Ethnos360 Overview
1. Least Reached People Groups. Tribes. Unreached People Groups. Ethnic groups of people who are isolated from the Gospel by a unique language, culture, geography, or religion. Ethnos360 is focused on reaching people in remote areas of the world who have little or no access to God’s Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God which is carried by messengers who are sent. (Romans 10:13-17)
2. Training. To increase the opportunities for success in ministry, Ethnos360 career members receive two years of training given by seasoned and experienced missionaries. Ideas communicated include walking closely with God, Biblical insights for church planting, educational values for church planting, and practical skills needed on the mission field for living, surviving, communicating, teaching, and translating scripture.
3. On Field Support. Missionaries on the mission field are supported by teams of missionary leaders, consultants and co-workers who assist the missionary in the work. (Leadership teams, language acquisition consultants, church planting consultants, literacy consultants, Bible translation consultants, supply teams, technical teams, medical teams, etc.)
4. Planting Maturing Churches. We work toward establishing maturing, Bible-believing, indigenous churches among unreached people groups. Evangelism and Bible translation are vital but only part of the process of planting strong churches. We have a commitment to establishing maturing churches through communication of a clear Gospel message to establish a faith rooted in Christ alone using foundational teaching of God’s Word. We endeavor to enable the indigenous local church to understand their part in the Great Commission and the need to send their own missionaries to declare God’s glory, thus multiplying the church planting efforts.
5. Discipleship & Multiplication. We are committed to discipleship. Investing in individuals, teaching them the “all things” which Christ commanded, is necessary to establish a maturing, Bible believing church. (Matthew 28:20) Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and committing what we have learned to faithful men who will teach others is a key objective.
6. Walk with God Emphasis. NTM training provides a strong emphasis on maintaining a close walk with God and dependence upon the Holy Spirit in accordance with God’s Word. More than tools or methods which might be used we need to be feeding on God’s Word and applying it by faith.
7. Authority of Scripture. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10)
a. Bible translation. Bible translation is necessary to establish the faith of the Church on the Word of God rather than the words of man. Access to God’s Word is vital to the autonomous growth and maturity of the indigenous churches.
b. Literacy. Most unreached people groups have unwritten languages. Teaching people how to read, and to teach other people how to read, is a key part of the future growth of the local church and of establishing faith based on the Word of God. God’s Word is the foundation for our faith and walk of obedience. The ability to read the Bible is a key to future church growth and autonomy.
8. Faith Mission. All members of Ethnos360 must walk by faith, trusting God to provide for their personal needs, ministry income and ministry projects. Members are often supported by family, friends and churches who believe in the work they are doing and desire to enable that work.
9. Foundational Bible Teaching. (aka Chronological Bible Teaching) What is hidden from people is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in face of Jesus Christ. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Our view of the world and reality is skewed by ideas that do not match what God has told us in His written word about His character, the world around us, or ourselves. Genesis is the foundation to begin understanding the person and work of God; for being drawn into intimate fellowship with our good, righteous, just, and gracious Creator. The Master Builder has a plan for teaching which includes laying a careful foundation, and teaching His Word as one book. This foundation for a Christ-centered Biblical faith is found in key Old Testament scriptures which give the background necessary for an accurate understanding of truth in the New Testament. The Old Testament declares the glory of the Lord, laying the foundation for understanding the concepts of sin, faith, righteousness and judgment to come. Carefully laying a Biblical historical foundation gives people the substance and evidence for faith in Christ; not only for the Gospel message concerning salvation but also for the obedient walk of fellowship by faith in God’s Word. (See Building On Firm Foundations Volume One.)
10. Heart Language. People best understand Biblical truth in their native language. A missionary who does not learn the heart language of his audience frequently unintentionally communicates a message which is not Biblically accurate; leading to an inadequate object of faith. Christ alone is able to deliver helpless sinners from righteous judgment and clothe the unrighteous in perfect righteousness. Using the heart language, the teacher will be able to perceive what the listener understands and clearly communicate a message which has Christ as the only adequate object of faith.
11. Culture. Without knowledge of culture, or the meaning behind the words, a teacher can often miscommunicate the message. The study of culture assists the teacher with accurately communicating truth about Christ and effectively teaching to the worldview of the audience.
12. Teamwork. Ethnos360 exists to assist the local church, not as doing missions on behalf of the church, but rather as carrying out the mission of the church as part of the church. We are committed to an ongoing partnership with local churches to serve and facilitate pastors and members in their central role of reaching unreached peoples and extending their God-given mission worldwide. Skills of all kinds are needed, giving room for individuals to exercise their unique gifts as part of a larger team effort. Working together to bring churches to maturity of faith multiplies the workers on the team, expanding the reach to the unreached.