DALLAS (ABP) — An increase in the number of Baptists serving in “closed” countries could lead to more incidents like a recent group from Texas experienced when they became trapped in Lebanon.
As a result of Hezbollah military strikes and fighting in the war-torn nation, a group of 10 people from First Baptist Church in Forney, Texas, was recently detained in Beirut as it tried to return to the United States. Hezbollah is a Shiite militant group with a strong presence in southern Lebanon.
But despite the risk, Christians tend to understand the danger and continue seeking mission opportunities in so-called closed countries.
In recent years, many mission groups have helped a growing number of Baptists connect with service opportunities where open evangelism is illegal or where there is political upheaval, increasing the odds that groups may get caught in harm's way.
According to mission boards nationwide, a heightened focus on unreached people groups, many of whom live in volatile areas, continues to lead Christians into politically unstable nations. And many church organizations have connected directly with missionaries working in these areas.
One reason for the trend is that Christians are drawn to share the gospel with people who have never heard it, said Stan Parks, WorldconneX international liaison. Nearly 40 percent of the world's people groups are without a viable church, he said. About 28 percent of all people groups have no access to the gospel.
Denton Lotz, Baptist World Alliance general secretary, acknowledged the possible dangers associated with ministering in these situations, but he also noted that violence can happen anywhere in the world, like with the train bombings in Madrid and London and the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
“I think the whole world is a hot spot,” he said. “We never know what's going to pop up next.”
Christians seem to understand this concept of universal uncertainty, said Karen Gilbert, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions associate coordinator for volunteers and partnerships. For some, it spurs them to service. They pray about a trip and follow what they feel is God's calling, she said.
“We are talking to people and say ‘Lebanon,' and they say, ‘Sure,'” Gilbert said. “We say ‘North Africa,' and they say, ‘We can be there tomorrow.'”
These trip-takers and organizations trust God to protect them, but many also take precautions. Personnel from the International Mission Board, CBF Global Missions, the Baptist General Convention of Texas partnership ministries and WorldconneX help groups form contingency plans in case something goes wrong.
Staff members also review contingency plans in an effort to keep them updated and effective. They monitor the cultural climate in areas where volunteers will be working, and as a final precaution, mission agencies do not encourage believers to visit an area with imminent danger, such as a region in the middle of a war.
The safety plans detail scenarios as simple as if a group misses a flight, said Steve Seaberry director of the BGCT's partnership missions ministries. But they also tell what to do for something as serious as a hostage situation.
“Our volunteer team training includes basic security precautions for any area of the world,” Seaberry said. “Whenever a team is going to a particularly sensitive area, we discuss and help with forming contingency plans for that area.”
Plus, even though current BGCT international partnerships are in countries where the gospel can be shared openly, the potential for civil unrest and danger is present in any area of the world, Seaberry said.
“We count heavily on local Baptist leaders to help the volunteer team assess any uncertain situation and deal with it appropriately,” he said.
As for the IMB, it relies on field personnel to form contingency plans of escape for themselves and mission groups, said Wendy Norvelle, IMB spokeswoman. An evacuation plan is usually formed even before a mission team arrives.
The important thing is to have the church consider situations and then plan accordingly, Parks said. That way, the church can have ownership of the mission.
“I think most churches don't realize all the things the agency used to do for them,” he said. “They don't realize it until they hit a crisis. By then, it's too late.”
Gilbert agreed.
“It is the team in Lebanon we will hear about today,” Gilbert said. “But how many other teams have been throughout Lebanon this summer and nothing has happened? You just know good work has happened all summer.”
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