by Jon Konnerup
For nearly 67 years, the Baptist Bible Fellowship International has spread God’s Word globally — at times in as many as 110 different countries. Our churches and the missionaries they send are involved in the most important endeavor given to man. Realizing this awesome responsibility, we have tried to place our best on the front lines — sending those with a passion for the lost and a pursuit of excellence in planting churches. As a result, cross-cultural ministries span the globe today, and training national leaders through discipleship and formal education has yielded a tremendous outcome, multiplying the BBFI’s efforts.
These results stem from a proven process that begins with the local church as the scriptural sending agency. The Holy Spirit calls faithful members to a work he has prepared for them. The local church recognizes their call and begins the training and discipleship process, testing and preparing them for future missionary work by exposing them to an array of ministry experiences. The church then sends them to Bible college to further prepare them for the work to which God has called them. After a one-year internship or through the TEAM program, these individuals present themselves to the Mission Office and the Fellowship for approval where they are screened and prepared for the tasks of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. After completing deputation to raise financial support, they begin their adventure on the field.
We must recognize the importance of the process that begins with God’s calling and yields well-trained and prepared missionaries who will arrive on the field ready to reach the regions beyond.