Today, I have asked Jim Palmer, Missions Liaison at Buckner, to write about a growing trend of church missional engagement. Take a few moments and read about the future of missions:
Over the last several decades, the nature and role of missions in the local church has changed. While missions have always been the heartbeat of Baptist churches, the call to mission involvement has become more personal. In an attempt to personalize missions, local churches have become increasingly engaged in international mission efforts.
Personalizing missions and making a difference in Ethiopia is the goal of a group of churches called the ETEAM (East Texas Ethiopia Aid Mission). This network of churches is a cooperative mission effort working under the direction of Buckner International. The ETEAM is lead by FBC Corsican, FBC Kilgore, FBC Athens, Central BC Marshall, FBC Lufkin and FBC Longview. The churches have committed to raising over $150,000 per year to fund ministry programs in Ethiopia as well as recruiting church members to serve on short-term mission projects. A number of additional churches are considering joining the ETEAM this year. Jim Palmer is leading the ETEAM as Missions Development Coordinator for Buckner. Palmer has served as IMB missionary for 28 years and is helping the churches develop and implement an appropriate mission strategy.
As the second largest country of Africa, Ethiopia is representative of a continent with dire human needs. 40% of families live in abject poverty. Ethiopia has the third largest number of people infected with HIV/AIDS. Over five million children have been orphaned by AIDS and poverty. Buckner International has partnered with a local ministry, Bright Hope Organization, to minister to the needs of these children and families. Working with Buckner/Bright Hope, the ETEAM has adopted the remote village of Bantu, Ethiopia and assisted in the construction of a school, a deep water well, other community development projects. The school in Bantu is providing a quality education, two nutritious meals day, school uniforms, shoes, and medical attention. In addition, the children receive Bible teaching and English classes. Most of the children are HIV/AIDS orphans or from families too poor to send them to school.
Ethiopia is about 45% Islamic, 40% Orthodox, 5% Animist, with less than 10% evangelical Christians. Of the more than 80 ethnic groups, over half are have little access to the gospel. However, the Ethiopian evangelical community is one of the fastest growing in the world. Churches are being planted and multiplying at incredible rates. The door for ministry is Ethiopia is wide open and the government has welcomed us to address the needs of children and families, as well as to encourage spiritual formation. The ETEAM is partnering with local Ethiopia believers to share Christ with their neighbors. As a result of the ministry in Bantu, a new evangelical congregation is being planted.
The ETEAM is accomplishing more together than one church could alone. The Ethiopia people are being transformed as the ETEAM communicates the love of Christ in word and deed. During the last three years nine mission teams have provide over 200 members of ETEAM churches with an opportunity to personalize missions and fulfill the Great Commission.
If you would like to learn more about developing a church missional network for India, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, or Latin America, please call me at 214-758-8190 or email me at areyes@buckner.org and I will put you in touch with our staff.
Wow, this is really encouraging to see this kind of collaboration for the Kingdom! How we need this kind of church misssional network for Mexico.
Posted by: dexton shores | October 15, 2009 at 07:37 PM
Dexton, I think this is the way of the future. The churches I am familiar with are talking about doing Kingdom work together on a first-hand basis. I would love to see a Mexico Network.
Posted by: Albert Reyes | October 17, 2009 at 12:02 PM