jeremywallace.net

The vast majority of people I have talked to agree that the current process of getting Independent Baptist missionaries to the foreign field is not working as effectively and efficiently as it can and should.  There are a few naysayers, but that is to be expected whenever the status quo is challenged.  The arguments have already been made for the need to change this process. (If you are new to the discussion you can read the other missions articles here: Why Independent Baptist Missions Is Failing, Missions: Dare I Use The Word Cooperate?, Missions Articles Recap.)

The time has come to put our heads together and develop a new missions strategy.  Your input is needed!  Will you help?

We are putting together a panel of missionaries, missions board directors, educators, and pastors to help in this effort.  Our first informal meeting will be in Hendersonville, TN in April.  (Even if you don’t think you can attend this meeting, your input is still needed.) More information about this will be available soon.  The panel has already begun to form.  So far there several pastors, missionaries, and mission board directors who are interested in being involved in helping develop a new missions strategy.  Once this panel is established a website will be created to help facilitate ongoing discussions.

The goal is to do all we can to develop a missions strategy that expedites or changes the deputation process so that less time, effort, & resources are wasted in getting missionaries to the field; all with the goal of telling even more people about the Good News of Christ.

If you are interested in being a part of this discussion, and ultimately a part of the solution, please complete the form below.   We will be in contact with you in the near future concerning topics of discussion as well as possible meeting dates.

WOW! What a response to my two posts on Independent Baptist Missions. My goal in these articles was to get the conversation about independent Baptist missions started, and based on the feedback I have received, it is started. I appreciate all the comments both positive and negative.

Let me acknowledge up front that I overstated some of my concerns. As has been pointed out, by both those who agree with my thoughts as well as those who disagree, stating that “Independent Baptist Missions is a colossal failure” is an overstatement. I agree. It was a hyperbolic satement that was an obvious and intentional exaggeration; a figure of speech not intended to be taken literally. Most readers understood this, but I thought I would clarify it for those who did not. I do not believe that the current process is not getting missionaries to the field. I am not saying that souls are not being saved. I am not saying that churches are not concerned with missions.

However, I do believe that the current process needs to be changed/tweaked/adjusted/rethought/discussed/ improved…however you want to say it.

I thought it would be beneficial to briefly recap and summarize both the response that I have received as well as my thoughts on this issue.

Some Of The Responses (Both Positive And Negative)

“Thank you for saying publicly what so many have been thinking privately.” ~ Independent Baptist missions Director

“I would rather be doing missions our way than all the others ways that others are not.”

“Thank you for starting this conversation. The next step is to talk about what can be done.” ~ Independent Baptist Pastor

“Your concerns are seriously over-stated.” ~ Baptist Professor

“The problems you brought out need to be addressed.” ~ Anonymous BIMI missionary

“Son, you don’t have the experience to know what you are talking about.”

“It is about time someone pointed out the elephant in the room” ~ Christian counselor

“You brought out some good points. Now, let’s get to work fixing it.”

“Great article.” ~ BIMI missionary

The vast majority of comments have been positive.

Final Remarks

I may not have the experience of some, but that does not mean my concerns are not valid. My point, and the concerns of many, is that while the specific numbers may vary from region to region and missions board to missions board, the process of getting missionaries to the field is not as efficient as it could be. We can either deny that there is a problem, ignore the problem, or work together to fix the problem. I propose that we work together to fix the problem.

To do this I believe that we need to recognize the following:

• Sending missionaries to the field is of vital importance.
• Sending churches need to take more of a responsibility in the ministry of those called from their church.
• Independent Baptist pastors need to intentionally work together to get missionaries to the field sooner. This requires that we not be isolated, that we focus on building God’s kingdom, and that we stop competing with other churches.

The conversation from this point forward needs to be directed at what can be done to get missionaries to the field sooner so that less time and money is spent in an attempt to get them to the place to begin their field ministry.

Okay! Let’s just say it. Independent Baptist pastors are afraid of the word ‘cooperate.’ We run from anything that might even look like cooperation. And we justify this response by stating that all cooperation is compromise. Really? Not only is this unwise, it is unbiblical.

In a comment on a previous post on “Why Independent Baptist Missions Is Failing,” Greg Wilson said:

it seems in reaction to our distrust of the SBC Cooperative Program that we instituted an uncooperative one.

What a true statement. The effects of this lack of cooperation are more apparent in the area of evangelism and missions than in any other area of ministry. This lack of missions cooperation stems from a few problems. May I state them bluntly?

