Bill Commons on Strategic Planning

By Dr, Bill Commons, International Vice President for Strategic Initiative and Research

Strategic planning may sound as though it belongs in the business world, rather than in missions. But there is a Biblical basis for careful planning, in total dependence upon the Holy Spirit, to reach the unreached world. To this end, the ABWE Board has initiated the STIR Ministry: Strategic Initiative & Research. STIR assists Regional Administrators in implementing ABWE’s vision by surveying and researching unreached peoples and recommending creative strategies for evangelism and discipleship.

The “nations” of the Great Commission are the “ethne,” referring to peoples rather than geopolitical entities on the map. Future missionaries may be appointed to people groups rather than simply countries (Chinese people, for example, wherever in the world they may be found, not only in China).

It is currently estimated that 11,000 ethnolinguistic groups are still without a witness of Christ. When these groups are located in countries hostile to “foreign religious workers,” there are non-traditional approaches to reaching them, often involving lay missionaries who can go in the capacity of educators, English as a Second Language teachers, business and management professionals, translators, medical personnel or computer specialists. After receiving appropriate training in Bible, doctrine and culture, these lay people compose a dynamic new vanguard to advance the Gospel in difficult places around the world.