Missions

Center Grove is committed to spreading the good news of the gospel as commanded by our Lord in the Great Commission. We have a strong desire to see people from all tribes, tongues, and nations come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way in order to bring God the greatest glory. Here is how we accomplish this.

Annual Missions Conference
Center Grove hosts an annual Missions Conference in late February or early March. The conference is a full week devoted to learning more about the various ministries Center Grove supports or has a desire to support. Breakout sessions with career, long-term, and short-term missionaries allow members to learn firsthand what it is like to do the work of missions. The conference also highlights Center Grove's two short-term mission trips.

Long-term and Career Missionaries
Through the generous gifts of the congregation, Center Grove is able to support many Mission to the World (MTW) missionaries and their families. Some are right in Edwardsville while others are on the other side of the world. For a list of the long-term and career missionaries and organizations Center Grove currently supports, see our missionaries page.

Short-term Missions
Another way we fulfill the Great Commission is through sending members on mission trips. Many of the teams work through MTW, but others work through Youth with a Mission, Evangelism Explosion, and Pro Health International. In 1996, Center Grove began sending short-term summer mission teams composed of adults and youth into the mission field. Currently, there are two annual short-term mission opportunities at Center Grove.

LUMMI: Teams from Center Grove have been serving the Lummi Indian Nation for 11 consecutive years. In 2007, a team of 29 people from Center Grove traveled to the northwest corner of Washington State and worked alongside 60 other short-term missionaries from around the country. Much of the work is construction-related so many relationships have been built with the clients whose homes are being refurbished. In recent years the teams also had the privilege of interacting with the children and youth, and many friendships have been built through a children's Bible program and a teens sports ministry. Where walls once stood, bridges are now in place. We praise God for opening doors for believers to share their faith in Jesus Christ and to share the gospel!

VALLE de LUCES: In the late 1990s, Center Grove partnered with MTW to plant a sister church in Mexico City. Over the years teams from Center Grove traveled to help the small congregation of Valle de Luces build their church from the ground up. The work is hard and the days are long, but the teams feel the rewards are great. Many members of the Valle de Luces congregation open their homes and host team members. Team members assist with Valle de Luces' Vacation Bible School and transport boxes of donated clothing for the church's annual clothing drive. Through years of working together as brothers and sisters in Christ, these two churches have joined into an on-going relationship directed to spreading the gospel and equipping the saints in Mexico City.

Faith Promise
Center Grove is committed to Faith Promise giving as a biblical way to encourage and challenge God's people to an ongoing involvement in missions. The Center Grove Missions Committee budget is funded 100% through Faith Promise giving (which is a committed amount above and beyond the tithe). The funds raised through Faith Promise support career missionaries, short-term mission trips, church planting, college ministries, local mercy ministries, and other missionary opportunities.

Missions ministry collage