July 01, 1982 by Dan Bacon

Missions was never intended Connection to be the work of a few specialists or an elite corps of bionic Christians...

I could certainly empathize with the frustrated mission representative who said with a sigh, "Sometimes when I visit a church, they make me feel like a used car salesman . . . competing with the guy down the block." Perhaps that may sound somewhat exaggerated, but it happens often enough to make me feel uncomfortable.

No doubt the multitude of mission agencies which have sprung into being throughout this century are evidence of the vitality of churches and their deep concern for the unreached of our world. But the proliferation of para church organizations has produced problems as well. Constant requests for pulpit time and appeals for assistance have made some churches wonder if mission boards haven't overstepped their boundaries and intruded into the normal life of the church.

While not excusing the abuses or overlooking the unfortunate instances of competition for the evangelical mission dollar, we also need to keep in focus the role of the church in missions and the church's relationship to its supporting mission agencies. Perhaps a Biblical model will help us see the mission/church dynamic in better perspective:

Apostle Paul had a burden. That burden was to reach the unreached, the "hidden peoples" of Spain. Paul could have launched the Iberian Inland Mission and left immediately. Instead he wrote a letter to the church at Rome, inviting himself for a visit. "Since I have been longing for many years to see you," he penned, "I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while" (Rom. 15:23b 24, NIV). Paul needed help in evangelizing Spain and was looking to the church at Rome for it. But he wasn't just coming to get he was also coming to give. "I long o see you," he wrote, "so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong" (Rom. 1:11). Here we see evolving a partnership in mission. This partnership between Paul's mission to Spain and the church at Rome models a pattern, I believe, that God intends for every church today. Missions was never intended to be the work of a few specialists or an elite corps of bionic Christians, leaving the rest of us watching casually from the grandstands!Rather missions is meant to be an extension of the church and part of its normal life. As Paul pleaded, "Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me" (Rom. 15:30), so today God would have every Christian a world Christian, striving together in God's world mission. Resources for mission should not have to be wrung out of reluctant churches, but should be instead a joyful and responsible act of their partnership in mission.

But Paul sought to generate more than finances for mission by writing and visiting the church at Rome. More importantly, he sought to instill a new vision and sense of responsibility for the unreached. He did not see it as a waste of valuable time to instruct the Roman Christians or "to impart some spiritual gift." Rather Paul realized that the cause of frontier missions could be greatly enhanced by stimulating and mobilizing the church in Rome.

Today in Asia as well as in the West the OMF is seeking to follow the Spain/Rome pattern. Along with evangelism and church planting we are working with national churches to stimulate their interest and participation in frontier missions. In Korea, on which this issue focuses, it is a major objective. The setting up of sending councils in each of our fields in Asia reflects our concern to accelerate missions to the frontiers by extending the vision within national churches. Already in addition to the formation of several national mission boards we have seen over sixty Asians join OMF.

The Spain/Rome connection is still vital. The church worldwide needs to understand God's yearning over a lost world and enter into a dynamic partnership with those He calls to take His message to the ends of the earth. Missions is not a program to be foisted onto a church, but the vital link in a partnership of obedience to the Great Commission.

Editor's Note: we are reprinting this article by Dan Bacon, U.S. Director of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship because we believe it has special signifiance for the penetration of the final frontiers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the establishment of viable, indigenous evangelizing churches within people groups where no church presently exists. Whole-hearted cooperation between churches and mission agencies is absolutely essential in teh coming years if we are to have any opportunity to see the establishment of "A Chuch for Every People by the Year 2000."