Churches and Christians across board have been called upon to lend hands in giving supports to mission works and missionary activities.
This was the submission of Dr. Sam Oyemade, the President of Bearers of Light Mission, a Christian and Mission Centre based in Lagos.
Dr. Oyemade, a financial expert and renown bible scholar, in a lecture to a group of Missionaries at Dr. Abiodun Ajayi-Majebi’s Apostolic Foundation End time Mission, and Medireach International Foundation recently stressed that Churches were supposed to be involved either directly or indirectly in missions’ supports, suggesting that “Not less than 5% of every Church income should be committed to Christian Mission and missionary activities and service.”
He added that “Christian organisations need a lot of education in this regard to know how they are failing in their responsibilities.”
Earlier, Dr. Oyemade had defined Missions as “An organized effort to spread Christianity to new converts.”
He explained, “Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as educational or hospital work.”
Noting that mission work “is very important and must be a priority to every Christian to reach people early enough before they die, as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ,” Dr. Oyemade advised that Churches and well meaning Christians must stand up to support the works and activities of Christians.
Apart from looking forward to the Church for funds, the management expert advised missionaries to always try as much as possible to raise Mission Team.
According to him, a team is a group of people or Christians that is set out for a common goal, while partners are people who do something together and are closely involved in some way.
“The team can comprise individuals, Churches, corporate organisations, family or fellowship groups,” who are people willing to be committed as players.
To Dr. Oyemade, behind the afore mentioned means of raising funds for mission works, also pointed out matters of the genuineness of the calling of the missionary to mission works. One must be convinced of his calling. “Ensure you are called or sent on a mission assignment,” he emphasised.
“We know that every Christian must be committed to the service of a mission yet it is not everyone that will go to the mission field. The responsibility to organise and embark on a mission is given to some people.”
After this personal convinction what follows according to the mission minister was to ask the Lord for finance.
“I believe Christ will always finance or have a plan for His vision, goals and agenda, therefore, the first way to guarantee finance is to be on a mission in Christ’s own way, and not on your own desire,” he admonished.
Explaining further, he said, “Once ministry is established by being sent by Christ to do the will of God, prayer becomes a general connection and communication for the fulfilment of the assignment and to secure resources to conduct it. Ask the Lord for the arrangement He has made to finance the mission.”
One other area finance could be raised for mission works, according the man of God was to look inward through personal financing. “Finance it for yourself,” he advised.
“We learned that Apostle Paul engaged in tent making to finance part of his mission trips, and insisted that he was not a burden to anybody. I believe if the Lord really wants you to go He will provide for it and make the necessary connection as needed.”
Another important area identified to help missionaries to raise fund for their works is the need to have and make good use of financial management, an area where many ministers of God are weak to handle.
“Ministers of God generally are too spiritual to pay attention to financial management, they pray, fast and do every other thing but care very little about how to handle money. Financial management is an essential feature of any project, service or assignment,” advising that missionaries needed “sound financial management skills of how to acquire money, how to keep money, how to spend money, and how to multiply money. The resources of God are channelled through good managers of them,” he explained.
The financial expert also counselled that missionaries could partner with government or donor agencies locally or internationally. He was very quick to note that many Christians have abused this opportunity.
Dr. Oyemade however drew attention of missionaries to some of the challenges that missionaries who wish to raise fund for mission works could encounter, and these are; poor state of global economy ravaged by Covid-19, poor state of the Nigerian economy, poor financial management skills of Christian leaders and lack of priority for mission as a command of Christ, too many people going into mission works for wrong personal reasons, and general apathy on the part of Christians towards mission.
The host, Dr. Abiodun Ajayi-Majebi, a medical doctor who also runs mission works, in his remarks expressed his thanks to his guest, as he expressed the hope that participants would make the best use of the information and counsel they received from the lecturer. 
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