The General Conference is focusing on developing what we call 7-day leaders. These are men and women who lead, serve, disciple, and live on mission every day of the week, not just on Sabbath. In that same spirit, the Missionary Society continues to invest in and equip believers to live out God’s mission in everyday life.
This fall, we continued that investment by again offering SDBU 261- Introduction to Missions. I taught the course for the sixth time, and six students completed it in December. This course exists for more than information. It exists for transformation. The course helps everyday Christians and local church leaders learn how to meaningfully engage in missions right where they live. Many students began the class with uncertainty, and maybe a little fear or scepticism. They wondered how missions could fit into real life, full schedules, ongoing ministry responsibilities, and their small town in the USA. By the end of the semester, every student had taken practical steps to integrate missions into their local context, in their daily lives, and not just in a church context.
That is exactly what 7-day leadership looks like. It does not wait for a perfect moment. It begins right now, with faithfulness in the places God has already planted His people.
Throughout the semester, students explored the biblical foundation of missions, learned about the global missions task, and built a broader understanding of how God works through His church across history and cultures. Students engaged deeply with culture, worldview, and contextualization, and they wrestled with the ethics of cross-cultural ministry. The course also challenged students to see North America as a mission field, devoting multiple weeks to diaspora ministry, refugee engagement, and international student outreach.
One timely discussion that has been a regular part of this class since the beginning is God’s heart for the foreigner. We were able to discuss in a respectful and nuanced way how the Bible instructs God’s people to respond to the foreigner, regardless of personal policy convictions or political identity. And we wrestled with what that should look like in our society today.
The cornerstone of the Intro to Missions class is Final Projects. Each student completed a project requiring at least 20 hours of hands-on missions involvement in their local context. Students intentionally incorporated one or more of the Habits of a Global Christian, including prayer, welcoming, going, sending, and mobilizing. These projects pushed students beyond good intentions and into habitual engagement, paired with reflection and intentional next steps.
The results showed how powerfully God works when believers take small, faithful steps.
One pastor has already begun integrating prayer for unreached people groups into regular worship services. He has also begun mentoring someone in his congregation who carries a growing passion for missions. Another pastor student continues building relationships between international students at Salem University and the Salem Seventh Day Baptist Church and has begun planning activities that create space for connection, hospitality, and gospel presence.
Other students also embraced creative and practical ways to build relationships and serve people in their communities. One student intentionally began frequenting specific restaurants and markets in order to build relationships with international people in his area. Another student partnered with an organization that serves underserved mothers, including immigrant mothers, and stepped into meaningful work that reflects Christ’s compassion and care.
What makes these stories so encouraging is not only what students accomplished, but what God formed in them. Students who began the course hesitant and unsure now move forward with clarity, courage, and a renewed commitment to live missionally in everyday life.
This is the fruit of investing in 7-day leaders. When believers learn to recognize missions as a daily calling, God uses their ordinary rhythms and relationships to reveal His love in extraordinary ways.
Pray With Us
Please pray for these graduates as they continue walking in obedience. Pray for the relationships they have begun building and for the people they have served and welcomed. Ask God to open hearts, deepen trust, and make Christ’s love known through every conversation, act of hospitality, and step of faithful presence.
