International Ministries: Part 2

This is the second part of a series introducing Converge International Ministries.  Last month, we looked at the structure and organization of International Ministries (IM).  This month, we will explore the vision statement for Converge IM.   This will provide insight into what drives and guides International Ministries and what you are a part of as we work to reach the nations.   

“We are asking God for a gospel movement among every least reached people group --  in our generation.” 

This vision statement is divided into four parts that emphasize four realities of how IM approaches ministry:

1. “We are asking God” -- We are God dependent.  

We are asking God to do what only he can do. Time and again, experience reveals that the single most important element of a missions endeavor is prayer. Only God can move in the hearts of individuals, communities, or people groups. Excellence in programs, methods strategies and implementations can remove barriers and demonstrate our love and faithfulness to God.  However these cannot change the hearts of people.  Only God can do that.  And it is His desire that we rely on Him first and foremost to lead and guide us, to go before us, and to do the work only He can do.  So we are committed to our dependance on Him first and foremost. 

2. “for a gospel movement” -- We are movement oriented. 

A “gospel movement” is a Holy Spirit ignited activity that sweeps through people groups resulting in at least four outcomes: 

1. Rapid spread of the gospel.  
2. Transformed lives  
3. Communities/regions impacted  
4. Churches planted 

There has been concern that gospel movements promote rapid conversion of people in a way that results in large numbers of poorly discipled converts. This is not what we are advocating. In actuality, a rapid advancement of the gospel may begin slowly as investment is made in making disciples and developing leaders who will in turn make other disciples. We are looking not toward simple addition of new believers but toward multiplication of obedient Christ-followers who also have a heart to make multiplying disciples. For a gospel movement to happen, there will be lives that are transformed in ways that impact families, communities and regions resulting in new churches being planted.

3. “among every least-reached people group“ -- We prioritize the least-reached. 

There are 6,000 unreached people groups who are unable to evangelize themselves without outside assistance. Many of these have no believers and have never heard a credible presentation of the gospel.  The sad fact is that 97% of missions activity (and 99% of missions funds) is focused on the 2/3 of the world where the gospel is available in some measure.  That leaves 3% of missions activity and 1% of missions funds to reach the 1/3 of the world who have no way to hear the gospel. These people are unreached for a number of reasons – they are in remote areas, they are hostile to the gospel, they live in dangerous areas – but we choose to go there because they deserve the chance to hear the good news.

4. “in our generation.” -- We do this with urgency. 

We have a sense of urgency that causes us to think big, be diligent, and act with intention. We desire, as we work with the greater body of Christ, to see the Great Commission fulfilled in our generation. Every day, 70,000 people die without having the opportunity to decide to follow Jesus. The church needs to be laser-focused on making this a priority and respond actively to the need to go and make disciples of all nations. 

These four principles guide the spirit, intention and actions of Converge International Ministries.  By following these, we want to be in a place where God can use us, and were we can faithfully invest in the Great Commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.