Encounter with God: Four Key Concepts
Based on a
solid biblical foundation, Encounter is guided
by four key concepts. These concepts are applied on
a national level and help guide decisions on where
to plant Encounter with God churches and how to
deploy resources.
Small Step
First, we must recognize what is
called the “small step concept.” This means we must
use all our manpower, whether missionary or
national, in its most productive role.
When a missionary moves from an
urban North American setting to the jungle, a huge
step has been taken involving change in culture,
language, health, food; and even then there often
remains a cultural separation. Much of his time is
devoted to just trying to exist. In most cases, such
a model does not represent the best use of time and
resources.
When missionaries from North America
are sent to a capital city in Latin America a small
step is taken. A little cultural change, another
language and they are at work. On many levels the
culture of the city is very similar to the
missionary’s home country.
When the nationals in the capital
are won to Christ and challenged properly, they go
to the secondary or provincial cities—a very small
step for them since this is where many of them
originally lived. When those in the provincial
cities are won to Christ they in turn go to the
smaller cities and even to the jungles.
The nation is won through everyone
taking only a small step. If we are to reach the
world, we must wisely use the resources we are
given.
Concentration
The second concept is that of
concentration. In the past many churches and
organizations have felt the responsibility to reach
the whole world and, therefore, approached missions
with a “shotgun” mentality. In contrast, the
Encounter Model concentrates resources and personnel
into one place in order to develop a thriving
ministry that will be capable of reproducing itself.
By concentrating our efforts and
resources on one church, more people are reached
with the message of the Gospel and we are able to
discover, challenge and train qualified national
leadership to continue the work using the “small
step” methodology. At times the work begins much
more slowly, but with this good foundation it has
the potential to grow far beyond our previous
strategies and also become indigenous much faster.
Middle Class
Focus on the middle class forms the
third key concept. Winning the middle class
addresses two critical dilemmas facing the
continuation of any program: LEADERSHIP and
RESOURCES.
While missionaries are doing a good
job, they can never change the nation. National
leadership is essential and such leaders are most
likely to be produced out of the middle class. The
middle class possesses the education and background
that prepares them for leadership.
The middle class are also the ones
able to support the work financially and lead it in
such a way that others will follow. After a strong
base is built, they can reach widely in both
directions—down the social ladder to the poor and up
to the rich. They are more effective in their
hometowns than a missionary ever could be and are
often working in places of authority where they can
make an extended and sometimes nationwide impact for
the gospel.
Capital City
Lastly, the most effective way to
evangelize a nation is to begin where the people are
located. This concept links the other three
together.
God is allowing great populations to
accumulate in urban settings. In Latin America
between one-quarter and one-half of a nation’s
people are living in the capitals. In Peru, eight
million of the twenty-four million people live in
Lima. In Uruguay, nearly 50% of the nation live in
the capital city of Montevideo. Some say this urban
growth makes the task of evangelism and discipleship
more difficult, but we say it is the hand of God
moving people within easy access of the Gospel.
Accessibility to half of the world’s population can
now be accomplished by sending missionaries to urban
centers.
In Latin America, because of the
heavy centralization of government, almost anything
of any importance has its origin in the capital
city. Since this is where most businesses thrive and
where university education takes place, there is
also a heavy concentration of middle-class people.
Therefore, this is the place we choose to
concentrate our initial efforts. By effectively
reaching the capital you can reach the nation.
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