# How much doctrinal agreement must you have with a missionary in order to support them



## Pergamum (Apr 21, 2009)

How much must a church agree with a missionary to support them?


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## Phil Fourie (Apr 21, 2009)

This is a very important question for me. I would say you have to agree totally with the gospel he preaches especially on salvation and that salvation is totally a work of God.

Once a missionary starts preaching human decisionism, I cannot support him as this will lead mostly (In my humble opinion) to false conversions.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Apr 21, 2009)

100% agreement.


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## Pergamum (Apr 21, 2009)

Of course soteriology must be the same.

However,

What about eschatology, ecclesiology, view of man as dichotomy versus trichotomy, whether Romans 7 is a saved man or not, whether they are TR or BR, paedo vs credo, etc....

Then, in lifestyle....

Whether they watch movies, and what type, who they read, what sort of music they listen to, if they do daily devotions, etc, whether 

How close of a conformity do we push for?


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## Scottish Lass (Apr 21, 2009)

This is why supporting missionaries within one's denomination is generally easiest. Paedobaptism would be a must for me, but I'm less concerned about church government, for example, in the mission field. Generally, I would hold a missionary to similar conformity that I would a pastor if I were examining them individually. However, I trust the evaluation process our denomination uses to make the final call for me.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Apr 22, 2009)

Pergamum said:


> Of course soteriology must be the same.
> 
> However,
> 
> ...


An assent to one of the Confessions would settle plenty of these matters, no?


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## OPC'n (Apr 22, 2009)

All of it really. Anyone who preaches the Gospel is doing the most important job that can be done. It should be done with utmost accuracy.


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## Pergamum (Apr 22, 2009)

Ask Mr. Religion said:


> Pergamum said:
> 
> 
> > Of course soteriology must be the same.
> ...



That is a simplistic answer.

Take me for example: I hold to the 1689 but I refuse to say that the Pope is THE Antichrist with assurance. He fits the bill but I prefer to say that he is an Antichrist and may be THE Antichrist. But who can know until it happens? Therefore, by the definition of many, I am "unconfessional." Should you drop my support over this? That would be preposterous.

Or, what if I were to differ slightly with you on the doctrine of the perpetuity of the Sabbath or even how I keep that Sabbath.

MOST pastors differ with one another on at least some secondary doctrines Stateside; why can't missionaries?

-----Added 4/22/2009 at 04:50:20 EST-----



sjonee said:


> All of it really. Anyone who preaches the Gospel is doing the most important job that can be done. It should be done with utmost accuracy.



Utmost accuracy according to whom?

Of course I think I am teaching with utmost accuracy, but I am also heavily engaged in getting Gospel songs into local vernacular so that the words wnter into their hearts......so, the EPers would say that I am not teaching in a fully biblical way.

Few missionaries have major differences in soteriology that I know of - but many if not most missionaries do not line up fully with ALL positions of the churches which support them. I just switched to the ESV over the KJV last year......should folks drop me over that too?


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## OPC'n (Apr 22, 2009)

Pergamum said:


> sjonee said:
> 
> 
> > All of it really. Anyone who preaches the Gospel is doing the most important job that can be done. It should be done with utmost accuracy.
> ...



I wouldn't consider EP foundational doctrines. That's what I meant. No, people should actually really support you now that you use the correct version of the Bible.


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## Rangerus (Apr 22, 2009)

I remember a few years back the International Mission Board caused a dust up between Southern Baptists over asking over-seas missionaries to sign an affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message (which amounts to the Southern Baptist confession.)

Only after much heated discussion the end result was that everyone backed down just little bit, but many feathers were certainly ruffled and many seasoned missionaries left the field.


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## Scott1 (Apr 22, 2009)

A very broad question indeed.

There are many factors, most important would seem that a husband and wife agree that God would have them do so.

As a personal observation, not a clear biblical command, it seems wise not to make the missionary overly dependent on your individual support. That is, not make them really dependent on you- not only so you are not tempted to control them, but vice versa. It's not about the giver(s).

I would (and do) support missionaries who do not have a complete reformed theology ("five points" + covenant theology + confession). When doing so, it seems we ought pray for them and help them in practical ways and try to influence and facilitate them in discovering the deeper truths the reformed theology represents.

If a missionary were hostile to it, probably could not support them unless God perhaps was working some sort of clear moral lesson in their life I could sense. But if they were "open," I would certainly hope God to use that for His Honor and His Glory.

In the end, reformed theology is about bringing people to a more biblically complete view of God as He has revealed Himself in His Word ("five points"), living in the way He has prescribed ("covenant") and being mutually accountable and governed by it ("confession.") 

I'm not afraid to trust that with someone God Has elected, called, justified, adopted and is sanctifying.


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