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63
Foursquare
Missions: Doing
More With Less
John L. Amstutz
“Around the world with the
Foursquare Gospel.”
With these words Aimee
Semple
McPherson focused the mission and
message
of the denomination her
ministry spawned.
The mission of world evangelization
was birthed in the heart of this Canadian woman as a teenager.
In 1910 at
age 20, she,
with her husband Robert
Semple, went to China as missionaries. After less than a year of
ministry
Robert died of malaria and was buried in
Hong Kong. Heartbroken,
Aimee returned to the
U.S.,
but her vision for world missions remained. God’s people
must be
challenged
with a vision for the
lost,
a vision for reaching
those
yet
unreached. The vision was clear. And the
message was
equally
clear. It was a
message
about Jesus Christ. This
message was
dramatically
focused for Mrs. McPherson
during
a
citywide evangelistic meeting
in
Oakland,
California in 1922 as she was preaching
from Ezekiel 1:10. In the faces of the four
living
creatures she saw a fourfold
picture
of Jesus Christ as
Savior, Baptizer
with the Holy Spirit,
Healer and
Coming King.
This
“Foursquare Gospel”
was the
good
news that must be
proclaimed
around the world1
A Historical Overview
of Foursquare
Missions
In 1920 Aimee
Semple
McPherson came to Los
Angeles
to build a center from which the
Foursquare gospel
could be
spread
around the world. On
January 1,
1923
Angelus Temple
was
opened.
On the cornerstone was the
inscription:
“Dedicated unto the cause of inter-denominational and worldwide
evangelism.”
A
training
school was also
opened,
L.I.F.E. Bible
College (Lighthouse
of International Foursquare Evangelism). By
1925 over 30 churches had been
planted. And
by
1927 the number had increased to 128 in 25 states.
Clearly
a movement was in the
making.
A constitutional convention was called in 1927. The name “International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel” was chosen and articles of
incorporation
were drawn
up
and
‘ The term “fourfold
gospel”
has
traditionally been used to designate
the four gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
supposedly pictured in Ezekiel 1:10. Aimee
Semple
McPherson’s
understanding
of the “fourfold
gospel”
from this passage
was
probably
influenced her with holiness teaching.
Her
parents,
James and Minnie by
familiarity Wesleyan
Kennedy, were of Methodist and Salvation Army background
and Aimee herself was a reader of A. B.
Simpson and
A. T. Gordon who the term “fourfold gospel.” See Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, The Vine and the Branches: A popularized
History of
the International Church
of
the Foursquare Gospel (Los Angeles,
CA: International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel, 1992), 6-7.
1
64
adopted.’
That same
year
the first official
missionary
was sent out.
So, like
many
other Pentecostal
movements,
the
Foursquare
Church was birthed more as a
missionary
movement than a
theological
movement. It was characterized more
by “doers” than by “reflective thinkers.”3
“Around the world with the
Foursquare Gospel.”
The vision was clear;
the
message
and mission were focused. Wrote Mrs. McPherson in 1927:
Angelus Temple
is
opening
one of the
that has ever been started. short of mightiest
missionary enterprises
Nothing establishing missionaries and mission
stations in every land and
will these
among every kindred,
tribe and tongue
satisfy earnest,
enthusiastic and consecrated followers of the Foursquare
“The field is the world” is their motto, and “Around the world with the Foursquare Gospel” is their 4
Gospel.
slogan.
The spirit of the Foursquare Gospel
is that of the true pioneer.’
Though
written in
typical
dramatic
style,
the intent was clear. World evangelization
was at the heart of the
Foursquare
movement. From its earliest
days,
it was to be an “international” church.
By
1931
twenty-two
missionaries had been sent to ten countries. Typical
of these
early pioneers
was Arthur Edwards who was sent to Panama in 1928.
Through
the
ministry
of Aimee
Semple McPherson, he and his
family
were introduced to the fullness of the
Spirit.
In fact, it was in the historic
Oakland,
California
meeting
the Edwards
family heard
teaching
on the
baptism
of the
Holy Spirit
and witnessed miracles of
healing.
As a
result,
Arthur Edwards was filled with the
Spirit
and received an unmistakable
“missionary
call.”
Leaving
the field of banking,
he and his wife enrolled in L.I.F.E. Bible
College. During those
years
of
training
his call to Panama was confirmed in a visions When
they
arrived in Panama, the Edwards
family sought
to follow the pattern
of Paul’s
missionary
work in the book of Acts. Thus
they,
like so
many
of the
early Foursquare pioneer missionaries,
focused on a major population
center-in this
case,
Panama
City-as
the
point
of entry
and a base for the
expansion
of the
gospel. They expected miracles to
accompany
the
preaching
of the Word. New converts were baptized
in water and filled with the
Holy Spirit.
A church was established and believers were
discipled.
Leaders were trained and the church was nationalized as
quickly
as
possible. Through experienced and
gifted
leaders the
gospel
was taken
throughout
the
region
and country
with
special
focus on
groups yet
unreached with the
gospel. With such a
simple strategy
field after field was
opened
to the
.
‘Van Cleave, The Vine and the Branches, 34-35.
‘ Murray
W. Dempster, Byron D. Klaus and
Douglas Petersen, eds.,
Called &
Global Mission in Pentecostal
Perspective (Peabody,
MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), 3.
Empowered.
4Aimee
Semple McPherson, “Foursquare Gospel
World-Wide
Missions,” Foursquare
Bridal Call 11 (October 1927): 15.
s Van Cleave, The Vine and the Branches, 97-98.
2
65
Foursquare Gospel.
These
early pioneers attempted,
the best
they
knew how,
to follow in the
footsteps
of the First
Century
Church.6 6
However,
between 1931 and 1947
only
six new fields were
opened.? 7 It was a time of worldwide economic turmoil and
political upheaval. The Great
Depression
and World War II
adversely
affected the expansion
of world
missions, including Foursquare
missions. It was a time of limited
money
and
people
resources.
Further,
the
unexpected death of Aimee
Semple
McPherson in 1944 even called into
question the
viability
and direction of the movement she founded.