• Too many Independent Baptist Churches are isolated, not independent.
• Too many Independent Baptist pastors are more concerned with building their own kingdoms instead of God’s Kingdom. Pastors, we are shepherds of a flock, not kings of our own kingdoms. When we focus only on our local ministries to the neglect of God’s Kingdom, cooperation with other doctrinally sound churches is non-existent.
• Too many Independent Baptist Churches break fellowship and refuse to cooperate over non-doctrinal, extra-biblical issues. Should there be discernment? Absolutely! Are there times when it may be wise to not work with another church? Sure! But I am afraid that working together in the area of missions is currently not even considered as an option.

As long as this is the mentality in our churches missions will continue to suffer, missionaries will spend far too long on deputation, and millions of dollars will be wasted, all because of our ego.

Here are a few ways that we can begin moving toward this missions cooperation with churches of like faith who take a strong stand on the Gospel.

1) Pastors, stop criticizing other doctrinally sound churches for something they do that you do not prefer. The only reason to call out another church or another pastor is if they are teaching a false doctrine that is affecting your church. Even then, be careful.

2) Understand that it is the truth that should cause division, not our attitude about it. Enough said!

3) Realize that doctrinally sound churches are not in competition with each other. Before you can work with another doctrinally solid church you have to stop competing with them.

I am not yet completely sure what this cooperation among Independent Baptist Churches should look like, but I am convinced that it MUST exist if Independent Baptist Missions is to have a future.

Something must change with how we do Independent Baptist Missions. The current process is a colossal failure. This has not always been the case, but as the church climate has changed, the process of getting missionaries to the field has not adapted. Currently, the average missionary makes about 150 phone calls to schedule one meeting at a church. They have to schedule about 4 meetings in order to gain one supporting church. The average monthly support by a church is only $50 per month. Let’s say that the average support a missionary family needs is $5,000 per month. If these numbers represent the average, here is what they mean:

• Each missionary family needs 100 supporting churches.
• They have to visit several hundred churches to get the needed support.
• They end up making thousands and thousands of phone calls to get enough meetings to result in enough support.

There are some other concerning points.

• It takes a missionary family close to three years to get to the foreign field.
• The process of deputation can cost over $100,000 (some estimate the cost to be $250,000).
• The number of Independent Baptist Churches is declining. Our movement is decaying away to nothing (‘why’ is a topic for another day).
• Many of the Independent Baptist Churches that are left are stagnant and instead of the missions program growing, it is declining.
• If this trend continues (and, at this point, there is no reason to think it will not) the pool of Independent Baptist churches will be even smaller and the process will take even longer.
• It would not surprise me if in 10 years the average length of deputation is over 5 years and if the average cost is $250,000 – $500,000.

This is all in an effort to get the missionary family to the place to begin their missions ministry on the field. If we are called to be good stewards of the time and resources that God has given us, and we are,we must be good stewards in the area of missions. Currently, we are not.

The process of deputation is simply too long and too costly. I have heard some say that deputation doesn’t need to be changed because it was the time when God taught them so much and grew their faith. I don’t doubt that at all. But let’s not put God in a box and say that He can’t teach people and grow their faith in a more effective and beneficial deputation process. It’s like a member in a church standing up and giving a testimony as to how God has taught them about finances and grown their faith through their bankruptcy, and then the church designing a program to usher people through bankruptcy. After all, God uses that to strengthen people’s faith and teach them about finances. Just because God uses something that does not mean that it is the most beneficial, logical, and prudent process to reach the goal.

We cannot wait for the problem to get worse; change needs to be made now. So what needs to change? Honestly, I don’t have all the answers, but it is something to which I am giving a lot of thought. Here are a few things that would help immediately.

(1) Pastors, only bring missionaries to your church if you have the ability and intent to take them on for monthly support. It is foolish to ask missionaries to drive all over the country to attend the beauty contest that we call a mission conference. Do your research up front. Meet with the missionary family up front. Determine up front if you can and want to support this family. If you can only support two families, then only bring two families to your conference. You don’t have to have a big missions conference (many missionary families) to have an effective missions conference.

(2) Pastors, focus on quality, not on quantity. If you could either support 100 missionaries at $25 per month or 25 missionaries at $100 per month, you should pick the fewer missionaries at the higher amount every time. Too many pastors are more concerned with being able to brag about how many missionaries they support rather than doing what is best for the missionary and the church. Supporting a lot of missionaries at a small amount benefits no one.

(3) Pastors, sometimes you can be too independent for your own good. Let’s be willing to work together to get missionaries to the field. Every pastor has friends who are pastors. If you have a missionary family that you would like to see get to the field, call your pastor friends. Help the missionaries schedule some meetings. Independent does not mean isolated. Our over-emphasis of being independent is truly detrimental to the work of Christ in many areas, that includes missions.

There are some other more drastic changes that may need to be considered, but let’s start with these simple adjustments. If we were willing to make these simple changes we could cut the cost of and time of deputation in half, missionaries could get to the field sooner, and ultimately there would be more souls saved. Isn’t that the goal?