WHY Indigenous Missionaries

Posted: February 21, 2012 in Africa, church planting, disciple-making, discipleship, indigenous pastors, Leadership Training, ministry, mission trip, missions, missions trip, pastoral training, planting churches, poverty, Zambia
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Partnering with indigenous ministries in Africa just makes sense.

When you support a Zambian missionary you have saved time, money and SOULS!

TIME is saved because these missionaries already know the language and the culture of their native country. They have a built in understanding of their people both culturally and linguistically. The average western missionary must spend years preparing to go (language studies and building support) and once on the field it takes MANY years to truly learn the culture and communicate relevantly. Over 60% of western missionaries do not return to the field after their first “furlough” meaning everything has to start over.

MONEY: It costs over $500,000 dollars to train, equip, move and keep a western missionary/family on the field for 4 (FOUR) years! It does not include the cost of “doing” ministry on the field. Native missionaries already live in the economy of their culture. There is no moving, language studies or abnormal costs of living. Unlike the western missionary they live at the same standard of living as their fellows. For a fraction of the cost ($21,000 over 6 years) 40 native pastors can be trained and equipped in the Word of God and they stay on the field all their lives.

Missions trips also known as “short-term” missions are very expensive. Many well intentioned believers spend multiple thousands of dollars to go on a mission’s trip for a few weeks. This same amount of money could support scores and even hundreds of native missionaries already on the field and working but without many needed resources.

SOULS: A HUB of 40 missionary pastors will will thousands of people to Christ, starting many new bible preaching, Gospel believing churches in their cultures. It is amazing to see and experience the growth of the church in Africa. God is bringing in a GREAT Harvest of Souls through the ministry of the African Indigenous Church. Because of the cultural and language barriers a foreign missionary may win a few hundred people to Christ and plant a church or maybe two but most do not last when the missionary departs.

A CHURCH or individual can sponsor a HUB of native missionary pastors for $300 a month. In 6 years this HUB can grow into 40 trained pastors and 40 Gospel Churches with THOUSANDS of new souls serving Christ and becoming Disciples. NOW that is  FRUIT which can be shared in the DAY of Visitation! Many will gather around the Throne of God with thousands of their brethren they had a part in coming to Christ.

The Mission Paradigm has changed. Many places do not need foreign missionaries, but they do need their fellow Christians to partner with them. The Apostle Paul collected gifts from the Gentile church to take to the poor church in Palestine. A few went to distribute the funds and give accountability to the project but there were no missionaries sent to Israel. There were plenty of Christians there, even apostles. They needed material help. This is the case in most countries around the world. The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is well established, but it is poor. It is not leaderless. The leaders there need help to train more leaders. They need Bibles and training materials. They can use bicycles and motorcycles to help them to cover more territory in places that do not have adequate roads.

Hope Builders Ministries provides the link between the American Church and the Church in Africa. With your partnership literally thousands of believers can be trained and equipped to take the Gospel to their own people in a very short amount of time and a strategic investment.

Join us today. There will be much to “boast” about in the Kingdom that is coming.

Pastors Training Pastors in Zambia

Posted: January 30, 2012 in disciple-making, indigenous pastors, witnessing, Zambia
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Lou Ann and I send heartfelt greetings to you in Jesus Name.

The mission of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” of everyone, everywhere, until the end of time, I.E. all our lives.

We are to do this locally as we are all the missionaries Christ has sent to the people we rub shoulders with everyday (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). We are also to have a heart for those outside our immediate circle of relationships (Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth).

I continue to be convinced that the best, most optimum way to effectively make disciples in other cultures is by coming along side the Christians in that culture. Indigenous missions is the most effective way to obey the worldwide mandate of the Gospel to make disciples. Linguistically, culturally and financially it just makes sense and IT WORKS.

You working together with us and the believers in Zambia has been a fruitful experience. As we provide training and equip key leaders they in turn are training and equipping more leaders who are training and equipping their congregations to take the Saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to their own people. AND they are multiplying churches which means people are being saved! Praise the Lord.

WE are asking you to remain with us in the coming years as we continue to work in indigenous missions with Hope Builders Ministries.

Your prayers and financial support sustain us and enable us to continue working with hundreds of indigenous missionaries who are reaching thousands with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your partnership with us.

As you can see our website has changed and we are now using WordPress. I have a lot of work to do on it. Patience Please and IDEAS are welcome.

CONSTANT CONTACT: I am presently using Constant Contact to manage my newsletters and mass emailing. I will not be using the Yahoo Group Mail while using Constant Contact, SO don’t reject or spam my mail from this source. We are using the HOPE BUILDERS MINISTRIES logo on the header. Lou Ann and I are still HIMAfrica but we continue to work through and with Hope Builders Ministries. Please except our emails and share them with your friends. We need more partners.

HAVE a blessed 2012 as we Make Disciples until Jesus Comes!

Jeff and Lou Ann Hawkins
HIMAfrica@yahoo.com

Gifts are tax deductible through Hope Builders Ministries, P.O.Box 317, Greenwood, VA 22943
Designate: Hawkins Support

OR online at HBM and open Personal Support-Jeff Hawkins

http://ow.ly/8FUFn Pray with us and help

Posted: January 25, 2012 in disciple-making
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http://ow.ly/8FUFn Pray with us and help us raise the money needed for 7000 Bibles to Zambia this April.

