January 01, 1993 by Phil Bogosian

The Consultation on Latin American Adopt-A-People San Jose, Costa Rica, October 6-10, 1992 --A Giant Leap Forward!

When Dr. Ralph Winter called COMIBAM(COngreso Misionero IBeroAMericano), which took place in Sao Paulo, November 23-29, 1987, "the meeting of the century," many couldn't understand why. There had been other momentous meetings on world evangelization in this century, what was different about this one? Mainly that for the first time in the modern missions era, an entire continent was declaring that Christ was calling them from being a mission field to being a mission force to reach out to the unreached peoples of the world. There were about 3000 mission minded leaders there strongly acknowledging that call.

The next meeting which the US Center for World Mission called the meeting of the century was GCOWE 1 (Global Consultation on World Evangelization by AD 2000) held in Singapore, January 5-8, 1989. Never before in history had there been a meeting with such broad global representation, so focused on completing the Great Commission by a specific date. Moreover, the people who attended were those who could take powerful, significant action steps--they were leaders of large mission agencies or associations of mission agencies, over 300 of them.

You might be saying, "Man, I don't see how you could top those two meetings." Well, get ready! The main difference in this momentous meeting in San JosŽ, Costa Rica was that it was not a meeting focused on imparting vision. It was a meeting called to bring together the main national church and mission leaders in each country of Iberoamerica to do specific planning about implementing a comprehensive Adopt -A-People campaign in each of their countries.

I've been involved in mission mobilization long enough that I don't get excited very easily. But, this Adopt-A-People Consultation in Costa Rica was one of the most encouraging conferences I've been to in many years. Because of the wholehearted ownership of the vision of each country to adopt a significant number of peoples, and the practical planning to implement that goal, I'm more encouraged than ever about the very real possibilities of finishing Christ's Commission by the year 2000.

Moreover, I believe the Lord was as exited as I was. And He goes to more meetings than I do. But the blessing of the Lord Jesus was so powerful and His presence so strong everyone was visibly moved and there were tears in the eyes of even sober minded old, missiologists-- including mine. Here are some of the exciting details.

The Consultation was called and organized by COMIBAM. (Which now stands for Cooperacion Misionera Iberoamericana and is a continent- wide mission mobilization organization.) It was hosted and staffed by FEDEMEC, which is closely modeled after the US Center for World Mission. Randy Sperger, the director, took the Perspectives class at the US Center in 1982 and has been on fire for the unreached peoples ever since.

The consultation strategy was very well thought out and the comprehensive coverage of the entire mission task was brilliant. It was a great credit to the leadership of COMIBAM, especially the president, Rudy Giron of Guatemala, Federico Bertuzzi of Argentina and Tim Halls of the US, with help from Randy Sperger. There were only three persons invited from each country in Latin America, but they were the right people who needed to be there. They were the ones who could take authoritative action back in their own countries. From each country they invited the head of the national association of evangelicals, the head of the national association of mission agencies, and a key researcher.

Probably the most strategic thing about the consultation was what they consider to be the scope of the Adopt-A-People concept. Whereas in the U. S., we limit the idea, for the most part, to church mobilization, they broaden it to include every aspect of the mission task. They include mission agency formation and mobilization, mission training, mission research as well as church mobilization. (This is possible only because missions is just a five year old industry in Latin America. So they are just now creating all their missions institutions, whereas ours already existed and had many other agendas.)

So there were seminars on every area of mission activity with accompanying working meetings for each. Bertuzzi did a tremendous job sharing the overall vision of Adopt-A-People. Rudy Giron did a great job clarifying definitions, Randy Sperger gave the best summary of the state of information at the present time. There were hands-on workshops on investigation by Bob Waymire, Mike O'Rear, Pete Holzmann and others. Ralph Winter presented a crucial study of mission structures.

Other seminars included Patricio Parades on mobilization, Jose Cintron on the involvement of the local church, Peter Jones on training, and Jose Cruz on finances. There were also stirring reports by mission leaders such as Pablo Carillo, director of Project Magreb, a mission agency working with Muslims throughout North Africa.

Since there are approximately 11,000 unreached peoples still without a church, it was thought that the share that Latin America should reach is 3000. Each country was then allotted a share of the 3000 peoples based on the number of evangelicals in that country. (See chart below for details.)

Worship times were led by Babi Sperger and skillfully used native dances and music to lead us into worship of the Lord as the creator and redeemer of all peoples. Prayer times were dynamically led by Vilma Bustamante, COMIBAM'S Director of Intercession. Worship and intercession were used by the Holy Spirit in an unusual way to bring us into the very throne room of the holy Lamb of God to feel His burning heart for the perishing peoples for whom He shed His blood.

There was a powerful sense of Isaiah's commissioning, "Who will go to these precious remaining peoples for the glory of the Lamb?" As the whole assembly of leaders there responded affirmatively in their hearts, the Holy Spirit changed us into men and women with an unshakable focus and determination that the unreached peoples must be reached as soon as possible.

As a dramatic and deeply moving evidence of this work of the Spirit, on the last day of the conference when each of the countries in Latin America understood what was involved in adopting the number of peoples they had been allocated, a roll call was taken. One by one a representative of each country stood and told how God had worked in the hearts of their delegation to accept the number of peoples proportionately allocated to them and to go back to their countries and meet with the appropriate leaders to share the vision of Adopt-A- People and begin the steps of implementation.

