Heritage Baptist Coalition is a temporary service agency for the purpose of coming along side national ministries and their leaders to provide financial support, encouragement, training, advice, and help with projects.  It is not the intention of HBC to bring national ministry leaders to America for any reason.

In the New Testament, Paul traveled to spiritually needy areas to witness, preach, teach, train, and then entrust the new congregation to a local man who had matured enough to accept the responsibility.  Meanwhile, Paul would proceed to a new field to start this process afresh.  When possible, he returned to see how the new churches were doing and reported back to sending churches.  We at HBC endeavor to reflect this same model as Paul instructed Titus in Titus 1:5.

This approach emphasizes helping and training nationals with their own churches with a minimum American presence. Here are reasons why believe using national people is the best approach:

  • – Nationals know and understand their language, their history and cultural distinctives better than Americans.
  • – Modern politics can change quickly and radically. Even if a nation expels all American missionaries, the nationals’ churches and programs can continue.
  • – Citizens of under-privileged nations often view Americans as “rich big shots.” They can be resentful of America’s prosperity and suspicious of foreigners. A strong American presence in new churches can create difficulties that are avoided by having national people in leadership.
  • – Building prices are kept to a minimum. The reality is that property owners overseas frequently increase prices for land, buildings, and materials when selling to Americans.  They believe Westerners have plenty of money, so they choose to hold out for as much as possible.  Allowing local believers to be in charge eliminates price games and stretches dollars for church‑building projects.
  • – Churches dependent on American leadership often struggle when turned over to national leadership. This non‑traditional strategy removes the transition process.
  • – It is cost‑effective to use national ministry leaders whenever possible. Experts who study missions state that the combined costs of deputation, language classes, shipping personal belongings, acquiring housing on the foreign field, cost of living, etc., can reach more than $250,000 to get one American onto a mission field.
  • – This strategy multiplies the effectiveness of mission ministry. An American missionary can usually pastor only one church plant.  However, by training and equipping dedicated national people, a ministry like HBC could help establish many churches and related ministries.

 

Serving National Ministries and Projects through Supervision
As a service agency, HBC is responsible to insure that nationals hold the same biblical position and practice as HBC.  Each person and project must pass through an application and vetting process.

 

Serving Nationals through Inspiration
HBC seeks to be an encouragement to those here and abroad in need.  The Chairman, Trustees, or other officers will travel, write, email, call, and meet to encourage others to participate and support short-term needs.  We would love to serve you or your organization by representing some national ministries in the 10/40 Window.