Is this typical for todays missionaries?

Depends on how long he had to fly from one end of the Church to the other in those airplanes.:laugh:

Church planting should take some time, but I believe 11 years may be stretching it.

 

Not much meat to chew on here--"I was told--"!

Who told you?
Are they credible?
What's the rest of the story?
Does someone have an issue with this missionary that's not included here?
Is this the "absolute truth", or just part of a bigger scenario?

Lots of un-answered questions on this situation! Too many for a rational discussion.

 

Have you met this missionary?

 

Where is the church plant?

 

As a Southern Baptist congregation, my church supports missionaries through the Cooperative Program. The NAMB and IMB hold the missionaries to standards of spending and the use of other resources.

 

KJVkid, if what you're saying is true, I would use Matt. 18 as a guideline and first talk to the man personally and ask him to come clean. If that doesn't work, I'd contact his mission board if he has one, or possibly the pastors of his supporting churches.

I don't think this is typical of most missionaries. In fact, many are overworked, underpaid, and too often ignored by their supporting churches. As an independent Baptist, though, I have seen firsthand some "missionaries" that caused me to really lose faith in the whole concept. It's hard not to become biased when you've been burnt, especially by someone claiming to be in ministry.

Just remember, for every fraud out there, there are many, many more who sacrifice much for the sake of Christ, and they need our prayers and encuragement.

 

I've occasionally heard stories like this, but never known a missionary like him. There are some bad apples, but about 98% of the missionaries I've known are good, godly, honest people.

200 churches is a whole lot if the average amount of support is at all high--but not if you only get $20 per church. No missionary should own 3 planes unless he is a missionary pilot.

Some missionaries do have property in the States, though. It's either that or having to rent when you retire from the field some day. Actually, nowadays half a million might not buy much land. I don't know much about the prices in the States, but here in Japan that would barely buy a modest home with a very small yard.

As for the 11 years planting a church in the States, that is probably too long. However, if it is a cross-cultural church plant to say, middle eastern Muslims in America, or Japanese or Chinese, it might not be too long. Here in Japan, I have known of many church planting efforts that took way longer than 11 years. In one case it took consecutively: two missionaries, one Japanese pastor, another missionary and finally the current Japanese pastor, all over a time of about 20 years.

 

That's a very difficult area in the States to plant churches. It could take 11 years.

 

Sounds like you need to deal with this chap one on one.

It is difficult to draw a conclusion only hearing one side of the story.

You know the answer to your OP. If all that you say is true this is very atypical.

MOST missionaries get offended when you ask them how much support they need to raise? Perhaps you need a new field of missionaries. No missionary should ever be offended at that question.

 

You know, there are those of us independent Baptists that have accountability because we are with a good missions agency that helps local churches keep us accountable. This is one reason I am so grateful for my board and can not thank them enough.

 

You know, your screen name is very misleading. I thought I was talking to some young guy, then I look up your profile and you just turned 58. (Happy Birthday!) You're older than me! (I just turned 56.)

Don't know how I could do this from Japan and know which are good, fundamental churches and which are not. Or how long it took to plant each church. :type:

Well, we (three of us missionaries who have answered you) have accountability through our mission board. Personally I recommend to young people that they go to the field through a good, reputable board.

And by the way, now you've raised the price of his farm up to a million dollars from a half a million! :laugh:

I hope this isn't turning into a general attack on missionaries. I hope you've noticed that this particular forum of the BB is for fellowship, not debate.

God bless.