To One and All,

Has the concept of direct-support missions all but died in our fellowship? I have noticed that pioneer and founder of the direct-support movement, Woody Phillips, has long since abandoned this idea and has embraced a low view of the authority of Scripture, common to individuals such as Garrett, Randall, and others.

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2001

Answers

Philip,

I will be showing my ignorance by this question (I did not grow up in the church) What exactly is Direct Support Missions?

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2001

Dear D. Lee Muse

In order to define the concept of Direct-Support Missions, allow me to share a portion out of Woodrow Phillips booklet “THE RESTORATION HANDBOOK” ã1960 Southern Christian Press, San Antonio, TX.

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19. By 1947how had the independent mission work progressed? 20. In the next eleven years s h o w the rapid expansion of the conservative Independent mission outreach.

THE RESTORATION HANDBOOK

LESSONV. NEW DEVELOPMENTS PRE- SERVE RESTORATION PRINCIPLES A. INDEPENDENT MISSIONS. In our study of the growing missionary consciousness in the independent Restoration churches a bulwark that would be used to preserve the original Restoration principles was c re ate d In the development of the Independent missionary movement. This was not, and is not, separated from the Restoration, but Is a direct agent for carrying into the world the message of Biblical authority as the foundation for Christian unity. This was the corner- stone upon which independent missions rested its case. The direct-support missions movement has been labeled the "fundamentalist segment" of our brotherhood. If by that I a be I it is mean that this group is committed to the accuracy of the scriptures both as to history and inspiration, It is correctly applied. Not only do the advocates of independent missions accept the full validity of the scriptures as the final revelation from God, but they feel conscience bound to f o I I o w to the best of their ability t he examples and precepts of the Christian Institution contained therein. They f eel that any deviation from this conservative concept is a violation of the Christian faith and the principles of union as laid down by the early leaders of the Restoration. They have not been s at I s f I e d with anything less than a definitive message on matters of faith, while w it h all others in the Restoration Movement, they d e s I r e to leave the widest latitude on matters of opinion. This, of course, excludes f r o m the independent mission ranks those who are inclined to liberalism. These independent missionaries cannot endorse with clear conscience any open membership or rationalist view of salvation by 20th century interpretation of f First century motives r at h e r than first century history. S in c e the independent missions movement has enjoyed such remarkable growth in such a brief period of time, It has taken into many countries around the globe the message that unity is possible without c o m p r o m I s e of the New Testament pattern f o r the church. In places where a generation ago this message had never

THE RESTORATION HANDBOOK 65 been heard, the missionaries have been used to open entire new groups of churches now thoroughly committed to this historic faith and principle. Besides being used to strengthen the churches at home through their personal witness to the power of the gospel among o t h e r peoples, these missionaries have tapped a new source of power f or the Restoration Movement outside our own borders. Through their many preacher training schools, t he se dedicated servants of God have a I r e a d y raised up a host of young ministers of t h e gospel who fully understand their freedom in Christ and who desire to preach this message of independence under divine direction of the word of God to their own people. This movement to return to New Testament p r a c t I c e could not have c o m e at a m o r e opportune time in missionary history. Growing nationalism around the world has been p u s h I n g the old colonial governments into oblivion with astonishing rapidity. The usual procedure of the foreign missionary had been to follow the government Is I ea d in dealing with the native populace. Places of leadership in the churches were all too often d e n I e d to equipped and educated young men simply because "the time was not ripe for the transfer of authority. 11 In too many instances the time n e v e r came, and the younger churches erupted Into separate existence as the colonial powers toppled in the drive for independence that touched a match to the world following the close of World War 11. This flame has not yet reached its zenith, with many African and a few Asian nations still struggling for t h e I r freedom In the new world order that is remaking the social and political structure of earth. Into this chaos the budding Independent missions movement came with Its quick advance following the same World War 11. The message of these men was suited for the times. As the nationals fought for freedom in government and the r I g h t of self -determination, so t h e s e new missionaries had a message of freedom in religion. Freedom in Christ was t h e I r watchword: "We will n o t bind upon you the traditional western religious practices. We will give you the faith once for all delivered to the saints. We offer you a Savior. We deliver into y o u r hands the c h u r c h for which He died. Here in t h e New Testament are its officers and the b r o a d governing principles of Christian life and conduct. The church is Christ's and congregationally it is yours. He Is the head. You are the body. Now it is also your responsibility. We have not come to govern, nor even to lead. We have come to teach. The rest Is up to you. We represent the Restoration Movement, a movement for freedom from denominational prejudices and barriers that have

66 THE RESTORATION HANDBOOK divided Christ Is f o I I a w e r s for centuries. We pray for the time, when all of God's people will be one. There are no racial or social castes In our gospel. You can rise In your churches to positions of leadership and responsibility as quickly as your fellow Christians think you are ready to do so. This Is our message. We commit to you the New Testament. Guard It safely. It to the only b o c k God ever gave to our age to lead us back to Himself. Let ft talk to you. Be guided by its message and it alone. 11 This composite of the teaching of our independent missionaries illustrates the deep appeal the Restoration had to many peoples in many lands. Where our missionaries were quick enough to grasp that they were on the ground floor of an upheaval that was re-writing the world's history we were and are able to begin movements like our own 19th century American Restoration abroad. The mysterious workings of God in using His word to bring men to h I m se If is again here seen. The preservation of Restoration principles was not only assured, but the very nature of the national upheavals gave a more ready hearing to this revolutionary message. The gospel always contains something of revolution and change. It Is not a message that maintains the status quo --- it breaks empires and rebuilds races. Here in the twentieth century the independent missions movement has already proven itself to be one of the new developments not only used to preserve the original Restoration principles, but a m o v e m e n t destined to spread them to the ends of the e a r t h. Surely this movement was s e n t for s u c h a t I m e as this. Never again may the opportunity to r o a c h out so q n I c k I y come to our people again. We dare not fall. W h e r e traditionalism c a u s e d some of our missionaries to copy the existing denominational scheme for missions we have had our smallest impact and our p o o r e s t reception. Where we have dared to a I I o w our own tenaciously w o n Independency, freedom under God without any alliance that we did not deliberately choose, and communicated this freedom to the mission converts, we have seen multiplying results. In the Independent missions movement we need to fully realize the heritage that we ourselves have received in the fight to pre - serve freedom and faith at the same time. The bedrock of scripture Is o u r foundation for building. On this firm s t o n e of the ancient faith we can through independent missions build again the walls of Z I o n until the church of the New T e s t a m e n t Is revealed to the world as it was in the beginning. Authority Is needed in chaos --- but the authority must not be our authority --- it must be the word of God. The free activity of

THE RESTORATION HANDBOOK 67 o u r mission converts under this one guidance will produce a new wave of evangelism that will shake even the materialistic empires of our day. Do we have the courage to live up to our possibilities? Independent missions by its very nature is one answer to the re- thinking of all missionary endeavor by every religious group, and it is a Is o the way to teach Restoration principles for world-wide unity. W he n we restore the authority of the Bible in our mission activity; we restore the evangelism of the New Testament to the church.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2001