Indigenous Biblical Missions Technique Introduction:
Each country of the world has its own distinct national characteristics and peculiarities. There must be a scriptural method available that is able to reach the four corners of the earth in our short lifetime.I. Why Indigenous Church Principles?
What is meant by 'indigenous'? The dictionary defines the word as: 'Produced, growing, or living naturally in a country or climate; not exotic; native; hence figuratively, inherent.' (HODGES, p. 7) Applied to missions, the word indigenous means that, as a result of missionary effort, a native church has been produced which shares the life of the country in which it is planted and finds within itself the ability to govern itself, support itself, and reproduce itself.
Consider by way of illustration plant life. Some plants grow well in certain areas, but NOT in others, for they do NOT have the ability to adapt themselves to foreign climates.
The Indigenous Church Possible Anywhere
We believe that the gospel is universal; that the precious seed will take root and prosper in any land. [We need to reach every creature.] People of other lands can be converted and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry on the work of the church equally as well as Americans. The gospel is not regional. It has been designed by God Himself so that it fills the need of the African, the Chinaman, or the Indian. As a result, there is no place on Earth where, if the gospel seed be properly planted, it will not produce an indigenous church. It is adapted to every type of humanity, and to every social climate.
The Goal of Missions
Consider our goal in missionary work. The methods we employ should be adequate for the end we have in view. Some Missions consider the social betterment of the underprivileged to be their goal. Other societies have defined their objective as the conversion of the lost. The purpose of missionary endeavor is to establish indigenous Baptist churches that will last. [See Matthew 16:18.]
Social work needs to be done on foreign fields. The indigenous church method does not disregard this need but seeks to meet it through the national churches. Evangelism is recognized as one on the chief aims of missionary work, but here the national converts are seen as the most effective agents possible for carrying the gospel to their countrymen. [Like kind reaching like kind principle.] The missionary who follows indigenous methods refuses to allow anything whatsoever to interfere with the primary objective of his calling; i.e., the establishing of Baptist churches according to the Bible pattern.
To follow indigenous church principles means to return to New Testament methods--to the simplicity of the apostolic pattern. [See the Book of Acts especially.] Paul established indigenous churches.
Let us examine the methods of the Apostle Paul, the model missionary. Accompanied by Barnabas or Silas, and sometimes by several other workers who joined the party along the way, he traveled slowly through the Mediterranean area, never remaining in one place for more than 2 years (Ephesus) and sometimes for only a few weeks. Yet in each place he was usually able to leave behind a group of believers which he had organized into a local church.
Indigenous Methods Are New Testament Methods
After his 3 weeks' stay in Thessalonica, Paul wrote two Epistles to the church that he had established there, Epistles in which he exhorted the converts to obey those who had the rule over them. In the short time of 3 weeks he had been able by God's grace to establish a church with its own government. They could carry on without him.
A church must be taught the necessity of shouldering its own burden and facing its own problems.
Missionary Too Permanent
The missionary must have a clear concept of his own work as a missionary and of his proper relationship to the converts. He must grasp the transitory aspect of the missionary's ministry in any one area. A missionary may center the work too completely in his own person, in the money that he brings to the work and in his own abilities. If the missionary becomes the indispensable man then the nationals do not develop initiative. [Remember, a missionary should be trying to work himself out of the job.]
American Methods
The missionary should try to adapt himself to native thinking and methods. [However, unscriptural practices should not be incorporated.] American methods are not the only right methods. Nationals will probably have difficulty fitting into American architecture.
Too Much Foreign Money
Do not introduce foreign funds into the structure of the work. Results have shown that the church will depend on outside aid for its support and advancement. Foreign money weakens the spiritual and moral fiber of the church, kills initiative of the converts and dulls their sense of responsibility.
Lack of Faith
The missionary may fail to exercise faith in God for the development of the spiritual talents of his converts. The missionary may hesitate to place responsibility upon the shoulders of young converts for fear that they will become discouraged. Perhaps he does not teach them to tithe. Sometimes he fails to take advantage of the new convert's enthusiasm to witness.