However,
the 1950s saw a renewal of the founder’s vision “around the world with the
Foursquare Gospel.”
Sixteen new countries were opened
as
missionary giving
reached new levels. In addition to the deployment
of new
missionaries,
seven
gospel
teams led
by
U.S. District
Supervisors
were sent to conduct
evangelistic
outreaches in strategic
cities.’
By 1960,
106 missionaries were
serving
in 23 countries. The
expansion
of
Foursquare
missions slowed once
again during
the 1960s as the number of
missionary personnel
increased
by less than 20 and the number of countries
grew by only
two.
Although missions
giving
increased
by
63% to over $1 million, the
offerings
did little more than
keep up
with inflation and the
rising
cost of
deploying and
maintaining
North American
missionary personnel
overseas.9
By 1980 the number of U. S. missionaries was still around
100, although missions
giving
had more than doubled to $2.3 million.
The 1980s were characterized
by
the most intentional missions emphasis
since the 1950s. The decade
long program “Advancing through
the 80’s”
included, among
other
goals,
an effort to increase U.S. missions
personnel
and
giving.’°
The 1990
goal
was to increase the overseas
missionary
force to 185 and the missions
offerings
to $10 million
per year.
What
happened?
The number of missionaries
actually declined to 82 while missions
giving
increased to $5.3 million in 1990. But overseas the
Foursquare
church had
nearly
doubled to 1.35 million members and adherents in 68 countries.
Clearly something significant was
taking place. Foursquare
missions was
“doing
more with less.”
6 Rural tribal ministry was the focus of initial ministry in South Africa (Transkei) and Bolivia. To this day the Foursquare work has yet to
urban areas. See Yeol Soo
penetrate effectively large
Eim, “The World Wide Expansion of the
Church”
Foursquare
(D.Miss. Dissertation; Pasadena, CA: Fuller Theological Seminary School of World
Mission, 1986), 50-55; and, Roland Allen,
Paul ‘s or Ours? MI: Wm. B.
Missionary
Methods: St.
(Grand Rapids,
Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1962), 10-17.
‘ In at least three instances previously opened fields were closed due to a lack of results,
relational conflicts or political upheavals. See Van Cleave, The Vine and the Branches,
104-109.
8 Eim, “The World Wide Expansion of the Foursquare Church,” 194-195. 9 Van Cleave, The Vine and the Branches, 187-188.
‘°Phil
Starr, “Decade of Destiny,” Foursquare
World Advance 22 (September/October, 1986): 4-5.
3
66
However,
this
“doing
more with less” was not
really
a new development.
To some
degree
the
concept
had characterized Foursquare
missions since its
inception.
As
nearly
as can be determined from
existing records, during
the
past
65
years
the total number of U.S. personnel
sent abroad has been around 550 with the total amount of money given
for overseas missions about $90 million.” What has been accomplished
with such limited resources?
Today
the
Foursquare church is found in 70 countries outside the U.S. with
approximately
1.5 million
participants
in
16,000 congregations
led
by 19,000
national workers.” With U.S. missionaries
currently
located in less than one-half of the 70
countries,
the work overseas is more than
doubling every
10 years.
Undoubtedly
such limited resources have had
negative
effects. What could have been done if missions
giving
and
personnel
had
grown
more rapidly?” Further,
the small
expatriate
force has stretched missionaries to the
point
of exhaustion and frustration as
they “spread
themselves too thin.” The
strategy
to
place missionary personnel
on the field who had
complementing ministry gifts
was
impossible when,
in most
cases, there was
only
one
missionary
unit in a given
country. Regrettably,
this personnel
limitation has resulted in a weak national church in some countries with
inadequately discipled
believers and
poorly
trained leaders.
Quite literally, Foursquare
missions at times outran its resources.
Without
underestimating
the
impact
of the
negatives,
it is clear the benefits
resulting
from limited resources have been
significant.
Indeed “necessity
has become the mother of
invention,”
or more
biblically, “human
deficiency
has occasioned divine
sufficiency.”14 Foursquare
“International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Yearbook, 1931-1993. See also Eim,
“The Worldwide Expansion of the
Church,” 292-299.
12 International Church the
Foursquare
statistics are
of Foursquare Gospel Yearbook,
1993. Annual
reported
in terms of “members” and “adherents”
(attending non-members),
“churches” and
“meeting places” (embryonic/pioneer churches), “licensed” and “lay” national workers.
” See Jim
Montgomery,
New Testament Fire in the
In his account of the growth of the Foursquare
Philippines (Manila, Philippines: C-Grip, 1972j, 199-209.
work in the Philippines, Montgomery correctly pointed out the lack of missionary personnel
forced Foursquare to develop national leadership. But the need for more new missionary personnel was strongly recommended if pioneering momentum was to be retained and the Foursquare work expanded. Also mentioned was the limited funding
available since it came mainly from the national church. His were not fully implemented and, as predicted, the the
suggestions
growth of Foursquare work did not keep pace with such groups as the Christian & Missionary Alliance and the Assemblies of God. Thus, “doing more with less” too long can have adverse side effects.
” II Corinthians 12:9, 10. To some degree Foursquare missions has experienced that which characterized Hudson Taylor and his China Inland Mission. See Howard and Geraldine
Taylor,
Hudson
Taylor’s Spiritual Secret,
edited and revised by Gregg
Lewis (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1990), back cover.
4
67
.
missions’ activism has had to be
tempered by
the difficult
reality
of minimal resources. What has
emerged
is a biblically informed
theology of stewardship which has made a little
go
a long way.
A
Theology of Stewardship for Foursquare
Missions
The Parable of the Talents has been most instructive in formulating a theology
of
stewardship
for
Foursquare
missions. The context of the parable
is the so-called “Olivet Discourse” in Matthew 24 and 25. In this
passage
Jesus outlined the course of this
age.
It would be a time of trouble and
increasing
wickedness. It would also be a time of the persecution
of his followers
“by
all nations”
(Matthew 24:9).
