Our 2nd Distinctive: Planting Local Churches
July 2022
The Gospel Furthering Fellowship has 6 distinctives which, collectively, make us both unique and necessary in the ministry of missions. These distinctions are designed to minimize the causes of missionary erosion while maximizing Biblical accuracy and spiritual integrity by which ministry is done. Last month’s letter focused on the partnership program. We partner new missionaries with experienced mentors who will assist them specifically with deputation, deployment, and debriefing. The second distinctive emphasizes how we plant churches. We believe in planting churches that are independent and indigenous from inception rather than independence being an eventual aspiration for bringing about a spiritual increase of fruit among their own people.
If salvific faith can cause nationals to turn from their bonds and to Christ, then the quality of that same faith is mature enough for them to continue living for Christ without making them dependent on something other than Him. “The just shall live by faith.” (Heb. 10:38) God is not broke! He doesn’t need our finances for successful ministry! He doesn’t need anything! He himself is the All-Sufficient One. What he requires, though, is obedient faith. Therefore, the sacrificial giving of local believers prompts God’s blessing which enables them in ministry as their faith is increased. As God gave abounding grace for life and ministry to the impoverished Macedonian churches for their sacrificial giving to the ministry, so we desire God to give that same kind of grace to new believers in their own churches on the field. (2 Cor. 8:1-5)
GFF believes that missionaries should plant local churches in a way which maximizes God’s blessing on them directly. As we support our missionaries to do the work of the ministry through prayer and finances, they, in turn, should teach that the nationals can give and pray after the same manner. When they come to Christ, they can count on His grace as they support their own local church and leaders to do the work of the ministry there among them with their own prayers and finances without the aid of outsiders. It is only through this manner that national churches can truly be independent and indigenous, and that, from inception.
Only one Life,
Rodney Myers
GFF General Director