Pioneer Missions

Pioneer Missions, by Forrest McPhail, a very thoughtful book detailing the difficulties and blessings of missions in places where the Gospel has never been proclaimed to the current generations.

Many things must be done more carefully when planting churches in places where the Gospel is being heard for the first time. A missionary has to be sure he is limiting his preaching and church organization to what is strictly being done in the Bible. Western culture is not Bible truth, and should not be transmitted. And many things such as gifts must be carefully thought through. The author and his fellow workers have decided that any gifts must come strictly from themselves, and not be perceived as coming from the church. Gifts from the church simply cloud the Gospel and cause people to have "conversions" simply for what they can get.

This is a very thoughtful, well-documented book from a thoughtful missionary to Cambodia. At the end of each chapter, he describes both the challenges and blessings of pioneer ministry. I appreciated his well-written analysis very much.