bits from bob....

What is Your Missions Philosophy?

by Bob Young
©, 2011
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]

Every church involved in missions operates by some philosophy. That philosophy may or may not be studied, carefully thought out, and fervently prayed about, but it exists nonetheless. That philosophy may be influenced by both bad and good motivations, by both true and false ideas.

Dan Hardin describes three philosophies in his book Mission: A Practical Approach. One approach see missions primarily as helping meet people's physical needs in this world--feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, liberating the politically oppressed. A second approach believes that as long as Christians exist in a certain location, missions is carried out by their presence and example. A final philosophy, the one that Hardin upholds as biblical and legitimate, is an understanding of missions that "emphasizes winning souls, discipling, baptizing, church planting and nurturing." The following "indigenous church principles" help identify the main ideas of the philosophy Hardin describes and supports.

• 1. The missionary interprets mission primarily as church planting
• 2. Non-Christians interact primarily with unpaid indigenous church leaders like themselves
• 3. Leaders of local churches learn by doing, thus the missionary is not present to protect from every potential mistake
• 4. The work is not limited to American churches' financial investment
• 5. Evangelism by the entire membership is facilitated
• 6. Churches multiply in extraordinary places
• 7. Growing congregations select and support their own leaders and evangelists
• 8. Discipline is the role of the local church

An indigenous church is one that is "self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating."