M IS S IO N S continued
Stronger Light For The Leser Milles
T he Caribbean Gospel Fellowship is the name of the newly incorporated missionary effort centering on the island of Dominica, under the leader ship of Mr. P. N. Russell. After fif teen years of pioneer work on that island, Mr. Russell has gathered a strong group of Christian leaders, most of them on the faculty of the Dallas Theological Seminary, to form this new organization that new re cruits might be enlisted and that funds might be received and properly channeled for the furtherance of the gospel in this needy spot in the West Indies. When Mr. Russell was called by God to preach the gospel to these un evangelized pagans who were domi nated by witchcraft and Romanism, his work centered about the rugged, almost inaccessible western side of the islan d . D u r in g h is pioneer days on Dominica, Mr. Russell cut and prepared his own lumber by hand as no saw mill or other modern woodworking equipment was avail able. In spite of severe opposition f IME magazine recently quoted the supporters of a missionary to Japan as saying, “We’re honestly trying to build him up as the Apostle Paul of Japan.” Whatever lack of comprehension this may reveal of the qualities that go to make up a missionary statesman and theologian of the stature of St. Paul or of the imperative of imitation binding upon every disciple of Him who “made himself of no reputation,” the fact is that it reveals all too clearly the modem promotional trend which characterizes most evangelical enter prise. But the answer to the world’s methods of high-pressure promotion does not lie necessarily in a retreat into silence or obscurity or bungling efforts. There is a science of promo tion and there are certain scriptural principles which, we believe, should have a bearing upon Christian pro motion today. There are at least four such principles: A ll promotion (as every other Christian activity, Col. 3:23) should be to the glory of God. This may
and persecution, there has been bless ing from the Lord on the Word of God and the work has gone forth. The new fellowship seeks to reach Caribbean areas inhabited by West Indians, descendents of African slaves in the Windward Islands, and Carib Indians. The Carib family of Indians was once the mighty inhabitants of the Caribbean basin. Only one tribe remained in the West Indies and it is located on the island of Dominica; however, tribes are found from the Amazon River Valley northward in cluding Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and British and Dutch and French Guiana. These are largely unreached and remain to this day in their pagan darkness, su p e r s tition and sin, having never heard the gospel for the first time. Further aim of the fellowship is to establish a Bible school for the purpose "of enabling the natives to reach their own people more effec tively as teachers, pastors and evan gelists on the island of Dominica. It is hoped that the work may be seem a trite statement, but let us remember that God does not share His glory with others. Therefore it is advisable to avoid this worldly trend of “ building-up” personalities and organizations. We should not fall into the snare of a pseudo-humil ity, but let us reject the evil of ex aggerated claims and pretentiousness. A ll promotion should seek to edify. God’s purpose in ordaining different gifts and ministries is the edification of the one body of Christ. The pur pose of Christian stewardship is to the end that they who are exercised therein may be correspondingly edi fied. Therefore, next to the glory of God, every promotional activity or effort should honestly seek to bring blessing, and thus edification, to the Lord’s people. In seeking to attain this objective, the missionary on deputation assignment will need to guard against the tendency of un edifying moralizing. A ll promotion should be of faith, “ for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Every response' of man to God is an exercise of faith. God wants us H. K enn eth Strachan
expanded to reach the unevangelized Carib Indians in the Windward Is lands and on the South American mainland. The Caribbean Gospel Fellowship is a denominationally unrelated asso ciation of evangelical believers with a vision for the need of spreading the Word of Life in the Caribbean area where Christ is not known. Its design is to win the lost and to com mit the Word of God and the work of God. to these native believers. The directors of this newly-formed fellowship include J. Ellwood Evans, president; Charles A. Nash, vice president; Dewey Duncan, secretary- treasurer; Pryor N. Russell, field di rector; and Rudolf A. Renfer and John F. Walvoord. Listed among the advisors are Carl Armerding, Graham Gilmer, Sr., Everett F. Har rison, Oran H. Smith, W. Cameron Townsend. The home office of the Caribbean Gospel Fellowship is situated in the Dallas Theological Seminary, 3909 Swiss Avenue, Dallas 4, Texas. to see the need with our own eyes . . . “ Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields” . . . but He wants us then to “ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest.” The true office of promotion whether verbal, printed or visual is to cause Christians to see the fields and to engage in prayer, real prayer', but the response should be left to the Lord of the harvest. Therefore there should be a real ex ercise in faith in all promotion and this involves true looking up to the Lord of the harvest. Promotion is subject to the basic law of sowing. “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” In keeping with the principles already mentioned, every effort should be made to present the work to the greatest number of people possible. God does not honor sloth. (These principles have recently been adopted by the council of the Latin America Mission of which, the Rev. R. Kenneth Strachan is General D irector.)
Missionary Promotional Principles
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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