Starting New Works is the Best Test

The researching of new works in our fellowship is a very difficult task. I'm sure that most of you all realize that there are probably more works being started than we are able to report. But we cannot know for sure. So far this year 5 new works in the USA have been reported. I have very little information from the international scene. We pray for more churches to be started everywhere.

All of our salaried and designated fund missionaries, national and foreign are asked to fill out a 'missionary statistical report form' where basic information is reported from their fields of labor. This is where the number of souls saved on their field is reported. From this the secretary treasurer of missions compiles the total number of souls saved every year which he reports to us at the national meeting. I praise God for the thousands of souls reported saved every year! This statistical report form would be an excellent tool to gather much needed information regarding the starting of new missions and churches in our associated work. Presently there is no place for this information to be reported.

The best test of missionary work has always been the planting of a self-sustaining, self-supporting, self-governing, scriptural church in the region(s) where the missionary is working. This usually begins with a mission which eventually constitutes (organizes) into a New Testament church at some future date. Sometimes with the best of efforts and intentions it doesn't happen. Sometimes a mission fails to organize, sometimes an organized church ceases to exist. This is all part of doing mission work and church planting. But it is still the best test of successful missionary work whether they are planted or whether they die.

I am always delighted to see the number of souls that are reported having professed Christ. But it is a proven fact that the true test of successful missionary work is whether or not reproducing churches have been planted. I believe that an additional two lines on the statistical report form requesting "the number of new churches started" and "the number of new missions started" would enable us to do our research more effectively. We should probably include the number of new works that have closed their doors or disbanded as well but some think that it is 'negative' information. This is research work. True research is honest about the good information as well as the 'negative' information. Most state minute books report church statistics that include, among other things, the number of members dismissed or removed from the church roll. That's negative but it still gets reported.

If these two simple lines requesting information concerning the number of new missions and churches being started is added to the report form we will then begin to understand how to better assist our missionaries and churches to better accomplish the Great Commission. Starting new works is still the best test for successful missionary work.