by Jon Konnerup
“We are ready to do our part in the Great Commission. We cannot be just a receiving nation but sending nation too — taking the gospel beyond our borders to those in spiritual darkness.”
These were the words of one of the national pastors in Kenya who had just attended a mission conference for church leaders.
The three-day Discover Missions Leadership Conference held in April — with over 250 church leaders in attendance, mostly from western Kenya but some from as far away as Nairobi — focused on (1) the meaning of cross-cultural missions, (2) the need for Kenyan missionaries in Africa, (3) the role of the local church in sending missionaries, (4) how to envision their congregations for missions, (5) the importance of training Kenyan missionaries for cross-cultural work and, (6) the possible structure of a clearinghouse for funds from their local churches as they give to missionaries on the field.
Speakers for the conference were BBFI pastor Don Elmore, BBFI Mission Director Jon Konnerup, and Richard Lewis (former BBFI missionary to Kenya and current expert in cross-cultural training). Also, Lorna Geist shared a wonderful testimony from the perspective of a church member about giving to missions. Julius Gitau, a Kenyan missionary to South Sudan, presented a testimony of his ministry. Pastor Paul Gichuki of the host church, Makutano Baptist Church, along with the leadership of the West Pokot fellowship did an outstanding job of coordinating the event sponsored by Lewis Cross-Cultural Training, Inc. (LCCTI).
One of the greatest obstacles of missions in the Kenyan church is finances. Many churches struggle just to pay a pastor’s salary. The Kenyan church has been on the receiving end of Western funds and support for over 100 years, and as a result they argue they just don’t have the resources to support missionaries. Other countries have made this argument, but they have gone on to recognize their responsibility in the Great Commission. And there in Kenya, as we taught about living and giving by faith, I began to see a breakthrough as the participants caught the vision of the role they could play and the opportunities before them.
A few days after the Discover Missions Leadership Conference, I met with missionaries Jim Eberhard, Jerry Novak, and Ron Enoch, and 35 national pastors to discuss establishing a clearinghouse as a service to current and future missionaries and church planters. Our missionaries have thought through many of the logistics and have begun an effort to include the local churches and pastors. After sharing some history of other countries’ clearinghouses, their organizational structure, and offering a few suggestions, a task force was organized. In the coming months, they will research and report their findings to the pastors. We hope they will create a structure for assisting the churches as they send Kenyan missionaries around Africa and spread the gospel to the regions beyond their borders.
What began with the mission efforts of the BBFI 62 years ago continues to make a difference around the world. Our missionaries have done an exemplary job challenging national churches around the world to respond to the Great Commission — and they are! What is happening in Kenya is happening in other countries as well. May the Lord continue to bless the joint effort as we work with our international partners to enable the light of Jesus to shine in the spiritually deceived, dark places of our world.