunity to come alongside you as you send and support. It’s our joy to see local congregations embrace opportunities to participate in God’s global work and be blessed by their roles in seeing churches established where they don’t yet exist.

Connect with the Church Engagement Team

AT EVERY STAGE,

MINISTRY IN LEAST-REACHED COMMUNITIES

IS CONTINUALLY SUSTAINED

BY THE LOCAL CHURCH.

Churches Partnering to Send With Christar Participate Through:

ASSESSMENT
AND ALIGNMENT

COMMISSIONING
THEIR WORKERS

PRAYER AND
FINANCIAL SUPPORT

CONNECTION
AND CARE

Read more about the roles of the local church, cross-cultural workers and Christar here.

WORKERS SERVE UNDER THE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY OF THE SENDING CHURCH, WORKING IN HARMONY WITH CHRISTAR TO GUIDE MINISTRY DECISIONS.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sending

Who decides where/how a worker will serve?

We want workers’ ministry roles and locations to align with their churches’ approaches to fulfilling the Great Commission and with the guidance they receive from the Lord. We work with individuals, couples and families to identify places of ministry that align with their priorities.

Where can churches send workers through Christar?

Our mission is to establish churches among the least-reached: those without access to a church that proclaims the gospel in their language and in a way that’s relevant in their culture. So, we seek to partner with churches to send workers to communities of least-reached people, whether they’re living in their homeland or as immigrants or refugees. Christar workers currently serve in approximately 35 countries, and we’re always looking to expand our ministry to new people groups and places.

Do Christar workers serve on teams?

The vast majority of Christar workers serve on teams: small groups of people with complementary gifts who are committed to the goal of planting churches among the least-reached through an agreed-upon ministry plan, mutual care and mutual accountability.

In what types of roles do Christar workers serve?

Christar workers serve using a wide variety of skills, gifts and vocations, in areas including (but certainly not limited to!) business, education, health care, resources and crisis relief.

What does it practically mean for a worker’s authority to reside with his or her sending church?

We do not override the church's sending authority. We believe that the sending church has continuing spiritual oversight of the worker and an important say in matters related to a worker’s fitness for employment with Christar. Through the authority delegated to it by the church, Christar holds employment authority by providing field supervision, accountability and pastoral care.

Can Christar send a worker to the field without his or her church’s approval?

No. We believe the local church, as the sending entity, must be in full agreement and give final approval before a worker departs for the field. Christar does not have the authority to make that decision independently.

Do workers have access to counseling and care while on the field?

Yes. Christar field leadership and member care personnel work together and with the sending church to provide support and resources on the field and in the U.S.

CONNECT WITH OUR CHURCH ENGAGEMENT TEAM TO EXPLORE HOW CHRISTAR CAN HELP YOUR CHURCH PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT COMMISSION.

CONNECT