I have a friend:

This friend is in a place where most of the people are illiterate and the local languages are still unwritten.

The Bible does not exist yet in their language and there is, in fact, no language to yet be read. It still must be made into written forma nd the people must still be taught how to read. I.e. very first stages of work.

However, through trade, some have heard ofthe Gospel.

In places there are a few believers and a few leaders that people recognize. These men have become self-appointed pastors sometimes and some churches have "spontanously generated" for lack of a better term and these new churches are trying to reach the still unreached areas beyond them with the little bit of the Gospel they understand. Their Gospel is basic and often in error. People often give up spirit worship for a shadow of the Gospel, which is not much of an improvement.


Obviosly a pastor's school and some training is top priority.

But what about the old faithful men (there are a few) that have actually understood a lot of the Gospel and are serving.

Who do we recognize as leaders? Some are already recognized, how do we use these?

If local churches recognize them as pastors and missionaries enter and tell them that they are not qualified to teach, how is this done and what does this do to local authority?

How much control should we take over an area of unchurched world and how much power should we take in order to "organize" the church?

The church is, very sloppily and haphazadly, already growing. What sort of engagement do Western missionaries then take?

Do they jump into the unreached, stay behind the frontier areas and organzie schools?

Do we act of judges as to who is unqualified or do we leave that to locals?

How do we use the flawed but faithful illiterate local self-appointed pastors?

Do we consider these spontanously genrated groups of beleivers to be true churches? Would a Presby mission try to organize them into a Synod? Do we try to gain any authority over them? If so , how?

SUMMARY: How do the Reformed do church planting and what do they do with rag tag groups of illiterate beleivers and pastors? How much must we start from scratch and how much do we use the present but flawed leaders.

What are the "Priorities of Work."

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

Brother - I am in no way qualified to answer your questions. I'm a white, mid-40's salesman in the United States who serves as an elder in a well appointed church building. But I'll be bold enough to offer comment on two of the questions you asked.

It would seem to me that two things need to be done. First, western missionaries need to continue there work for the near-term. There is no way these people can be abandoned. It would be a travesty if they digressed back to their old spirit worship combined with Christianity. I don't even want to imagine what that would be like. Second, target those men who display the best aptitude and desire to serve. Separate them for training. Because of cultural distinctives it may not be possible to remove them from where they live, but they need to be trained. The missionary(ies) can serve as co-laborers with these men. The goal is to raise up well-trained men who are able to be fully functioning pastors. The truth is that this process may take years, if not a decade or more. It's a long term commitment and must be viewed in that light.

__________________
Bill Brown
Elder
Grace Baptist Church
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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