Twenty years ago it was likely the missions pastor in a church would have been a retired missionary older pastor or a member of the staff who had worked with seniors in the congregation.  While missions overall was extremely important to the church and denomination ” the decisions about missions and mission giving were fairly simple.

Supporting denominational programs or a group of missionaries with strong ties to the church was routine.  There were a relative handful of churches whose mission programs were highly visible compared to the other ministries.  The typical staffing budgets were focused on youth” music ” education and periodic capital campaigns.

That has changed dramatically.  Over the course of two decades” many congregations have shifted their support to their own programs.  As well they have increased the visibility complexity financial support and importance of missions as a core value.  While attracting people to Sunday worship discipleship small groups and family ministries are still near the top of the list of priorities two categories of people are driving the change toward the growth in missions.  First younger people who value both international causes (trafficking poverty alleviation business creation healthcare) as well as local issues like education social justice mentoring and clinics have changed the qualifications for missions pastors.  They now need to understand community development finances nonprofit governance geopolitics grantmaking and international aid as well as logistics for organizing multiple groups for short-term missions.  The second group is major donors in the congregation who are increasingly interested in local and global missions but they are not content simply to give to a generic program or one without adequate management and results.  I know as a former chair of my own congregation's foundation ” there has been a change from merely subsidizing existing programs to becoming more intentional and engaged in ministries and organizations outside the church.

Lastly” I would predict that the source of Christian private foundation staff and leadership will come from those trained as mission pastors in the near future in addition to lawyers accountants and development professionals.  They have the experience relationships and skills that are rare to find.  If I were looking for staff that is where I would start and if I were looking for a career that would lead to working for a foundation I would spend five years as a missions pastor in a large church.