Native missions village church

Native Missionary Sponsorship Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t the churches in other countries support their own missionaries?

A billion people, including many evangelical Christians in Asia, Africa and Latin America, cannot find jobs that will provide cash income. They stay alive by growing tiny plots of rice, fishing or hunting insects. Those who do have paying jobs give generously and sacrificially; however, their wages are so low that the total sum of their tithes and offerings may only be a few dollars a week.Unfortunately, for most of the world, poverty is the norm and wealth is exception. An average believer in the United States makes over $105 USD per day! Now compare that to a believer in Myanmar at $0.66 cents per day, a believer in India who typically makes $2.24 USD per day. With so little money being made by the believers, they find it hard to provide the basic needs of their family, food, shelter, water, and clothes. Raising the funds for missions is almost impossible for them.

How much support does a native missionary need per month?

The amount of support needed per missionary varies depending on the location in which they live and work. Those who work in cities require more than those working in rural villages. Likewise, those who are married with children require more support than those who are single. In some nations such as Myanmar, a rural missionary can be supported for about $120 USD per month and a missionary in India for $180 per month.

Will there be only one sponsor per missionary?

No, because we do not want any missionary to have all his support coming from a singular source. We typically try to give each native missionary a minimum of four sponsors. This is to minimize any problems that might arise should a any sponsor not be able send to us their level of financial support any given month. Suppose that a sponsor looses their job or get ill and they do not send in their support. If a missionary had only one sponsor each, then 100% of their financial support would not reach them. This could cause several havoc in their lives, their family, and in their ministry. We do what we can to prevent this from happening. However, if each missionary has four sponsors each providing $50 a month, and one of the sponsors fails for whatever reason to send their support in, the missionary will only find themselves short 24% of their monthly support. Losing 25% instead of 100% is a world of difference. So if you decide to send $200 per month in financial support you can help sponsor four missionaries.

 

How can indigenous missionaries be as qualified as much as a “Western” missionary who has a university or seminary degree in theology?

Of course, they are! The indigenous missionary strategy does not eliminate the need for cross-cultural missionaries. This is not an either/or, but a both/and situation. We are not arguing for a moratorium on North American and Western European missionaries, but fully recognize the need for thousands more on the field! We are simply seeking to prove that the indigenous missionary strategy is an equally viable, and in some cases, more effective missionary method.

Will you spoil the native missionary by supporting him with American money?

The first thing we need to understand is that there is no such thing as American money. It is all God’s money. If we are prosperous in America, it is so that we might wisely use what God has given us for the advancement of His Kingdom. Secondly, the support given to the indigenous missionaries is adjusted according to the average income of the population. If the average income in a country is $150 a month, then that is the support that will be given. The support that is received provides no luxuries, but gives enough economic freedom so that the missionary might work full-time in the ministry. Thirdly, we do not hire men so that they might work in the mission field, but we support men who have already given themselves to the work and would continue whether they received outside help or not. Finally, we find this objection about spoiling native missionaries with a $100 USD per month salary amusing in light of the fact that some missionary organizations in the United States pay their executive leadership over an annual salary exceeding $100,000 USD.

What are the qualifications of the missionaries you support?

We seek to partner with men and women who are foremost consumed with the desire to see the Gospel of Jeus Christ preached to unreached peoples groups so that God may be rightfully worshipped, praised, and glorified. We seek those who devote themselves to constantly being nourished on the words of faith and on sound doctrine (1Ti 4:6) and absorbed by the things of God (1Ti 4:15). These believers must be able to accurately handle the word of truth (2Ti 2:15). They are to be men and women who are above reproach; not being quick-tempered nor self-seeking, but patient and self-controlled. They must be willing to preach the gospel even if they were nto to be financially supported not must they be fond of sordid gain (Titus 1:7-9). They are to be filled with the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22,23). They must have a reputation among their local Church as being God fearing men and they must have been recommended by their local elders prior to us screening them and partnering with them.

To whom are the native missionaries accountable to?

