Present Day Missions
The following paper was given to me recently at a Tent Meeting in Michigan. I know Pastor Louloff and I was blessed by his missionary vision, efforts, and views.
I submit to our supporters this paper as I believe it is weighty and enlightening.
We praise God for all missions efforts that get the gospel to the world. In these last days we need to think creatively, biblically, and be “quick on our feet” to do what we can before our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
As you read Brother Louloff’s article, please keep in mind that Peru missionaries can live adequately on $500 a month, and many live on much less. These missionaries are very diligent. Furthermore, IBM only supports a missionary for about $40 a month and for three years. This means a missionary is not “dependent” upon IBM support, but it is a big help.
Respectfully submitted,
N. Sebastian Desent
Thoughts on Effective Missions
Submitted June 9, 2023
Pastor Dave Lueloff
Grace Baptist Church
17376 Martin Rd. Roseville, MI 48066 586-822-6310
If you want a harvest in 1 month Plant Flowers
If you want a harvest in 1 year Plant Crops
If you want a harvest in 10 years Plant a Tree
If you want a harvest in 100 years Plant People
If you want a harvest in Eternity Plant Missions
Here are the results of a study done on present day missions. It is a compilation of a brief study to try to determine the most effective use of dollars in propagating the gospel. The need has never been greater as we are approaching eight billion people on earth.
Cost to Send Missionaries
- BIMI Phone Call — these are missionaries with the actual amount of support:
Canada $60,000 / year
Mexico $65,000 / year (Has one child & needs fortified housing due to gangs in Mexico)
Cambodia $75,000 / year (Has 5 children )
Nepal $100,000 / year (Includes startup costs $4,000 – tickets; $4,000 – shipping & $7,000 – car)
Nepal $162,000 / year (Couple with an orphanage / children’s home)
- ABWE Phone Call (mostly GARBC churches) suggested support for:
Mexico $7,500 / month x 12 = $90,000 Germany $8,700 / month x 12 = $104,400
Cambodia $6,700 / month x 12 = $80,400 Nepal $6,850 / month x 12 = $82,200
Canada $9,000 / month x 12 = $108,000
Start-up costs range from $40,000 to $100,000. Shipping costs in Europe are prohibitive, therefore they purchase goods there. In Africa, one would need a four-wheel drive vehicle.
- BBF Phone Call
BBF missionaries are independent so they recommend that we ask other missionaries. I asked for a ball-park figure and he stated it all depended on the field. For instance, in Hong Kong, rent for an apartment can be $5,000 / month. I asked if $20,000 / year would be sufficient for Mexico and he said, “Double that. At $40,000 / year, you can live comfortably in Mexico, but you would have a very limited ministry.”
- Tom Gaudete Thailand missionary will need about $4,500 / month x 12 = $54,000
- Jeff Jones’ member going to Romania (Gypsies) trying to raise $5,000/month x 12 = $60,000
- 4 Different Websites Visited and info from them:
Website # 1
Airfare can easily be $1,000 to $4,000 per person.
Shipping costs start at $7,000. Also there are costs for furnishing a home, visas, everyday items, a vehicle, ministry costs, healthcare, and taxes….
Website # 2
One family heading to Mexico City needed $95,000 / year.
The Southern Baptist Convention: average cost to support one missionary in 2013 was $52,000 / year. They also stated in this website that supporting one national missionary was $60 / month.
Website # 3
This website stated that it is ironic that the corporate world pays people who work oversees a larger salary than one in the United States while churches do just the opposite. Corporations do this because they realize the extra hardships and costs they face, and want to make sure they have the funds to be successful.
In most of the poor countries, a luxury like a massage that you indulge in may be cheap, but day-to-day things that you need are often more expensive. This website did a cost comparison and showed that a family of 4 would need $65,004 to live in Escondido, California but they needed $97,050 per year to live in San Salvador. This does not cover any funds needed for ministry.
Website # 4
The cost of living varies widely from country to country. Bill Dillon, who served for thirty-two years in Africa and Asia states that the range may be from $500 / month to $5,000 / month depending on the size of the family.
The typical cost of sending an American family is over $50,000 / year.
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Cost of Supporting Nationals
Training of Nationals vs Training an American
Deputation takes 2-3 years to raise money Language & Culture takes 2-3 years to learn
Many missionaries return home after 8 years Nationals can start a church after graduation
Nationals cannot go home; they are home Skin color & culture of national fits in
When persecution arises, nationals must stay Paul trained nationals
Paying nationals sounds like a great idea, however, there are many unforeseen problems with this.
