Thank you for opening mission:world to see and hear some of the awesome things that God is doing in the nations. Baptist Missionary Association (BMA) Global Missions values multiplication and considers it as its highest goal. The New Testament pattern of multiplication is encouraged and evidenced in the primary areas of disciples, leaders, and churches. For those who have obeyed the command of Christ to practice Great Commission missions, there is no greater personal joy and no more accurate measure of ministry than when we pour our lives into others and they repeat the process! In missions lingo, this is called indigenous missions. The word indigenous simply means that something originates and belongs locally. 

For the next few issues of mission:world, some of the indigenous leaders around the world and their ministries will be in the spotlight. In BMA Global Missions we call these leaders ChangeMakers. A ChangeMaker is an indigenous believer who, most of the time, has been won and discipled by a BMA missionary or another ChangeMaker and now carries out the ministry of go, disciple, plant, and repeat in their own country. Currently, we partner with over 400 ChangeMakers globally. 

The biblical examples of “ChangeMaker missions” fill the pages of the New Testament and are especially visible with Jesus and His earthly ministry with the twelve and Paul in his church planting efforts. For the duration of this article, we will look as some of the principles for ChangeMaker Missions from Paul as found in Colossians 4:7-15: 

7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house. 

Paul is in prison and concluding his letter to the churches in and around Colossae. This passage is the ending of that letter, and he is greeting many in the Colossian churches in the name of some on his missionary team. It is in the names of these team members that we have a great opportunity to look into Paul’s multiplication ministry… (Click the image above to continue reading this article)