We have set up a number of steps to ensure that our accountability system works as it is intended to work. In all cases, the native missionary is supervised by a Regional Missions Administrator with whom they must meet with once a month to give an account of their mission activities, and to discuss how to best continue preaching the gospel among their unreached countrymen so that the Kingdom of God may continue its advance. It is also during this time of  meeting that the missionaries are must gather together with other missionaries for a few days of fasting, praying, and sharing their successes, failures, and struggles of their life and ministry. This time of meeting together is vital for the sharpening of their spiritual well-being and to gather encouragement as they head back to their respective mission fields. The time they are apart from each other, they are encouraged to stay in close contact with each other (as much as it is possible) and to seek the advice and direction from their local elders. As for the Regional Missions Administrators, they gather once every two months for several days in which they gather to keep each other in the loop as for what is occurring in their respective regions. All Regional Missions Administrators report to a National Missions Director whom will then discuss and update the Board Members from Freedom of Chains. The Regional and National Directors do not operate on their own but also must seek the direction and blessings of the body of elders. Although each has a certain role and position in the service of the Lord, no one person is more important than the next. Before the Cross of Christ, we are all equally servants of a Great and Glorious God.

Are Financial records audited in the field?

Yes, financial records are inspected by our administrative offices to ensure that funds are being used according to the purposes intended. For any project such as village reach out teams, training conferences, church building, special travels, and more, a detail accounting of fund usage is required. Any funds that are sent to the native missionaries are signed for and received both by the leaders and missionaries who are sponsored. The receipts for the transfer of funds are provided to Freedom From Chains main office in the United States and are checked on a random basis by a third party that we hire. All financial records are also audited annually by independent certified accountants.

Why does Freedom From Chains focus on the 10/40 Window portion of the world?

Ninety-seven percent of the world's unreached populace live within the boundaries of the 10/40 window nations. This part of the world is also known as the "Resistence Belt." In addition, most of the current resources of the western Churches are being funneled into organizations and endeavors that do their work with those already claiming to be believers of Christ. According to the World Christian Trends, AD 30-AD 2200 by Barret and Johnson, it is estimate that of all the invitation for people to accept the teachings and so become living disciples of Jesus Christ, 84 percent of these invitations where extended to people already claiming to be Christians. Of the remaining 16 percent, 15.9 percent of these offers were given to individuals who have been evangelized, but declined to become Christians. That means that only 0.1 percent of all invitation for people to accept Jesus Christ was directed to the unreached peoples, those who have never been given the gospel of Christ. That is a shame that the Church must carry until it repents as a whole.

 

Do the missionaries undergo any training before being sent out into the mission fields?

Yes, they are. The training for each missionary is intensive. Before being sent into the field, we provide the training required to prepare the newly sponsored missionary to be able to preach the Gospel to the unreached peoples. We prepare them for the cost that they will have to endure as the serve as native missionaries. Most will work in nations and tribes that are openly hostile to any non-indigenous religious teachings or any teaching that they see as a treat to their heritage or social condition. Our first goal is to help each missionary to become more Christ like in their character and nature. The one thing we seek is that they know the Lord intimately, being able to properly handle the Word of God, and to accurately teach biblical doctrines. Next, we do what we can to help them become well-equipped to not only do the work of an evangelist but to also be effective servants of the believers whom they will serve as pastors over.

What is a typical day for a missionary while they are being trained?

The day starts at six in the morning. The first hour of each day is spent either in solitary or in a two man prayer team. After allotting for about one hour for breakfast and fellowship time, the daily training begins. From 8 A.M. till 12 noon the students are in two separate classes. From noon till one in the afternoon, they take time to eat and enjoy some relaxed time of fellowship. From 1 PM till 5PM they are once again in training sessions. The next hour is free time to the missionary to do as they need with it. Dinner is served from 7 to 8PM. After dinner students gather together to worship and glorify the lord in prayers, and songs. The day typically ends at around 10 PM. Most of the missionaries get to bed by 11 PM and get six to seven hours of sleep a night. Every weekend, the missionaries go to nearby unreached villages to bring the gospel of Christ to them or they serve the poor and weak among them, showing themselves to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

What methods do native missionaries use to spread the teaching so Christ?