Website # 5
Money is power & power corrupts Hindrances to supporting nationals from this website:
They learn to depend on dollars rather than the Lord. There is no sacrifice. In India, often when property is purchased with American dollars, they end up in court being sued by other ‘believers.’ Recipients become ungrateful and it creates a dependency on foreign funds. Often American money does more harm than good.
Korea was given as an example of the Nevius Method of establishing self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating churches. They criticized the missionaries’ practice of paying national workers out of mission funds, believing that healthy local church should be able to support its own local workers. These churches have sent out thousands of missionaries.
Sharing financial resources in a way that is spiritually empowering and ‘Great Commission-completing’ for both donor and recipient remains our greatest unsolved problem.
- Missionary Dan Freeman
Bro. Dan reported that whenever Chinese nationals sought for the dollar, he would distance himself from them and he believed the results were greater when they trusted the Lord rather than being ‘bought out’ by an American missionary. He stated that as of 2013, in his work there in China, there is no more dollars used as it is self-supporting. He also said that he is confident that if he died, the work he started would now be fully carried forward by others without his presence.
Dan did financially support two men that were nationals starting churches with the understanding that they needed to get their churches to become self-supported as he would only support them for 1 year.
- Missionary Tom Gaudete
He witnessed nationals being supported with dollars and here are his thoughts. “Nationals would trust the foreign funding instead of needing to rely upon the Lord. When the money is gone, they will look for another American missionary that will support them. These American missionaries are looking for something to report in their prayer letters.” He also stated it would be okay to support a national if it was only a temporary thing as they are weaned off and become self-supported.
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Effective Missions in the 21st Century
- Following the Example of Apostle Paul
As he evangelized, he had a team he discipled that he brought along with him, of which some were his converts. It was an ever-changing group of men. Paul never stayed in one place. The need is to focus on training men that are called rather than focusing on starting one church. If a church is started and a home-base is set up – the missionary may be tied to that church until he can get someone to pastor it.
Paul encouraged the church at Corinth to give. Corinth was ‘the uttermost’ at that time. The mission field is to become a giving force, not a perpetual taking church.
There is no record in the New Testament of financially supporting nationals. Paul, a missionary, was supported, but there is no evidence that he supported any of the churches he started.
- BBF started in 1950 with an emphasis on church planting
1950 2000
106 Pastors 4,500 Pastors
19 Missionaries 900+ Missionaries
4 Fields 110 Fields
$100,000 to Missions $35,000,000 to Missions
- Cost of Bible Institutes / Colleges
Heartland Baptist Bible College $1.5 million 300 students
Massillon Baptist College $220,000 30 students
NE India GBBC $15,000 10 students, 2 professors, & Pastor & family
Nepal Baptist Institute $12,000 7-10 students
The U.S. dollar is strong in India/Bhutan, Nepal, China and most of SE Asia.
It is my biased opinion that the supporting of Institutes that train nationals is the most effective methodology. The nationals are trained and given the tools needed to start churches and do mission work. The dollar is used to pay expenses of the Institute that trains God-called men.
(There must be oversight to assure monies are allocated properly)
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Biblical Methodology for Missions
The Book of Acts gives us the methodology for missions. The timing of the Lord’s first coming to earth and the descent of the Holy Spirit was impeccable (Gal. 4:4). They did reach the world with the gospel.
Colossians 1:5-6 …ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it…
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven…
Romans 10:17-18 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
What can we glean from the Scriptures concerning this most important topic?
- The Doctrine of the Church is Paramount
Some missionaries are concerned with the number of souls saved. This is good; but best is to start a church, which is a supernatural institution ordained by God. Pastors and members come and go; but a good church will last for decades and sometimes centuries. It is the church of God – His church.
The local church is the house of God and starting churches is what Paul did. In fact, it was the methodology of the early church. When Paul started out on his 2nd missionary journey:
Acts 15:40-41 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Paul left Antioch and as he traveled thru Syria and Cilicia; he met many churches. Paul had not previously been here. One must conclude that the early church was busy starting churches.
- There is a Difference between a Burden and a Call
Paul was burdened for the Jews (Rom. 9:1-2; 10:1), but called to the Gentiles:
Acts 26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee.
- Need to find the Will of God by the leading of the Holy Spirit
Paul did not stay in one place. Don’t wait for God to move; be on the move while waiting on God.
Acts 13:4-6 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God…And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos…
Acts 16:6-7 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
Acts 16:9-10 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
- If Possible, Don’t Go it Alone
Acts 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
“We” means that Luke was with Paul.
