I listened with rapt attention as my translator explained the words of the national missionary’s report to his sending church. Sent from a BMM missionary-planted Baptist church, Pastor “A” was sharing the fruit of his labors and how the gospel was spreading from one village to another. God had enabled him and his daughter churches to plant a total of 18 churches. He displayed a diagram of circles and arrows depicting which church mothered each daughter congregation. It was thrilling to see how God is at work in this Creative Access Nation!

What is happening in this ministry is not unique to their nation. It is not unique because it is biblical. Missions is a ministry of multiplication. The missionary-planted church is the fruit of the labors of current BMM missionaries and their predecessors. These BMM missionaries are the fruit of churches that recognized the call of God in their lives and sent them to multiply disciples, to multiply churches, and to multiply missionaries.

This issue of Advance focuses on the biblically vital role that local churches play in sending missionaries. Frankly, God has no Plan B. He has divinely chosen churches to be the instruments He uses to send missionaries. It is thrilling to serve missionaries and the churches that send them and then watch God multiply His work globally.