The word indigenous is defined as, “originating in and having the characteristics of a particular region or country; native.” In a nutshell, an indigenous missionary is someone is sharing the gospel in their home territory state, or nation. So why do we make such a big deal about supporting the indigenous? Here are three reasons.
1. Native culture and language makes them More effective.
Do you speak and read Hindi? What about Mandarin? Are you familiar with the culture, background, daily practices, and social values of those living in the middle east or in the local tribes of Africa? Me either. Who do you think would be most effective in those areas? Myself, or someone native to the land? Indigenous missionaries were born into their culture and language. They already know how to speak and to write in a way that communicates to their communities. They know the background, the history, the struggles, and the social customs in the areas which they live, and they aren’t considered “outsiders” like you and I are. So when they share the gospel, it is powerful, it is understandable, and it is placed within the context of their personal experience so they can grasp and share the life that is in Christ Jesus.
2. The yearly cost of supporting an indigenous missionary is less than 1/10 the average cost of supporting an American missionary.
Think about having to leave overseas to go preach the gospel. How much money would it take to support your family? How much time would it take to learn the language and customs? How much would plane ticket alone cost. All of this has to be financially supported by someone. Now consider this, in 2014 Soul Winners India had 500 trained pastors. Those 500 pastors reached over 500,000 people with the gospel. That’s at least 1,000 people per pastor. Out of that 500,000 people, over 100,000 people came to Christ, and tens of thousands of people were baptized. That is effective ministry, and you could support the entire monthly salary of a SWI pastor for only $50 per month.
3. Finally, supporting ingenious ministries, teaches the people to be more self-sufficient.
So many times we have heard stories of Americans going overseas, teaching to do church in the western way, with western ideas of ministry, and supplying everything through their own sources. The effect? The ministry doesn’t grow the way it grows when indigenous people start the movement, and the locals learn to be dependent solely on Americans, and don’t always take the initiative to grow the locals to be self-sustaining.
Through A4TW we support missionaries who build the communities from the ground up with more than the spoken gospel. These missionaries are building up families, teaching them to be productive, helping them start farms and learn trades, even focusing to change the entire economic atmosphere as Ernest Ehabe with Bread for Life Ministries has focused on. They need our help yes, but they don’t let the people be our beggars, they empower them to have life and life more abundantly through Christ.
Indigenous Missions are more impactful, more cost effective, and have a greater influence in shaping their areas as a whole than we could hope for ourselves.
God has given them their calling to lead their own people out of captivity, just as He has called us all to use our resources for those who have less, or even none. Please partner with Aim 4 The World, as we empower missionaries across the globe to deliver the gospel, make disciples of Christ, and plant churches so that the unreached will all finally hear the good news. For our hope is in the words of Christ from Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Subscribe to our newsletter to continue to learn how you can support indigenous missions and to find out more about the missions we support. Thank you, and God bless.
1. Native culture and language makes them More effective.
Do you speak and read Hindi? What about Mandarin? Are you familiar with the culture, background, daily practices, and social values of those living in the middle east or in the local tribes of Africa? Me either. Who do you think would be most effective in those areas? Myself, or someone native to the land? Indigenous missionaries were born into their culture and language. They already know how to speak and to write in a way that communicates to their communities. They know the background, the history, the struggles, and the social customs in the areas which they live, and they aren’t considered “outsiders” like you and I are. So when they share the gospel, it is powerful, it is understandable, and it is placed within the context of their personal experience so they can grasp and share the life that is in Christ Jesus.
2. The yearly cost of supporting an indigenous missionary is less than 1/10 the average cost of supporting an American missionary.
Think about having to leave overseas to go preach the gospel. How much money would it take to support your family? How much time would it take to learn the language and customs? How much would plane ticket alone cost. All of this has to be financially supported by someone. Now consider this, in 2014 Soul Winners India had 500 trained pastors. Those 500 pastors reached over 500,000 people with the gospel. That’s at least 1,000 people per pastor. Out of that 500,000 people, over 100,000 people came to Christ, and tens of thousands of people were baptized. That is effective ministry, and you could support the entire monthly salary of a SWI pastor for only $50 per month.
3. Finally, supporting ingenious ministries, teaches the people to be more self-sufficient.
So many times we have heard stories of Americans going overseas, teaching to do church in the western way, with western ideas of ministry, and supplying everything through their own sources. The effect? The ministry doesn’t grow the way it grows when indigenous people start the movement, and the locals learn to be dependent solely on Americans, and don’t always take the initiative to grow the locals to be self-sustaining.
Through A4TW we support missionaries who build the communities from the ground up with more than the spoken gospel. These missionaries are building up families, teaching them to be productive, helping them start farms and learn trades, even focusing to change the entire economic atmosphere as Ernest Ehabe with Bread for Life Ministries has focused on. They need our help yes, but they don’t let the people be our beggars, they empower them to have life and life more abundantly through Christ.
Indigenous Missions are more impactful, more cost effective, and have a greater influence in shaping their areas as a whole than we could hope for ourselves.
God has given them their calling to lead their own people out of captivity, just as He has called us all to use our resources for those who have less, or even none. Please partner with Aim 4 The World, as we empower missionaries across the globe to deliver the gospel, make disciples of Christ, and plant churches so that the unreached will all finally hear the good news. For our hope is in the words of Christ from Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Subscribe to our newsletter to continue to learn how you can support indigenous missions and to find out more about the missions we support. Thank you, and God bless.