The task confronting missionaries who labor in the homeland differs somewhat from the challenge facing missionaries overseas. Those representing Christ around the globe encounter a breadth of lostness that's breathtaking--so many people who have yet to hear the gospel.
But the missionaries who toil in the homeland sense a depth of lostness that leaves them gasping. We live in a land where the influence of Christianity is indisputable, but its grip so weak in some places that it works to defuse rather than ignite the power of the gospel. In North America so many have a nodding acquaintance with a cultural brand of Christianity that missionary attempts to espouse a gospel that changes individual lives are often shrugged off.
PHOTO BY Don Rutledge
The last frontiersRising to that challenge, homeland missionaries are working hard to bore through to the North American soul, focusing their efforts on areas of the country and people groups that remain unaffected by the gospel--our urban centers, the Northeast and inner cities, for example. North American Mission Board (NAMB) missionaries, most of whom work in conjunction with state Southern Baptist conventions and local associations, take the gospel beyond the influence of existing churches and pave the way to places where churches and other Christians can follow and join them in their work. These are places both on the fringes and deep in the heart of the homeland, identified less by geography than by the absence of Southern Baptist churches.
For example, collegiate minister Andy Haynes works with students in Providence, Rhode Island. Because New England is the historic hub of collegiate education a significant portion of world leaders are educated there he considers penetrating the North American collegiate landscape vital to a postmodern culture.
This generation has no relationship to church and has very misconstrued ideas of God, Haynes points out. The reigning pluralism is very confusing.
His efforts in Rhode Island, which boasts seven universities in Providence alone, have been effective. A Bible study instituted just three years ago with a handful of students at Johnson and Wales University, a respected culinary school, has multiplied into several more, including a large one that is attended by 25 to 30 students. A Bible study at Brown University is also in the works.
At 26, Haynes finds the rejection of Christ by students and faculty alike somewhat disheartening, yet hes inspired by the inroads Christ is making. Its been incredible.
By contrast, in southern California missionary Don Overstreet focuses on down and outersthe homeless, drug users, the poor and ex-prisonersand assimilates them into congregations called Set Free Christian Fellowships, designed exclusively for the outcasts of society. He sets up a band in a front yard on a weekend night, for example, and his informal outdoor music fest attracts a crowd.
Those who respond to the gospel are not expected to then show up at a typical church the next Sunday but are invited to a ranch in a trailer park community to spend the next 60 days. Offering rehab saturated with Bible study, the ranch provides stability and manifests the Set Free mission. First we want to introduce them to Christ, but we also help them make their lives whole, Overstreet says. Fellowship schools also help rehabilitate lives, providing job training in computer, machine shop or silk screening. Also, pastor schools develop leaders for new church plants. Defined as churches with a ministry rather than as a ministry, these are fellowships where hymns are not heard. Instead, rap, hip-hop or old rock and roll tunes with Christian lyrics lead the way to worship.
The first fellowship was started eight years ago in an area southeast of downtown Los Angeles through the efforts of church planter Willie Daldity. Since then, under the combined efforts of NAMB, the state convention and Inland Empire Association, 15 more have been planted in southern California. Three more have been planted in each of the cities of San Diego, Seattle and Atlanta.
The missionary taskIn their attempts to plumb the depths of lostness in the homeland, missionaries have resolved there is no place off-limits to the gospel. Missionary chaplain Ken Welborn works in the United Nations. He actively seeks to develop relationships with UN ambassadors and diplomats representing 189 countries in order to share Christ. To create interest he uses special events, like one featuring Billy Graham as keynote speaker.
PHOTO BY Laura Sikes
Welborn follows up on requests for Bibles in their own language or JESUS videos, visiting ambassadors offices, attending their receptions and praying with diplomats.
Educated in the field of world religions, he offers to pray with people of any faith and has encountered great receptivity, even with heads of state. Although his ministry results in only occasional professions of faith, Welborn doesnt underestimate the global influence. (For more information about Ken Welborn's ministry at the UN see March-April 2001 issue of On Mission).
Knowing that here in the homeland we work hard at our leisure, NAMB has utilized that preoccupation to share Christ by directing missionary efforts to resort areas. For example, in Mobile, Alabama, missionary Jeffrey Ford oversees outreach efforts to campgrounds and beaches, using special events, Bible clubs and worship services to reach snowbirders and vacationers.
