Working with Refugees
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I’m not sure if this is the correct forum for this question or not, and I don’t know if you guys have the ability to move the topics to other forums, but it is kind of -sort of missions related, so I figured this was the most logical place for it! :)
First, some background. We left a church several years ago due to major apostasy. We have found ourselves in a church that is, or rather was, pretty solid, but it’s having problems now and we’re waiting on the Lord before we jump ship and find a new fellowship. My husband is not a fundamentalist by background, he was saved in a Conservative Baptist church that is very solid (the current pastor is a Dallas Theological Seminary grad), but I was born-and-bred and college educated (for 2 years at least) GARBC. I say all that because I believe that I need to submit to my husband and follow his leadership in choosing a church to attend. If it were up to me, we would be going somewhere that I could more closely relate to, but that’s not going to happen right now.
We have been given the opportunity to work with Burundian refugees, teaching them English as a Second Language. I’ve not been able to find much help here from the few fundamentalist churches I’m familiar with (there aren’t many, and Cindy’s church is about 45-50 minutes from me!). We are trying to find out how to reach them more effectively, and how God would have us expand our work with them.
My question has to do with separation. I understand it (well, maybe not all of it, some of it simply doesn’t make sense to me) and the necessity of it, but I’m not sure how to put it into practice in a situation like this. Would it be an error to seek out information that groups that are not necessarily fundamental, but still very Biblical and solid in their statement of faith? This is the area that doesn’t make sense to me. How much can I work with other agencies and still maintain Biblical purity?
Oh, our mission work is totally independent of our church. They only give us a facility, we receive no support financially from them whatsoever. In fact, my husband and I have underwritten the bulk of the ministry for now. We have one couple working with us who are Ameritribes missionaries. In fact, the ministry was primarily his idea, and the way things are working out we (the four of us) are cooperating in leadership. There is no real leader or director. We’re just doing what God is leading at this time, but I see it becoming, at least for me, something much more. I just don’t know what at this point.
First, some background. We left a church several years ago due to major apostasy. We have found ourselves in a church that is, or rather was, pretty solid, but it’s having problems now and we’re waiting on the Lord before we jump ship and find a new fellowship. My husband is not a fundamentalist by background, he was saved in a Conservative Baptist church that is very solid (the current pastor is a Dallas Theological Seminary grad), but I was born-and-bred and college educated (for 2 years at least) GARBC. I say all that because I believe that I need to submit to my husband and follow his leadership in choosing a church to attend. If it were up to me, we would be going somewhere that I could more closely relate to, but that’s not going to happen right now.
We have been given the opportunity to work with Burundian refugees, teaching them English as a Second Language. I’ve not been able to find much help here from the few fundamentalist churches I’m familiar with (there aren’t many, and Cindy’s church is about 45-50 minutes from me!). We are trying to find out how to reach them more effectively, and how God would have us expand our work with them.
My question has to do with separation. I understand it (well, maybe not all of it, some of it simply doesn’t make sense to me) and the necessity of it, but I’m not sure how to put it into practice in a situation like this. Would it be an error to seek out information that groups that are not necessarily fundamental, but still very Biblical and solid in their statement of faith? This is the area that doesn’t make sense to me. How much can I work with other agencies and still maintain Biblical purity?
Oh, our mission work is totally independent of our church. They only give us a facility, we receive no support financially from them whatsoever. In fact, my husband and I have underwritten the bulk of the ministry for now. We have one couple working with us who are Ameritribes missionaries. In fact, the ministry was primarily his idea, and the way things are working out we (the four of us) are cooperating in leadership. There is no real leader or director. We’re just doing what God is leading at this time, but I see it becoming, at least for me, something much more. I just don’t know what at this point.
From the looks of it, you may very well find your selves planting a new church or at least being in the founding group.
In dealing with the Burundians, are they coming here with a “church background” even if it’s a Burundian one or are these folks a field for evangelism? My wife and I work with a Russian speaking Evangelical Christian-Baptist Church (+/-400) in Metro Sacramento. It is part of the Council of Evangelical Christian-Baptists International. Suffice to say they don’t exactly “do church” like your standard IFB church. If the Burundians have a “Baptist” background, I would think they also don’t do church like HSBC. Our goal with the Russians is to provide them with the knowledge they need so they are not neutralized by compromise.
In dealing with the Burundians, are they coming here with a “church background” even if it’s a Burundian one or are these folks a field for evangelism? My wife and I work with a Russian speaking Evangelical Christian-Baptist Church (+/-400) in Metro Sacramento. It is part of the Council of Evangelical Christian-Baptists International. Suffice to say they don’t exactly “do church” like your standard IFB church. If the Burundians have a “Baptist” background, I would think they also don’t do church like HSBC. Our goal with the Russians is to provide them with the knowledge they need so they are not neutralized by compromise.
Hoping to shed more light than heat..
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