How One Church Plant is Prioritizing Missions from Day One

While Newark Grace is a church plant that doesn't even launch until January 2027, they already have a strategy for prioritizing missions. “We talk a lot about reaching the Nations and Neighbors,’” says Josh Rollins, lead pastor of the church plant. “From day one, our hope has been that we would have a heart for the nations and send our best.”  

The church has set an ambitious vision for the next 25 years: plant five churches and send 10 full-time missionaries. For a young congregation with a limited budget, that vision will require intentionality—not just in how they give, but in how they disciple their people to care about God’s work around the world. 

One of the first steps Newark Grace has taken is making prayer for missions a regular part of church life. Each month, the congregation is given four specific areas to pray for:  

Rather than asking people to pray for missions in general, the church wants to put real people, places, and needs in front of its congregation. Resources like the Joshua Project help them identify unreached people groups, while Encompass missionaries provide opportunities for the church to learn about and pray for those serving around the world. The goal is to help people see missions not as a distant ministry happening somewhere else, but as something they can actively participate in right where they are. 

Josh recognizes that building this kind of culture will take time. “How do we convince people that the nations matter?” is an ongoing question for the church. Consistently talking about missions, sharing specific prayer needs, and helping the congregation understand what God is doing around the world are all part of the process. 

Newark Grace is also learning how to make its missions budget go further. Rather than directing its international missions funding toward a single missionary or location, the church has chosen to support Encompass as a whole, allowing the organization to direct resources where they are most needed.  

Ultimately, Newark Grace wants its people to get excited about what God is doing around the world. Stories of changed lives, conversions, and baptisms help make that work tangible and remind the congregation that the same God they worship in Ohio is at work among people across the globe—even in places where following Him comes at a much greater cost. 

Newark Grace may be just beginning its journey, but its example offers a helpful reminder to churches of every size: a heart for the nations doesn't have to wait until the budget grows or the perfect program is in place. It can start on day one—with a vision, a commitment to prayer, and a willingness to send.