Like labor pains,
these
“signs
of the times” would
multiply
both in frequency and intensity
before the Lord’s return
(Matthew 24:4-13).
But in the midst of such difficult
“birthpains”
the
good
news of the
gospel
of the kingdom
would be
“preached
in the whole world as a
testimony
to all nations,
and then the end will come”
(Matthew 24:14). Clearly uppermost
in the mind of the
disciples
of Jesus would be the
question, “How, then,
shall we live?” Jesus’
response
was a call to “watchfulness” illustrated in three
parables.
“Faithful and wise servants” would “watch” and be prepared for the
coming
of their Lord.
The Parable of the Talents is the third of the
trilogy
of
parables illustrating
the kind of watchfulness Jesus
required
in anticipation of his return
(Matthew 25:14-30).
Jesus
taught
that when he returned the nations would be
separated
as
sheep
and
goats (Matthew 25 :31-46). Since the
gospel
of the
kingdom
will have been
preached
as a testimony to these
nations,
Jesus indicated
they
would be judged on the basis of how
they
treated “the least of these
my
brothers.” Who are Jesus’ “brothers”?
“My
mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and
put
it into
practice,”
said Jesus
(Luke 8:21; compare
Matthew 10:40-42; 12:49,50). Sheep responded positively
to these
disciples
of Jesus and their
message, goats
did not.’S It is within this context of world
evangelization
and
judgment
of the nations the Parable of the Talents was
given. Against
this dramatic
backdrop
this
parable
of responsible stewardship
was
spoken by
Jesus. Instead of
begrudging the number of talents entrusted or
fearfully protecting
them from
loss, the
“good
and faithful servant”
wisely
invested what was
given. Thus, upon
his
return,
the master received back his goods with interest. Wise investment of
assigned
resources was essential if the master’s
goals were to be
accomplished
and his commendation received. Such is the theology
of
stewardship taught by
the Lord himself It is this
theology of
stewardship Foursquare
missions seeks to follow in the use of the
“Few in the history of the Christian church accomplished so much with so little.” ” “See John L. Amstutz, “Humanitarianism With a Point: a Second Look at the Parable of the
Sheep
and the Goats Missiologically,” International Journal Frontier Missions 9
of
(October 1992): 131- 132.
5
68
resources it has been
given,
no matter how limited
they may appear
to be.
The remainder of this article will focus on the
positive
results of limited resources as
Foursquare
missions has
applied
its
theology
of stewardship
of
“doing
more with less.” Such limited resources have required
the
following:
1) 2) 3) 4)
5) 6)
7)
the strategic deployment of limited personnel;
the use of non-resident personnel;
the planting of viable local churches;
the use of informal and non-formal in-service leadership training programs;
.
the rapid nationalization of fields;
the use of national leaders to bridge into unreached peoples and to pioneer new countries, especially limited access countries; and
a focus on what is “infinitely reproducible” to aid the fulfillment of Christ’s commission to disciple all nations.
The
Strategic Deployment
of Limited Personnel
“Doing
more with less” has
required Foursquare
missions to
deploy its limited
personnel very strategically.
Such
strategic deployment assumes a clear
strategy
of mission. Over the
past
two decades the increasing severity
of limited resources has forced
Foursquare
missions to
clarify
its
strategy.
“Around the world with the
Foursquare Gospel” needed clearer definition. It became
apparent
this
slogan
statement of the
Foursquare
mission and
message
must be more
directly
tied to Jesus Christ’s last commission to “make
disciples
of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Further,
this
slogan
statement must also be tied to an explicit strategy
statement of how
Foursquare
missions intended to carry
out its
God-given
mission to
disciple
all nations.”
Again,
as with the earlier
pioneers
of the
Foursquare movement,
the book of Acts was a
primary
source with the church at Antioch in
Syria providing
a practical
model. As
missiologist
C. Peter
Wagner pointed out,
the church at Antioch
gives
us a biblical fourfold
strategy
in
carrying
out the Great
Commission, calling
it “360
degree
nu*ssions.”” The book of
16 Other
mission-minded denominations have likewise
sought
to
spell
out their strategy.
For example, see Loren Triplett, “A God-Given Strategy,” Assemblies God Mountain Movers 35
of
(July, 1993): 30.
Pentecostal
Perhaps one of the best brief analyses of
strategies
for world
evangelization is Gary B. McGee, “Pentecostals and Their Various
Strategies for Global Mission: a Historical Global Mission in Assessment,” in Called & Empowered:
Pentecostal Perspective, eds. Murray W. Dempster, Byron
D. Klaus and
Douglas
Petersen
(Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson
Publishers, 1991),203-224.
“C. Peter Wagner, Stop the World I Want to Get On (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1973),
103-105. Also see C. Peter Wagner, On the Crest of the Wave (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1983),
164-165.
6
69
Acts indicates such a full-orbed
strategy
which included four basic stages
of church
development: 1)
“90
degree
missions”
focusing
on evangelism
and church
planting, 2)” 180 degree
missions”
emphasizing the
teaching
and
training
of
disciples, 3)
“270
degree
missions” characterized
by
nationalization and
reaching out,
and
4)
“360
degree missions”
resulting
in
sending
workers who
bridge cross-culturally. Such a “full-circle church” is
“infinitely reproducible”
since it not
only keeps
itself
going
but
generates
other churches in other cultures.
In the 1986 Fall missions edition of the
Foursquare
World Advance magazine, Foursquare
missions
sought
to define its
strategy
in terms of “360
degree
missions”:
As a
movement,
we are a “church
planting mission,”
dedicated to worldwide evangelism. In all countries which we
enter,
the
strategy
is principally
the same. The progress of the work can be measured in four stages: 1)
active
evangelism; 2)
the act of
discipleship
in
foundations and an
building
indigenous church; and 4) missions outreach to regions and peoples beyond.’8
leadership; 3) laying strong
This four
stage strategy
was further refined.
