| |
Church Partnerships
Our Lord gave us the Great Commission. Matthew 28: 19- 20.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
We usually do our part of obeying our Lords command by first starting in our own city or area and after that contribute to missions, both of these are good. The World has changed however since the West sent out the Great missionaries like, Hudson Taylor, C.T. Studd, David Livingstone and the many that followed their wonderful example. In many places in the third World, its the local native missionaries or Pastors that are working to reach their own people with the Gospel. They already speak the languages and dialects, understand and live in the customs and culture, they reach their own people far more effectively than a Westerner can, and for a fraction of the cost. While they are already doing this job, they are in too many cases, doing so, greatly handicapped with a lack of resources or good tools.
Many are existing on a dollar or two a day, trying to survive and feed their family, as they reach out to a poverty stricken community that desperately needs to hear the Gospel. They lack the tools that, we in the West take for granted, and are usually working with very meager resources.
"Changing Lives Through Jesus" is working with a program to match a Church in the West with a Church in the Philippines. Not to just send them mission funds, but to actually form an alliance or partnership between the two Churches. The Church in the West and the Philippines Church partner together to carry out the Great Commission. In this way, missionary giving is tied to a working relationship between the two Church bodies and Pastors etc.
Of cause many Churches in the West have their budget challenges too, the needs are often more than the income. However the principals of tithing and giving very much apply as the Church in the West gives to its 3rd World partner, God will bless the giving Church according to Prov. 19v17, and the many other Scriptures on giving.
A number of years ago I was sent on a photographic assignment to photograph Peoples Church's (Toronto) founding pastor Oswald J Smith. I had the privilege of briefly getting to know this great servant of our Lord, during out talks he told me of the amazing blessing that God pours out on a church, when that church has a missions focus, in its giving and budget. His church has been a powerful testimonial of this and for well over half a century and has became World famous. It became so, because it gave most of its budget to overseas missions and God kept blessing the home Church.
The harvest opportunities are tremendous and the people are very receptive. But extreme poverty often holds back most 3rd World Churches and Pastors. The cults on the other hand are doing the job that we Christians ought to be doing. Go into most Philippines towns and you will see modern, nice looking Kingdom Halls, Mormon Temples, Inglo Iglacious buildings and others. Protestant Christian churches however are seriously lacking in basic facilities or even a viable presence.
It actually costs very little to build a church and to support a local missionary/pastor compared to the West. A native Church building costs about $2000 to $5000 to build in a country area, a little more in a town. A single Pastor needs about $100 a month to live, or double that, if he has a wife and family, who are also working and helping in the ministry. We can provide him with a small motor cycle for about $1200 to help him reach and visit far more people in his day.
The Filipinos have a lot of incredible musical talent, but lack decent musical or sound equipment, overhead projectors etc. A video projector could not only be used in the service but can also double to show Christian movies and other Gospel productions which will attracts hundreds.
Just like similar items in the home church, apart from the Pastors monthly support, these items are acquired over time, item by item.
I wish that every church in the West adopted and partnered with a 3rd World church and became missionary focused in spreading the Gospel throughout the World. For a fraction of a Western churches local budget, it can sponsor a church, pastor, equipment etc. to send the message of the Gospel to the winning of many souls. By doing so, we are obeying our Lords Great Commission and with a World focus. And as a relationship develops between the two Churches, Pastors and congregations, they can and will, pray with you through your churches challenges and needs. In the Philippines this is far easier due to the fact that most Filipinos speak English.
What a joy it is to rejoice and share with our 3rd World Church partners as souls are added to the Kingdom, lives are set free from Satan s bondage, whole communities are changed for the Glory of God, and all an extension of our home Churches ministry.
Our mission field is the Philippines, while we encourage Churches to get involved with similar twinning opportunities in other Countries too, in the Philippines we can help by matching your Church with a Church of a similar doctrinal background etc. and help in this process in many ways.
One of the problems, in most poor countries, is proper accountability. We work with men and women who are, in most cases, already doing the job of pastoring/evangelism and with with proven senior overseers. All are subjected to auditing in the use of money, resources, time and effectiveness. Funds donated through use will be monitored and distributed for the maximum effectiveness often by funding a micro business so the worker can generate enough funds for some if not all of his or her own personal needs.
|
