Each year CRC Missions International holds a National Missions Day. The focus for the National Missions Day changes each year. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness, raise funds and pray for a particular area of CRC ministry throughout the nations.
Below is a snapshot of our National Missions Days to date. Included in each snapshot there is a general overview of the day and various resources that relate to the chosen ministry for that year.
National Missions Day 2023
Sunday 30 July, 2023
The focus for the offering on the CRC National Missions Day in 2023 is for the CRC Missions Training Centre at Mwanza, Tanzania. This will provide a base for training pastors initially in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. Our goal is $50,000. The potential reach and impact of this for the CRC Missions Bible School in Africa is incredible. It is a step of faith but within our grasp. On Sunday 30 July there will be an opportunity to invest in this ministry through an offering received in each local church.
VIDEOS
NEWSLETTER AND FLIER
Please click here to download the newsletter
Please click here to download the flier
Suggestions for National Missions Day
Dress
Encourage people to come in their national costume or costume of the country they are supporting.
Decorations
Photos, flags or memorabilia decorations from missions trips people in your church have done or get photos from other churches in your region.
Video Clips
Show video clips of Africa, and the CRC Training Centre at Mwanza Tanzania which is the goal of our offering this year. Offering goal: $50,000.
Quiz
Have a quiz on a country your church is actively involved in.
Country Sketch
Share the story of a country needing the gospel by a person in your congregation who came from that country. For example, population, ethnic groups, percentage Christian, predominant religion, per capita income etc. Pray for that country.
Testimony
Testimony from a person in your church who has been on a recent mission trip or attended a ‘Pathways to Missions’ course.
Online Link Up
Arrange beforehand to an online linkup with a missionary or national leader in another country.
Morning Tea
Have a range of different cultural foods. People from other countries are generally excited to bring food from their country.
National Missions Day 2022
Sunday 31 July, 2022
The focus for the offering on the CRC National Missions Day in 2022 is fitting out our new facility training centre at Bethel International Training College (BITC) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG). This involves the resources and equipment needed to run a preschool and BITC’s training courses. This includes furniture, educational resources, preschool equipment, TV screens, internet and more. On Sunday 31 July there will be an opportunity to invest in this ministry through an offering received in each local church.
VIDEO
BOOKLET
Version One - Best for viewing online
Version Two - Best for printing
National Missions Day 2021
Sunday 25 July 2021
The focus for the offering on the CRC National Missions Day in 2021 was to ‘Finish What We Started’ - the Colombo Project. On Sunday 25 July there was an opportunity to invest in this project through an offering received in each local church.
Suggestions for National Missions Day
Dress
Invite people to wear the national costume of their country of origin or of a country they are interested in.
Decoration
Display maps or flags of various countries. This could be a focal point to pray for those countries.
Prayer
Specific prayer for the ministry in countries you are supporting.
Share testimonies, and answers to prayer, from people in countries you are supporting or from other countries the CRC is involved in.
Ask people who have been on a missions trip in the past to pray for that country.
Invite young people to pray for those nations.
Share
Share what you as a church are doing in global missions.
Wi-Fi
Show a video presentation or a live link with a CRC leader or missionary overseas. You may ask for a greeting, a testimony or the Sunday message.
Item
Present an item from a cultural group in your church.
Offering
Play the video on the Colombo Project and the challenge to ‘Finish What We Started’.
Food
International food for morning tea or an international lunch. Ask people from different countries to bring their favourite snack or food.
Website
Check out the CRC Missions website for other resources or stories.
Pulse Magazine
See the latest edition of Pulse Magazine (June 2021) for updates on many things happening around the world in our CRC Churches.
Suggestions for National Missions Day
Video
National Missions Day 2020
Sunday 26 July 2020
The focus for the offering on the CRC’s National Missions Day in 2020 was raising funds to purchase equipment needed to maximise the use of Zoom calls, and other online forms of communication, across our CRC fields. Online mediums enable our pastors, particularly Pr Barry Silverback, to teach, train, disciple, preach and minister from afar.
On Sunday 26 July there was a special opportunity to invest in this important ministry through an offering received in each local church.
Message from our International Missions Director - Pr Barry Silverback
Please click here to access Pr Barry’s message via PDF
Message from our Australian Missions Director - Pr Mike Cronin
Please click here to access Pr Mike’s message via PDF
VIDEO
National Missions Day 2019
Sunday 28 July 2019
The focus for the offering on the CRC’s National Missions Day in 2019 was on the International Student Sponsorship Program (ISSP). On Sunday 28 July there was an opportunity to invest in this valuable ministry through an offering received in each local church.
Message from our International Missions Director
Around 1986 Bethel Christian Centre in Port Moresby, PNG decided to try and do something for people from developing countries who did not have the opportunity or access to study or training in Christian ministry and service for the Lord. Bethel began ISSP as part of Bethel World Missions in response to this need.
