At Mission Quest, we believe the local church should be the primary sending entity for missionaries. Drawing from the biblical model, we assert that missionaries are accountable first to God, then to their sending church, and finally to their mission organization.

 

The local church’s role in missions is essential. The example we see in Acts 13 demonstrates this clearly. As the church was growing and actively serving God, the Holy Spirit led the church to appoint two men to be missionaries. The church, with much prayer and fasting (Acts 13:3), laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them off to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. This example shows how the church in Antioch set apart missionaries for their work, underscoring the church's responsibility in identifying, training, and sending missionaries.

 

Paul and Barnabas were not the only missionaries in the early church. Paul’s companions came from various churches: John Mark from Jerusalem (Acts 12:25), Barnabas from Antioch (Acts 13:1-3), Epaphras from Colossae (Col. 1:7; 4:12), and Timothy was affirmed by the church in Lystra (Acts 16:1-2). The book of Acts lists sending churches for many of Paul’s colleagues: Berea sent Sopater, Thessalonica sent Aristarchus and Secundus, and Derbe sent Gaius (Acts 20:4).

 

But, should those examples be the standard of our practice today? The answer is a simple “Yes.” Yes, not because it is our personal preference, but because we believe that the Scriptures are not only the inerrant Word of God, but also the sufficient Word of God. This means that the Bible "contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly" (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1994, p. 127), encompassing all aspects of the Christian life, including missions. Therefore, our approach, methodology, and philosophy of missions should be established on the inerrant and sufficient Word of the living God. As J. H. Bavinck states in his book, An Introduction to the Science of Missions:

 

"For the work of missions is the work of God; it is not lawful for us to improvise. At each step we must ask what it is that God demands. Although it will not always be easy to find the right course, our search must surely be led by what God has said in his word. The task of the theory of missions now clearly lies before us."

(Bavinck, 1977, p. 308)

 

Therefore, in light of these principles, we must recognize the critical importance of grounding our mission work in the authoritative and sufficient Word of God; the Word that "has always been His chosen instrument to create, convict, convert, and conform His people" (Dever and Paul, The Deliberate Church, 2005, p.33).  This approach ensures that our efforts are not guided by human innovation or cultural trends but are firmly rooted in divine revelation. Mission Quest embodies this commitment to biblical sufficiency in every aspect of its mission strategy. Our belief in the inerrant and all-sufficient Scriptures shapes our methodologies, guiding us to faithfully execute the Great Commission. By adhering to the model laid out in God's Word, we strive to ensure that every step we take in our mission work is in alignment with His divine purpose and plan.

 

At Mission Quest, we partner with churches to ensure that missionaries receive the necessary affirmation and support they need throughout their mission. This partnership ensures that missionaries are not only sent out, but are also continuously supported and held accountable. This collaboration helps maintain the integrity and effectiveness of mission work, ensuring that it aligns with biblical principles and the specific vision of the sending church.

 

We are motivated by the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), where Jesus commands His disciples to go and make other disciples of all nations. This commission is not just a mandate for individual believers, but for the entire church body. Our role is to facilitate the local church in fulfilling this mission by providing a dependable home office that handles administrative tasks, encourages missionaries, and continuously prays for them.

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Our philosophy is anchored in the conviction that mission work is not merely a human endeavor but a divine undertaking guided by our Triune God. Effective mission work requires a strong connection between the missionary and their local church, ensuring they remain rooted in their faith community and receive ongoing spiritual support. At Mission Quest, we are dedicated to providing the logistical and administrative support necessary for missionaries to focus fully on their calling to spread the Gospel, confident that through our efforts, God will gather a people from every nation to form local, biblical, and healthy congregations. This belief underpins all our hopes and expectations in missions. Scripture is clear: the church is God’s means for raising up and sending out workers into the harvest. Jesus did not give the Great Commission to missions agencies or to isolated individuals, but to the church. As J. H. Bavinck states,

 

"It is the church, the body of Christ, which forms the organ through which and in which the glorified Christ will reveal his great work of salvation in the world... There are no other institutions that can take over this responsibility."

(Bavinck, 1977, p. 59)

 

In essence, we understand that mission work is fundamentally the work of our Triune God, who uses us as His instruments to gather a people from every nation to Himself. This belief forms the foundation of all our hopes and expectations in missions. As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support missionaries and the local church in this divine endeavor, confident that God’s purposes will be accomplished through the obedience of His redeemed church.

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