2008
State of the Mission Report
Follow
this link to download the 2008 State of the Mission report. This
is a .pdf file.
History
and Vision
Why
should anyone need to learn another language or culture or move to another
area to worship Jesus?
As
followers of Christ we have a treasure in God and His Kingdom (Matthew
13:44). The good news is that this treasure is not limited to certain
places or people – it is for ALL peoples – from every language,
people group and nation. In Christar, it is our joy to communicate the
unsurpassed value of this treasure by serving the needs of others through
our lives, professions, skills and words! As we do so we are privileged
to see churches established among peoples who have never had one in
their own language, culture or proximity.
– Steve Coffey, Christar President
On January
1, 1930, Christar (known then as the India Mission) was founded by a
70-year-old Scotsman named Benjamin Davidson. The original focus was
ministry among least-reached people of South Asia. Since then, our work
has expanded to encompass over 20 countries and 27 people groups. Currently,
we employ strategic tentmaking ministries in 11 creative-access nations.
Mission Statement
Christar
exists to glorify God by establishing churches among the least-reached
Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and other Asians worldwide.
Vision Statement
The
vision of Christar is to cultivate Christ-honoring transformation in
communities where He is yet to be worshiped.
At Christar,
we value:
Godliness,
the Body of Christ, Personal Development, Effectiveness and Creativity.
top | home
Emphasis
of Christar: Church-planting
The major
thrust of Christar is church-planting. Our aim is to start indigenous
churches which will be culturally appropriate in proclaiming the Christian
faith. Thus we seek to use culturally relevant terms without compromising
the content of the gospel.
We believe that church-planting is the most effective and efficient means of
evangelism because it is the best way to affect a culture. It leaves behind
a culturally sensitive example of the Body of Christ, bearing an ongoing witness
which is carried on by national believers who are best equipped to bear the
message.
We not only plant churches but also have dedicated ourselves to establishing
them among the traditionally “resistant” peoples. Our belief is that the gospel “is
the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes.” Neglect by the
church rather than lack of power in the gospel has resulted in more than three
billion people being in imminent danger of eternal damnation. Our focus, therefore,
is to take the light of the gospel into the heart of the prevailing darkness,
and, through the power of God, deliver men from the realm of darkness into
the kingdom of light.
We
do provide training for church-planting. But there is no substitute
for a strong church-planting team which displays the variety of spiritual
gifts needed to accomplish that task.
top | home
Money
Issues
The
financial policies of a mission affect the daily life of a missionary.
In Christar, we believe that the dollars given to the mission are to
be applied to work on the field. With the exception of a few salaried
employees in our home office, All Christar missionaries, from the President
on down, secure their own personal support. This allows us to minimize
administrative overhead (the administrative costs for Christar average
around 10% of total expenses.) and keeps our headquarters personnel
continually aware of the life of faith, as is the case with workers
on a field.
Christar uses the best of both pool and individual support. Certain
funds are pooled on the field to allow greater benefit for all. Missionaries
set their own support figures according to the cost of ministry on their
fields. Individual figures are based upon the principle of equity. The
support figure for a single individual on a field is naturally lower
than that for a family of five. However, the buying power, based upon
the cost of living, should be relatively equal between the single unit
and the family unit. This prevents inequality of financial advantage,
a frequent cause of stressed relationships between missionaries. Missionaries
also have major medical coverage and a layaside for retirement built
into their monthly support figures.
To maintain the highest standard of financial accountability, Christar
is a member of the Evangelical
Council for Financial Accountability, CrossGlobal
Link, The
Mission Exchange and the Canadian
Council of Christian Charities. We also have a yearly audit conducted
by an independent accounting firm. The results of the audit are open
and available to all who request them.
top | home
Administration
It is our
belief that the headquarters staff exists to facilitate work on the
field. Thus major decisions regarding field ministry should be made
on the field. Decisions regarding the family should be made by the
family. There are times, however, when each may have the greater claim
to priority. When it comes to particular decisions about the family,
we believe that individual parents have the proper right to make the
best decision.
We allow parents to choose how they will educate their children. Some home
school their children. Some prefer missionary boarding schools. Others have
chosen to use national or international schools. A few fields have one-room
or multi-level schools for missionary children. Christar also allows similar
freedom of decision about ministry involvement for mothers with small children.
This attitude of democracy and respect toward the individual becomes important
in other areas. Missionaries on the field elect their field leader and council.
Missionaries on the field participate in making the By-laws and electing the
President and members of the Board of Trustees. Every six years the President
is reviewed by the missionary body which determines his fitness for a further
term of service. Missionaries vote on support levels. Missionaries participate
in choosing their country of service and have major input in the specific type
of ministry with which they will be involved. They also have several courses
of appeal should some difficulty fail to be resolved on the field. We definitely
seek to honor the giftedness of individuals. Yet we work in teams not just
as independent missionaries.
Christar
is a field-centered, missionary-centered board.
top | home
Doctrinal
Statement
a.
