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A "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #505)
HELP WANTED:
... but do
we really need more missionaries?
It's no secret. The
number of people applying to serve with us as full-time missionaries
these days isn't huge.
Should we be worried? NCEM
is a faith mission -- we trust the Lord for sufficient workers, for
finances for them, and for success in our labours. We believe God is
sovereign and will provide what is needed.
We also believe that it's
through God's people -- who choose how they invest their time and
resources -- that the world will be reached for Christ.
So shouldn't we be
concerned? Maybe behind this trend of fewer missionary applicants
(which is affecting more missions than just ours) are
misunderstandings and doubts. Perhaps the following questions -- and
our attempt to respond briefly -- will give us clearer vision of what
the Lord may desire among Canada's Indigenous Peoples in the 21st
century.
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"There's
so many reserves yet that don't have any missionaries. There's
a great need. There's so many people that are seeking, yet I
am just one of few who can reach very few." -- Venus Cote (Saulteaux missionary)
"If,
in cooperation with the existing First Nations church, we rise
to the challenge of discipling the next generation of First
Nations believers, we could possibly see a missionary force
come into existence which could well reach the world. To see
this vision become reality we need more staff in NCEM --
people who are humble, well trained in the Scriptures, and
have the ability to effectively minister cross-culturally." -- George Hertwig (Western-Field Director)
"We
have a people group that is isolated and not integrated with
society. They are strangers and outcasts in their own land;
they are a people who need directed, focused attention." -- Art Wanuch, NCEM Board
(Cree/Metis)
"Many
in the evangelical Church are not seeking to serve in
full-time ministry. Jesus saw the need and served in
unconditional love. A believer needs discipling and
companionship from other believers. If those comfortable in
their church had to experience what a believer experiences in
an isolated Aboriginal community, they could not sit back in
indifference." -- Gilbert Bekkatla (Denesuline missionary)
"Increasingly
we are able to work alongside Native believers, who have great
passion and zeal for the Lord. They are often the first to let
us know that they want our help and encouragement. The needs
are as great as ever." -- Ken Mahood (Central-Field Director)
"We
still need missionaries. Our ministries could be much more
effective if done by a team, rather than by a single worker or
couple. In the Maritimes we have new opportunities to team up
with churches wanting to reach First Nations in their areas.
We also need more professionals working and ministering in
northern communities." -- Allan Giesbrecht (East./Inuit-Field Director)
"I
would encourage you ... to get involved in a short-term
experience ... by contacting a mission agency that is working
with Native American people. It would give you a great
opportunity to see the needs of the people, and the Lord will
enlarge your heart." -- Tom Claus (Mohawk, founder of CHIEF)
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Are you
sure missionaries are still needed?
Our short answer is "yes" (sorry if you were expecting some suspense). As long
as there are Native people in Canada needing the Gospel and not able
to receive it in a way they understand, our answer will be, "Yes,
more help is needed."
Let's not let
terminology sidetrack us. We don't really have to call them "missionaries" (that word isn't in the Bible, and still
gives images of white people), but we will because, literally, it
means "sent ones," and that's what we are. We need Great
Commission workers -- people from various ethnic backgrounds who are
serious about Christ's command to spread the Gospel.
We know of scores of
Native communities that have no evangelical church. Some receive
occasional visits from outreach teams, and some reserves and
communities not even that. We get phone calls (usually in response to
our Tribal Trails television program) from people who say they are the
only born again Christian believer in their area.
But hasn't
NCEM been sending missionaries for over 60 years?
Yes, we have ... and
Canada is very big. Some areas have been evangelized more than others.
Some areas remain resistant to the Gospel. Today, especially in places
that have been visited by evangelists, there's a great need for
discipling. "There is confusion because of a lack of Bible
teaching," one of our field directors noted a few years ago, and
that's still the case.
"But when the
confusion is taken care of, life begins to change for the
people," he added. Unfortunately, we don't have near enough
workers. "Can you imagine the helplessness I feel when someone
asks if we can send someone to teach them, and I have no one to
send."
Can't
Native believers do the job?
Helping First Nations
believers to reach their own people is a priority in NCEM. But Native
Christian leaders with an informed national perspective say that
nonNative missionaries are still needed in many places. Thankfully, in
increased numbers of places, Native churches have been planted. In
many locations where missionary endeavor continues, today it is more
of a partnership, as Native church leadership is being developed.