Acts 15:39-40 …so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed…
- Much Loneliness and Heartache
Acts 20:36-38 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
2 Timothy 4:10-11 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me…
- Much Suffering
Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Acts 16:23-24 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 …in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
- There will be Opposition from Within
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according…
- Keep your Eyes on the Prize
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Some Cities / Some Countries are More Difficult than Others
Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
The greatest opposition for the gospel is religion and government.
Some places are more receptive to the gospel:
Matthew 11:20-21 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- Paul Started Small Churches
Paul started a church at Philippi with Lydia, a demon-possessed girl and the jailor’s family. He then left. Later, Philippi would be a fairly large congregation:
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Some churches will grow large while others may stay as a house-church. Many factors enter into this including the receptivity of the gospel.
Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house…
1 Corinthians 16:19 Aquila and Priscilla salute you….with the church that is in their house.
Colossians 4:15 Salute the brethren…Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Philemon 1:2 …and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
- Training Nationals and Setting them over Churches is the Most Effective Method
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
This is not always possible. Methodology will be determined by the receptivity of the gospel, the personality of the missionary, the culture of the people….
The most effective missions’ money goes to training nationals in an Institute. Nationals know the language and culture. When persecution arises, they do not leave the country. Paul trained nationals.
- The Uttermost is to Give to Missions
The goal is for the mission field to leave American dollars and financially support missions with their own currency. 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9 are the two great chapters on giving to missions. Corinth was the furthest in distance that Paul had traveled. Corinth, the uttermost, was to give to missions. (There was a time that the USA was the uttermost; now we go and give to missions to the uttermost!)
- Poor Churches should Give to Missions
2 Corinthians 8:1-2 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
- We should Abound in the Grace of Giving – give more each year
2 Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
- Be Thankful for Helpers
People are our greatest assets. Paul was thankful for them in Rom. 16:1-15; 16:21-23.
- Consider the Sending Capacity of a Church as well as its Seating Capacity
Philippians 4:16-17 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
The church at Philippi sent money to help Paul start the church at Thessalonica.
How did that turn out?
1 Thess. 1:6-8 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
Luther Rice (1783-1836)
“Luther Rice was to Adoniram Judson what Andrew Fuller was to William Carey in England with the World Missions boom in the early 19th Century. The difference was that Fuller was a pastor who told Carey if you go down to India, “I will hold the ropes.” He and his congregation in England sponsored the famous missionary. In Rice’s case, he had volunteered for missions, but because of health reasons, he spent his time in America promoting missions all over the country.
Rice and Judson were convinced of believer’s baptism by immersion on their trip to India for their appointment. They informed the Congregational group who sponsored them of their discovery after being baptized at Carey’s church. They turned to the Baptists who gladly accepted them and sponsored them now as missionaries. Health problems prevented Rice from going with the Judson’s to Burma or another country, but he became Judson’s biggest supporter and ally back in the states.
No church was too small or place to far out that Rice did not go to trumpeting the cause of Foreign Missions. His never marrying led to a hectic pace all over the states in educating churches to world need and relaying the fantastic stories of work done abroad.
Notable was the influence Rice had in bringing Baptists together for the cause of world missions. He and Richard Furman worked with William Johnson in forming the Triennial Convention which first met in 1814 in Philadelphia. The meeting was held every three years. The group composed of Baptists from all over the country and discussed how to send missionaries and the need in the world for the gospel. They also developed a strategy for promoting the cause of foreign missions in the churches.
Rice also worked in helping start schools devoted to training missionaries as pastors who could carry on the cause of missions. Columbia College was started in Washington D.C. to accomplish this task.
In Richmond, Lott Carey a former slave who won his freedom was recommended by Rice and sponsored by the African Missionary Society. Lott went to the newly formed Liberia where many were converted and churches were started through his ministry.
Although Rice did not see his friend Judson much with the latter taking only two furloughs, he became his most stalwart supporter. Judson, in turn, was exhibit A in the type of missionary Rice raised support for. Although Rice did not live to see Judson on his final furlough, he paved the way for him to come back to the states with much notoriety.
When Rice died in 1836, he was on the crest of seeing missionary successes worldwide for the cause of missions. The famous missionaries that are greatly known such as Lottie Moon and others owe much of the mission awareness fervor to Luther Rice who lived to promote it till his dying day.
Rice may not have been as famous as some well-known missionaries but he is an example of how God uses behind the scenes people who may not get all the credit they deserve but they faithfully carry out the task that God called them to do. Luther Rice promoted the cause of World Missions leading many to support and to go to areas all of the world.” (A Synopsis of His life taken from “Baptist Biographies and Happenings in American History” by Dan Nelson)
Responses to this Paper
So much waste, but you cannot tell most because their pride defends their actions. Nationals who are true to Christ are the best, just finding and training properly is the tough part. Paul Pierucki (Former Missionary to Romania, now pastor in USA)
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Pastor Lueloff,
Thanks a lot. Good inspiration. Planting small church or support Bible institute is good way on mission. But is costs a lot in the early beginning. Need to support the new church for few years until they can be self-supported. Pastor Dan Freeman had these promoted style in Asia for good example.