Not A Dependent Church
We must start a truly indigenous church on the mission field. It must be a church in its own right. We must train the national church in independence rather than dependence. A church that must depend on foreigners for its workers, that must call for additional missionaries to expand the work, that must plead for foreign funds in order to keep going is NOT an indigenous church.
The missionary must have faith in the power [dynamite] of the gospel, to do for others what it has done for us.II. Self-Government
The 3 basic elements which make the church indigenous are self- propagation, self-support and self-government. Where any one of these essential elements is missing, the church is NOT truly indigenous. How may the missionary proceed in order to develop these necessary factors in the native church?
Importance of Self-Government
Usually self-government is the most difficult to accomplish and requires the longest time for achievement. To fail to place the responsibility of self-government on the converts is to choke their initiative and stunt their spiritual growth. The native converts will doubtless welcome the missionary's leadership in the beginning, but they will not be content for long if the administration of the local church remains in foreign hands.
Desire for independence is biblical. The missionary must recognize this desire and work along with it, or sooner or later dissatisfaction will arise.
Self-Government in the Local Church
The government of local churches according to the New Testament pattern is not beyond the ability of the national converts, even though they may be limited as to education.
If the missionary is able to organize his converts into local churches, then he has a powerful medium for evangelism and the essential basis for self-government.
Necessity of Right Beginning
Since with the establishment of the first local church, we cast the mold for the pattern that subsequent churches are likely to follow, it is really important that we start out right. Otherwise changes must be made later and changes are difficult. [It is always easier to be taught right the first time.] The foundation of self-government should be laid with the first church. If the missionary makes all the decisions at the beginning, the converts will become accustomed to his leadership, and later when they should take the responsibility for the administration of their own affairs, he will find that they are unable, even unwilling, to do so. [Try to get the people involved in the decision making process.]
'...the missionary [must be willing to] turn over all the factors involved in the government of the church--all its committees, its treasureship, trusteeship, its discipline, its preaching and teaching functions to the nationals. All of it must be by the local members.' (CBFMS)
Having won a group of converts, the missionary turns from being an evangelist to the function of teacher and instructs them in the precepts of the Baptist faith and the standards of Christian living. The Great Commission emphasizes the teaching aspect of the missionary's ministry: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations[.]"
The object of the teaching is to enable the converts to arrive at a clear understanding of Christian faith and conduct.
It is real important that the converts themselves reach an understanding of the Christian life, based on the Scriptures, so that their faith is firmly grounded and they are able to share their changed life with others (I Peter 3:15).
Baptizing Converts
Should the missionary scripturally baptize national converts? The Apostle Paul immersed believers when occasion required (I Corinthians 1:14-17). The missionary should insist that as soon as there are recognized native workers (pastors), they perform this Baptist church ordinance.
Choosing Officers
The pastor may be chosen first. The missionary should guide the proceedings by suggestion and wise counsel. The final decision must rest with the local assembly. Is there a man [scripturally qualified] of recognized spiritual leadership--a man whom others naturally look to and follow?
Providing Leadership for New Groups
Paul committed his converts to the care and guidance of the Holy Spirit and to the grace of God. He did not think that it was necessary to continue with them for long periods of time in order to keep them from failure. If we exercise faith in God, He will assist both them and us.
Responsibility for Discipline
A required aspect of self-government is the discipline of members. The missionary should avoid acting alone in questions of discipline.
Place the problems and responsibility of discipline directly upon the church. [See Matthew Chapter 18.] It has been found that the nationals tend to be more rigid in their disciplinary action than we ourselves.
The nationals know their own people.III. Self-Propagation
Self-propagation is the vital element of the missionary program. It is the true objective of missionary endeavor. A church which does not reproduce itself will soon die out. New Testament churches were self-propagating.
Indigenous church principles recognize the local church unit as the best medium for evangelism. [Churches plant churches.] When we have established a local church, we have followed the Lord Jesus Christ's own method for propagating the gospel.
