SIM International Director Malcolm McGregor

As we prepare this magazine, the Seize the Day initiative in SIM is coming to a conclusion. Based on 1 Chronicles 12:32, Seize the Day has been a very detailed review of SIM’s ministries, contexts and organizational structure; it has also provided for dialogue with all our stakeholders. The men of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32 "understood the times and knew what Israel should do." Seize the Day is SIM’s process of understanding the new day we live in and knowing what God desires of us in the future.

The process has been extremely broad and has drawn input from our SIM community around the world (missionaries, retirees, board members, and employees), sending and supporting churches, donors, prayer partners, Bible colleges, representatives of the youth culture, and missiologists. People have engaged significantly in the process, and they invested a great deal of effort in all they have contributed. We’ve even had light-hearted moments, with jokes like “Seize the Day, then ¬throttle Tomorrow.” One of our missionaries in Niger, West Africa, even wrote a thoughtful song on the Seize the Day theme.

But what about the conclusions? How will this influence us for the future? Specific decisions are still being worked on, but the project team has identified the following areas where change is necessary:

1. Majority World Missions—SIM will greatly expand its role in encouraging and facilitating the mission movement from the majority world church in Africa, Asia and South America.
2. The Next Generations—Ministries with children and youth are part of SIM’s heritage, and today’s world calls us to even more intentional engagement with them.
3. Short-term Mission—While this is not a new concept for SIM, we see the need to increase our strategic use of this tremendous resource.
4. Discipleship and training—Ongoing development of SIM staff and families, church leaders, and the people among whom we work is vital to the ethos of our entire organisation.
5. Organisational structures and policies—Some adjustments in administrative functions will result from our study.
6. Clear strategic priorities—The Seize the Day review has given fresh impetus to the evaluation and establishment of strategic priorities.
7. Partnering—Strengthening and broadening our partnerships will result in greater effectiveness.

A major consultation was convened in London in January to help draw the process to a conclusion. SIM International leaders are now making key decisions about the future based on these deliberations. A full summary of the outcomes will be given in the next issue of the magazine.

This is an exciting time in the history of the Christian faith. The pattern of the modern mission movement founded 200 years ago was “from the west to the rest”—a premise that is no longer valid in view of today’s worldwide church. Seize the Day recognizes the new paradigm in mission, and we anticipate significant changes that will help shape SIM’s agenda for the future. Please pray for us as we move forward in the 21st century. We believe God has provided a new wave for his purposes "so that all the nations might believe and obey him" Romans 16:26.