Interview: Mission Expert on New Global Study, Mission Conference
A five-year global research project called Operation ACCESS! conducted by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) surveying 364 remote sectors in 64 countries was released in June and hailed as “landmark” and “breathtaking” by those in the field. Next month, on October 18-19, the ministry will host a gathering for world mission leaders to brainstorm strategies and find ways to apply the study’s data.
MAF’s research manager, Ron Wismer, spoke to The Christian Post on Monday about the study and the upcoming conference.
CP: What specifically about the study makes it so significant?
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Wismer: For one thing, there is a lot of research done. Over 400 surveys were completed in 64 countries looking at 300 geographic regions. It was done in a geographic sense. We looked at transportation, communications and other barriers in the areas that prevent people’s access to the Gospel.
CP: In October there will be a gathering to discuss the study’s findings. Can you give some key topics that will be addressed?
We have not finished organizing the topics or confirm attendees yet. But basically the meeting is simply a starting point; we do not want to make that an end-all. The October conference is a start and then we hope to bring out of that emerging groups that will look at cooperative approaches to some of the barriers in these areas – social, economic, geographic, and political. We hope to help people in those areas brainstorm and be a liaison to unreached regions.
The point of the conference is to mainly try to help attendees understand the survey and data and then maybe move into what we call feasible study – looking at barriers and opportunities of ways to operate. For example, sometimes we can’t go in as MAF so we have to come up with creative access to those regions such as through aviation or communication services. We hope to be able to bring in some of these organizations who will participate in the conference to help look for creative access to unreached or forgotten regions.
Hopefully this conference will start an ongoing process to use the data from the study.
CP: How will this study and conference affect Christians who are not directly involved in full-time missions?
Wismer: Well certainly one of the key reasons we wanted to do this is because we have received or heard through innuendos or direct statements that the world was fairly reached and we wouldn’t need aviation – everyone can get everywhere in the world. People were saying that although on the Christian side the Gospel may not have reached everywhere, as far as transportation we can get on plane or jet and get anywhere.
In reality, our findings show this is not true. There are barriers to the Gospel whether it is that transportation, communication, or the internet is not available. So it is not true that you can travel anywhere in the world. This survey points out that and helps us internally to know where our services – aviation and communication technology – are needed. We feel we have accomplished the task of finding out where transportation is lacking and we can use the data to see where we need to go.
CP: How is this study helpful to Christians who are not involved full-time in missions?
Wismer: The study can also be used as an education tool for someone in the pew to understand that not everyone goes home and has DSL in the house. We need to understand that these communication tools are not available in parts of the world and we need to pray more effectively for workers in that area.
Also, people in the pews may have talents that they can use on short term mission – such as a civil engineer or a mechanic. We want to educate Christians that in Africa there may not be access to the Gospel because of transportation and communication barriers.