Today Foursquare missions’ four
stage strategy
is as follows:
stage
I-initiate
evangelism and church
planting; stage
II-nurture
disciples
and
leaders; stage III-nationalize structure and outreach; and,
stage IV-bridge
into new cultures and countries
by sending
and
supporting
cross-cultural missionaries. Such “full circle” 360
degree development
of a national church is “infinitely reproducible” and makes
possible
the fulfillment of commission of the Lord of the Church to
disciple
all nations/peoples.
The
deployment
of
missionary personnel
is now based on this four stage strategy. Thus, Foursquare
missions seeks to match as
closely
as possible
the
gifts
and abilities of the
missionary
with the
stage
of development
of a
given
field. A
missionary couple
or individual is assigned
or transferred based on such a “match.”
Deployment
is strategic.
For
example, personnel
with
stage
I
gifts
in
evangelism
and church
planting
are sent to fields where
pioneer
work is being initiated. A young couple who had
pioneered
a church in southern California was sent to
open
the
country
of Belize in 1993.
Meanwhile,
missionaries with
stage
II
gifts
in
nurturing
believers and
training
leaders are currently strengthening
the
Foursquare
church in Madrid,
Spain
and are bringing
it to the third
stage
of nationalization in its structure and outreach. In each
case,
when the missionaries have
accomplished
their goal
of
bringing
the church to the next
stage
of
development, they could be
reassigned
to another work or
possibly
retrained to take the church
through
the next
stage.
As a result
they
are
kept
from the so-called “Peter
principle”
of
advancing
to one
stage beyond
their competency.
And more
importantly,
the church is able to continue to
‘8 Phil Starr, “What Does It Mean to be a Church Planting Mission?,” World Advance 22
Foursquare
(September/October, 1986): 5.
7
70
develop
“around the circle” as
missionary personnel
are
deployed
or redeployed according
to their areas of
giftedness
and
strength
in ministry.
The Use of Non-Resident Personnel
“Doing
more with less” has
required Foursquare
missions to make use of non-residential missionaries.
Strategic deployment
not
only requires “matching” missionary personnel
with a field’s
stage
of development,
it
requires
“area
matching”
as well. In some cases adjoining
countries are in similar
stages
of
development. Thus,
one missionary
unit can service more than one field. For
example,
a missionary couple
is now
living
in Panama
City,
but
they
service two countries,
Panama and Colombia.
Thus,
Colombia is served
by
a non-residential
missionary
who makes
regular trips
into the
country.
In this
case,
such a non-residential
missionary
is proving to be a timely and wise
strategy.
In
light
of the
continuing political
unrest and economic instability
of the
country
resident missionaries are at much
greater
risk than a non-residential
missionary.
Another dimension of the use of non-residential
missionary personnel are
“regional
coordinators” who oversee a
region
of the world.
They are missionaries who reside in the U.S. but who
spend
much of their time “on the field”
servicing
the countries of their area. For
example,
a missionary couple
who had
effectively
overseen a Latin American country
and ministered in other Latin countries was relocated to the U.S. and now oversees an entire
region
as a
“regional
coordinator.” With each
country’s stage
of
development reflecting
a distinct combination of needs this
missionary couple
is now
being
retrained.
Another
example
of non-residential
personnel
is the
increasing
use of individuals, couples
and teams with
specialized
ministries who
pay
their own
way
overseas to serve a national church. For
example, gifted pastors
and teachers are
deployed
to minister in
largely Stage
II or Stage
III situations. One of their
primary
contributions is to teach and train national leaders in one or two week intensive in-service
leadership training
seminars. In
addition,
the
sending
of
specialized
short-term teams of five to ten
people
has
greatly
increased the
past
decade. Known as World
Impact
Teams
they spend anywhere
from two to four weeks overseas
assisting
the national church in
evangelism, discipling, teaching,
Christian
education,
vacation Bible schools and work projects. Also,
several
intercessory prayer
teams have been
deployed into countries where the
Foursquare
was
planning
to enter. These “Tarry
Teams”
paved
the
way spiritually
for the initiation of the Foursquare
work in Portugal and Belize.’9
“See brochure
Ray Wheeler,
“World
Impact
Teams”
(Los Angeles,
CA: Foursquare
Missions
International, 1993). The multiplication
of World
Impact Teams has resulted in a need to redefine the nature, purpose and pattern of such teams. In order to increase their effectiveness such teams are now encouraged to
8
71
Foursquare
missions has
yet officially
to
deploy
full-time non-resident
personnel
into limited access countries.
However,
such use of career missionaries is in the
planning stages
and will take
place
in the Middle East within the next
year.2°
Over the
past
decade U.S. personnel
have been involved
consistently
in one to three week mentoring
and
training
sessions with national leaders in such countries as Sri
Lanka, Papua
New
Guinea,
Pakistan and
Nepal.
One of the most skilled and effective mentors and trainers of leaders in such countries has been Don
McGregor
who was
appointed
Director of
Foursquare missions last
year.
With his
experience
and
expertise
the use of non-resident
personnel
will be an
important deployment strategy, especially
in limited access nations in the “10/40
window,”
where so many
of the
remaining
unreached
Muslim,
Hindu and Buddhist
groups are found. 21
The
Planting
of Viable Local Churches
“Doing
more with less” has
required Foursquare
missions to
employ a local church
planting strategy. Evangelism
without
resulting disciples is both unbiblical and
impractical.
Jesus commanded the
making
of
disciples,
not mere deciders. This mandate
requires
the
“teaching
of all things
he has commanded”
(Matthew 28:20).
The
example
of the
early Church indicates new believers were followed
up consistently
with teaching. Thus, they
were called
“disciples” (learners)
rather than “converts”
(29
times in
Acts).
Such
“discipling” requires “discipling gatherings”
which is another
way
of
describing
a local
congregation. Biblical
evangelism
includes the
making
of disciples as Jesus himself did with his followers.
Further, evangelism
that does not result in
disciples is impractical.
Every
newborn child needs a family if it is to survive and thrive. The same is true of those bom of the
Spirit. They
too need a family,
the
family
of God.
