Mission Commission Structure

An Open Architecture of Relating, Connecting and Docking Bertil Ekstrom and William D. Taylor


As we engage some of the issues:

In today's global missional arena, no single Christian world body can claim to represent all the significant mission players, whether they are individuals, mobilizers, missional churches, mission agencies, missionary training centres and programmes, national and regional mission associations, regional or global networks. The diversity is too great; the needs are too diverse; the desire to “do your own thing” is too strong; and the opportunities to connect can be even confusing. Generally mission bodies that invite serious connection or “docking” do so because there is a perceived awareness of a mutual value added dimension—the win/win factor for each and for all. This is true synergy, where our joint action has greater impact than our combined separate action.

The WEA MC leadership has felt the hand of God upon it during the last season to re-envision itself in terms of mission, purpose, values, means and services, constituencies and membership, governance and leadership structure, and our relationship structures that invite formal linking or “docking”. We have attempted to engage the emerging world and serve our Lord with greater effectiveness and closer connection to other groups with a shared vision and passion.

MC Constituency Categories

In order to gain the maximum leverage in our work, we strategically serve the global mission community as manifested in mission movements, networks and mission structures in order that they in turn can effectively serve their own constituencies. These constituencies are represented by their leadership and called MC Associates. The Mission Commission Associates (MCA) family form the broader arena of our global family and is made up of mission leaders according to MC Constituency categories.

Those with a constituency—associations, alliances and other movements:

1. Leaders of regional movements, with whom we work in partnership and are committed to strengthen them.
2. Leaders of national movements, whom we also urge to relate to their existing regional body.

Those whose focus is missionally specific:

1. Leaders of international networks. Those that focus on issues for specific projects; task forces set up specifically by the MC; all with an agreed structure for communication and decision-making with the MC.
2. Leaders of international mission structures and agencies (denominational, inter-denominational and of special ministry focus).
3. Leaders of international and national church associations and of local missional churches
4. Leaders with special giftings and expertise to work on task forces, networks, projects and programs.

On linking, networking and docking

In order to gain the maximum leverage in the MC's work, we desire to serve the global mission community as manifested in mission movements, networks and mission structures in order that they in turn can effectively serve their own constituencies. One of the services rendered by the MC is the so called “docking-structure”. To better appreciate the criteria for “docking” it is helpful to understand the MC's internal and external structure, and both are combined in the following diagram. (We thank GLC member David Ruíz of COMIBAM for his creative pictures!)

Explanation of the diagram:

A. The internal MC structure

•  The central circle of the MC leadership team is formed by the Staff Team and the Global Leadership Council (GLC), consisting of those who represent national and regional mission leaders, coordinators of the MC Task Forces and MC Networks and other women and men selected for their wisdom and contribution.

•  MC Programs, Task Forces and Networks

Within the MC we talk about a flow of service and organizational structures. What later becomes a global task force or network probably started out as a “core group issue” where a small team began dreaming and talking about a project with future impact. A “core group” may have a shorter or longer life-span, but if the vision has a future, it may transition into one of the following components.

•  A program refers to ongoing services mandated by the Global Leadership Council (GLC), carried out primarily by MC staff and funded in the MC budget. These would include publications (print and on-line, including our books and our journal Connections ), information management, Internet presence, and others.

•  A task force is commissioned by the GLC to carry out one or more functions such as reflection, research, publications, consultations and training seminars. A task force is included in the MC budget. Examples include ReMAP I (missionary attrition study) and ReMAP II (missionary retention and best practices study). The newest task force is on Global Mission Mobilization, launched in 2005. A task force can flow into a network status.

•  A network generally refers to a group of individuals or agencies with similar interests or concerns, interacting and remaining in informal contact to share ideas and information. Some networks are organic components of the MC and are included in the MC budget (such as MEMCA and IMTN). Other networks are linked or docked with the MC but are autonomous in their governance and funding, such as Mission Mobilization Network— OM , TIE, Interdev Partners Associates, SEALINK/Ethne06. Networks are expected to contribute a minimal annual financial investment in the MC that goes to cover space in each issue of Connections for their report.

•  The second circle , called the MC Forum, The MC Forum is a physical and/or virtual meeting place, with a maximum of 60 people, where specific themes related to mission are discussed. The composition of the MC Forum could, therefore, change from time to time depending on the issues treated.

•  MC Forum
A group of a maximum of 60 people formed by the GLC and a selected group of the MC Associates (MCA's) serve as the MC Forum

•  MC Associates (MCA's)

•  They represent the six constituencies mentioned at the start of this position paper.

