Lots of people are asking about how the Zim trip went. I'll be sharing soon, but I'm still getting the ducks lined up in a row. Three men went with me on the recon trip to see if God is calling NEHBC to commit to long term church planting among the remote, but friendly Tonga people. I don't feel like the Lord has spoken clearly on this yet, so there's currently nothing of substance to report.
The "Love the World" aspect of our "Love our City, Love the World" missions strategy is in a transitional phase. In our Glory to God vision, NEHBC has been called by God to plant churches from our city to the ends of the earth. As we've learned, God's primary plan for making disciples is churches planting churches and NEHBC is called by God to be a church that plants church planting churches. For two years, I've been praying and asking God for three international locations where NEHBC can commit to church planting. We will not commit to these locations forever; we will be committed to these locations until a critical mass of church planting churches have been birthed and then we will move on to another location and expect those churches we planted to reach their people group with the gospel. That means we might be with a specific people group for 2 years, 10 years, or 20 years, but when we have, by the grace of God, established a critical mass of church planting churches, we will move on to take the gospel where it has not yet penetrated spiritual darkness.
I am looking for specific indicators to identify these three locations. For example: 1. Are there a critical mass of healthy churches present in the people group? If so, the resources are already in place for that people group to be reached for Christ and NEHBC isn't needed. 2. Are other Southern Baptist churches committed long term to reach the people group--if so, the Lord has already provided the resources for that people group to be reached with the gospel. 3. If there are missionaries on location, are they passionate about church planting? If they aren't passionate about church planting our hearts and vision will not be one. 4. If there are indigenous believers on location to work with, do they see NEHBC as an opportunity at a handout or do they sincerely want to develop spiritually healthy, church planting churches.
I believe the Greeks of West Thessaloniki are one of our three international locations. Our first two teams go to Thess this fall. We went to Zimbabwe last week to see if the Tonga people are one also. We are still doing our homework and don't yet have an answer. An investigation of a third location is already underway. I've been praying for an opportunity for NEHBC to plant churches in a Muslim country and the Lord might be showing us the place. We love all missionaries and will continue to believe in the work of missionaries everywhere, but the Lord has called NEHBC to the task of planting churches.
Would you join me, our staff, and a group of involved NEHBCers in praying for God's direction in these matters. We are seeking to bring every aspect of NEHBC in line with our Glory to God vision--and that certainly includes our mission strategy. How amazing it would be to wake up twenty years from now and see thriving NEHBC church plants from our city to the ends of the earth!!!
The "Love the World" aspect of our "Love our City, Love the World" missions strategy is in a transitional phase. In our Glory to God vision, NEHBC has been called by God to plant churches from our city to the ends of the earth. As we've learned, God's primary plan for making disciples is churches planting churches and NEHBC is called by God to be a church that plants church planting churches. For two years, I've been praying and asking God for three international locations where NEHBC can commit to church planting. We will not commit to these locations forever; we will be committed to these locations until a critical mass of church planting churches have been birthed and then we will move on to another location and expect those churches we planted to reach their people group with the gospel. That means we might be with a specific people group for 2 years, 10 years, or 20 years, but when we have, by the grace of God, established a critical mass of church planting churches, we will move on to take the gospel where it has not yet penetrated spiritual darkness.
I am looking for specific indicators to identify these three locations. For example: 1. Are there a critical mass of healthy churches present in the people group? If so, the resources are already in place for that people group to be reached for Christ and NEHBC isn't needed. 2. Are other Southern Baptist churches committed long term to reach the people group--if so, the Lord has already provided the resources for that people group to be reached with the gospel. 3. If there are missionaries on location, are they passionate about church planting? If they aren't passionate about church planting our hearts and vision will not be one. 4. If there are indigenous believers on location to work with, do they see NEHBC as an opportunity at a handout or do they sincerely want to develop spiritually healthy, church planting churches.
I believe the Greeks of West Thessaloniki are one of our three international locations. Our first two teams go to Thess this fall. We went to Zimbabwe last week to see if the Tonga people are one also. We are still doing our homework and don't yet have an answer. An investigation of a third location is already underway. I've been praying for an opportunity for NEHBC to plant churches in a Muslim country and the Lord might be showing us the place. We love all missionaries and will continue to believe in the work of missionaries everywhere, but the Lord has called NEHBC to the task of planting churches.
Would you join me, our staff, and a group of involved NEHBCers in praying for God's direction in these matters. We are seeking to bring every aspect of NEHBC in line with our Glory to God vision--and that certainly includes our mission strategy. How amazing it would be to wake up twenty years from now and see thriving NEHBC church plants from our city to the ends of the earth!!!
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