Therefore, Foursquare
missions has
sought to
develop evangelistic strategies
that result in local
churches, following both the
example
of the
early
Church as well as the
founder,
Aimee Semple
McPherson.22 Thus, water
baptism
and
public incorporation
of new believers into the
Body
of Christ is the initial and immediate
goal of
Foursquare evangelistic
efforts.
Only
then is it
possible
to
disciple new believers. For
example,
the
largest Foursquare
work in the world is
minister first in their own “Jerusalem”
(community),
“Judea”
(neighboring communities)
and “Samaria”
(ethnic groups nearby) before going to “the ends of the earth” (overseas).
20 No group has made more use of the non-residential missionary than the Southern and the
Baptists.
See V. David Garrison, The Nonresidential Missionary: A New
Strategy
People It Serves (Monrovia, CA: MARC Publishers, 1990). 21 See brochure Luis
Bush, “Getting to the Core of the Core: the 10/40 Window,” (Colorado Springs,
CO: AD 2000 & Beyond Movement, no date), 1-7.
22 The lasting results of an
evangelistic
when one
ministry through
church
planting
are clearly
evident
compares
the ministries of John
Wesley and Whitefield
and the ministries of Aimee
George
Semple McPherson and Kathryn Kuhlman.
9
72
Church in Brazil is
their focus on
“Cruzada Nacional
evangelism.
churches,
Wagner’s
methodology
Foursquare
carefully evangelistic
numbers matched
by proportionate
in Brazil. The official name of the
Foursquare
de
Evangelizacao” reflecting
But such “national
evangelistic
crusades” result in
over 3000 to date. Their
experience
confirms C. Peter
statement that “the
single
most effective
evangelistic
under heaven is planting new churches.””
missionaries and national leaders are
learning
to
analyze
statistics
concerning
“converts.” Are such
decreasing.
water
baptism
for
every
than
larger
churches.
only eventually
become
Training
“Doing
formal
pre-service training
increases in the number of water
The
cultivating
of such in stage II which leads us to
Leadership
missions to follow of
leadership
is imperative,
baptisms
and new churches? Recent studies indicate the
gap
between the number of converts and the number of water
baptisms
worldwide is
In the
past
fifteen
years,
the ratio has
dropped
from one
seven converts down to one water
baptism
for every
three converts. Even more
encouraging,
the number of new churches
planted
is
increasing. Emphasis
is on more churches rather
Now the
question is, “are these churches viable?,” for the
goal
is not
merely
churches but “viable churches.” Will
they
not
survive but thrive? Will
they
take
root, grow
and
reproduce
and
“full circle churches”?
viable, thriving
churches is a
major
focus
the next
practice
of
stewardship.
The Use of Informal and Non-Formal In-Service
Programs
more with less” has
required Foursquare
the
principle
that the continual
development
for the church can
only
become as
strong
as its leaders.
Therefore,
programs
are
being supplemented by in-service
training programs. Training
“for”
ministry
is being balanced
“in”
ministry.
Informal
on-the-job apprenticeship training
of leaders is
expanding
called such
training “seminary
in the streets.”24 It is the model of Jesus with the twelve
apostles,
the master teacher with apprentice
learners.
Although
there is
usually
no set
curriculum,
the
is intentional on the
part
of the trainer as the
apprentice
learns by watching
Such an informal
yet
intentional
training
has characterized the Brazilian field. Workers
(obreiros) young people
with
leadership potential
who are
given opportunity
by training
rapidly.
Some have
process
and
doing.
process
Books,
planting
are to
23 C. Peter Wagner, Church Planting for
a Greater Harvest
(Ventura, CA: Regal
1990), 11. See Jonathan Hall, “Missions is About People…
in Brazil: Joao Luiz Rocha,”
Foursquare
World Advance 29
(September/October, 1992): 6-7, which tells the
story of Pastor
and District
Supervisor Rocha who oversaw the 24
of 30 churches in 1991 in northeast Brazil.
C. Peter Wagner, Spiritual Power and Church Growth (Altamonte FL:
Communications
Company, 1986),
83-93. A most
Springs,
helpful
book in
and apprenticing leaders in the local church is Eddie Elliston, Home Grown Leaders (Pasadena, CA: Wm. Carey Library, 1992).
Strang developing
10
aspire courses
individual
pre-service training programs
World countries. theological
mid-career
entry
73
a sufficient number of
preach,
lead services and do the work of
ministry
under the
guidance
of an
experienced pastor.
Those who
give
evidence of
giftedness
and
to vocational
ministry (aspirantes)
are
required
to take several
of
study
to
qualify
for a license to
preach.
As their call and ability
to lead and minister in a local church is confirmed
by
fruit the
will be ordained. At this
point
the
person may
have had
little, if
any,
formal Bible institute
training.
In
fact,
the
ability
of formal
to
produce
adequately
trained leaders is impossible in Brazil and other Two-Thirds
The fields are
growing
too fast and the cost of formal
education is too
expensive.25 Further,
the “extraction” of students from their local communities to come to a resident school limits the value and
availability
of this
type
of
training. Thus,
more and more
apprenticeship type training
is
being incorporated
into formal Bible institute
training programs. Night programs
are
being
offered for those who must continue to hold a
job during
the
day, especially
students who have families to
support
as they prepare for
ministry.
Leadership Training
in
ministry is, likewise,
ILT
training
includes extensive use of the well-known TEE
(Theological
Education
by Extension) program
where
in
ministry
desires a
diploma
or
degree.
Such
theological
is made available
by
means of a traveling teacher who visits an area
regularly, helping
students work
through
the
required
course
The use of In-service pastors
and leaders
already invaluable. Formal
the
person education
material.
certificates of
completion training
Curriculum is determined
by
(ILT) programs
for
proving
to be
are
available,
the
goal
of such
communicating
gospel
of
grace, 3) understanding in
spiritual power, 4) understanding
Even more extensive use is
being
made of non-formal ILT
training. Although
is effectiveness in
ministry
more than a
diploma
or
degree.
the needs of a
given
field.
