NAMB's new flagship periodical will emphasize personal evangelism and spotlight "on mission" lifestyles.
Why is it that many Christians rarely share their faith? Fear, intimidation, lack of training, and lack of commitment might top the list for many. But when it comes right down to it, most Christians have not developed a lifestyle that intentionally creates and looks for opportunities to share Christ with those around them. On Mission, the new flagship magazine from the North American Mission Board, will encourage and help Christians be intentional about evangelism.
"Growing and serving in the church are not all God wants for us as Christians," said Nate Adams, Vice President of Media and Missions Education at NAMB. "He wants us to be involved in leading others to Christ. We want to help readers discover how God has uniquely shaped each of them to share Christ."
Adams began leading media and missions education efforts at NAMB in August 1997 after seventeen years at Christianity Today, Inc., where he led magazine development and marketing.
On Mission themes will explore the process through which Christians can be "on mission" in the area of personal evangelism. On mission Christians have awakened to their personal responsibility to share Christ with others. They have adjusted their lives to discover how God has uniquely shaped them to share Christ and how they can help remove barriers which keep people from hearing the gospel. Discovering that personal "fit" for sharing Christ activates and motivates them, giving them opportunities to share Christ more frequently. As a result, on mission Christians become passionate advocates who want others to become on mission and who want to see a growing movement of Christians and churches who are sharing Christ and cooperating in helping others to do so.
On Mission will give readers tools and ideas to help them overcome barriers that keep them from sharing Christ. Articles will include examples of lay people and missionaries sharing about their journey to becoming "on mission" with God.
"We plan to come alongside readers and say, 'We know this can be difficult. We struggle, too. Here are some ideas and some tools that will help you get started,'" said Michael Ebert, On Mission's Editor-in-Chief.
NAMB will distribute the first issue of On Mission at the Southern Baptist Convention, in Salt Lake City. Sample copies will be shipped to churches during the month of June.
For a free, one-year subscription to On Mission, call 770/410-6000.
