Joseph Scibbe
Puritan Board Junior
I am looking for a Mission Board that is serving in the Middle East. Can anyone help me out with this?
Mission Board
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Scottish Lass
Puritan Board Doctor
ARP's World Witness does. World Witness
Marrow Man
Drunk with Powder
A board would most likely be under the oversight of a particular denomination rather than being its own separate entity. In the ARP, our boards are viewed as "servants" of the denomination. Boards are primarily made up of presbyters representing each of the various presbyteries, and their actions must be approved by General Synod. I would assume the PCA's Mission to the World functions the same way.
Which board you pick depends on where you are on the spectrum of accepting both support and control vs. generating your own infrastructure which allows you to be independent. It's impossible to find a board that fosters individual initiative while providing substantial infrastructure support. You need to match your independence druthers to the board that you pick or you are in for endless conflict.
Our mission board is Equip. They allow a great amount of freedom but do not provide a lot of support. We have an affiliate arrangement with SIM Ethiopia. We pay them $95 per month and in return are able to use their infrastructure (guest house, finance office, clinic, car servicing) without their telling us what to do. SIM, for their members, provides great infrastructure but they "own" their missionaries and move them here and there, frequently. Members joke about SIM standing for "Sure, I'll move".
Our mission board is Equip. They allow a great amount of freedom but do not provide a lot of support. We have an affiliate arrangement with SIM Ethiopia. We pay them $95 per month and in return are able to use their infrastructure (guest house, finance office, clinic, car servicing) without their telling us what to do. SIM, for their members, provides great infrastructure but they "own" their missionaries and move them here and there, frequently. Members joke about SIM standing for "Sure, I'll move".
forgivenmuch
Puritan Board Freshman
What do you think about frontiers? Do you know much about them? Part of me likes what they are seeking to do, but I could never fully support them because as an agency they do not allow their missionaries to evangelize, or seek to "convert" Muslims to Christianity, unless someones asks them about their faith. They mainly practice lifestyle/relational evangelism. They also incarnate a highly contextualized form of mission which I believe could be very dangerous. They do do good things, but I cannot in good conscience recommend them. I think Pioneers does good pioneering work among unreached Muslims.
Try getting into the Middle East WITHOUT some sort of Platform or reason for entrance. They allow their missionaries to evangelize, that's for sure...just not stupidly.
I have several friends (close friends) with Pioneers and it is a GREAT org. They also often use a "platform" to gain entrance into a Mslm area.
I would go with Pioneers (or my org) and come here to SE Asia and focus on Mslms. They are very receptive here and many are coming to faith. Come take part in the Harvest!
-----Added 3/11/2009 at 04:41:48 EST-----
I sent you a PM
I have several friends (close friends) with Pioneers and it is a GREAT org. They also often use a "platform" to gain entrance into a Mslm area.
I would go with Pioneers (or my org) and come here to SE Asia and focus on Mslms. They are very receptive here and many are coming to faith. Come take part in the Harvest!
-----Added 3/11/2009 at 04:41:48 EST-----
I sent you a PM
Josiah
Puritan Board Senior
Middle East Reformed Fellowship Is one that I know of. They advertise in our OP publications on occasion.
forgivenmuch
Puritan Board Freshman
I acknowledge that you have to have a "legitimate reason" for gaining entrance into Muslims nations, because straight up Christian missionaries are not allowed. Therefore, the tentmaking aspect is necessary. I also agree that there must be a smartness in doing evangelism in hostile areas. But in reading the frontiers website, while quoting the Qur'an, they say they don't seek to evangelize or convert Muslims, only "point them to Jesus." They had a booth at our missions conference at my college last week, I meant to talk them, but didn't get a chance. I did talk to Pioneers though. Anyway, maybe we can talk by email. What organization are you with, by-the-way?
Blessings.
Yes, Frontiers is more open to "contextualization" than Pioneers. I agree more with the Pioneers folks I know and feel some uneasiness with some of the Frontiers people (one lady wears full Muslim garb).
On the C-Scale of contextualization, Frontiers goes much higher than Pioneers.
Why not come here and minister among transmigrants where they are much more open to the GOspel! There are opportunities right now, we don't believe in overly contextualizing everything, and I even know a group that will support you financially if you come as part of a team.
On the C-Scale of contextualization, Frontiers goes much higher than Pioneers.
Why not come here and minister among transmigrants where they are much more open to the GOspel! There are opportunities right now, we don't believe in overly contextualizing everything, and I even know a group that will support you financially if you come as part of a team.
forgivenmuch
Puritan Board Freshman
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