Missions in Closed Countries

by Thomas J. Kane

John 4:4 “And he must needs go through Samaria.” The verse is well known to Christians. It refers to the time when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. The Samaritans and the Jews were related, but they were two separate groups. They had been separate since the time of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Still, Jesus “must needs go through Samaria.” There was a Divine call, a need, for His word and His testimony. The Jews were not welcome in Samaria. So why did Jesus go - because He had to.

Sound familiar? You feel like God has put a burden on your heart to be a missionary. You have a burden to go to a particular place or to some people group. After doing some research, you find that missionaries, especially USA citizens, are not welcome. Are you confused? There is no need to be. If God calls you to be a missionary to a closed or restricted country, then do not be disheartened by the constraints. Consider being a Non-Resident Missionary.1

NON-RESIDENT MISSIONARY (NRM)

Being a Non-Resident Missionary is a way to penetrate closed or restricted countries with the Gospel. There are many different ways to accomplish evangelization by being a NRM. The Great Commission of Matthew 28:19, 20 commands the church to go, teach and baptize. If you will take some time to think about it, you will find that there are many ways to accomplish this commission.

MANY POSSIBILITIES

The following are two possibilities:

1. Teach at a Bible institute, college or seminary - (II Tim 2:2, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also”). Academic years are usually broken down into semesters of three or four months length. In a country that will not allow a permanent visa, teach one semester every academic year. Even if the country only allows a one month visa, you can still teach a course. If you cannot get into your target country, but the nationals can get to another country that is less restrictive, then train nationals in a country nearby.

2. Translation/Printing - Most national pastors can measure their libraries in inches. If you measure the books in their native tongue, it grows even smaller. NRM’s can go to a country and learn the language of a people group. Translate the Scripture, books, commentaries, tracts - the list is endless. The need for doctrinally sound literature is great. This is aptly illustrated in a comment made by the grandson of Mahatma Ghandy. They asked Ghandy’s grandson why he was a communist. His reply is very telling, “The Christians taught me to read, but the communists gave me the literature to read.” Even if you cannot learn a language, you can find a national Christian in the country who does read and write the language and work with them on the translation and printing of Scripture and Bible literature.

These are just two possibilities. There are so many others, like Christian broadcasting, medical, social services, relief and development.

THE NEED

The need is great. Research shows that there are approximately 276 different countries in the world today.2 Of these countries around 100 are closed or restricted as to foreign missionaries.3 If you look at the need, not from the.phpect of countries but from a people group perspective, you will find the needs even more diverse. There are more than 24,000 people groups in the world. As many as 10,000 have not been evangelized. That means 10,000 different dialects, 10,000 different locations, 10,000 different needs and 10,000 different opportunities.

CAREER MISSIONARY

Non-Resident Missionaries must not be confused with Short Term Missions. They are not the same thing. A NRM is a professional career missionary. You may need to learn a language and that can take years. The NRM has to develop a specific set of skills, used full time in the evangelization of a people group. The NRM must be willing to live in a foreign country or to travel to the country annually. You have to develop long term relationships with nationals. This is not just a friendship but a working relationship. This working relationship can be you as the boss or you as the worker. You will be a missionary in every sense of the word, not just someone doing mission work.

RESEARCH IS THE KEY

Learning as much about a country, or more specifically a people group, is the key to letting God show you how He can use you to reach a particular group. You can begin today by researching the secular, religious, and Christian situations of a single county or people group. Gather as much information as you can digest. Use travel books, talk to nationals, research the Internet, speak with others already working in the country, travel to the country - the list goes on. As you research and pray about a country or people group, God will show you the way you can be a part of their evangelization.

PLANTING CHURCHES & WINNING SOULS

No matter what country or people group or what missionary work you select, it must be related to two things. They are the winning of souls to Christ and the planting of fundamental Baptist churches. This is not an either or proposition. The two go hand in hand. There must be a direct link between what you are doing and the spread of the Gospel and the planting of Baptist churches. There are many opportunities to do “ministry” if you are willing to compromise on the Great Commission, but that is the trap of Satan. Pharaoh offered Moses the same compromise: “ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away”: Satan says - All right, do your good work, but do not become a fanatic about it. Win souls and plant Baptist churches - don’t compromise.

NEVER GIVE UP

The task will be difficult. You will fail many times, but get back up and continue. You will become discouraged because it will take a long time to see any fruit. Laws will change or partners in the work will not come up to your expectations. You will not be the one out front being the missionary pastor. You will, for the most part, be in the background. Pastors will not understand your missionary work. Support will be harder to get because most people look on you as a short term missionary.

WORK WITH A NATIONAL

This may be the hardest.phpect of being a NRM. You may have to swallow hard and admit that someone other than an American knows the best way to reach his own people. You will be the student, operating in a culture foreign to your own. It may take years to gain the necessary knowledge and skills required to be a NRM. You will be a missionary, separate and equal to the national preacher, and may in time branch out on your own. Even if you are never able to leave the watch care of the national, God can do great things through you.

GO YE

The “ye” in the great commission is to every church. There are two things to consider. First is the “go ye” - that means you, not hoping someone else will go, not sending your money to a missionary or a national but recognizing God’s missionary call for your life. God is not finished with the Baptist churches of the United States. He is still calling church members to be missionaries. Second if our churches stop sending missionaries, it will not be long before our missionary zeal will be gone. We will become a missionary receiving nation and not a missionary sending nation.

A CHALLENGE

Here then is a challenge. You have heard God’s call to missions but thought you were mistaken because of barriers. Take the following steps. First pray that God will guide you in the process. Next, begin researching the country/people group. As your knowledge grows, see the need of the people. This will lead to compassion and compassion will lead to action. Change your attitude about barriers and look upon them as challenges. Come up with a plan and begin to execute the plan. The plan may change five times before you get anywhere, but keep on going. “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” See you on the mission field!

1 The term Non-Resident Missionary is a term from the 1980s. The concept goes back to Paul

2 The CIA reports that there are currently 276 countries. America On Line Internet research indicates that there are 270 countries in the world.

3 Youth With A Mission (Harpenden NRM Training School May 1996) reports that there are thirty-five countries closed to missionaries, and more than fifty others are significantly restricted. Justin D. Long, Monday Morning Reality Check, (www.gem-werc.org/mmrc/mmrc9636.htm) reports that in 1990 there were 119 countries that restricted access to foreign missions, forty-three of which were completely closed.