In the coastal town of Esparza, Costa Rica, a CRC pastor is doing something few pastors in this country are willing to do: counsel AIDS patients. In a remote tribal area of West Africa, not far from the edge of the world, a young man named Chido has come to Christ, one of the first among his tribe. In Ukraine, the clear message of salvation cuts through the murky haze of corruption, apathy and atrophied religious traditions. In all these corners of the world, people are coming to faith.
It’s happening one person at a time as Christian Reformed missionaries work to tell the world about Jesus. The CRC–through World Missions–has been at it for over 100 years.
Since 1888, World Missions has worked to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God and call people to repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and obedience to God in their personal lives and their societal relations. World Missions has worked to build the church of Christ. World Missions serves in multiple partnerships to provide for the fullness of God’s grace in a broken world and to bring glory to God. World Missions is very thankful that the support for "Bringing salvation to the ends of the earth" is a vision that has gripped many. With a world population of over six billion people, that vision continues to challenge us and give us focus.
Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) seeks to fulfill the following mandate:
- A: Proclaim the Gospel of the growing kingdom of God.
- B: Call people of the entire world to repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and obedience to God in their personal lives and societal relations.
- C: Build the Church of Christ. Develop peoples who are gathered for worship, who train their own membership for leadership, and who are dedicated to service in and beyond the communities in which they live.
- D: Relieve suffering and minister to human needs through programs of Christian education and development, with the help of CRWRC and/or local diaconal organizations wherever possible.
- E: Encourage and enable the congregations of the CRCNA to call and commission missionaries and to provide cooperatively for their support.
The tasks, however, are not ones to be done alone. Other agencies of the church have their church-given mandates. Many local CRC congregations have found opportunities to reach "to the ends of the earth" through short- and long-term outreach programs. In many areas around the globe, World Missions joined company with Christian churches that are growing and developing their own programs of reaching the ends of the earth with the gospel. We have entered an exciting time, the task is one to be done in partnership with others. As a result, World Missions plans and implements its plans with a commitment to bring salvation to the ends of the earth in an effort characterized by partnerships, collaboration and cooperation.
During the past year World Missions gave support to 29 Reformed and Presbyterian churches, which are attended by approximately two million people. It also contributed staff and grants to 20 other agencies and leadership-training institutions. World Missions’ activities in specific mission fields are briefly described below.
Sierra Leone: After years of rebel conflict, 2001 was a year of progress in the disarmament effort. As the rebels laid down their arms, national staff members were able to reestablish contact with 22 worship groups that had been cut off behind rebel lines. The groups not only survived, they urgently expressed the need for more biblical training.
Liberia: Though civil war forced the evacuation of missionaries from Liberia in 1990, ministry has continued through grants to our partner organization. Translators completed work on the Bassa Bible and submitted it for publication. Our partner organization also gives encouraging reports on their Theological Education by Extension and Health programs.
Nigeria: Through partnerships with churches in Nigeria, Nigerian evangelists worked with missionaries to extend witness in the Kambari region. The 11 young churches among the Kambari also decided to cancel services one Sunday per month so they could trek to other villages and share the Gospel. Working jointly with CRWRC, the field initiated a new HIV/AIDS ministry that serves 13 denominations.
Mali: Each missionary now works with individuals or small groups of believers in village settings and in Bamako, the capital city. The number of Fulbe Christians directly related to CRC ministry increased to 19.
Guinea: Team members participated in friendship evangelism, prison ministries and Bible studies. Missionaries also shared the leadership of Pular worship in the towns of Labe and Dalaba. There are approximately 100 known Christians among the Fulbe in Guinea. Musicians in that group recently composed and recorded the first 13 Christian songs in the Pular language.
With its enormous population, wealth of culture, depth of history, and variety in its religious heritage and practices, Asia offers a tremendous challenge to and opportunity for the Christian church. Increasingly, Asians are not only “out there” but are our fellow CRCNA members as significant numbers of Asians settle in North American and join the CRCNA. It is CRWM’s honor to have been given a small but important role to play in the extension of God’s kingdom and His church in Asia and in partnership with Asian churches and peoples.
CRWM’s ministries in Asia are focused largely on Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Japan and the Philippines.
Bangladesh: We provide a faculty member to the College of Christian Theology in Bangladesh (CCTB) to enhance the development of Christian leadership in that country. Our personnel works closely with the CRWRC team and partners by providing theological grounding for and training in holistic ministries by churches and Christian agencies. We also provide short-term assistance to the development of CCTB's library.
Cambodia: We provide scholarship support for 10 local Khmer pastors to attend ASDECS training in Christian princples of community development and transformation.
China: CRWM ministries in China include many facets such as church leadership development, organizational capacity building of churches and other Christian institutions, evangelism among university students and faculty, youth work development, and assistance in Calvin College’s off-campus program.
Japan: Our ministry focuses on planting churches in partnership with the Reformed Church in Japan (RCJ). We work closely with the BTGH’s Japanese ministries. We are also part owner of the Christian Academy of Japan (CAJ), a Christian school where many missionary children attend. We have also expanded into involvement in youth ministries through the RCJ.
Philippines: The focus in the Philippines is on Christian leadership development, church organizational capacity building, and church planting ministries. We work mostly in partnership with the CRC in the Philippines, Asia Theological Seminary, and Koinonia Theological Seminary. We are also investing more and more in providing resources to the larger Asian community’s need for leadership training and the CRCP’s desire to develop its own mission program.
