It has been said that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!
What is DNI’s “main thing”? Our logo succinctly states “Christ’s last command our first priority—church planting among unreached people groups.” The first of DNI’s long term goals explains that logo more completely: “DNI shall prioritize the planting of reproducing, mission-minded, Anabaptist churches among unreached peoples (those less than 5% Christian), particularly those who are in or from countries found in the ‘10/40 Window’. Under-evangelized peoples will also be given appropriate consideration.”
Let’s take a closer look at the components of that vision.
“…the planting of…churches…” Jesus commanded us to make disciples—loyal followers of His who would boldly risk everything to trust and obey Him in company with others who catch the vision of His will being done here on earth as it is in heaven. Not isolated believers here and there, but rather clusters of like-minded brothers and sisters who gather together regularly just as did the first believers in the book of Acts.
“…prioritize…” Church planting is not the only thing we do, but it is our overarching goal toward which every other activity must contribute in some way. Why? Because we believe that in this way we participate in the vision Christ expressed when He promised: “I will build my church…” Furthermore, it is through the church that God will demonstrate His wisdom to the universe: “…to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God…” (Eph. 3:10 emphasis mine).
“…Anabaptist…” By this we mean men and women who recognize that they are sinners, that Jesus is the only Way to the Father and that baptism demonstrates their commitment to follow Christ in daily life according to the Bible at whatever cost.
“…reproducing…” We aim not merely to establish a new congregation here and there, but to plant churches with a vision to evangelize their neighbors, to win some to Christ and to train them also to be His true followers.
“…mission-minded…” Our goal is for newly established churches to catch the vision of world-wide disciple-making among unreached people groups. We envision the new congregations themselves will participate in selecting such groups and in sending workers to establish new churches among them. All churches everywhere sharing all the Gospel till all the people groups have faithful disciples within them! North American Anabaptist churches have no monopoly on missions! All of us have the privilege and responsibility to participate.
“…unreached peoples (those less than 5% Christian), particularly those who are in or from countries found in the ‘10/40 Window’.” The Scriptural chain of questions is still pertinent and haunting: “…how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:14,15) We believe that those countries containing the majority of the remaining unreached people groups (10 degrees north to 40 degrees north of the equator, stretching from West Africa to the Far East) must become a focus of the prioritization of our efforts and resources if the prophecy of Jesus’ return is to be realized: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations [ta ethne—people groups]; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14 emphasis mine). For this reason we prioritize persons from unreached people groups in their countries, as well as those who have chosen to reside in ours (the US and Canada). The latter, living right among us and next door, have great potential for reaching back into their homelands and therefore should not be overlooked.
Finally, “…Under-evangelized peoples will also be given appropriate consideration.” By “under-evangelized” we refer to peoples such as the Quebeckers (Quebecois) in Canada who were “evangelized” by Catholics in years gone by. Now, for all practical purposes, they have very little concept of the true Gospel due to the kind of “Gospel” they received and to subsequent secularization such that now only one out of two hundred are born again. For peoples such as they, work needs to begin all over again. Such peoples are considered by DNI to be within our responsibility as well. Relegating them to a second tier of priority does not mean they are of lesser importance, but is a recognition that they do have some degree of access to the Gospel, if desired, whereas unreached peoples have none.
In the words of that first great cross-cultural missionary, Apostle Paul, we echo the heart cry: “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves…but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent… (II Cor. 3:5,6 ESV). May God empower us to grasp and run with this vision of the “main thing” for His glory and for the salvation of the peoples who do not yet know Him.