Episode 84
#84. Establishing Legitimacy for Missionaries
Establishing Legitimacy for Missionaries
Legality vs Legitimacy of Missionaries in Foreign Countries
Steve Schirmer is the President of Silk Road Catalyst, a ministry family committed to ending gospel deprivation, ensuring all peoples in all places have gospel access.
Legitimacy in Missions Matters Book Link
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- Equipping local population and foreign missionaries
- Balancing Truth vs Safety
- 8 Steps to establishing legitimacy
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Steve Schirmer is the President of Silk Road Catalyst, a ministry family committed to ending gospel deprivation, ensuring all peoples in all places have gospel access. Steve has served as a missionary in various capacities for 23 years, beginning in China. Since 2013, Steve has been leading Silk Road Catalyst where they invest in multiple countries from Eastern Asia to the Middle East.
RELATED LINKS:
Silk Road Catalyst YouTube channel
TIMESTAMPED SHOWNOTES:
02:56 - Vision of Silk Road Catalyst
03:06 - Primary focus is disciple-making and church planting
03:17 - Secondary focus is compassion ministries
03:46 - DNA of Silk Road Catalyst
03:57 - National Population Participation
04:00 - Foreign Missionary Participation
04:10 - National Participants as Part of Leadership Team
05:41 - Issues with the term "Unreached People Groups"
06:23 - Definition of "Gospel Deprived"
07:49 - The Gospel will go everywhere
08:02 - Mobilizing the whole church for the whole world
08:06 - A lot of work done in Latin countries, Africa, Asia
08:35 - Challenges in funding
08:40 - Greater effort needed in empowering the church
08:49 - New challenges
09:16 - Need for Church in the west to partner with church in the global south
09:35 - Mobilize in both partnership and team members
10:21 - The need to empower local Christians to share the gospel
10:41 - Empowering local Christians to lead
10:58 - Equipping the local Christians to lead
12:04 - Commonly known challenges
12:36 - The biggest hurdle is the church itself
12:42 - What is my role if I am not called to go?
14:10 - Fear slows down gospel advancement
14:34 - Not letting security issues dictate the entire ministry
14:54 - Every Christian to be following Jesus to the end
15:03 - The "Navy Seals" of Missionaries
15:25 - Book: Legitimacy in Missions Matters
15:42 - Audience for the book
16:08 - Legitimacy in the public context of missionaries
16:23 - Purpose of the book is to address "deception"
16:35 - Is lying okay for the sake of the gospel?
18:41 - Presenting to the local community
19:02 - Legality vs Legitimacy
19:30 - Forming business that benefitted the culture
19:57 - The Rehab Approach
20:37 - Who does the Rahab Approach protect?
22:24 - Balancing safety and the truth
22:52 - Fight or Flight?
23:10 - Safety cannot be our priority
23:16 - The gospel is the priority
25:32 - Two of the Five Marks of Legitimacy...
25:34 - ...Beneficial to the Community
27:18 - ...Reasonable Lifestyle
29:33 - Two of Four things legitimate presence does not do
30:28 - The breaking point in proclaming the gospel
32:12 - How to establish a presence of legitimacy
32:15 - Recommended steps to establish legitimacy
32:25 - 1. Pray a lot
32:39 - 2. Research options in the community
32:53 - 3. Commit a couple of years to learn the local language, customs, and culture
33:31 - 4. Do Market research
33:53 - 5. Network with like-minded people
34:12 - 6. Communicate with your local church and partners
34:29 - 7. Walk by faith
34:36 - 8. Pray more
35:12 - How can the sending church help?
36:51 - Establishing Legitimacy: patience, grace, and mercy
37:57 - Steve's Schirmer Contact Information - silkroadcatalyst.com | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
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