SPEAR IM Mission Statement
“To Encourage, Equip & Empower believers Worldwide to discover and fulfill their role in the Great Commission for the Glory of God”
The Mission of SPEAR International Ministries is to equip and empower individual Christians and churches to discover and fulfill their role in the Great Commission primarily through the establishment of strategic partnerships with indigenous ministries around the world.
We believe that the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18~20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46~48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8) is God’s command for all believers and all churches, not just a few individuals. The dilemma is how to be actively involved in proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples both locally and internationally without changing our vocation and location. The biblical answer to this dilemma is participation locally and partnership internationally. This doesn’t mean that we don’t actually participate in global outreach. It simply means that our participation will involve partnership with others who understand the language, culture, and worldview of those we are seeking to reach.
“Partnership in the Gospel” is described in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi beginning with 1:5. In this verse Paul expresses his joyful thanks to God for their “partnership” or “fellowship” in the Gospel. The word “koinonia” which is often translated “fellowship” comes from the word “koinos” which means “sharer”. The idea is joint-participation in an intimate relationship where there is a common purpose. The Philippians and the apostle Paul established a “Great Commission Partnership” in which the common purpose was the spread of the Gospel.
The believers in Philippi were far more than supporters of “Paul’s ministry”. They were co-partners in that ministry. As partners, their roles varied, but there was equal ownership, equal commitment, and equal reward in the Mission. These believers were literally fulfilling the Great Commission through partnership with God’s servants on the field. Their partnership included mutual communication, mutual concern, mutual visits, mutual prayer, mutual encouragement, mutual sharing of resources. The results of this Great Commission Partnership were:
1) The advancement of the Gospel (1:5,12)
2) The joy and blessing of all the partners (1:4,26; 2:2,17; 4:1,10,17,19)
3) The glory of God. (4:20)
SPEAR IM Vision
The vision of SPEAR International Ministries is to see Great Commission Partnerships established in our generation resulting in the advance of the Gospel around the globe, the blessing of both God’s servants on the field and their partners here in the States, and ultimately the glory of God in the church and the world!
SPEAR IM Strategy
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
SPEAR IM Beliefs
Statement of Faith
A. We believe that the Bible, consisting of Old and New Testaments only, is verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit, is without error in the original manuscripts, and is the infallible and authoritative Word of God.
B. We believe that that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
C. We believe that Adam, created in the image of God, was tempted by Satan, the god of this world, and fell. Because of Adam’s sin, all men are guilty before God, are totally depraved, and need to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit for salvation.
D. We believe that Jesus Christ is God, was born of a virgin, died vicariously, shed His blood as man’s substitutionary sacrifice, rose bodily, and ascended to heaven, where He is presently exalted at the Father’s right hand.
E. We believe that salvation consists of the remission of sins, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, reconciliation to God, and the gift of eternal life, received by faith alone, apart from works.
F. We believe that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent, and that it will be visible and personal.
G. We believe that the saved will be raised to everlasting life and blessedness in heaven, and that the unsaved will be raised to everlasting and conscious punishment in hell.
H. We believe that the church, the body of Christ, consists only of those who are born again, who are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ at the time of regeneration, for whom He now makes intercession in heaven and for whom He will come again.
I. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit indwelling all believers and thus enabling and empowering the life and ministry of the believer.
J. We believe that Christ commanded the church and every individual Christian to go into all the world preach the Gospel to every creature and to make disciples of all nations.
SPEAR International Ministries was birthed in 2008 out of a burden to see more prayer, resources, and assistance reach ministries around the world and see believers in the West begin to find and fulfill their role in the Great Commission by partnering with those internationals.
The first partnership was forged with a Kenyan pastor who has established an orphanage, Christian school, and church in a poor African community. As God raises up partners, countless lives have been impacted on both sides of the globe. Children and adults have been fed, clothed, educated, reached with the Gospel, become growing disciples of Christ and are making Him known. Some of the first children at the orphanage are now studying at Bible College in preparation for vocational ministry. One of them plans to take the Gospel to an unreached tribal group. Another is training to work with handicapped children. Multiplication is taking place!
At the same time this is taking place in Africa, pages could be filled with testimonies of believers here in the U.S. who have partnered with some of these children and adults through prayer, letters of encouragement, or participation in SPEAR IM ministry trips. Lives are being transformed and God is being glorified through Great Commission partnership!
Partnerships are expanding with the launch of Ushindi Community Christian Centre (UCCC) in September 2012. UCCC established a vocational Bible institute so young people can learn to make a living while becoming grounded in the Word of God. As God provides more partners he next step will be formal ministry/leadership training for current and potential pastors and cross-cultural workers.
In 2012 SPEAR IM began to forge partnerships in two other needy areas of the world. The small eastern European country of Macedonia suffers from more than 60% unemployment. In addition to physical needs the spiritual needs are overwhelming. Most Macedonians consider themselves Christians because of their Eastern Orthodox background, but the stark reality is that few attend church at all and even fewer have heard and embraced the Gospel. A large segment of the population is Albanian Muslim. They tend to be avid and sometime radical followers of Islam.
Great opportunities and great challenges must be faced in making disciples of Jesus Christ in this nation. SPEAR IM will send a team to Macedonia in June 2013 to assist our potential new partners with children’s and student ministries. You could respond to the call to “Come over and help us!” (Acts 16:9) by partnering with God’s servants in Macedonia through SPEAR International Ministries.
In September 2013 another SPEAR IM team will be sent to work with potential ministry partners in Cuba. God is using these partners to train leaders who are equipped to make disciples who make disciples. In spite of very difficult conditions and limited freedom these brothers have planted 300 churches. What a privilege to come alongside of them as they proclaim the Good News to a hungry people.
God ordained Great Commission Partnerships so that every one of His children could be actively involved in making disciples of all nations and so that desperately needed prayer, assistance, and resources can reach the front lines. I challenge you to seriously consider becoming a Great Commission partner this year. Your involvement will have an impact in the lives of needy people and your life will never be the same.
SPEAR IM Chief Ministry Officer
Bob Flanders