Usually
such curriculum reflects seven basic areas of
training:
the Word of
God, 2) understanding
churches, 6) learning
developing
and
implementing evangelism
and missions
strategies.
Regularly
pastors
and leaders
and
family relationships, 5) understanding
and
growing
effective and
culturally
dynamic
reflection between
1) interpreting
and
and
living
the the
kingdom
of God and
functioning
and
experiencing healthy marriage
and
developing healthy
in
leadership skills,
and
7)
appropriate
the
scheduled intensive
training
sessions
bring together
in a given area to
study
one or two of these seven vital areas.
Lasting
from one or two
days
to one or two weeks the
what is
taught
and
ministry experience results in significant changes as the
Holy Spirit
uses the times of
group “See class
paper by
Lee Schnabel, “In-Service
Training
for Latin American Leaders”
(Pasadena, CA: Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Mission, December 1990), 1-2.
11
74
priorities
and is available in the vernacular leading
those
receiving
ILT
training
what
they
to deal with
attitudes, motivation,
the teachers
from the
and
teachers are
leading
seminars countries.26
The non-formal ILT
program realities: the insufficient number number of countries
expatriates.
tested.
Every
four
interaction and
private
devotions
and moral character. Since the Bible is God’s eternal Word
of the
participants,
the seminar use it as the basic textbook. The
goal
is to
help
teach their
congregations
Scriptures
themselves have been
taught. Normally
teachers team-teach in order to increase
impact,
model team
dynamics, conserve
physical energy. Although initially
most of the trainers were U.S.
pastors
and
teachers,
a
growing
number of national
pastors
and
in their own countries as well as in other
training.
implementation. participants certificate
program
as non-formal and formal result of the ILT
training program national church.
During
adherents
national workers to
13,700
was
developed
as a result of two of missionaries and the
growing
issued
missionary
visas to
in which ILT was field
to a
in
ministry by
as well
the
and
meeting places
led
by
26
meeting
in 337
meeting 15,429 places the work
which no
longer
Sri Lanka was the first
country
months
pastors
and leaders were
brought training
center in
Colombo,
the
capital,
for one to two weeks of
These leaders had been
personally apprenticed
the national leader. Both national and international trainers were used. The
subjects taught
were
designed
to have immediate
application
and
In four
years
twelve
subjects
were covered and
received a certificate of
completion.
For most this
was the first structured
training they
had received for
ministry.
Their
appetite
had been whetted for more
training
and a Bible institute
program
has been started
designed
for both
pre-service and in-service students. It
incorporates
informal
apprenticeship,
educational models. Most
importantly,
is an
increasingly strong
and
healthy
the
past
seven
years,
since the
program
was initiated,
the work in Sri Lanka has
grown
from 900 members and
meeting
in 105 churches
members and adherents
churches and
meeting places
led
by
145 national workers. The church in Sri Lanka is not
only surviving,
it is
thriving
even in the midst of a prolonged
and violent communal war.
In
Nepal,
where ILT has been
taking place
since
1987,
the church has shown similar
growth
in the midst of adverse circumstances. In the past
five
years
the work has
grown
from 120 members and adherents
in 20 churches and
meeting places
led
by
8 national workers to
members and adherents
meeting
in 257 churches and
meeting
led
by
95 national workers. So
significant
has been the
growth
has been described as “the book of Acts in Nepal. ,,17
by Foursquare
Poverty
26 See In-Service Leadership Training (II.. T) manual and course outlines
Missions International in Los
published
Angeles, CA.
27Barbara R
Thompson, “Nepal’s
Book of Acts: a Church Grows in the Face of
and Persecution,” Christianity Today, 9 November 1992, 15-18.
12
unlocked
The
Rapid
Nationalization
“Doing
more with less”
work
fully
into the hands the field for contextualized
embraces the
type
expansion
and The
Further,
church
support.
Can
and
buildings Two-Thirds
75
missions to
and
self-expression
and
Such
indigenization.”
It
service includes
registration
with the
compatible
a low
priority
in
many
Although
there are
many
factors which account for such
growth
in Nepal,
it is evident the
training
of leaders has been a
key
that has
the
growth
which has advanced the church from
stage
I to stage
II and
stage
III. And this
growth
and
development
has been accomplished
without resident missionaries.
Again,
human
insufficiency has demonstrated God’s sufficient
wisdom, power
and resources.
of Fields
has
required Foursquare
nationalize fields as
quickly
as
possible.
Nationalization is
putting
the
of national leaders. It is defined as
structuring
self-government
expanding
the work
through self-support
and
self-propagation. stage
III
development goes beyond
“three-self
of contextualization that makes the church “fit” culturally,
lest barriers of
“foreignness” prevent
its continued
growth,
eventual
development
into a
stage
IV
bridging
church.
empowering
of national leaders and the
development
of contextualized forms of
worship, fellowship, training,
and witness are essential. Nationalization
government,
and where
practical, operating procedures
with the
requirements
of the
country
and the
Foursquare
denomination.
the form of
ministry
must be within the
ability
of national
the national church afford it?
Therefore,
the need for
property
is considered
World countries like Sri Lanka and
Nepal.
The church is the
people
of
God; therefore, meeting
in homes is
encouraged.
This
model was the
pattern
of the
early
Church in the first
the
pattern
of the Church
today
in developing
especially
where
evangelism
is either
China and the former Soviet Union are
of countries in which the
gospel
has not
only
survived but thrived
despite
difficult circumstances.
of rapid nationalization of a Foursquare work. The field was
pioneered by
a Pakistani who met a
Foursquare
in England while
studying
in London. He had come across a copy
of the
Foursquare
World Advance
magazine
and was
deeply
what he read about
global
outreach. He contacted the
denomination,
and was
put
in touch with the
missionary
in London. After a
period
of extensive
“courting”
beneficial. The Pakistani national wanted
training
and
house church
three
centuries,
and it is or
underdeveloped countries, restricted or forbidden. representative
Pakistan is an example
missionary
impacted by
president
of the
Foursquare McPherson,
could be mutually
the
“covering”
of an international
at that time Dr. Rolf
it became evident the
relationship
family.