THE SCRIPTURE
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six (66) books of the Old
and New Testaments, is verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit, is inerrant in the
original manuscripts, and is the infallible and authoritative Word of God. (Matthew
4:4; 5:17-19; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20, 21)
b. GODHEAD OR TRINITY
We believe that there is only one living and true God. He eternally exists
in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the same in essence, equal in
power and glory. We believe that God, by His spoken Word and for His own glory,
created the heavens and earth out of nothing. (Genesis 1:1;
Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:21-22; Matthew 3:16-17; John 4:23, 24; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians
4:3-6)
c. GOD THE FATHER
We believe that God the Father loves the world, gave Christ to be its Savior
and is the Father of all who believe on Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. (John
3:16-17; Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 2:4-8; Galatians 3:26; 4:6)
d. GOD THE SON
We believe that God the Son became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ,
was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary. He is truly
God and truly man, and lived a perfect, sinless life. All His teachings and
utterances are true. (Luke
1:34-37; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-19; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Timothy 3:16)
We believe
that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed His blood and died for the
sins of the whole world, according to the Scriptures, as a substitutionary
sacrifice. (John
3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 2:1; 1
John 2:2)
We believe
that the crucified body of Christ was raised from the dead, according
to the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and He sits at the right
hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. (1
Corinthians 15:4; Hebrews 2:17-18; 7:24-25; 10:12)
e. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person. He is the divine author of the
Scriptures. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He is
the divine agent of regeneration. He indwells all believers, and He baptizes
all believers into the body of Christ at the time of their conversion. The
Holy Spirit enables the believer to understand the Scriptures. He empowers
believers for godly living, and He equips them for witness and service. (John
16:7-11; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:4-16; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 6:19; 12:4-7;
12:13; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21)
f. HUMANITY
We believe that the human race was created in the image of God. Adam sinned
and, thereby, incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God, as well
as physical death. Consequently, all people are born with a sinful nature,
which is enmity toward God. All people are totally depraved, sinful in thought,
word and deed, and absolutely in need of salvation. (Genesis
1:26-27; 3:19; Romans 3:23; 5:12; James 3:9)
g. SATAN
We believe in the existence of a personal Satan and evil angelic powers and
that they all have been judged by God in the death and resurrection of Christ. (Matthew
25:41; Luke 4:1-13; John 16:11; Revelation 12:9; 20:10)
h. SALVATION
We believe that salvation is only by grace, through faith. All who by faith
receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are born again by the
Holy Spirit. There is no other way by which a person may be saved. All who
are truly born again have been given eternal life and shall never perish. (John
3:16; 10:28; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:8, 9; 8:28-39; Ephesians 2:8-9; 4:30)
i. THE CHURCH AND ORDINANCES
We believe that the church is the body of Jesus Christ and is a divinely established
instrument for the worship of God, the growth of believers and evangelism of
the lost. It is the responsibility of the members of the church to participate
in making disciples of Jesus Christ from every people group and to live out
their faith with justice and mercy.
There are two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's supper, which are divinely
enjoined upon all believers. They are without saving merit in themselves, but
they provide an expression of faith regarding the believer's identification
and fellowship with Christ. (Matthew
16:18; 28:18-20; Romans 15:20-21; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 8:10, 13-15; Ephesians 1:22-23;
2:8, 9; 2:19-22; 3:10, 21; James 1:27)
j. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and bodily to rapture the
church. The second coming of Christ will be premillennial to establish His
kingdom upon the earth and to reign in righteousness, justice and peace. (1
Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 20:1-10)
k. RESURRECTION
We believe that both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead
bodily. The redeemed in Christ will enjoy eternal blessedness. Those who have
not accepted the offer of salvation will suffer eternal, conscious punishment. (Daniel
12:2; Mark 9:47-48; John 5:28, 29; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15;
21:3,4)
l. CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that the Christian life is to be lived by faith, trusting the Lord
to meet all of our needs. All who are saved are new creatures in Christ, with
provision made for victory over the flesh by the power of the indwelling Holy
Spirit. We are called to be holy, and to discipline ourselves for the purpose
of godliness. (Matthew
6:31-34; Romans 6:8, 7:8; Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 1:13-15; 5:8-11; 2 Peter
3:11-14; 2 Timothy 2:3-6; Titus 2:11, 12; Hebrews 12:14)
top | home
Opportunities
Skills currently
needed among our 21 fields (sorted alphabetically):
- Academic
Dean
- Administrative
and technical personnel
- Administrative
assistants
- Agriculturalist
- Animal
husbandry/Veterinarian
- Business
professionals
- Children's
workers
- Computer
specialists
- Design
professionals
- Disciplers
- English
teachers (TEFL)
- Ethnomusicologists
- Evangelists
- House
parents
- Language
students
- Leadership
and outreach trainers
- Medical
personnel
- Pioneer
church planters
- Publisher
- School
administrators
- School
teachers (K-12 and for MKs)
- Theology
teachers
- Translators
from English to Arabic
- Translators
to Maranao
- Visionaries
- Worship
leaders
- Youth
workers
top | home