•  All MC Associates are expected to affirm a working Memorandum of Understanding of their role in communicating MC's role to their constituencies. All are expected to make a modest yearly contribution that provides a subscription to Connections , and enables the MC to advance its programs and projects.

•  MCA's are accepted as individual members of the MC independent of the partnership status of their constituencies.

B. The external MC structure

•  The third circle, called the MC Arena, is an open place for all organisations and people involved in mission and especially for the above mentioned categories of the MC to engage with each other within the values, framework and facilitation provided by the MC, and ultimately under Kingdom values. The MC Arena exists all the time as a virtual meeting place and every third year convenes in an international MC Consultation. While MCA's have priority in the participation of the MC Arena events, other mission leaders can also be invited or apply for participation

•  The external circle represents the Global Mission Community whom the MC serves through its different events, publications and networks. The MC values a good relation to other international networks and appreciates to partner in specific events and projects related to cross-cultural mission.

C. General remarks

•  In all cases, the MC's working relationship will be marked by informing each other, meeting and praying together, sharing resources and helping each other to realise a shared task, agreeing on joint networks and task forces for specific projects, working pro-actively toward a shared agenda and, if appropriate decide together on mutual activities or joint projects.

•  In order to make this new MC function effectively, the MC staff's role will be to ensure that good communication takes place, so that all the key players are aware of each other's role and services. The MC staff will invite all the diverse players of Forum and GLC to converge with the broader MC. The MC staff will take a more pro-active role to present proposals, projects and programs for the common good, especially those ventures that call on the broadest forms of strategic cooperation.

Additional comments on MC services:

•  The MC Programs (such as publications, consultations, etc.) are staff-centered and serve, in cooperation with the Task Forces and the Networks, all the circles.

•  Regional and National Mission Movements have direct representation on the GLC. The relation of the NMM to the MC can be both through the RMM and directly.

•  MC Task Forces are integral part of the MC structure and their coordinators are accountable to the staff.

•  Networks vary in their relationships, and there is some representation of the networks on GLC. Their direction is outward. Some Networks will grow from MC Task Forces; others will join the MC through docking.

•  Other Global Agencies and International Missional Church Structures can apply for full participation in the MC through linking/docking according to specific guidelines as mentioned in the next paragraph.

•  Mission Experts (individuals with recognised ministry in mission and/or special expertise in the missionary work or in missiology) can be invited or apply to become MC Associates.

Guidelines for missional bodies, organizations or networks which want to enter into relationship with the MC.

We invite and welcome mission entities to link, or “dock”, with us as a global mission network. Groups that dock with us form part of the MC Arena and could be requested to enter as members of the MC Forum. They receive space in Connections on a regular basis to communicate their vision and program. They are expected to promote subscriptions and distribution of the MC journal ‘Connections'.

These are the prime guidelines that will guide the GLC and MC staff in accepting mission entities to dock:

•  The MC GLC sees the relevance, integrity, value and leadership of these mission bodies and senses that the Spirit's direction to engage in a dialogue of relationship.

•  The new relationship affirms evident value-added to both them and the MC.

•  These new groups demonstrate deep commitment to cross-cultural mission.

•  These groups purposefully serve the regional and national missionary movements as well as the key networks that are part of the MC.

•  These groups are committed to transparency in funding and governance.

•  Every second year renewal will be considered by a mutual review between the MC GLC and the MCA representing the docked entity

•  A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU—Relationship Agreement) will guide the participation of an entity within the MC. It sets the foundation for the “rules of engagement”, including a discussion of resource sharing. This agreement intends to give freedom for partners to fully enjoy and explore potential of the MC environment and contains details about the partnership and engagement expectations

Drawing to a close

As the MC engages with its God-given preferred future, we are convinced that we enter unique times and seasons for strategic cooperation and initiatives that will advance the Kingdom of Christ with courage and force. The MC's entire re-envisioning process has this dream in mind. We are not the only players on the global missional scene, but we will engage our work with courage, wisdom and boldness, as daughters and sons of Issachar, that minority band of leaders who understood the times and knew what God's people should do.

On these bases, and with shared passions, the MC openly invites networks and other global mission ministries and bodies “out there” to enter into dialogue with us to determine how we can relate, connect and even dock. For further information, write to both bekstrom@worldevangelical.org or btaylor@worldevangelical.org
And all of this to God's highest glory