Advocacy Teams

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,

who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey

in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name,

accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these,

that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 3 John 6–8 ESV

Vision

As a family of church planters and disciple makers from The Austin Stone, our vision is to catalyze a church planting movement in 100 unreached people groups.

Mission

Advocacy Teams partner in the work of catalyzing a church planting movement in 100 unreached people groups by supporting goers sent by The Austin Stone to ensure they are thriving and staying on task.

Explanation

A goer is thriving when they are happy, healthy, and holy. A goer is on task when they are aware of God’s vision and calling for their life and when their decisions and actions, both large and small, are aligned with that calling. As a church body, we desire to walk with those we have sent out in a way that ensures the best of our ability that they are able to flourish in these two areas. There are many parts of the church body that are working together to this end, and Advocacy Teams are a vital component.

What does an Advocacy Team member commit to?

As a part of our broader For the Nations team, an Advocacy Team is a group of 6-12 individuals that formally commits to support a goer’s thriving and staying on task. To accomplish this goal, Advocacy Team leaders and members commit to at least the following:

Seeking a healthy, maturing relationship with Christ.
Living in agreement with The Austin Stone’s Affirmation of Faith.
Participation in the community of The Austin Stone as a Partner in good standing (for Advocacy Team Leaders).

Gathering regularly to facilitate health within the Advocacy Team as well as consistent care for the goer (at least monthly).
Proactively and regularly personally communicating with your goer (at least monthly).
Regularly praying for the goer and the people groups they are ministering among.
Financially contributing as a regular member of the goer’s financial support team.
Taking initiative to serve the goer in ways that contribute to their health, happiness, and holiness.
Serving as a member of this team for a period of at least one term of the goer’s ministry (typically 3-4 years).

What does advocacy look like? What does the team do?

Advocacy before God

Interceding through prayer and fasting — regularly praying for your goer and regularly asking God to move among the people group your goer is serving. This should be done individually as well as during team gatherings.

Submitting a monthly prayer request form on behalf of your goer. This form will be sent to one designated member of the team to fill out each month. Once the form is filled out, the Stateside Care Team will distribute the prayers to elders and congregation leadership to be prayed over.

Advocacy among support networks

Actively participating to cultivate, encourage, and equip the goer’s financial and prayer support networks.

Advocacy among the local church body

Speaking well and regularly of your goer, sharing how others might pray for them and their people groups, and encouraging others to participate in the Great Commission through sending.

Advocacy with church leadership

Coordinating awareness of a goer’s stateside presence as well as identifying resources as needed. Additionally, reaching out to make leadership aware of other specific needs as they are identified.

Communicating with the Stateside Care Team as your goer visits stateside to ensure all resource needs are taken care of.

Advocacy within the team

Exhorting and encouraging one another to persevere in praying for, reaching out to, and investing in your goer.

What are the best practices for Advocacy Teams?

Establish Clear Expectations

Cultivate a healthy team dynamic among the A- Team

Take Ownership and Initiative, with an open- handed posture

Become a good listener