Building on Past Missionaries' Work

This is written for missions-minded denominations, churches and individuals who are entrepreneurial and want to examine some evidence of how God is working today to make disciples world-wide in larger numbers through their own organization.

After 2000 years of missions work by the Apostles and European and American missionaries, there are now Christians in every country. However, there are still 3.5 billion Unreached who have never been given the opportunity to become disciples.

International Missions Board (IMB) says 176 thousand die every day without Christ, of which roughly 60% are from the 3.5 billion Unreached peoples who have never heard of Him.

How can we reach them?

We are losing ground in world evangelism, with the Unreached populations growing faster than we are reaching them.  Many churches do not know what their missions funds are actually supporting or accomplishing.  This paper examines current and Scriptural models which have been shown to be more effective than past missions paradigms.  

What is an effective, Scriptural missions strategy to fulfill the Great Commission?

The basis for what is written here comes from 40 years of mission giving for evangelism and church planting among the Unreached in the 10-40 window.  Also, from the Scripture, studies and research of how God is working today through Christians in every country, and what our part as donors, partners in the gospel and supporters can play to effectively reach the 3.5 billion Unreached.

Following is a summary of some of the missions organizations that were started by churches and individuals, and their verifiable results.  Also, guidelines for how these organizations are structured, how they operate and what is available to help you if you have an interest to more effectively participate to reach the 3.5 billion Unreached.

Organizations:

Examples of effective Great Commission organizations include:

One Body One Hope. Aaron Baart, Chief of Staff and Dean of University at Dordt University, who focused on Liberia in 2007 after meeting a Liberian pastor in Ethiopia while adopting a son, is founder.

Since 2007, 45 churches were planted, averaging 100 new disciples each and then going to 200 after a few years.  

He has verification of results as each church becomes part of their network/denomination.  The cost is $60-100 per new disciple.

One Body One Hope uses Timothy leadership material with five in-country master trainers. Every pastor interns under a seasoned pastor for two years before getting his or her own church. The entrance strategy includes a week-long crusade and introduction to their radio ministry.

The Timothy Initiative (TTI) was started by a Baptist church in Florida. A leader was sent to an unreached country to start the endeavor. It was soon discovered that the best way to reach them was by partnering with nationals training national church planters.

Today, TTI operates in 38 countries with new disciples.

Training materials were developed by TTI.

Entrance strategies include the Jesus Film and audio Bible.

Verification of disciples made, and churches planted is done several ways including some audits and ‘trust but verify’.  Cost per new church planted is $400.

To encourage caring for widows and orphans, these are counted based on local churches serving widows and orphans thru their members.

The Finishing Fund was started in 2017 by Doug Cobb, a CPA. He was involved in Finishing The Task to reach the last Unreached, Unengaged People Groups (UUPGs). After Cobb founded FF, they took on 700 UUPGs.

The UUPGs are the hardest to reach, with no known Christians in the group. Nearly all now have 10-20+ new Christians and one or more churches. $10,000 per UUPG is invested for three years to assist two nearby national Christians to reach the UUPG.

FF works thru 40 mission organizations in 67 countries. These organizations mostly operate as nationals training national church planters and FF provides the funds and some verification.

A variety of entrance strategies would be used depending on the organization.

A variety of training material would be used depending on the funded organization.

As the last of the UUPGs are being reached, FF is starting to fund work among Unreached People Groups (UPGs), with few Christians and churches among them.

Meeting Objections:

Here are some responses you may get when you consider starting your own mission organization serving in this way, and thoughts to consider.

1. “There are some UPGs who are in conflict with nearby tribes and therefore Christians from the nearby tribe will not be welcome.”

Answer: Examination of Finishing Fund’s results among 700 UUPGs shows this is not a problem. If Christians from one group do not qualify, another will.

2. “Matthew 28:19 instructs one to “go” therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Answers:

A. Another translation is ‘as you are going, make disciples’.

Other passages such as II Timothy 2:2 illustrate how the Great Commission was understood and applied by the Apostles.  They entrusted the gospel to local leadership; they trusted local leadership to teach others in their own cities and countries.

B. We recognize that some are uniquely called to partner in the gospel through giving, with others ministering on the front lines, and we consider all to be equally faithful to Matthew 28:19.

3. “I have been called to go.”

Answer:  Although someone may believe he or she is called, we do not need to believe therefore that we are called to support them.  If we believe it is more effective and better stewardship, and will result in many more new disciples if we support nationals, then we can say that this is our calling as supporters.

4. “We know of an UPG—they are “unreached” and therefore we must send an American.”

Answers:

A. Finishing Fund’s example shows that even very unengaged, unreached populations can be reached much more effectively by partnering with nearby national Christians in the gospel.  A significant majority of all UUPG engagements have been done through nationals doing most of the engagement.

B. With 3.5 billion Unreached, and losing ground, it’s difficult to continue to justify the other model.   Love compels us to use the better way to reach the over 100,000 per day dying in UPG's without knowing about salvation and to effectively reach the 3.5 billion who have never heard of Jesus’ love for them.

Characteristics of new missions organizations

Some of the characteristics for a goal for a new organization, or for funding to an existing organization, would include:

1.  National Christians doing the church planting.

2.  National Christians doing most of the training of church planters.

3. Due to the different models, low cost of $400-1500 per new church plant.  If the goal is to make disciples, the verifiable results goal is to see 100 or more new multiplying disciples, per $10,000 invested (the cost may be higher in UUPGs).

4. With bi-vocational church planters like the Apostle Paul, costs may be less and sustainability increased.

5. Usually within one to two years, new disciples and new churches result, because national Christians already know and understand the culture and language.

6. Training is normally 300-1200 hours on-site by national Christian leaders along with mentoring by national Christian leaders early on.

7. Proven training material is used.

8. Vision of many reproducing churches is in the mind of church planters.

9. Only short term Americans are involved overseas, in support roles, with nationals doing front-line ministry and teaching.

10.  If the purpose is to reach an unreached people group, starting in one country in the 10-40 window is recommended.  A strong national leader is needed from this country or a nearby country.

In one missions course, a national leader was quoted saying that in his unreached country, missions went from needing training, to being able to train their own people, to now being home to the largest missions association in the world with more than 220 organizations sending out nearly 50,000 workers into their own country.  This shows that national, experienced Christians are available to train national church planters.

This is the model we see happening worldwide.  It is Scriptural, and it is effective, wise stewardship.  We hope you will reach out to us if we can assist you with your efforts to support national missionaries in unreached areas around the world.