However, particularly in
Canada's northwest among the Athabascan peoples, and in Maritime
regions, we see it still very much as pioneer work. There are very few
evangelical churches, and Native believers are few and far between.
Across Canada, in areas that may be thought of as evangelized, there
are still many overlooked reserves and settlements.
Presently there are a
number of Aboriginal people serving in NCEM. One of them, Gilbert
Bekkatla, recently shared at the Talking Circle (a national gathering
of evangelical Native and missionary leaders) his strong conviction
that there is still a great need for front-line missionary workers,
regardless of race.
Yes, I
believe we need to reach Native people, but is a long-established
mission like NCEM still the way to do it?
As a Mission, we certainly
don't claim to do everything right every time. And when we say we
need more workers, it's not because we think NCEM has to be "big." Really, we need workers so we can contribute to the
task.
We're not in competition
with other missions. Officially we work in cooperation with 10 other
interdenominational missions and, informally, with many more churches
and organizations.
We know there are many
other churches and individuals across Canada reaching out to First
Nations with the Gospel -- and we pray for their success. After all,
if they succeed, then we succeed ... because we're all working
towards the same goal.
As a long-established
mission we do need to keep looking for new and more effective ways to
reach people. But we don't apologize for hanging onto a method
exemplified by Jesus Himself. In John 20:21 He said, "As the
Father has sent me, so I am sending you." To effectively reach
people we need to live among them, just as Jesus did.
All your
Mission seems to do is "preach" to people. Why don't you
do more to "help" them?
In our ministry we see
physical, social needs, and more. And our missionaries do help
individuals in practical ways. We appreciate organizations seeking to
help Native people in these specific areas, but we believe that true
and lasting positive change comes from changed hearts.
Also, we need to mention
here our concern that nowadays, even in some evangelical circles,
there's the thinking that First Nations may not be lost without
Christ. We hold to Scripture's teaching that there is salvation in
no one other than God's Son.
Our church
sends out short-term mission teams each summer. Isn't that enough?
We believe short-term
endeavours have their place -- and we have our own summer program (NMTC).
Others serve with us short-term in our Bible camps. But we also see,
and First Nations leaders concur, that building trust and seeing
change doesn't often happen fast in Native settings. Missionaries
who can stay long-term are needed.
We understand why team
outreaches are popular. They can be effective, too, but even in our
short-term outreaches we need to build on something highly valued by
Native people -- relationships with them that go much longer than a
few weeks.
Why not
use "tent-maker" missionaries?
We do have professional
associates. They are educators, health workers, pilots and business
people who partner with our missionaries to help reach Native people
for Christ. We appreciate each one, and can use more of them.
They can often relate to
local Native people in ways a full-time missionary can't. But "tent-makers" will tell you that, after fulfilling their
employment obligations, their time and energy is limited. We'll
still need full-time missionaries to see churches planted and leaders
developed.
Why do I
need a mission? If I want to be a full-time missionary, can't my
local church alone send me?
That could work fine.
After all, biblically it should be our home churches who will send and
support us. On the other hand, can we expect a local church to have
enough information about where and how best to serve? Can it provide
orientation and training based on lessons learned from years of
experience in Native ministries?
At NCEM we see the
benefits of serving as a team. And our leadership takes individual
missionary's interests and abilities seriously.
... and
God is still in control?
He's
the Lord of the Harvest (Matt. 9:38, etc.). Like we said at the start,
God is sovereign -- even as many different missions, churches and
individuals take various approaches to building His Kingdom among
First Peoples. We know God's heart longs to see every First Nations
person find salvation and fulfillment in Him. He may use ways that no
one has yet dreamed of. Let's all be prayerfully considering how He
may want to use each one of us!
Forget the hourly wages
... we have jobs with a
G R E A
T C O M M I S S I O N !
-- In northern and in less-isolated areas ... there's a need for
church
planters, disciplers, youth workers -- in pioneer situations, and
also in partnership with Native fellowships (write and ask for
community profiles).
-- At our
Bible camps ... we need on-site facility managers (we have an
urgent need for two families to live and serve year-round at Pine
Ridge Bible Camp, NW Sask.).
-- In missionary support roles, we need full-time
maintenance
workers/managers, a bookkeeper, and other office workers.
-- Our Bible school at Lac La Biche (AB) urgently needs a full-time
cook
and a business manager.
... Please write or call
our Prince Albert office.
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