David Garrison has noted about the strategy of missionary work, “The best place to begin your efforts is at the end, with the vision God has given you.” Your ultimate job is to work yourself out of a job, giving away as much responsibility as is wise and appropriate as early as possible, particularly to nationals. The best way to accomplish this purpose is to view your role from the beginning more as a mentor and coach rather than a leader and organizer.

The purpose behind this principle is that from an early time, onlookers are observing how people come to faith, form churches, and do ministry. If the missionary is integral to the ministry—even in issues as small as the Bible study meeting in the missionary’s home, or leading worship— presumptions develop that this is the model for ministry. Your aim is to model and multiply a ministry that is easily understood and reproducible by the community of faith.

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