Every Convert a Witness
Each convert is seed [in a sense] for a potential harvest. By nature, new converts are enthusiastic witnesses. Their life-changing experience with Christ has made them zealous to impart their new-found knowledge to others. [Remember the examples of Andrew & Lydia.] It is essential that each convert be a soul-winner.
Putting Converts to Work
Blessed is the missionary who has the gift of putting his converts to work. He will see results for his labors far out of proportion to those which follow the labors of a hard-working missionary without this God-given ability. [Many hands make light work of things. We are talking about potential 'multiplication' versus 'addition.']
The missionary shouldn't insist on personally supervising every move. We must be willing to turn converts loose. [Some amount of witness training is required here.] When the missionary puts the church to work, he not only get more accomplished for Christ, but the church matures in the process. Activity and responsibility make for growth. [Also nothing seems to beat practical hands-on experience.]
Be careful not to discourage the enthusiasm of a new convert for witnessing by being overanxious. The missionary will make a mistake if he sets a zealous convert to one side in order to send a trained worker in his stead. According to Roland Allen: 'We ought never to send a Mission agent to do what men are already doing on the spot spontaneously.' (HODGES, p. 37)
Evangelism by Extension of the Local Church
Set up some outstations. Let the churches appoint their best-qualified men to supervise them. They assign a certain lay worker to a given preaching point, making him responsible for that station for a period of time (6 months). Christians consider it an honor to be chosen for such ministry and are glad for an opportunity to work for the Lord. This can be their voluntary [unpaid] service to God.
Lay Preachers
From time to time the lay worker will be given opportunity to report the progress of his outstation to the main church. [Church accountability and authority is important.] It is possible that Sunday School classes could be established at the outstations.
As groups of converts form in these outstations, they receive instruction in Christian doctrine and conduct, in preparation for scriptural baptism. Presently, another group is ready to be organized into a church. The pastor of the main church then talks the matter over with them. If it is agreed that the time is ripe for organizing the church, the group most likely will ask the lay worker who has been instrumental in raising up the work to come to them as their pastor. They agree to pay their tithes, etc.
A New Church Is Born
Maybe this lay worker has in the meantime felt the hand of God upon his life leading him into a full-time ministry, and so is prepared to accept the call. Often it works out that we have not only a new church, but also a new worker. He in turn will begin to send out his converts into the surrounding area, and the process begins all over again with the message of eternal life reaching and ever-widening area. [In other words, we have a Baptist Avalanche Movement!]IV. Developing Male Leadership
"[T]he things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." Apostle Paul to Timothy
The government and extension of the church in any land must eventually be left in the hands of national leaders. Without such men, the task of establishing an indigenous church would be hopeless.
Our aim is to develop the national church. We are to provide leadership for the national church, not merely helpers for the missionary.
Train the Right Men
Who are these leaders, and how are they to be developed? It is important that the missionary shall not limit his leadership training to the bright young men who at first glance would appear to be the best material. The missionary needs to see the importance of making place for mature men.
Adapt Bible Training to the Field
Young men can leave their homes for extended periods of time to receive Baptist Bible training, while older men are tied down with family and business obligations. [Remember, family obligations should proceed church obligations in the order of things.]
Accessibility of the Bible Institute is a point of importance. Within certain limits, we should put accessibility to the student first and convenience to the missionary second. Consider climate and health. We should be versatile enough to meet the demands of changing circumstances.
Do We Spoil Our Students?
Care must be taken as to the type of training given in the Bible Institute. Most missionaries know of promising workers who have been spoiled through unwise training. If we send a student to a institute to prepare him to be a pastor or evangelist, yet give him a type of training which unfits him for the task, then our educational program is 'cross-purposes' with the goal we hope to attain. It is better to provide simpler and more elementary training, enabling the man to become a true leader in the church, than to train him beyond his spiritual capacity and lose him for the ministry and the church.