ISSP allows us to recruit people from nations where the Bethel World Missions arm has pioneered CRC ministries. We do not focus on people just from CRC churches, but also those from non-CRC ministries that we either partner with or have some relationship with. In practical terms, this program involves us fully sponsoring students for their medicals, passports, visas, international and domestic airfares, accommodation, and all tuition fees to bring them from their nations to study and be trained at Bethel Bible College, and at a later stage, the World Missions Faith Training School.
Students come for a period of two years. They have the option of a third year of practical field ministry exposure, working alongside Bethel pastors and staff or in one of our other CRC churches in a different province within PNG. Most students return back to their home nation and either work in CRC ministries or in their own denominations from which they originally came from. Some selected graduates stay for a fourth year and became part of the Bethel Christian Centre staff, working in various ministry departments.
Our earliest students came some time before 1987. From 1987 onwards a good number of students began coming to PNG under ISSP. Since the program began until now, we have seen students come from India, the Philippines, Fiji, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Ghana, Tonga, Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand.
Some of our previous students have become missionaries in other countries outside of their own nations. In 2019 we have one young lady from Ghana and another from Vanuatu who are enrolled in our new Preschool Teacher Training Course. They are sponsored by Bethel under ISSP. When they complete their studies they will return to their nations and take up full-time teaching positions in preschools and primary schools.
When we give an opportunity to an individual who would otherwise not have had any hope of training and developing their desire to serve God, we are investing in their lives by empowering them to be the person God designed them to be and to do the things that will benefit His Kingdom. To give young men and women an opportunity to grow, develop and be inspired to be all that God has for them to do is such a worthy cause. I do not know of any greater reward than investing in the future of people’s lives, and seeing the ongoing investment producing results into the future well beyond ourselves.
To actually see young people become true men and women of God, serving with passion and purpose is such an amazing sight. Comparing it with our minuscule time and effort given to mentoring, training and growing their lives is truly what I call ‘the gold’ in life. This is more valuable than position, power, praise and possessions. People’s lives that have been transformed and positioned for God and His Kingdom is the real gold in a minister’s life. It is a specific joy to have been part of their journey in Christ and that joy continues as we see them walk in partnership with him. The majority of those trained through ISSP have gone on to Christian service in their churches and a majority are now pastors and ministers of the Gospel in their own right.
In my view, ISSP must continue for many years to come. It is a wonderful way that individuals and churches can significantly invest in the future of someone’s life. I am deeply moved with this thought and theme – ‘Sow a seed and change a life’. ISSP is an avenue that sows seeds through the training and mentoring program that it provides. What an amazing privilege it is to be a partner with God in this kind of program.
Thank you for considering ISSP as part of the CRC’s National Missions Day 2019.
Blessings,
Pr Barry Silverback
Suggestions for National Missions Day
Focus on our International Vision of a presence in every nation by 2045 and the current progress with this Vision. See the Vision and Mission or the International Strategic Directions section of this website for further details. Brochures are available upon request.
Share the above message from Pr Barry with your church regarding the missions offering for ISSP, as well as the video, brochure and PowerPoint found below.
Place a major focus on the areas your church is involved with in global missions during the service.
There are many great missions resources and ideas available on the Missions Interlink Website. CRC Missions is a members of Missions Interlink.
Further suggestions:
Set up an expo of missions and nations where your church is involved.
Encourage everyone to come to church in their national costume/dress.
Have an opportunity for people from all different nationalities to perform items (songs or dance) and share testimonies.
Provide food after the service from different nations, either free or for sale.
Have a section of the service in another language with an interpreter. This may help people appreciate what it is like for those living in Australia who don’t speak English well.
Message Ideas for National Missions Day
Genesis 12:1-3 - God proclaims His plan (the Abrahamic Covenant)
Exodus 19:6-6 - Participate in God’s Priesthood
Psalms 67 - Pursuing His purpose
Jonah - The reluctant missionary
Isaiah 54:2-3
Matthew 28:18-20
Act 1:8 - We have a local and global responsibility
Revelation 7:9-10
Video
Booklet
Click on this link to view and download the booklet
PowerPoint Presentation
Graphic for Screen
National Missions Day 2018
Sunday 29 July 2018
The focus for the CRC’s National Missions Day in 2018 was on children’s ministry.
A wide range of children’s ministries throughout the nations were focused on including feeding programs, the School Assistance Program, preschools and children’s homes among other ministries.
On Sunday 29 July there was be an opportunity to invest in these life transforming ministries through an offering received in each local church. This offering was sent to the CRC Missions Finance Office and distributed, as needed, by the Australian International Missions Team to the various children’s ministries.
Thank you for your generosity.