France:Through an agreement with the Faculte Libre De Theologie, we placed a professor at this seminary in Aix-en-Provence to teach practical theology and administer an extension-training program for African church leaders.
Hungarian Ministries: Leadership training and placement of teachers in church-run schools has been CRWM's strategy in this field. We consider it a privilege to give support to the Hungarian Reformed Church as it continues to rebuild after years of communism. We have also responded to the church’s request to work together in Russian-language outreach in Trans-Carpathia.
Russia: Our work is part of an inter-agency ministry effort. We have established three library/reading rooms that have more than 3,000 registered users. One missionary also served as head of the theology department at Lithuania Christian College.
Costa Rica: In Costa Rica CRWM is supporting the development of the Evangelical University of Latin America. The University specializes in missiological courses on the university level but also can strengthen programs of theological education on all levels both within Costa Rica and in other Latin American countries. From UNELA it will be possible to carry on part of the ministry of CITE (Cooperative International Theological Education.) CRWM also strengthens the small CRC of Costa Rica.
Cuba: The Cuban church showed its vitality in the way that it responded to Hurricane Michelle. The hurricane hit a direct blow on Jaguey Grande and neighboring towns, which are the centers of the CRC of Cuba. Quickly the church was using material resources available to it to help members of the communities where they live. They also gave a clear testimony the faith that enabled them to continue on. One of the major programs of the church is the Christian Education department, which has been developed with the counsel of Winabelle Gritter.
Dominican Republic: The Haitian majority in the church is taking more and more responsibility for all parts of its church life including theological education and diaconal ministries. The missionaries are supporting this growing maturity and encouraging efforts to reach out to neighboring Dominicans with ministries of evangelism and church planting. The Christian schools have over 3,000 students in 21 schools. Partner missionaries strengthen the Santiago Christian School.
El Salvador: Ruth Padilla DeBorst brings her 10 years of experience in student ministries in Latin America to her new responsibilities as CRWM missionary in El Salvador. Along with missionaries from CRWRC and the Back to God Hour the country team has taken a new name, ”Seeds of a New Creation.“ As a team they wish to support the Reformed churches and other Christians to be signs of God’s Kingdom in El Salvador.
Haiti: CRWM and CRWRC continue working together as Sous Espwa (“source of hope”). CRWM works with its partner, the Christian Training Center, to develop educational programs and materials to help participants attain a higher level of spiritual, social and professional maturity in their ministries to their churches and communities. CRWM also encourages a growing, maturing CRC in Haiti. Partner missionaries teach in Quisqueya Christian School.
Honduras: One of the strongest CRC churches in Latin America is found in many regions of Honduras. It has suffered external destruction by Hurricane Mitch and internal divisions, but through them all it has grown vigorously in numbers and spiritual maturity. CRWM supports the theological education programs and evangelism ministries of the church and with CRWRC promotes diaconal ministries. Partner missionaries strengthen Academia Los Pinares by their teaching.
Mexico: In Mexico CRWM focuses on church planting and development with a heavy concentration on church-leadership development. In partnership with the Sunshine Community CRC in El Paso, Texas, and with CRHM and CRWRC CRWM is developing a new ministry in the border city of Ciudad Juarez. Through grants and deployment of staff CRWM supports leadership training and development of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Mexico and the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico. It also continues its support of a developing Christian school in Belize.
Nicaragua: CRWM has joined with CRWRC and Food for the Hungry to establish the Nehemiah Center. National staff members encourage Christian schools, Evangelical churches, Christian development organizations and Christian businessmen to have a vibrant faith and use that faith in transforming the communities where they live. Hundreds have received blessings from the programs of the Nehemiah Center. The small CRC churches of Nicaragua are also starting to grow. As partner missionary teachers and board members the CRCNA has had a profound influence on the development of Nicaragua Christian Academy.
Missions has always brought challenges, and the Christian Reformed Church faces several challenges in its world missions efforts. First, two sets of events have led to increased concerns for the security of CRWM personnel and programs. The first of these was major violence in Jos, Nigeria, and its environs that began on September 7, 2001. The second has to do with terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, and related events that have followed. In brief, CRWM has addressed security concerns as follows:
- Overall heightened attention to security concerns, including increased attention to warnings prepared by Crisis Consulting International.
- Coordinated efforts with CRWRC.
- Communication of specific concerns to churches through our network of regional representatives.
- Review and possible revision of evacuation plans by field directors and missionaries.
- Videos produced by Crisis Consulting International on risk-assessment and increasing security given to all field directors.
World Missions continues to need approximately $103,334 to send and keep a long-term missionary family overseas for one year. About 40% of this support comes from denominational ministry shares. An average of 14 sending and supporting churches supply much of the other 60% through faith-promise and other above-ministry-share support. Individuals provide a large and growing amount of support for missionaries directly rather than through their local churches. Partner missionaries, and associate missionaries usually serve for one to four years. Partner missionaries do not receive salaries from World Missions. They raise their own support (travel and living allowance) from churches and friends, support themselves, or, in many cases, receive partial support from the schools they serve in the countries to which they go.
With the proposed budget for fiscal year 2007-2008, from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008 will be $13,266,650, World Missions will support 70 long-term missionaries (plus 59 spouses who contribute much time to ministry) and 109 short-term missionaries (including spouses) for a total of 238 active missionaries, accompanied by many children. They will be supported by 23 full-time and 5 part-time administrative and program staff in Grand Rapids and Burlington. There are 16 regional representatives and their spouses based in North American who also offer much support.