When he
gave
no indication
Foursquare
missions offered Pakistan. Since
deploying
of
wanting money
but was
willing
to teach
tithing
to new
believers,
to
partner
with him to
begin
a work in
a resident
missionary
was
impossible
13
76
financially
and
politically, regular
ILT
type training
was made available from the
beginning. Meeting
in
homes,
non-residential trainers from other Asian countries and the U.S.
taught
and trained several leaders who in turn
taught
and trained the small
group
of new believers. The regular
and continual
input
of such non-resident
personnel paid off,
for the Pakistani leaders were men of integrity and commitment.
They
were willing
to
go
to
prison
for the sake of the
gospel.
And
they
did. But in contrast to a resident
expatriate,
when
they
were released
they
were not expelled
from the
country
but returned to their families and flocks all the more committed to
preach
and teach the Word of God. And what has been the result? Since the
inception
of the work in
1987,
the church has
grown
to over
30,000
members and adherents
meeting
in over 200 home churches and
meeting places
led
by nearly
250 workers in 1992.
Nationalization
began
to take
place
almost from
day
one because a non-institutional
approach
was
encouraged by
the non-resident missionary
teachers and trainers. Paternalism did not have a chance. In fact, Foursquare
missions is
discovering
the
strength
and
length
of paternalism
is
directly proportionate
to the number and
length
of
stay of resident missionaries. And this has been
especially
evident in countries with a history of institutional
Christianity
as in Latin America. There
stage
III nationalization can take decades to
implement fully. Thus, although
the
challenges
are
great
and the
opposition strong, nationalization is
actually quicker
and easier in non-Christianized countries as has been the case in such countries as
Pakistan, Nepal,
Sri Lanka,
Burma and India.
The Use of National Leaders to
Bridge
into Unreached
Peoples and to Pioneer New
Countries, Especially
Limited Access
Countries
“Doing
more with less” has
required Foursquare
missions to use national leaders in
establishing
“360
degree
missions” to
regions
and peoples
still unreached
by
the
gospel. Moving
the national church into stage
IV is a
challenge Foursquare
missions is
finding
both
demanding and
delightful.
It is
demanding
in that it has
required
a national church to
experience
a “paradigm shift” from
seeing
itself as a receiving church to
seeing
itself as a
sending
church. It is
delightful
in that once the “paradigm
shift” has taken
place
the
newly
internationalized church frequently
becomes more
aggressive
and bold in cross-cultural outreach than the church which
originally
sent them missionaries. The “children” outshine the
“parents”
who are
delighted,
and this is no threat to
them; the
only
threat is to the
kingdom
of darkness.
In 1979
Foursquare
missions sensed the Lord
directing
them to take responsibility
to
penetrate
for the first time at least 100 unreached people groups by
the
year
1990. In 1982 the first
global leadership conference for national leaders from around the world was held in southern California. All but one
country
was able to send
delegates.
At
14
77
the conference
delegates
from the 36 countries
present
were invited to partner
in setting goals for their fields as Foursquare missions had done in the
“Advancing through
the 80’s”
program begun
several
years earlier. What could
they
believe God for
by
1990 in terms of churches and
meeting places,
members and
adherents,
conversions and water baptisms, reaching
unreached
peoples
and
opening
new countries? When the results were
compiled
the
goals
exceeded the
original goals set
by Foursquare
missions in
every category.
And
particularly significant
were the
goals
the national leaders set related to
reaching unreached
people groups
and
opening
new
countries,
both
stage
IV goals.
Instead of
initially penetrating only
100
groups,
the national leaders believed
they
could and should
penetrate
160 unreached groups.
Instead of
opening only
18 new
countries, they suggested
37 new countries for a total of 74
by
1990.28
Although
some
goals
were
unrealistic,
the two
stage
IV
goals
were not. In
fact,
when the second
global leadership
conference took
place
in 1988
delegates gathered
from 65
countries,
an increase of 28 countries in
just
six
years. Further, reports
indicated the
goal
of
initially penetrating
160
groups
had been exceeded
by
at least 15.
Thus,
the total of Foursquare works around the world stood at 65 and the total of initially penetrated
unreached
groups
stood at 175.
By
1990 the
figures were 68 countries in which
Foursquare
works were located
(six
short of the
goal)
and 206 unreached
groups initially penetrated (46
more than the
goal).
Most
amazing
of
all,
North American
personnel
had actually pioneered only
five of the 31 countries
opened
and
penetrated less than 10% of the unreached
groups.
Two-Thirds World
missions, stage
IV
churches,
360
degree
full circle
development
was
happening. Receiving
churches not
only
had made the
demanding paradigm
shift to become
sending churches, they
had
delightfully
outdone the
parents. Brazil and
Nigeria
had each
opened
three new countries while contacts with nationals within their own
country
were instrumental in
opening even more countries. Meanwhile
India, Philippines, Papua
New
Guinea, Indonesia and
Nigeria
had
penetrated
numerous unreached
groups within their own countries. 29
But as children tend to
do, they
overextended themselves.
They
took on more than
they
could
carry
and
support. They outstripped
their resources and the
ability
of trained
personnel,
both U.S. and
national,
28phial Starr, “Harvest Vision 1990,” Foursquare World Advance 17
8-9. See Jim
(July/August, 1982): Montgomery,
DAWN 2000: 7 Million Churches to Go (Pasadena,
CA: Wm. Carey Library, 1989): 62-63.
29Harley
Schreck and David Barrett, eds., Unreached Peoples: Clarifying the Task (Monrovia,
CA: MARC, 1987), 10, 11. See also John L.
Amstutz,
Unreached submitted
“Foursquare
a on 1992 to the International
Peoples Report,” report September
includes information on the four
Society of Frontier Missiology
in Kansas
report
surveys
used to
City,
MO. The
the identification of the stage of development of each of the people groups penetrated.
report results, including
15
78
to establish
strong healthy churches, especially
in a number of African and
European
countries. Thus remedial work is being carried on in such countries as
regional
coordinators and area missionaries
attempt
to work with national leaders on
stage
I and
II, especially
when
they
had jumped prematurely
to
stage
III.
