Ministry work is full of mysteries, but none greater than these: What really works? What strategies are effective in reaching a lost continent for Christ? In business and in ministry I find that organizations are like automobiles: They need constant realignment and repair. Although we may not comprehend whats under the hood, we know when our car needs to be fixed.

At the North American Mission Board we realigned our decision-making and action strategies around core leadership and team values. Our leadership theology has developed through scriptural authority and dedication to making an eternal difference in North America. We are committed to answering Gods call on our lives, discovering contentment in the journey Hes given us, crafting our leadership skills to reflect His character while coaching one another to achieve Great Commission excellence.

To accomplish these lofty goals, we are committed to our strategic partnersstate conventions, local associations, local churches, sister agenciescooperating as servant leaders, developing quality relationships and aligning all our efforts with a clear, common and compelling purpose.

So the leadership questions to answer in repairing or realigning any ministry are: 1) What do we do? 2) Are we effective? This Special Issue of On Mission is focused on answering the first question: What do we do at the North American Mission Boardhow do we work with our partners? As for the second question, we look forward to hearing from you about how we measure up in 2005 and beyond. So, what do we do? These are our objectives...

Sharing Christ. Sounds strangely New Testament, doesnt it! Well, here is how we do it. We equip 1,000,000 people each year to share Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world. We do this through partnerships, workshops, train-the-trainer sessions and Internet downloads. We also share Christ ourselves. Every event and strategy we offer is designed to lead people to Christ. Strategic Focus City efforts, World Changers, Ministry Evangelism, Church Planting they all lead to sowing seeds of the gospel.

Starting churches. Again, a New Testament concept. Between 2005 and 2010 NAMB will partner with state conventions, associations and local churches to assist in planting 11,000 new Southern Baptist churches in North America. We will accomplish this by engaging 25 percent of SBC churches in one of three levels of church planting.

Volunteering in missions. Through interactive, evangelistic ministry projects our desire is for every church to participate in mission efforts including accepting the Acts 1:8 Challenge. Its amazing to see local church leaders come alive when engaged in ministry efforts like painting deteriorated schools in inner city New York, assisting disaster victims in Florida, rebuilding sub-standard housing in Chicago, constructing churches in Canada and much more. We will assist our partners in mobilizing 750,000 Southern Baptists in short-term mission projects by 2010.

Sending missionaries. When I see our missionaries and chaplains on the front lines of ministry efforts, I am so proud to be a Southern Baptist. Committed men and women starting cowboy churches in the west, inner city churches in the theater district on Broadway, new churches in the Bible belt. Chaplains on the front lines of battle, in hospitals and prisons and schools. Missionaries in Hollywood, the United Nations and Capitol Hillon and onmen and women telling the Good News in every corner of North America and yet, we need more. To place 10,000 missionaries and chaplains in the field by 2010 we must pray, give and trust like never before!

Impacting the culture. Amazing, isnt it? What used to slink down back alleys now struts down Main Street. We are committed to changing that landscape with media technologies and marketplace strategies to place and equip on mission Christians in fields such as education, law, government and business.

Equipping leaders. Everything rises and falls on leadership. The best book on leadership is Gods Word, and the greatest model of leadership is Jesus. We commit to developing leaders among our staff and missionaries and through our strategic partners. We will equip 250,000 men and women through biblical leadership development by 2010.

These are massive tasks that will require the most difficult of disciplines in the faith-based world: focus! Author Peter Druckers management principle first things first, second things not at all has never been more appropriate. The North American Mission Board stands ready to focus every resource on accomplishing these tasks. You may grow weary of hearing us preach, teach and promote our six ministry strategies, but watch us, well stay focused on them. Our denomination has charged us to accomplish them, and our Lord has called us to accomplish them, so please join us as we endeavor to do our part. We are desperate to cooperate with you in reaching these goalswe need you! Together we can Answer His Call, Tell His Story and Change our World.

Chuck Allen, chief operating officer, callen@namb.net