Missio CrossWay: Conviction 16 - Committed to Indigenous Pastors

The foreign mission field is fundamentally split into two contexts – those where the church is established and those where the church does not exist. Again, when we speak about the mission field, we are speaking ethno-linguistically, groups of people bound together by a common ethnicity and language.

CrossWay is committed to partnering with indigenous pastors who know the people, culture, and language far better than any foreigner can ever know it. Sending a westerner into a foreign culture is a great investment of money and time in learning the language and culture and almost always less effective than supporting a local pastor.

We believe it is much wiser to come alongside of indigenous pastors and help them reach their own people with the gospel. These pastors are already doing the work God has called them to do, and most times are simply lacking the finances to plant more churches or the further education to take their church and mission to the next level.

Our Indigenous Partners

In the Philippines we support Paul and Arcy Caampued. Paul has been training pastors at the grassroots level all over the Philippines since 1999. These are men who have had little or no theological education, yet they are pastoring churches. Since that time, Paul has raised up a leadership team who overseas the work with him and who also travel all over the Philippines to train pastors. In 2008 CrossWay sent a team to the Philippines to help construct a training facility for the training of pastors.

In Kenya we support Paul and Rhoda Mbandi. Paul serves as the Deputy Principal for Academic Affairs at Scott Theological College in Machakos, Kenya. In addition to his responsibility for the academic affairs at Scott, Paul conducts seminars with the rural pastors in the townships and works with communities to overcome issues of justice, mercy, and compassion.

In Brazil we support Nelson and Marcia Salviano. Nelson is also training pastors at the grassroots level all over Brazil. Nelson is still in the process of developing his curriculum, establishing his key training partners, and developing his leadership team. Like all of our partners, Nelson is trying to establish churches on the foundation of the gospel so the local church could give hope to those who are facing issues of poverty, abuse, addiction, and unemployment.

Short-term Mission

We are committed to sending groups of short-term mission teams to support our mission partners, especially with our indigenous partners. Part of establishing and maintaining a biblical partnership is not only supporting them with prayer and finances, but coming alongside of them to serve them in whatever way they need. We want our foreign mission partners to define the objectives of our short-term teams, whether that service is related to construction, evangelism, mercy, or pastor training.

CrossWay Exists

CrossWay exists to work alongside other local pastors in other countries to proclaim and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ through the local church. Please pray for these men, their families, and their teams. We would also encourage you to support CrossWay’s short-term missions and to consider participating in one of these teams over the course of your time at CrossWay.

Related Posts:

Conviction 1 – The Glory of God

Conviction 2 – The End of Human History

Conviction 3 – The Rejection of God

Conviction 4 – God’s Mission of Redemption

Conviction 5 – Redemption Through Jesus Christ

Conviction 6 – The Mission of God for the Church

Conviction 7 – The Church Exists for the Gospel

Conviction 8 – Humanity’s Response to the Gospel

Conviction 9 – God’s Mission is to All Nations

Conviction 10 – Evangelism, Mercy, Pastor Training, Church Planting

Conviction 11 – The Scope of CrossWay’s Mission is Local