by Dr. Ken Van Kirk
The vision for the Bondservant Project was born out of observations made over the years as church-planting missionaries working with a tribal people found themselves frustrated and discouraged. In “pioneering,” or first-contact ministries, there often is a tension placed upon the church planting team to involve themselves in the legitimate needs of the people group. Working in medicine or community development requires a significant time commitment and often happens at the expense of time required to learn language or disciple leadership.
By looking into God’s Word one can see how the early church worked through a similar problem. When the Apostles found themselves torn between feeding the widows and prayer and the teaching of God’s Word, they didn’t discount the social needs, nor could they neglect God’s commission to them. Rather they recognized both as a legitimate obligations and, by selecting “deacons” to share the work load, they were able to address both responsibilities well.
The Bondservant Project team is using the term “deacon missionary” to describe a “servant or support missionary.” This support missionary will serve the host culture, national church and on-site mission team with their acquired skill set or their profession and degree. In addition they will also minister, like Stephen, in extending the Kingdom of Jesus. God has also been using the servant missionary in other ways. There have been many deacon missionaries who have entered and minister in “closed” countries as entrepreneurs, engineers, educators, physicians or other professionals where access has been denied to the classic Christian missionaries.
The Bondservant Project, although designed as an intensive, concise training for support missionaries that attempts to address many of the practical aspects of mission ministry, is not intended to be an in-depth look into missiology and many mission agencies ask for further missions and Bible studies. That said, the Bondservant Project team welcomes any missionary candidate who is planning to work directly in a church-planting context rather than a support role, such as administrative or other ‘home’ staff role.
We believe that the transference of solid Biblical values, combined with an introduction to the basic principles of missions, team life and community would be adequate for them to begin their cross-cultural ministry under the mentorship of mature and experienced missionaries.
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