Campers who don't ordinarily attend church at home may attend a worship service on campgrounds, providing their first exposure to the gospel.
Last summer Ford, who works in cooperation with the state convention and association, coordinated 27 groups of student volunteers. And while resort ministry is often considered a seed-planting effort, he recorded 57 decisions for Christ during the season.
The majority of the 5,154 NAMB missionaries who serve in North America are church planters, but others, like Ken Welborn and Jeffrey Ford, share the gospel message by ministering to the needs of specific people groups.
Every missionary, including those starting traditional churches, makes valuable contributions to the cause. But a new breed of missionary, students of the culture and innovators who can strategize and think creatively daring to go outside the box are taking Christ into the new millennium. For example, Siam Rogers is NAMBs first Internet evangelism missionary. He helps develop and maintain NAMB's evangelistic web sites and monitors the activity there. By definition, the information highway directs, perhaps even drives people to the knowledge they seek. Rogers also hopes to equip churches and individuals to use the Internet evangelistically. Indeed, Rogers has discovered that users are searching for Jesus, often at the lonely hour of 3 a.m. And with web sites like NAMB's www.good-news.org available, they can find Him right where they are--wherever that may be. Recently he received a response from a Pakistani Muslim who confessed his decision to follow Christ. His next question: What should I do now?
Heeding the callAll missionary personnel must meet certain qualifications to be approved for service, but for any Christian who desires to serve, there are avenues and places to jump in, no matter their background and past experience. Although key strategies implemented by NAMB evangelism, church planting and mobilizing lay Christians prioritize the efforts needed to confront the lostness of North America, Jesus Christ Himself addressed the pivotal issue that will likely determine success or failure of the task at hand.
In His timeless charge to His disciples, Jesus said: The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:37).
For now, the demand still overwhelms the supply. NAMB receives more requests for missionary help than applicants.
State conventions and associations continue to seek more capable and skilled missionaries, especially as they plow new ground in church planting and infiltrating urban settings. The need for ethnic leaders never abates but clamors to be filled by qualified, willing people. We need laborers.
Funding the North American Mission
Those Christians who heed the call to go to the hard places often turn to NAMB for support. Such was the case of Andy Haynes, who works with students in Providence, Rhode Island. He knew where he wanted to minister long before he knew how to realize that vision.
NAMB works in partnership with the 42 Southern Baptist state conventions, fellowships and the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists to jointly fund and appoint most missionaries. The Southern Baptist world-wide mission enterprise is funded in large part through the SBCs Cooperative Program.
A portion of the undesignated tithes and offerings of individuals received by SBC churches becomes Cooperative Program dollars. For example, in 2000, these churches sent more than $486 million through the Cooperative Program to their state conventions to support work within the state and the Southern Baptist Convention. As determined by messengers to the annual session of each state convention, a percentage of these Cooperative Program receipts is sent to the SBC Executive Committee for distribution to SBC entities such as the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board, just to name a two. In 2000, an average of 58 percent of total Cooperative Program receipts was used for state convention ministries, and roughly 42 percent was forwarded to the SBC for national and world-wide ministries.
Of that 42 percent, 22.79 percent ($39,355,817 in 2001) is allocated to NAMB. These funds are supplemented by the annual Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions ($48,320,018 in 2001) and miscellaneous income from other gifts, sales, events and investments ($24,466,869 in 2001) to provide NAMBs financial resources ($112,142,704 million in 2001) for the North American Mission.
Since 1895 the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) also has helped provide homeland missionaries the financial support they need. To date, more than $800 million has been received through AAEO. Missionaries also receive valuable prayer support through the annual Week of Prayer emphasis in conjunction with AAEO.
Of the 5,154 total missionaries sent by NAMB, 36 percent1,878 missionaries operate in a quasi-volunteer capacity. Like career missionaries, Mission Service Corp (MSC) personnel must apply to be considered for a position, but they supply their own funding while serving in roles for four months or longer. NAMB offers key support to these missionaries, not through salary, but with training and other resources.
Self-funded missionaries like Mission Service Corp personnel do not usually take the place of career missionaries. Instead, they serve in places of need where otherwise no one would be serving, bringing flexibility to the mission field.