THE ANTIOCH VISION

We at St. Andrews are excited about our new vision for world mission. Over the past few years, your pastors, elders, and mission team have embarked on an intensive study of biblical mission, concentrated in the book of Acts. Our findings led us to draft "The Antioch Vision for Mission in the New Millennium" in February 2000.

Examining the church at Antioch and their method of sending out Paul and Barnabas, we have reached several conclusions about the method of raising up, sending out, and receiving back missionaries. First, and perhaps most importantly, we have discovered that it is the role of the local church to build a deep relationship with the missionaries whom she herself will send out with the help of a handful of sister churches. That relationship comes by choosing faithful servants from her own midst who are active in the ministry of that local church (see Acts 13:1-3). The missionaries who are sent out from a church must be well known by the church, and they in turn should know the families of the church. When missionaries are sent out from such a church, it is the responsibility of both the church and the missionary to continue to build together the relationship, encouragement, accountability, as well as the prayer and financial support. Such a relationship is necessary for both a fruitful ministry on the field’ and at the home church.

Within the past year, we have begun to realize the first fruits of the Antioch Vision within the life of our church. One example of this is in our mission to the Eastern European country of Moldova. We have sent out, with full financial support, three pastors and two members from our own midst for two week trips to the Moldova Biblical Seminary, to train Moldovan nationals in present and future ministry. The fruit of these trips has been nothing less than phenomenal. Before going out, our pastors announced the trip in a variety of settings, giving great exposure to the mission. Our short-term missionaries were commissioned on the Sunday before they departed, and they kept in contact with the church via email several times per week. Because of the deep and long-standing relationship that these workers have with the members of the church, the prayer support we experienced was a virtual ground swell. Upon returning, our short-termers were welcomed back with excitement and anticipation to hear reports of their work.

We are, however, only in the first stage of implementation of the Antioch Vision. It is our desire to raise up, from our own midst, both pastors and lay people as full time church planters, workers who support church planting works, and leaders who will train church planters in foreign seminaries. Work is just beginning to establish contact with other local PCA churches in order to send out our missionaries fully supported, without their having to go on a year-long fund-raising tour from church to church throughout the USA. Such full-time missionaries would be treated as staff members of St. Andrews, would keep in close contact with us, and when returning home for furlough, would stay, Lord willing, in the Ervin Manse, resting and being refreshed by our church and edifying the church with reports of the work of the Lord in other lands (see Acts 14:19-28 and 15:35-41).

In addition, it is our desire to build a deeper relationship with a handful of our current missionaries. These Reformed missionaries from our own region, sent out to plant churches and/or engage in ministry which supports church planting projects, have been asked to partner with us in bringing a greater mission-mindedness to our congregation. They will agree to support our Antioch Vision, correspond regularly and personally with us, desire accountability with their home church first and then with us, spend a portion of their furlough with us, and possibly receive a team of short-termers from our church for a summer mission trip. We, in turn, anticipate providing more substantial financial, prayer, and relational support of them. Though we cannot take the place of their home church, we would love to see a partnership develop between their sending church, other churches in our Presbytery, and our church in sending them out and receiving them back.

As should be obvious, we are raising the bar both for our church and our missionaries. The intent is not to overburden our current missionaries, but to create a more substantial relationship between our church and her missionaries based on unity of vision and purpose, as well as a desire for greater interaction between the two.

St. Andrews has had a long tradition in supporting the work of world mission. All of our missionaries, past and present, have been a valuable part of that tradition and a blessing to St. Andrews. For our vision to be realized in the future, however, we have had to make certain choices in the present. We as a mission team have spent the past year agonizing over the best way to honor and provide for our current missionaries, while planning for our future missionaries.

As we prayerfully studied, discussed, and considered the biblical principles outlined in our vision statement, it became clear that we needed a grid to assess our current missionaries and their compatibility with the Antioch Vision. We developed the "Three-Legged Stool" diagram which illustrates the three tiers on which the Antioch Vision stands or falls. In addition, we asked questions in each of these 'tiers' about our missionaries. Both the diagram and the questions are found below:

The Antioch Vision

Relating with Sending Churches

Reproducing National Churches

Reforming Personal Beliefs & Practices

  1. Relating with Sending Churches-- for our missionaries to be our missionaries’, it should be obvious that they must be in a deep relationship with us, in order to foster greater accountability, prayer support, edification, etc.
  2. -Are they from our church?

    -Are they from our Corridor?

    -Are they from the Southern Florida Presbytery?

    -How often do they correspond with St. Andrews?

    -Have they visited St. Andrews when on furlough?

    -What type of accountability do they have with us?

    Their local church? The PCA?

  3. Reproducing National Churches-- we believe that at the heart of fulfilling the Great Commission is planting churches in every nation, tribe, and tongue. Thus, priority is to be given to Paul-type workers (1) those who train nationals to plant and pastor churches and (2) those who plant reproducing national-based churches themselves. Those who directly assist the work of church planting (Timothy-type workers) will also be given consideration.
  4. -Are they church planters or trainers of church planters?

    -If not, how does their ministry relate to church planting?

    -What evidence do we see of lasting fruit that builds the Church in their region?

    -Is there evidence of an exit strategy? (How are they equipping the nationals to take their place?)

  5. Reforming Personal Beliefs and Practices-- for a pastor, elder, or deacon to serve at St. Andrews, he must vow that his views are consistent with the system of doctrine taught in the Westminster Confession of Faith as a faithful representation of Scriptural doctrine. Our missionaries must likewise hold to such beliefs, if we are to be united in precept, purpose, and practice.

-Are they Reformed/Covenantal/Presbyterian?

-Is there evidence of increased fruit in their lives personally? Familially?

Our intention is for the glory of Christ, the edification of His body, and the best care of His workers. The Antioch Vision continues to be a work in progress. While we will remain committed to the principles of raising up and sending out missionaries from our own church and from sister churches in our Presbytery to help establish Reformed, reproducing, national-based churches, and of fostering a deep relationship among our missionaries, their sending churches, and their mission churches, some of the details of how we seek to implement our vision will undoubtedly change over time. We will continue to study Scripture and listen to comments from missionaries, reforming the vision more and more. And we will look forward to the blessing of our covenant-making, nation-loving God, who promises to be with us even to the end of the age.

Oh may God continue to give us ever more light on the subject of the glorious mission of His church. And may He grant us much heaven-produced fruit for our weak and faulty labors. Soli Deo Gloria!


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