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Local Missions Work Takes Varying Forms

USA Today examined two different denominations’ approach to local missionary work: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Southern Baptist Convention, two of the largest denominations in the country. Both denominations spend tens of millions of dollars each year on local missions work, and they depend on called volunteers to make it happen.

According to the article, there are 20,000 Mormon missionaries in the U.S., and there are strict guidelines as to their dress, conduct, and where they will serve. Their black suits and name tags are iconic to those who might drive by and observe them knocking on doors. Elder David Evans, executive director of missions at the LDS headquarters in Salt Lake City, says it gives them tremendous brand recognition. The Mormons started going door-to-door in the 1800s, but now they use text messaging and other modern technology to make their work easier.

In contrast, the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Missions Board places about 4,000 missionaries nationwide, and many have choices as to where and how they’ll serve. They used to issue instructions and guidelines to missionaries from the central office but eventually decided the approach didn’t work for them. This Missions Board now concentrates a large percentage of their budget on opening new churches; 28 percent of their budget last year was spent on church planting and that percentage will grow in coming years to nearly half the budget. The Board allows local congregations to decide where those churches will be planted.

For Discussion: Would you say that one-on-one evangelism is more/less effective than church planting? Should evangelism instructions be issued from a central board, or should missionaries be permitted to decide how and where they serve?