What is a Mission Society?
For centuries, followers of Jesus have joined hands across church traditions and cultural divides to carry the gospel further than any one congregation could alone. These networks, called mission societies, weren’t bound to a single denomination. Instead, they were bound by prayer, conviction, and the urgency of the Great Commission.
Mission societies are part of our Christian family story. They remind us that while the world changes, the call of Jesus to “make disciples of all nations” remains the same.
A Brief History Lesson
Moravian Missions (1700s): Ordinary believers who prayed, sent, and went, sparking one of the earliest global missionary movements. Read more »
London Missionary Society (1795): Evangelicals from different traditions who united to bring the gospel to Africa and the South Pacific. Read more »
Church Mission Society (1799): Anglicans who trained local leaders, translated Scripture, and planted churches. Read more »
China Inland Mission (1865): Hudson Taylor’s groundbreaking effort to reach inland China by living among the people and adapting to their culture. Read more »
Each of these societies looked different, but all shared the same heartbeat: carrying Christ’s love across boundaries with humility and perseverance.
What Sets Mission Socities Apart?
Mission societies differ from churches, denominations, or Christian non-profits.
Churches shepherd their congregations in a local community and seek to make disciples.
Denominations provide shared doctrine and governance, often across many churches.
Christian non-profits often focus on one specific mission field, issue, or people group.
Mission societies, by contrast, exist to equip and send God’s people into new frontiers, whether across the world or across the street. They organize prayer, raise support, train leaders, and sustain workers for the long haul.
Why a Mission Society for Austin?
The Greater Austin Mission Society carries forward this same tradition - anchored in biblical conviction, yet attentive to the needs of our city today.
Collaboration: Uniting diverse churches and ministries to work together, not in competition.
Equipping and Sending: Preparing disciples to go, whether into neighborhoods, workplaces, or the nations in partnership with others.
Local and Global Reach: Serving the people of Austin while also engaging the nations God has brought here and supporting those sent from Austin to the nations.
Gospel Roots, Fresh Expression: Holding fast to historic faith while reimagining what mission looks like in our time and place.
We believe the Holy Spirit is stirring something in our city, and we’re eager to serve and support that in the decades to come!
City Reaching Strategy
The late pastor and author Tim Keller often reminded us that “the church is the spiritual oxygen for all other ministries in a city.” For a movement of gospel renewal to take root in a city, he identified seven key components that must work together:
Church Planting Movements – multiplying congregations to reach every neighborhood and people group.
Intercessory Ministry – united prayer across churches for revival and renewal.
Specialized Evangelism – equipping and mobilizing believers to share the gospel in everyday life.
Justice and Mercy – serving the poor, addressing systemic injustice, and caring for the vulnerable.
Faith and Work – equipping Christians to live out their faith in their vocations and the marketplace.
Christian Institutions – establishing schools, nonprofits, and other organizations that embody gospel values.
Leadership Training – raising up leaders who can sustain and expand gospel work across generations.
This framework helps us see that no single church or ministry can do it all. But together, when each part of the body contributes, we can work toward the flourishing of our city “in Austin as it is in heaven.”