Partnering With National Churches

2007-10-18

For years the western world has had an open door to enter other parts of the world to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to people who are in darkness. There are still plenty of open doors out there where we can go and make disciples of Jesus. But things change all of the time. Tomorrow all western church planters could very well be sent home.

Today’s world situation is a lesson to us. God does not need us to accomplish His will, and when doors close overseas it will not take God by surprise. He actually allows it to happen. But there is a shift in the air. Foreign missionaries are partnering with the local church of the nations to which they are sent. West Africa is a good example of this.

Think about this scenario, which happens frequently. There are two tribes, and one has a mature church and the other has no Gospel witness. Both of these tribes have a similar language. Would it be necessary to send a foreign missionary into the second tribe if the first tribe is willing and able to evangelize the second tribe? Absolutely not; in fact, it would be most beneficial to send people from the neighboring tribe because, being more familiar with the linguistic and cultural patterns of the neighboring language, the neighboring tribe would accomplish the job faster. But there is still a place for foreign missions in those groups that are isolated or have no one to tell them about Jesus.

Another situation that needs to be rethought is the idea of geopolitical boundaries. Take West Africa as an example once again. The whole continent over the past several years was carved out by colonial powers, but they by no means represent the peoples that live there. There are numerous people groups within each country of West Africa, though most of this part of Africa has French colonial influence. The French language is spoken in most of West Africa as a trade language. People from the west who have concepts of neatly organized categories must rethink their reasoning. If one is looking to serve among a tribe in West Africa, they may or may not be contained within one geopolitical nation, but spread across multiple nations. The western church must keep this in mind.

I believe we must be cognizant of the changes in the world system today. The local church sends missionaries out, but it is not just the church in the west. We are partners with the national church in the nations we serve. There sometimes is a need for foreign missionaries in remote tribal settings, but there is a great need for the national church to be involved in sending missionaries to its own tribal people. Wouldn’t it be great if they took a stand so we would no longer need foreign missionaries? We can also rest in God’s sovereign power that He does not need anyone; He will reach all the peoples of the world with the Gospel so that all have a chance to hear.