THE ROLE OF CHURCH LEADERSHIP AND ITS IMPACT ON MISSIONARIES SERVING AMONG THE UNREACHED PEOPLE

Abstract

This study focused on the role of church leadership and its impact on missionaries serving among the unreached people: A case study of leaders at CITAM (Christ is the Answer Ministries). CITAM is a missions-oriented church, this is well explained in its mission statement which is “to know God and make him known through Evangelism and discipleship.” The church has mission stations in the Northern Kenya among the Rendile, Samburu, Turkana and Borana and they all exist to make transformation through the gospel. But it appears like there are unresolved challenges between the church leadership and the Missionaries. It could be that the real situation on the ground in the mission field, the experiences of these Missionaries and the expectations of Church leadership have not been addressed. That thinking was based on the researcher’s observation as an active member of CITAM as well as a passionate missionary who has experience in the mission field. The topic was very important because it was to shed light into the role and impact the church leadership play in reaching out to the unreached people. The research was also to provide knowledge to the church leadership and broaden their vision of their role in missions to the unreached people and in turn sensitize and encourage the congregation to be involved in missions to the unreached people. The research was carried out using qualitative method of research where 33 respondents were interviewed using open ended questions. After the analysis was done, it was found out that the church leadership’s role and effect to missionaries was indispensable. Some of the leadership roles that were identified were training missionaries, putting them on a monthly salary and visitation by the leadership and church members among others.