Philosophy

Clearly Understanding Terminologies With Regard to Missions 3:16’s Philosophy of Missions:

Who we are, what we do, how we do it, and the values that guide us in carrying out God’s plans for Missions 3:16, are best communicated to others, and most clearly defined by us, when the following definitions are understood:

Missions:

Evangelism, discipleship, Bible-training, church-planting, facilitating, and starting other related ministries–among people-groups not native to the missionary’s own geographic area. In addition, the full nationalization of these missionary efforts and ministries, as soon as is prudently possible.

Nationalization:

National ownership, leadership and sovereign independence over ministries within the country, people-group or geographic area where nationals live and minister.

Empowering:

Training, facilitating, delegating responsibility, blessing, promoting, affirming persons and their ownership of the work, and promoting God-dependent independence–all among nationals.

Enabling:

Producing dependence, subjugation, inferiority and resentment among nationals, by control, prominence and self-promotion.

Indigenous:

Self-supporting, self-propogating, self-governing (churches, ministries).

Missions 3:16’s Philosophy of Mission

Fundamental Assumptions

of a Biblical philosophy of missions–Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20

That missions is God’s will and plan.
That the responsibility to carry out missions is equally upon all believers, all local churches, in all places.
That missions is equally God’s work and man’s.
That nationals are primary in reaching their own people-group.
That empowering them is God’s plan.
That enabling them is Satan’s plan.

Values and Disciplines

required for holding and carrying out a Biblical philosophy of missions

Accountability in all areas of personal life and ministry: to God, the local church, Missions 3:16, supporters, US and national co-workers, other brothers and sisters Christ.
Humility toward God, family, national and American co-workers, and the lost.
Obedience to God’s Word as the final authority in all areas of doctrine and practice. Periodic self-examination and cross-examination–both personally and professionally.
Integrity in all spoken, financial and contractual matters.
Submission to authority and to other believers, including nationals.

Personal Perspective

necessary to fulfill a Biblical philosophy of missions

God’s primacy in life–both personal relationship and obedience.
The importance of implicit obedience to His plan for evangelism, discipleship, teaching, facilitating, planting, empowering and nationalizing His work.
The need to treat nationals as equals/co-workers in every way.
Conviction of the importance of, and the explicit role of the missionary to empower nationals: Bible/leadership training, mentoring, facilitating, equipping, promoting, blessing and nationalizing their work.