Many of today’s tentmakers choose to be direct sent by their home church.
Some of the issues that need to be addressed are listed below.
FOR THE CHURCH:
The sending church should bless, commission, pray for, commit to their tentmaker in the Apostolic manner, just like they would with a financially supported missionary.
Security issues usually means that the tentmaker name and picture can’t be posted or published anywhere. Communication is complicated and sometimes impossible. Ways must be found so that the prayer team and church is reminded of their emissary to the least reached nations.
Let us help your church put together a plan that works for the benefit of the tentmaker and their home church.
FOR THE TENTMAKER:
Developing a healthy home church relationship
- Volunteering at your church
- Building relationships with key leaders (pastors, missions leaders, etc.)
- Praying & supporting financially
- Joining or starting a small group
- Sharing/teaching what you have to offer
Building tentmaking vision & understanding
- Communicating the tentmaking model
- Hosting a tentmaking event
- Sharing what you are learning in integrating life & fishing evangelism
- Sharing stories of God’s working through tentmaking
Developing a support team
- Forming a prayer support team
- Setting up an effective & secure communications channel
- Forming a crisis support team
Partnering with your church
- Drafting a simple agreement clearly stating commitments of both parties
Setting up an emergency fund, possibly a special needs fund (children’s education, ongoing training, etc) - Developing a clear plan/structure for communicating
- Getting your church to pay for partnership agreement with tentmaking organization or mission agency.
What if your church does not want to partner with you?
- Steps to take before giving up – one more attempt
What is a healthy home church relationship – the key components
– Forming a prayer team
– Joining or starting a small group – ESL class – Discipleship group – Alpha etc.
– Volunteering at your church
– Becoming an advocate for tentmaking
– Setting up an effective communication channel –
– What if your church does not want to send you? – Steps to take
– Forming a crisis team – what does it look like how do you build one?
– Getting your church to pay for the partnership agreement (TENT) and an emergency fund.
– Hosting a tentmaking event at your church
– Drafting a church/tentmaker written agreement – with obligations of both clearly stated.