Working in Mpika

Posted: January 18, 2012 in Africa, church planting, disciple-making, discipleship, indigenous pastors, Leadership Training, pastoral training, planting churches, Zambia
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District Leader Solomon Muleya and some Hub Leaders

Pastor Daka with two brothers from Mazabuka receiving their training manuals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastor Daka our administrator in Zambia has traveled to Mpika to deliver the latest set of studies to the 100 student/pastors there. He also gathered the latest reports from the district and spent the day encouraging the men in their faithful work. These brothers are not only students in the Word but they are making disciples and planting new churches as they study. Each pastor taking the HBM 3 year bible course has to pay for it. They do that by making 3 new disciple/pastors and planting 3 new churches. This spreads the gospel into areas without an organized body of believers and it provides this congregation with a pastor who loves God’s Word and teaches it to the people. Each church becomes a disciple making body representing Jesus Christ in their “Jerusalem.”

Thank you for your prayers and partnership. YOUR support is strategically and effectively establishing the church of Jesus Christ in Zambia.

Donate Here

ITS NOT TOO LATE To Make a Difference In 2011

Posted: December 30, 2011 in Africa, bible, Bibles, Bibles for Believers, books, Christ, church planting, disciple-making, discipleship, evangelism, indigenous pastors, Leadership Training, ministry, mission trip, missions, missions trip, Pastor Conference, pastoral training, planting churches, Zambia
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Looking back 2011 has been a marvelous year in Zambia to the Glory of God!

In April and May my friend Bill and I traversed Zambia delivering Training Manuals and reinforcing the HUB model of Church Planting, Pastoral Training and Discipleship. 700 NEW pastors began training with their mentor/pastors who disciple them. We began our journey in South Africa hitching a ride through Zimbabwe with Herbie who is Hope Builders Ministries’ partner in Malawi. In Livingstone we met another ministry, ERM, that “loaned” us their vehicle for the next 6 weeks so that we could make the journey throughout the vast and rugged country.

As we traveled and visited with the different ministries throughout Zambia it was encouraging to see the deep conviction and dedication of the men and women we are privileged to work alongside of. They are doing so much with so little, except FAITH. They truly trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, not only for saving grace but for living grace. They live by faith day to day in a place where the next meal is a matter of trusting God and hard work. We have a hard time comprehending that kind of faith and living.

Our ministry (HIMAfrica) with Hope Builders Ministries is TO SUPPORT the indigenous missionary pastors in Zambia. I emphasize TO SUPPORT because unlike traditional missionaries I do not LIVE in Zambia, setting up home and headquarters and DOING the work of ministry myself. The World of Missions is rapidly changing as church and mission organizations realize that the vast resources expended on training, equipping and keeping ONE Western missionary on the field (6 years – $500,000)  is much better spent directly on the missionaries that already live on the “field” of service. The local Christians already know the language, culture and HOW to live on the local economy. (Most Western Missionaries continue to live like westerners in developing countries causing all kinds of hindrances to the Gospel.)

HIMAfrica and Hope Builders Ministries exist to support the native missionaries that are already there. We are Helping Indigenous Ministries in Africa. Hope Builders Ministries philosophy is to equip and encourage the church in Africa to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord to Make Disciples to the end of time.

Using the local Christian leaders, who have formal Biblical training, we come along side these godly men and help them “Make Disciples” by providing the resources they need… Bibles, Training Manuals, Bicycles, Training Centers, Farming implements, basic widow/orphan support and other basic “tools” …to do the work of the ministry. These men focus on making disciples who in turn make disciples who make disciples. IT is the multiplication method taught to us in the Scriptures.

Zambia has seen over 1500 church planted and pastors trained in the past 10 years. Hope Builders Ministries has been directly involved in upwards of 5000 churches planted and pastors trained in the same period. These are phenomenal results that are unheard of in traditional missions.  As the momentum builds it is possible in this next year that over 2000 new churches will be planted and new pastors begin training in Zambia alone! This is because THEY, the Disciples of Christ on the ground, are doing the work just as they were designed to do. Ephesians 4:12 clearly tells us that the PEOPLE do the WORK of the MINISTRY. We believe this. The indigenous pastors believe this. AND God does it, by His Grace and the empowering of the Holy Spirit as we obey the Word of God.

This is where you come in and can MAKE A DIFFERENCE before this year is over. Here is what you can do:

  • PRAY for us (HIMAfrica) and Hope Builders Ministries regularly.
  • GIVE a year-end gift to help us close the year in the “black.” Zambia needs to pay off the $4500 vehicle we purchased using funds from a fellow ministry. They need their money and we need your help to pay it back.
  • MAKE a decision to partner with Lou Ann and me this next year by giving to our monthly support so that we can continue to Help our brothers and sisters in Zambia. We need your partnership.
  • RECOMMEND our ministry to your church and contacts. This ministry is growing and the needed support base must grow with it.

Lou Ann and I send you our warmest blessings in Jesus Name. Thank you for loving us and partnering with us in the great work God is doing in Africa making disciples.

Jeff and Lou Ann Hawkins (working in Zambia, southern Congo (DRC) and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe)

Hope Builders Ministries, PO Box 317, Greenwood, VA 22943 (all gifts are tax-deductible and will be receipted)
 

National Ministry Vehicle

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