The standard of living in the Bible Institute should NOT tend to separate the student from his own people. It should not be far removed from the conditions to which the student must return upon leaving school. If we train our students in the American way of life, accustoming them to foreign food, clothing and comforts, how can we expect that they will be satisfied to return to their country village and minister to their own people? Give the student his training in surroundings which are not far removed from the scene of his future activities, and which retain the atmosphere of his own national life. Keep in mind the spiritual environment too. The student needs to develop both intellectually and spiritually. [The ideal situation might be to have a veteran missionary training the student right on or close by the future mission field.]
Train by Association
The Lord Jesus took disciples with Him. Let the missionary travel with his workers on foot, on horseback, by train or bus as the opportunity affords. [Load up the back of a pickup truck like Missionary Milton Martin with his preacher boys.] Let him eat with them at the same table. Let them sleep under the same roof. The worker will learn much from the missionary's words and his attitudes.
The goal is to develop, not only pastors for local congregations, but leaders also for every ministry that the church will need. Evangelistic, teaching and executive abilities must be developed.
Train for Teaching and Executive Positions
The Bible institute and the churches need teachers. The missionary must thrust the responsibility of teaching upon men who have a budding gift along that line. We and the nationals learn by doing. There is no other way of developing teachers and leaders than for the missionary to prepare men as best he can by teaching, and then put them to work in some task.V. Self-Support
It is regrettable that the use of money by the missionary has often weakened the church rather than strengthened it. The right use of money has its place in the missionary program. When the missionary does not have money, he must depend on God and encourage native initiative.
Dangers in Use of Funds
Missionaries who make appeals asking for money to support native workers, or to erect church buildings, should carefully weigh the long-range consequences and be sure that their procedure will truly strengthen the church, not weaken it. The future of the church should not be sacrificed for the sake of temporary advantage. Missionaries who plead for funds, asking for foreign help to do for the native church that which it should rightfully do for itself, should examine their position to see if they are on Scriptural ground.
Reasons for Self-Support
The church on the mission field should be self-supporting for the following reasons:
1. Self-Support is the Bible plan. A study of the Acts of the Apostles will convince anyone that this was the apostolic method. We find no clue that the churches among the Gentiles were supported by the Jewish congregation. Instead we do find that Paul solicited offerings from the churches he had planted to help relieve the distress among the famine-stricken saints in Jerusalem (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:26).
Tithing Is the Bible Method
We accept tithing as a Scriptural basis for the support of the work in the homeland. We believe that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Why not apply this universal principle to the whole world?
2. Self-Support is the logical plan. Under ordinary circumstances even the poorest can support a pastor according to their own standard of living if there are 10 or more faithful tithing families in the congregation.
Obviously, if we introduce an American standard of living, it will require the equivalent of an American income to support the work. But if we follow the New Testament pattern, in which the pastor lives on the same level as the members of his congregation, then there is no reason why 10 families who support themselves, cannot support a pastor with their tithes.
3. The spiritual welfare of the congregation demands that it be self-supporting. A sense of responsibility fosters spiritual blessings. Giving is a privilege. Sacrificing is a responsibility. Self-supporting will strengthen Christians. If something costs you effort and sacrifice then you will appreciate it more.
Mission Support Weakens Workers
4. The spirit of faith and sacrifice required on the part of the worker helps develop a strong spiritual ministry. It is spiritually healthy for the pastor to be constrained to trust God for his support. The missionary can stunt a worker's spiritual growth by depriving him of the necessity of depending upon God. A worker is not likely to develop that moral character, so necessary to a spiritual ministry, if the missionary constantly defends him from the struggle by supplying his needs. The mission-supported worker incorrectly learns to bring each new financial problem to the missionary. He is the source of his income.
Workers who are lacking in the faith and stamina required by the rigors of a life of dependence upon God will soon eliminate themselves from the list of workers. [This might not always be so bad.]
Pastors receiving outside aid have in many instances grown lazy and remained aloof from the financial problems of their churches. What a tragedy.
