![]() There are at least three basic principles of any good mission and/or ministry strategy plan. We will avoid many pitfalls of mission and ministry work when we are guided by these basic principles. In short, the three principles are N. I. R. In order to develop a highly affective mission and ministry strategy plan, we must be N. I. R. (near) sighted, so to speak. In other words, we need to filter all goals, activities, and action plans through the N. I. R. Principles. 2) The second letter of the N.I.R. principles is "I", which stands for indigenous. The word indigenous, in a general sense, means "native" or "originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country." When referring to ministry and missions, indigenous pertains to what is native to or is characteristic of a people group or population segment. Every people group or population segment has peculiar and distinguishable characteristics that make it recognizable from other people groups or population segments. The gospel will never reach its full expression unless it is allowed to be indigenous to a culture. When we expect others to become like us before they are able to believe in Christ, we have just violated the principle of indigeneity. This is clearly seen in the The Yao Project, which was an evangelistic effort specifically designed to reach the Yao people group in Africa. Several generations prior to the project, the Yao had rejected the gospel because they were told it was necessary to give up their Yao culture in order to become believers. To be a believer meant they could not be Yao and Christian at the same time. So they became Muslims in order to retain their cultural heritage. In the 1980's, Steve Evans of the International Mission Board and other Great Commission Christians joined efforts to strategize and carry out a plan to present the gospel in a culturally sensitive manner. Because of their efforts, negative Yao attitudes toward Christianity changed. Many Yao individuals became believers in Christ and new churches were started. Simply stated, the principle of looking at what is native or originating in and characteristic of a particular people group or population segment must not be overlooked. Many Christian workers who have dismissed this principle have made tremendous mistakes. Such mistakes hinder the gospel from spreading quickly. (2 Thessalonians 3:1) When cultural insensitivity occurs on the part of the Christian worker, the gospel message might not be received on the merits of the gospel message itself but might be rejected simply based upon the cultural insensitivity and offensiveness of the Christian worker. One only need remember the Julie Andrew's movie titled Hawaii, which is replete with examples. All cultures and world-views are tainted with and deeply affected by sin. There is no culture or world-view that is not crippled by it. Yet, having said that, not all aspects of culture and world-view are immoral or sinful. A believer must discern which parts of culture and/or world-view violate biblical truth and which do not. If an aspect of culture and/or world-view does not openly conflict with scripture, a believer should not see it as a threat to the gospel. But if an aspect of culture and/or world-view does openly conflict with biblical teachings, a believer should and must wisely engage the cultural practice with biblical truth. Hiebert recognized our tendency to overlook this principle when he said, "As evangelicals we emphasize knowledge of the Bible, but rarely stop to examine the people and cultures we serve." (Paul Hiebert. Anthropological Insights for Missionaries. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. 1985. Pg. 140) When presenting the gospel a believer should take great care in making sure the message is clearly understood by the hearer in a manner that does not violate biblical truth but at the same time is appropriate to the listener's culture. Kraft expresses this thought effectively, "If we are to take the scriptural approach, we are to adapt ourselves and our presentation of God's message to the culture of the receiving people. If we demand that they become like us in order to be acceptable to God, we, like most of the early Jewish Christians (see Acts 15:1), have misrepresented God. We, the witnesses, are to make the cultural adjustments, not they, the potential respondents." (Charles Kraft. Anthropology For Christian Witness. New York: Orbis Books. 2000. Pg. 2). We desire to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8) and must reach across existing barriers, whether cultural or other. The Great Commission will never be carried out to its fullest extent if the gospel is not allowed to permeate a culture. Paul communicated the principle of indigeneity in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (NASB) when he said, "19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some." Kraft comments on this passage by stating, "From the beginning of Scripture, God has shown himself willing to work with people within their cultural frames of reference. He has always worked in terms of Jewish culture to reach Jews. Through Paul, He states what is illustrated in the book of Acts - that He wants to accept the Gentiles within their cultures also, without the necessity of their changing cultures in order to do things in a way that is acceptable to Him." (Kraft. Pgs. 1-2). Jesus embodied this principle when he 'became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:14) He expressed the Father's will from within the Jewish culture. Let's follow His example and become N.I.R. sighted in our approach.
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