One of the most effective means of showing the glorious message found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is done in face-to-face meetings, one person at a time. However, in certain nations this is a highly risky method since many of the countries in which we work in are closed to foreign missionaries and are openly hostile to native Christian missionaries. Therefore we expect that native missionaries use wisdom as they share the gospel person to person. In certain countries, street preaching and open-air evangelism is done using equipment such as a megaphone, and audio-video equipment to show visual aids as the message is shared. Our missionaries will show the "Jesus Movie" and other related videos. This method works exceptionally well with those who are illiterate. For those that are able to read and write, we also send printed literature to our field offices so that native missionaries can freely distribute them as they are able to. Other logistical resources are also used such as; trucks, jeeps, loudspeakers, bicycles, motorcycles, books and more.

Are Cross cultural missionaries from North America and Europe still needed in the mission field?

Of course, they are! The indigenous missionary strategy does not eliminate the need for cross-cultural missionaries. This is not an either/or, but a both/and situation. We are not arguing for a moratorium on North American and Western European missionaries, but fully recognize the need for native missionaries. Absolutely, there will always be a place for cross cultural missionaries. In countries where there are no native churches from which we can gather native believers to serve as missionaries, we must rely on cross-cultural missionaries from western nations to help first bring the light of God's Word into such nations, to plant a church there, and then to raise up mature believers who will then be able to serve as leaders among their own people. Secondly, cross cultural missionaries also have certain technical skills that may be needed by their brethren in the Two-Thirds World churches. A good example of this is the Wycliffe Bible Translators who undertake the tremendous effort to translate the scripture into the remaining 6,800 unreached languages of the world. This is a task that is time consuming, requires specific technical knowledge, and requires a large amount of capital expenditures prior to completion. All these are in short supply in most of the world's poor Churches of the 10/40 Window.

How can you support native missionaries for less than $2,000 USD per year when most missionaries from my church require $40,000 USD or more per year?

The short answer is the standard of living that virtually every western, especially North American missionary have come to expect. There is a huge difference between the living standards of a cross cultural missionary from teh USA, Canada, or some European nation and that of a native missionary who was born as a poor peasant among his people. In addition to standard of living costs and expectations, there is also the cost of long distance logistical support. A Western missionary is faced with additional costs that native missionaries rarely encounter, if ever. Cost such as international air transportation costs for the missionary (and his wife and children if any). The cost of shipping the missionary's goods to the field is usually expensive. If they have children, the western missionary will virtually never let their children attend the local underfunded public school. Therefore, they must pay the high cost of providing western style education that is taught by teachers imported from the western nations. The westerner is faced with frequent visa and other legal issues which must be addressed every few months.  Frequently, host governments require that foreign missionaries pay a special tax or other reporting requirements that have costs associated with them. Next there is the cost of paying taxes in his native country. Now contrast this with a native missionary.
The native missionary lives in the village they are reaching out to, they live on the same economic level as others in the village they are seeking to reach for Christ. Their children do not go to private schools but attend the same schools that all the local children attend. The native missionary does not usually have any hired servants to provide for the needs of the family as most western missionaries would employ. The native missionary does not have to spend money to learn how to speak the language before they are fully capable of preaching the gospel for they have been speaking the language since childhood. We could go on, but we think you get the picture. A native missionary can do the same job at a tremendous savings. It’s being wise in how we manage the financial resources God has given to us to serve His will on earth.

May I write to the missionary I sponsor?

Unfortunately, due to several reason the answer is 'no'. Here are a few reasons why we do not exchange letters by mail with native missionaries. First, most missionaries don't read and write in English. Receiving letters and sending letters in English means precious funds have to be expended in paying persons who can do adequate translations. Second, there are missionaries serving in remote areas where postal mail service and/or internet access is almost non-existent, like places in Nepal where you ride a bus to the end of the line, then walk several days over the mountains to reach the village. Third, it is costly to send mail overseas (currently $1.00 per ounce), an amount that may be easy for a sponsor to provide, but postage may be difficult for the sponsored one (or the mission group providing care/supervision). Fourth, in some areas, receiving mail or email from the U.S. can put the recipient under suspicion, especially if he/she is in a country hostile to Christianity. The missionary may become suspect of being an agent for the CIA, or be accused of being a Christian because he is paid to be one by "the white man's religion." In some countries all correspondence is routinely monitored or opened, read and /or discarded by those the government. There are countries where Freedom From Chains has sponsorships, where even the reports from the missionaries have to be hand carried out of the country to protect them from government inspection.

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