Pastor Hung (Taiwanese pastor – broken English in response)
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Brother Lueloff,
Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope everything is well with you.
Preacher, your thoughts to examine our present mission methodology is very true. Lots of missionaries and Church planters are putting their faith on money instead of trusting the Lord. Shalom
Pastor Peter Thiumai Bethlehem Baptist Church Dimapur, Nagaland (NE India)
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Pastor Dave,
Would never delete what you send me. Great thoughts. I taught “Missions” at Midwestern as my last teaching assignment there. Much of what you wrote on your first page is what I taught them. Though I did not teach them, I assigned each student to a board and had them research these same types of things. In addition, I had them add up the number of “Foreign” missionaries the board had and then the number of workers that were supported in the States. They were amazed to find that for each board assigned Stateside worker came to, normally, around 50%. Plus, you had to kind of read between the lines on many of the boards as well. They love to count a husband and wife as “2” missionaries. So, for example, if there were 30 families in Mexico, they would simply say in their statistics that they had 60 missionaries in Mexico. If you were to question such reasoning they respond with, “Well, don’t you think the wife is a missionary too?”. And, of course, I would hope that they were, but the reason for this was not to recognize the wife, but rather, boost the mission’s stats.
I have conflicted thoughts on missions across the board. Obviously, they are Biblically based, needed and mandated. But my personal experience with missions is extreme. I was saved on the mission field. A church started locally (by an active-duty military member) but when I was saved, I was pastored by a supported missionary (as no military member will stay in place for more than 3 years overseas). Of course, military missions is different than all others but it demonstrates how complex the study of missions can be. Then, I lived on the mission field for 11 years and saw over-supported missionaries doing absolutely NOTHING. And then somehow making up monthly letters indicating they were so busy. I have never really gotten over my firsthand experience with missionaries…but…they are still needed but we need to closely monitor them for sure…can’t trust the boards to do so.
In countries like India, China, Philippines…the concept of training and sending locals out seems to be a great concept. While at the same time Western Europe, Great Britain, and Scandinavian countries would experience a drought of the Gospel, even worse than they already do, if we did not faithfully send “overpaid” missionaries to their shores.
Our church has poured well over, WELL OVER, $100,000.00 into the Philippines in the past 5 years because we see we get the most “bang for our buck” there. And we have started supporting missionaries that come out of the Bible Institute there that are willing to go to other countries to evangelize outside of the Philippines. My personal “philosophy” is that a missionary going to their own country (with the exception of those going to Native Americans in America) should simply get a job, start a Bible study, grow, start a church and press on without support from anyone. Hence, I have not picked up a “Church Planter” in the US for at least 20 years. And looking back on it I have no regrets. I had a good friend about 5 years ago ask for support to start a church in some place like Nashville (or some city like that…can’t remember). There was absolutely no way I could agree to do that. Today, he has left that city and taken an already established church in another Bible Belt City.
I went to Italy, to the military, with no support other than about $200.00 that a few friends offered me. Within a year, the church had grown and I asked those supporting friends to send their support to someone that could use it more.
So, there we have it. American’s sent overseas cost WAY too much…but, if we send someone overseas, I feel it is our responsibility to care for them properly. A Brit, in Britain, receives free health care…and an American in Britain does not. If we wait for Britain to evangelize itself, we will watch it drift into an even greater godless state. So we should be obligated to send help. For “third world countries” we find ministries we know and trust and spend our hard-earned dollars wisely there. Even in the verses you used I think, without doubt, we see examples of both methods of missions, or simply, evangelism.
Thanks for always including me in your mailings.
Retired Pastor Jerry Boritzki (Waterford, Michigan)
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Hi Dave
Your material on missions gives good insights. I’ve saved it in my notes for future study. I agree with your strong conclusions that are Scripturally laid out. Thank you for sharing that with me and others. I will digest it as I have time. I’m planning on leaving for Dubai and in to Pakistan Tuesday. Will teach my course on church planting at the Bible College. Thanks for praying.
Mark Logan (Missionary with a focus on training nationals)
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Pastor Dave Lueloff pastordlueloff@gmail.com www.gracebaptistroseville.com
Grace Baptist Church 17376 Martin Rd. Roseville, MI 48066 586-822-6310
IBM Peru 