Church Resource Ministries Australia

Six years ago I was getting ready for trip to the airport somewhere in Asia*. My host casually mentioned a New Zealand couple living in the city who God had used to spark a church planting movement that had reached over 3,000 people.

“You mean I’ve been here three days and now you tell me about these guys!”

My friend took that as a hint to get on the phone and arrange a meeting. We jumped in a taxi and head out to meet “Barney” on the way to the airport.

This was his story.

In the late 1990s he and his wife “Betty” arrived in Asia with evangelism and church planting on their heart.

The first year was tough. Language study, new culture, team conflict, slow progress. Despite the obstacles and with limited language skills, Barney was able to lead a young man to Christ. We’ll call him “Paul”. Paul had become interested in the Gospel after he saw God answer prayer for healing.

Soon Paul began to stand out by his passion to follow Christ, to make disciples. Barney challenged him to begin training others to do evangelism. As Paul demonstrated faithfulness Barney made it a priority to spend time with him — up to 20 hours per week!

They prayed together. Ministered together. Had fun together. Studied the Scriptures together. Traveled together.

As Paul began growing other leaders, Barney continued to support and train him. He made sure the training was geared towards obeying Christ and simple enough to be passed on to others.

All the while Barney made it clear that Paul had to go to God for the wisdom and power to lead a growing movement of new churches.

When the police came to shut down the movement, Barney challenged Paul and his new leaders to come up with a strategy in response. Despite persecution, the movement now has around 450 churches with 4,500-5,000 believers.

Barney and Betty have since moved on to a different region and is now mobilising nationals to plant churches in unreached cities and people groups.

A few times a year he drops back to encourage Paul and his key leaders as they continue to make disciples and multiply groups. Apart from Paul and about half a dozen other leaders, Barney is unknown by the vast majority of believers in the movement.

Since that hasty meeting on the way to the airport I’ve stayed in touch with Barney and Betty. I keep telling people, the only reason I’m an “expert” on church planting movements is because I ask good questions of people like them.

For the last couple of years we’ve been talking about intentionally partnering together. Barney and Betty have the full support of their sending church back home, but they don’t have a mission agency.

Now CRM Australia is delighted to announce that Barney and Betty are joining our team. We’ll be working together in Asia to multiply churches and to mobilize nationals for world missions.

We’re in a new exciting era of world missions. So, we’re on the lookout for some more great people like Barney and Betty. There is a world to be won.

*Locations and names changed for security reasons.