Deputation - Baptist Bible Tribune

globalpartnersA Special Feature of the BBFI Mission OfficeJanuary 2010 EditionThe Journey to Becoming a Missionaryof the Baptist Bible Fellowship InternationalBy James G. Smith | BBFI Associate Mission DirectorSome of our earliest childhood memorieshave to do with playing games. From thestart of the game when we choose the colorof our token, through the progression of thegame, to the final satisfaction of the endaccomplishment, we have a simpleillustration of real life. Let’s usethat illustration to show thejourney to becoming an effectiveBBFI missionary!The evangelization ofthe world and the fulfillmentof the Great Commissionhas been the heart of Godand His people since the timeof Christ. Since the Holy Spiritcame to indwell believers on theDay of Pentecost, His purpose has been toempower believers to bear witness of the lightof the gospel. Our job, as believers connectedto that power, has always been to share theGood News.For fifty-nine and a half years, pastorsof the Baptist Bible Fellowship Internationalhave been approving missionaries sent outby local Baptist churches to go to peoplegroups around the world. Some of the detailsin that approval process have changed overtime, but the basic system has remainedintact. This concept of local churches sendingmissionaries to make disciples and establishlocal churches in other parts of the world andamong people different from themselves goesall the way back to Acts 13.According to the U. S. Center for WorldMission, there are approximately 16,000different major people groups in the world. Ofthis number, 6,880 are considered unreachedor least reached.Wycliffe Bible Translators defines apeople group as, “A large sociological groupof individuals who see themselves as having acommon affinity with one another. From theviewpoint of missions, a people group is thelargest possible group within which thegospel can be spread without encounteringbarriers of understanding oracceptance.”The churches of the BaptistBible Fellowship Internationaltake seriously the responsibilityto plant indigenous churchesamong all those people groups.It is imperative that our churchesbe sensitive to the Lord’s leadingin the lives of the followers of Christ inour care. Global Partners wants to encourageyoung people to obey the will of the Lord, preparefor His service in a cross-cultural context,go through the steps delineated in these nextfew pages, and become part of our great teamof interdependent missionaries identified withthe Baptist Bible Fellowship International.We are virtuously proud of the servantleadersthat God has saved, placed within ourchurches, and then called to take the GoodNews far away. We have asked some of them,including missionaries from different continentsand different generational perspectives,to share their experiences in the process ofbecoming BBFI missionaries. Hopefully you willenjoy the very personal aspect of each stepand will find this an interesting mix.Also, consider your personal participation.Every game has spectators and cheerleaders.Most games have commentators and critics. Iknow for sure that every game needs participants.Consider your part. Get in the game!STA14 | Baptist Bible Tribune | January 2010global partners 14