So amazingly, incredibly, virtually the whole mission effort of Latin America has now adopted a foundation which is entirely focused on the reaching of the unreached peoples. The only verse I know that describes what happened in Costa Rica is from Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told."

The following is the actual declaration of the Consultation so you can appreciate the breadth and the heart of the issues dealt with and the course of action agreed upon by these 60 or more key Latin leaders.

Adopt-A-People

Declaration of San Jose

Introduction

We the participants of the Latin American ADOPT-A-PEOPLE Consultation, called together by COMIBAM "Cooperation in Missions from Iberoamerica," with the support of CONELA, (The Latin American Evangelical Fellowship) and gathered in Heredia, Costa Rica, on October, 6-10 of 1992, represent evangelical churches, associations of churches, missions organizations, National Missions Committees and Evangelical Alliances of all the countries of Iberoamerica.

We affirm that the mission of the church is to bless all the peoples of the earth with the good news of the kingdom of God as given in the person of Jesus Christ. We understand the desire of God is that all humanity, represented by all the different people groups on earth, be in harmonious relationship with Him and His creation.

There are nearly 6,000 languages, and 24,000 people groups in the world today, of which approximately 11,000 have not had any opportunity to hear the good news of salvation. For that reason, we affirm our conviction and commitment to take the gospel of the Kingdom of God to these peoples. In this way we purpose to carry out the command given by God to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and the commandment given to disciples by our Lord Jesus in Matt. 28:18-20 and Acts 1: 8. We affirm our commitment before the Lord to do this task with renewed vision and passion until the Lord's coming.

For these reasons,WE DECLARE:

1. That the church should give priority to the biblical mandate to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19 ). We understand that the phrase "all the nations" includes all the unreached people groups within our countries, and those in other nations that have never had the opportunity to understand the Gospel in their own cultural context (Rom. 15:20-21 ) .
2. That the responsibilities implied when churches adopt unreached people groups include prayer, research, information, financial support, selection of people groups, specific training, recognition and support of the missionaries whom the Holy Spirit chooses to send to the selected people group. and sending them out. We exhort each country on our continent to adopt sufficient unreached people groups so that we might finish the work of the Great Commission that is yet undone (Matt. 24: 14 ).
3. That it is necessary to intercede in prayer for the unreached people groups of the world and for the work that is yet to be done in this great task.
4. That we need to use research to inform the process of adopting unreached people groups. By using research, we can be better informed so that we can go in spirit to the various people groups and feel their overwhelming need to know Jesus Christ and His gospel. That is why we declare our desire to work as one body and recommend the formation of national and regional centers for missionary research.
5. The importance of getting the information out: All the knowledge of the unreached people groups should be shared with each country, denomination and church by means of the various media available. Each church must also play a role by using all its resources to communicate clearly to its membership the situation and need of the unreached peoples, while taking the necessary precautions with the data.
6. With reference to missions and the historic tension between the church and missions, we understand that, in the real world, God has honored and blessed the various ways of organizing and cooperating for the accomplishment of the missionary task. We affirm that both structures: local churches and missionary societies play vital roles in the process of adopting unreached peoples. For that reason both should be used in the most efficient manner possible. taking the greatest care with regard to the use of resources.
7. That the missionary task demands we work hard to provide specialized training for those who go to the field and for those who send them. Adequate training must be given in a balanced way that covers intellectual, practical and spiritual aspects. We understand that the personal and professional growth of the missionary cannot be reduced to a training event, but must continue throughout his or her working life. Just the same, we recommend that biblical seminaries, training schools and mission centers on our continent develop programs for cross cultural training.
8. That the local church bears the primary burden to provide finances for missions. In the same way, it is responsible for and should show solidarity with the missionary in the various phases of his or her missionary career: preparation, departure for the field, during the field work and when the missionary must return and re-adapt to life in the home country. Taking into consideration that our countries do have the economic capacity to cover the costs of the missionary task, the sending church must provide for the financial needs of the missionary in ways that are appropriate to the context in which he or she will work.
9. That a spirit of cooperation must characterize all the efforts involved in the missionary task until the gospel is preached in all the nations. As a consequence, we accept the challenge to adopt 3,000 of the 11,000 unreached people groups as our part of the world-wide missions effort.

Heredia, Costa Rica, October 10, 1992

But while I am very encouraged, and solid foundations were laid, much prayer and nurture will have to be given to this young Latin American movement. COMIBAM, led by Rudy Giron the president, Federico Bertuzzi and others, will need much prayer. Randy Sperger and FEDEMEC are key players in the movement, and will also need much prayer.

Future editions of the Guia Mundial de Oracion will keep you up to date what COMIBAM, International is doing as well as what each national COMIBAM office is doing to implement the Adopt-A-People program. Not simply so you can be informed and blessed, but also and most importantly so you can fervently pray that each country can implement the vision and mobilize the churches and send out the missionaries to 3000 teams that there may be a church for every people by the year 2000!

For more information, contact:

COMIBAM Central Office, Apdo. 27-1, 01907 Guatemala, Guatemala, Tel (502-2)911-191, Fax (502-2)921-097; or

COMIBAM Dept. of Publications, Casilla 7111, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina, Tel. (54-42) 27684, Fax (54-42) 52189; or FEDEMEC, Apdo. 1307-1000, San JosŽ, Costa Rica, Tel./Fax (506) 21-5222; or USCWM Latin American Division, 1605 Elizabeth Street, Pasadena CA 91104, Tel. (818) 398-2215, Fax (818) 398-2263.