However,
this unfortunate
experience proved
valuable. The need for
strong partnership, especially
between stage
IV fields and the North American
church,
was evident and actively sought.
A new
day
is
dawning
as missions is
being internationalized and
receiving
churches are
rapidly maturing
into sending
churches.
A Focus on What is “Infinitely Reproducible” to Aid the
Fulfillment of Christ’s Commission to
Disciple
All Nations
“Doing
more with less” has
required Foursquare
Missions to concentrate its resources and
energy
on
methods, ministry
and churches which were
“infinitely reproducible.”
Reevaluation of what was a fruitful and
multiplying ministry
in contrast to what was not
proved difficult,
but it was essential.
Foursquare
missions needed to make sure national churches were
developing
that which was
“infinitely reproducible”
lest
they
ended
up “doing
little with much.”‘° Western methodologies frequently
tended to be too
complicated
and
costly
to implement overseas, including
all that
goes
with a
largely institutionalized
approach
to church life which
requires
extensive property,
substantial
buildings
and
many programs.
Such an
approach may
have worked in North
America,
but in poorer Two-Thirds World countries it was
“putting
David in Saul’s armor.” It not
only
did not win
battles,
it was not
“infinitely reproducible.”
Therefore,
in each
stage
of
development Foursquare
missions is seeking
to focus on that which is
infinitely reproducible.
In
stage
I it is winning
the
lost,
not
transferring
members from
existing
Christian churches. It is
planting
new churches with new believers rather than adopting
churches and
groups
with
existing
believers. It is
making disciples
rather than deciders. It is
teaching
new believers to win their social networks rather than
extracting
them from
family
and friends. In stage
II it is
training parents
to teach their children rather than expecting
the
Sunday
school to do it. It is making the home the basis of
30 See Paul G. Hiebert, “Banyan Trees and Banana Trees,” The Christian Leader 53 (February 1990):
24. Hiebert helpfully compares leaders who are like a banyan tree with those who are a banana tree. The banyan tree is a great tree that can cover to an acre of land when full
up
grown. But leaves nothing
the
grows under its dense foliage. When it dies it
ground barren and scorched. In contrast, the banana tree has small shoots around it after only 6 months and a second circle of shoots at 12 months. At 18 months the banana tree bears bananas and then it dies. But the first shoots are now full grown and will bear fruit in six months (and the shoots will produce
even more fruitfully if the dead banana plant is totally removed). The
unbroken as new
sprouts appear every
six
months, grow, give
birth cycles continue to more sprouts, bear fruit and die, an “infinitely reproducible” process.
16
79
ministry
rather than a
building.
It is
training
leaders of leaders rather than leaders of
only
followers. In
stage
III it is nationalizing the church rather than
merely indigenizing
it. It is
teaching
and
training
the national church to look to the Lord for resources rather than to look to the
sending
church. It is
helping
the national church to become a movement rather than a monument. In
stage
IV it is
helping
the national church become a missions-sending church rather than
merely
a missions-receiving
church. It is
assisting
the national church to
bridge cross-culturally
rather than to remain
only
a mono-cultural church. It is helping
the national church
go
“all the
way
around the circle” rather than
only going part way,
for full 360
degree
national church development
is
focusing
on what is
infinitely reproducible:
dedicated disciples, godly families,
servant
leaders, healthy congregations, nationalized churches and
missions-sending
movements. These churches
go
“full circle” and
keep
the
cycle
of
reproduction “rolling” until
disciples
are found
among every tongue, tribe,
kindred and nation. Their focus is the same one that
inspired
the
early Church, fulfilling Christ’s universal commission.
Foursquare
missions is
learning
to “do more with less.” And in so doing
it is
learning
to be faithful stewards of the resources God
gives. Foursquare
missions is
learning
to be faithful with less than it
desires, and in so
doing
discovers God
gives
more as he desires. As a
result, today
there are more
Foursquare
missionaries than ever
before,
but they
are not
only
North Americans.
They
are
Asians, Africans, Europeans
and Latinos.
Today
there are more
Foursquare pastors
and churches than ever
before,
but
increasingly they
are not from the U.S. In fact, 87% are non-North American.
Today
there is more
money
than ever
before,
but it is not
only
dollars. It is yen,
liras,
francs and
pesos. Today
there is more of
everything: prayer, people,
leaders and churches. The church is truly becoming the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.
The
Foursquare Gospel
is going around the world. What was once a
sincere, simple slogan
is
being
transformed into a serious, significant strategy
because
Foursquare
missions has been forced to “do more with less.”
But so much more remains to be done to fulfill the Great Commission. It will
require
the International Church of the
Foursquare Gospel
to become as
intentionally
interdenominational as it has
sought to be
intentionally
international. It will require the
Foursquare
church to live
up
to the words of the
Angelus Temple
cornerstone: “Dedicated unto the cause of interdenominational and worldwide
evangelism.”
Its limited
resources,
no matter how
great they may become,
will
require the
Foursquare
church to
partner consistently
and to network meaningfully
with other
groups
who seek to
“preach
this
gospel
of the kingdom
in all the world as a witness to all nations” that the end
may come
(Matthew 24:14).
Whether God’s
people
like it or
not, “doing
17
80
more with less” has
always
been God’s
strategy.
No matter the organization
or how extensive the
resources,
it
always
seems God’s people
in mission are
having
to do “more with less.”
Apparently,
it is a divinely
ordained limitation
placed upon
the church.
Thus,
it
requires the church in its mission and
ministry
to trust God and one another more
fully
if the Commission is to be
completed.”
” See David B. Barrett and Todd M. Johnson,
Our Globe and How to Reach It (Birmingham,
AL: New
Hope Publishers, 1990),
71-112. Barrett and Johnson propose
extensive
networking
between missions
agencies
around the world to facilitate the
completion
of the Great
Commission, recommending “standalone strategies” give way
to intentional and interactive international cooperation.
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