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Why
InterAct? After all, you can choose from over a million nonprofit agencies
to support with your money. If you have a call to serve as
a missionary, there are about a bazillion organizations you
could join. Here’s some
information to help clarify what’s
distinctive about InterAct Ministries.
Our Purpose … Why
do we exist?
Why do we exist? For one reason: To glorify God by fulfilling
the Great Commission among unreached people groups.
All of life really is about
the glory of God. As John Piper has reminded us, worship,
not missions, is the ultimate aim
of the Christian. And of the many ways to bring God glory,
we are in the Great Commission business, seeking to fulfill
Jesus’ command to make disciples.
The particular focus of how
we do that lies in the phrase “unreached
people groups.” Those who are more distant or isolated
from the gospel are our special concern.
Our Vision … What
do we want to see?
What picture of the future best captures
the goal of our ministry? We want to see a culturally relevant
church transforming every community in the North Pacific
Crescent.
Let’s unpack that a
little. The North Pacific Crescent is our term for that
part of the world over the top of the
Pacific Ocean: Siberia, Alaska, western Canada. The North
Pacific Crescent includes 12,000 communities that lack a
visible expression of the church of Jesus Christ. We envision
every single one of those places not only having a body of
believers, but experiencing the transformation that Jesus
brings through the church, which is His primary change agent
for the world.
Our Values … What
really makes us tick?
We have identified four core values
that, taken together, best define how we are different.
- The Bible Although
we try to learn from every legitimate source, only one
Book is
absolutely trustworthy. We are people
of that Book. When we gather, we want to hear from God’s
Word. When we minister, it is the Word of God that we
bring. Our policies are shaped by this devotion to the
Bible as
our ultimate authority.
- People Hang around us
for a little while and you’ll
pick up something: we care about people. Our team gatherings
are highlights in our schedule. We follow each other’s
stories and families, and pray for each other’s health
needs. Listen to our conversations and you’ll hear
us talking about the people among whom we serve.
- Commitment We’re
here for the long haul. Maybe because our chosen ministry
context requires long-term effort,
we are characterized by long-term commitment. Twenty-five
years of service is nothing unusual in this organization.
Yes, short-term ministry is an important part of our
picture, but just one part. The heroes are those who have
demonstrated
the long-term faithfulness necessary for the harvest.
- Overlooked
Peoples Among the people of the North Pacific
Crescent are nearly 1 million living in the less obvious
communities, cultures or societies. Some are tribal
or aboriginal, others are immigrants. Somehow we
are wired to look under the surface. That’s where
you’ll
find us.
Guiding Principles … How
do we do what we do?
The following principles guide us
as we pursue our vision.
We ...
- Cooperate with other like-minded
individuals, churches and organizations in reaching
the people in our area.
- Research the unreached people
groups on our fields, maintaining a comprehensive database
and making
our findings available
to other groups.
- Mobilize prayer for each
unreached people group in this area.
- Live and learn in the culture.
- Locate in strategic communities.
- Focus all our ministries
toward planting culturally relevant, mission-active
churches.
- Address the physical, emotional
and societal needs of the communities
as well as the
spiritual.
- Build team-based ministries.
- Work to promote healthy local
leadership for the emerging and existing
churches.
- Mobilize North American evangelicals
for cross-cultural ministry.
- Provide the training necessary
to equip people for effective
ministry.
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