Mission diversification may mean new role for American believers

Mexico (MNN) — It’s no secret there is anti-American sentiment in many areas of the world. Missionaries from North America just aren’t as effective in outreach in some of these nations as they once were. That’s why mission organizations around the world are proactively finding ways to reach out. That was one of the reasons for World Gospel Mission’s first International Summit held in Mexico City this week.

Speaking from Mexico City, WGM President Hubert Harriman says they met with their mission leaders representing 10 cultural perspectives. “There’s no doubt that God’s moving mightily in the world of missions in Latin America, Africa and Asia and we just feel the WGM is uniquely positioned to join God in this movement, as our work has been concentrated, really, in these areas.”

According to Harriman, this is just the beginning of the research process. “Our desire is to connect with our national churches in these areas to work together as peers, rather than as a parent to a child. So, we’re moving purposefully and expanding our ministry into new ministry areas.”

The reason for this discussion is a good one, says Harriman. “The church that we’ve worked with and helped established has really grown up and they (want) to do missions.”

WGM is pushing forward, says Harriman, and eventually North American country leaders will be replaced with nationals. “It would be an international organization under which the church would send their missionaries and it would no longer be a North American thrust, but an international thrust where it wouldn’t just be the United States sending missionaries, but rather missionaries coming from all over the world, going to all over the world.”

Harriman says a steering committee is going to be established. “Our intent is to form this group probably of five to seven people, international people, including some missionaries, and begin to put together a structure and make it happen. I pray that within the next two to three years we would begin to see something that comes together.”

Pray the God will grant wisdom to World Gospel Mission as they go through this process.