As a mission agency, one of our main ministries is providing the career missionary's supporting churches with a clear testimony of his integrity in respect to ministry and finances. The Apostle Paul, who sought to provide "things honest. . . in the sight of men," is an example of a "career missionary" who sought to maintain a testimony (1 Cor. 16:3-4; 2 Cor. 8:18-22). Perhaps you, like the Apostle Paul, are looking for a way to provide supporting churches with a testimony of integrity as you serve Christ on the foreign mission field. If so, we would count it a privilege to serve you.

Today Gospel Fellowship Association missionaries are planting churches on six continents . Because GFA missionaries are committed to indigenous principles, they are always seeking ways to transfer the ministry of the local church into the hands of responsible nationals. On many fields missionaries have begun Bible schools to train national pastors and workers. In addition, some GFA missionaries are incorporating medical missions and missionary aviation in their church-planting outreaches. The GFA short-term missionary program is also strengthening the hands of our career missionaries. Many of these short-termers have themselves been called to career missions.

Doctrinal Beliefs

GFA holds to the historic fundamentals of the faith. The following are statements of belief in areas that we believe are vital.

Mission Creed

We believe that whatever the Bible says is true—which means we believe in the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that man was created by the direct act of God and in the image of God. We believe that Adam and Eve in yielding to the temptation of Satan became fallen creatures. We believe that all men are born in sin. We believe in the incarnation, the Virgin Birth, and the Deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in His vicarious and substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the Cross. We believe in the resurrection of His body from the tomb, His ascension into Heaven, and that He is now our Advocate. We believe that He is personally coming again. We believe in His power to save men from sin. We believe in the necessity of the New Birth, and that this New Birth is through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone in the atoning blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Eschatology

GFA missionaries are moderately dispensational. They recognize God's special dealing with the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church. They believe in an imminent, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Separation

GFA missionaries practice both ecclesiastical and personal separation. They separate ecclesiastically from any church associated with the World or National Council of Churches or with those in 'New Evangelical' or Charismatic groups or fellowships. They do not seek support from any of these or from those churches in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Regarding personal separation, GFA missionaries seek to maintain a consistent and godly testimony of separation from the world unto the Lord and His work. Our goal has always been to maintain pure lives and service unto the Lord and to protect the sheep of God's fold by compassionate warning of trends and practices that deviate from the biblical norm. We are glad to be known as a board that maintains a separatist position.

Church

GFA missionaries believe that all bloodwashed believers in Christ, living and dead, make up the body of Christ. They believe in and seek to establish local New Testament churches, the ordinances of which are baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. 

Biblical philosophy of missions

Gospel Fellowship Association has purposed to enter with a strong evangelistic ministry any door the Lord opens. Each missionary is in a full-time ministry of propagating the Word of God, regardless of any special training or skill he may possess. However, GFA understands that biblical missions does not end with evangelism. Our goals in ministry include evangelizing the lost, nurturing believers, gathering them into local, biblical, Fundamental churches, and training local leaders to carry on the Gospel ministry to their own people. GFA believes that it is not becoming for a minister of the Gospel to stoop to cheap means or canned methods to get a quick result. GFA missionaries are to maintain patient endurance while working at bearing fruit that will remain.

Independent position

GFA appeals to the Christian who loves Scriptural fidelity and the souls of men. It exists to serve all fundamental churches that agree with our doctrinal position.

Relationship with the local church

GFA has confidence in and a good working relationship with local churches . Each application process begins with a phone call to the missionary's home church to touch base with the pastor and to confirm his recommendation and approval of the candidate. Often one or more of the GFA directors will participate in the candidate's ordination at his home church, and whenever any questions or problems arise, the GFA director will as a matter of course work closely with the home church pastor to resolve the issue.

Missionary Qualifications

Each candidate is considered on the basis of his salvation experience, Christian conduct, Christian education, call to the field, and pastor's recommendation. He must be in full sympathy and agreement with the doctrinal position and policies of GFA. A completed course of study from a Christian university or Bible institute is a requisite, and some will be encouraged to take further graduate studies. The candidate should have made a thorough study of the field to which he is called. He must be able to pass a physical examination and evidence emotional stability and spiritual discernment. We do not process the applications of divorced persons.

 

If your response to these affirmations is positive, you will be happy with GFA and its missionaries. You can with confidence support and pray for them. If you are following God's leading into missionary service and need information about our fields or if you wish to obtain other helpful information concerning missions, please contact us .