5. In the end the worker is better off financially without mission support. When a worker receives even a portion of his support from the mission, it almost invariably means that the members of his congregation will not assume the proper responsibility for his support.
6. Self-support opens the door to unlimited expansion. One of the most discouraging aspects of depending on foreign funds for the support of pastors and churches is that it automatically limits the church's capacity for extension. The indigenous church has no such limitations placed upon it, for it draws from the country itself and, as it expands, finds within itself the means for its own support.
The 'How' of Self-Support
If we are to attain self-support, it is important that we lay the right foundation from the very beginning of the work, since the procedures we establish with the first few converts in planting the first church, will doubtless become the pattern to be followed by the converts and churches which will spring up later in the area.
We have an obligation to give the correct teaching and establish sound practices as far as money and finances go.
Teach Converts to Tithe
Converts should know what is expected of them before they are accepted as members of the church. Teach the new converts that they should pay [bring] tithes. There is no benefit to receiving converts as members of the church who have no intention of fulfilling the duties of an ordinary Christian. It is better to build a little more slowly and lay a proper foundation than to build more quickly and find out afterward that the work cannot progress for lack of a proper beginning. Once the foundation is laid, the growth will be solid.
Sometimes the enthusiasm with which the converts respond to an appeal surprises us. God honors faith, and we need to believe that He will work in the hearts of His people along the line of self-support, just as we believe that His Spirit will stir up the believers to respond to any other phase of Bible truth.
Pioneer Workers Support Themselves
In a pioneer work it may be necessary for him to find some temporary, secular employment until the church is fully established. Obviously, a full-time ministry is better, as a worker is then free to give more time to his spiritual task. The Apostle Paul was a tent-maker for a time (Acts 20:35; 18:3).
Every established church should support its own pastor. Workers should be encouraged to devote their full time to the ministry from the time that the church is set in order.VI. Changing Over to Indigenous Church Methods
Missionaries should not be impatient with nationals who seem slow in changing to the indigenous plan. Instead, they should realize that existing conditions are mainly due to wrong training and practice. We must therefore patiently correct our own errors and strive to return to the Bible pattern.
General Principles
1. They (the nationals) must be allowed to frame their own policies. Missionaries must not be guilty of 'back-seat driving.'
2. We must allow them to develop along their own lines. It is not necessary for them to adopt our style of architecture, our order of service, our methods of work, etc.
3. They should be allowed to proceed at their own pace. We must be as patient in the building of churches as the Lord Jesus Christ was in the training of the twelve.
Inspire National Workers
Prepare the nationals for the changes to come by showing them the advantages and importance of indigenous methods. Patient teaching and discussion will be required. We shall have to retrain them in independence and initiative.
It is necessary that the nationals catch the indigenous vision themselves. It will be nearly impossible for a missionary to develop a self-supporting church if the worker in charge is not in accord with the idea.
Missionaries may well be surprised at the eagerness with which the nationals grasp the possibilities. Most workers will make greater sacrifices and dedicate themselves more fully to the work of God when inspired by the opportunity of filling a vital place in the church of God than they will for the sake of a mere salary.
Planning for Financial Independence
Accompany the teaching with appropriate action. The long- range indigenous program calls for the development of all ministries which the church requires--pastors, teachers, and evangelists. All must be supplied from among the converts themselves, and all phases of the national church must become completely self-supporting. During the transition period, it may be necessary to adopt certain temporary measures. Do not expect a complete change over in just one night.
In adopting temporary measures, we must not lose sight of the goal.
The national leaders themselves should have a say as to how money available for the development and the maintenance of the work is to be used. This is especially true of money that comes from local sources. It is an important step in the right direction when the national brethren are given a voice as to the distribution of funds.References:
ON THE MISSION FIELD: THE INDIGENOUS CHURCH, Melvin L. Hodges, (Moody Press, Chicago 1953).
'A Study of Indigenous Policies and Procedures,' Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society.
Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours?, Roland Allen.