Making a Case for Pal

One of the sing-sing groups that welcomed us into the Pal village of Kuyamor

Tomorrow we will be meeting with NTM's Papua New Guinea leadership to make a case for the work in Pal. With that in mind, have you ever wondered...

• With so many needy people groups and so few workers to send, how do we decide where to locate a church planting team?

or

• Is there some kind of long-term big-picture strategy that helps guide us into a specific location?

or

• How in the world do we find out about an unreached people group in the first place?

We will be dealing with the second two questions in the next couple of weeks, but for now, here are some of the factors that are considered when placing a new church planting team:

• Language Distinctives – is the tribal language closely related to that which is spoken nearby? Is there a gospel witness in that nearby language?
  
• Multilingualism – Is there a universal or trade language that is understood well enough to allow for gospel ministry within the people group?
  
• Cultural Distinctives – Is the traditional culture of the people group intact? How much outside influence is there? In the foreseeable future will a radical modernization take place?
  
• Ethnolinguistic Vitality – Is the traditional language of the people dominant? Will it continue to be the principle mode of communication in the area?
  
• Ingroup impact of the Church – Is there a possibility that there are some saved folks within the people group that would be able to reach their own?
  
• Outgroup impact of the Church – Is there another mission organization that is working with or considering working with the people group?
  
• Viable Project Indicators – Are there missionaries available to send to the people group in question? Can they be given logistic and material support in their efforts? Have the people expressed a clear invitation for NTM to come and work among them?

After information is gathered in the survey process, each of these categories is given a number between 1 (most needy) and 3 (least in need of mission work), and then the 7 numbers are averaged. Pal's average score: 1.2! We think we have a very strong case to begin a work there.

Please be praying:

1. Wisdom for us, our partners, and NTM's leadership as we together decide whether commitment to Pal is what the Lord would have for us.
2. Continued strength and energy for daily challenges - school, caring for kids, etc.
3. Continued health in our marriage - (although we lived through our eighth anniversary a couple of weeks ago, Nate was too sick to celebrate and the kids have been sick since. You can pray that we are able to get out for a little date this week.)
4. Plans - should we get a green light from our leadership, we will need to be putting plans for moving into the tribe into high gear. These include finalized house plans, solar-electric design, logistics and coordinating (everything that is brought in will need to fit on the helicopter and most things need 3-6 months to get here), sources need to be found for everything from nails to plumbing fittings to plywood to roofing (no Home Depot here), and a hand-off ceremony needs to be done with NTM leaders and tribal leaders present.
   

Thanks so very much for your continued partnership in prayer! Now more than ever before we are feeling absolutely in need of God's steady hand on our lives and plans.

Nate for the Fam.