FRONT ROW

Reading: A Dream Come True

A Dream Come True

“A dream come true” is how I describe the privilege Daria and I had to participate in the first International Partnership of Fundamental Baptist Ministries Conference. It was truly a thrill to meet international friends face-to-face after becoming acquainted in a limited sense through e-mail. Following initial introductions and greetings, we found ourselves immersed in conversations about church ministry and strategy. Since coming away with mental overload from the IPFBM conference, I have been processing the experience of being with these brothers and sisters. The implications and possibilities of this partnership have exceeded my earlier hopes.

During the conference, interaction about partnering was sophisticated. These men and women are thinkers who see value in cooperative relationships. They do not use clichés or speak in generalities about partnering. They talk strategy. They are clear in what they want to accomplish. On a level that would engage seminary graduates, they explain the structure, operational procedures, and goals of partnering. They refuse to merely talk about their problems, but are actively engaged in solving problems.

They are deeply grateful for the dedicated work of missionaries from the West who originated ministries in their countries. However, they are acutely aware that they must move these works forward. They are accepting ownership of that responsibility. The following topics represent potential goals the leaders suggested:

• Develop an Asian Bible college and seminary accrediting association.
• Coordinate training among schools in ESL so efforts are not unnecessarily duplicated.
• Pursue capacity enhancement through education opportunities, business ventures, and ministry development. One of the Asian partners has taken the leadership of a hospital that was being closed by another denomination. He has turned it into a profitable center by charging the wealthy for care while giving free services to the poor. The income generated from the hospital is in turn funding the start-up costs of a nationwide church-planting movement.
• Develop an international chaplaincy endorsing body through the IPFBM.
• Begin a website to network ideas, needs, opportunities, concerns, and solutions among association leaders.
• Build functioning relationships among all partners, not just between the U.S. and the individual partners.
• Collaborate to increase the sharing of theological and ministry education to more effectively train pastors and church leaders.
• Launch missionary movements into other countries.
• Develop church educational resources, such as Sunday School curriculum and VBS materials.

How similar we are, despite differences in skin color and language! I had the opportunity to facilitate a workshop that brought together the leaders of various associations. Thirty of us identified the challenges, threats, and opportunities we are facing in our associations of churches. The international leaders identified the following topics:

• Church planting by true evangelism and not sheep stealing
• Bible training for ministry preparation
• Strengthening the churches through seminars and short-term Bible schools
• Counseling services
• Understanding Baptist roots and heritage and maintaining distinctiveness
• Indoctrination
• Pioneering spirit
• Dangers of worldliness
• Morale
• Intentional mentoring
• Ministry accountability partners
• Need for instructional resources
• Quality standards
• Advanced studies for pastors

Does any of this sound familiar? It all does, because we are facing the same opportunities, challenges, and threats. That is what makes the partnership so valuable. We need to ramp up our communication and cooperation. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that we are at the front end of a major new approach to global church planting.

Here is another far-out thought: if the level of international learning and ministry continues on its current trajectory, distance learning may take an about-face. How long will it take for distance learning originating in Asia or another part of the world to gain traction and change the pricing structure of higher education to make it more affordable for ministry training in the West?

If you are interested in exploring ideas about the future of ministry, I invite you to join the conversation. If you are a pastor in the GARBC or in another association in the IPFBM, you may communicate through www.IPFBMconnect.org.

International partners, thank you for stretching me. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and work alongside you. We are part of something monumental!

John Greening is national representative for the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches.