What Do We Mean?
Mission Terms
We though it was important to define certain mission terms to make sure that there is a clear understanding of our mission, vision, and goals.
Closure: the concept that the mission mandate of the Church can be completed in a measureable way by establishing a viable, evangelizing, indigenous church movement in every people group (Harvest Connection)
Evangelical: practicing believers
Priority: “status established in order of importance or urgency ” (Dictionary.com. WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University)
People Group: “For evangelization purposes, a people group is the largest group within which the Gospel can spread as a church planting movement without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance. ” (Joshua Project)
Unreached People Group: a people group within which there is no viable, indigenous church movement with sufficient strength, resources, and commitment to sustain and ensure the continuous multiplication of churches. (Harvest Connection)
Priority People Group: a people group who are 2% or less practicing believers and have no known indigenous church planting movement amongst them that is self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propogating.
Fuel International first used the word “Priority” in conjuction with People Groups in 2003 when we were discussing the term “Unreached People Group” with a missionary friend. Through our discusion, we felt God was leading us to begin to use the term “Priority” rather than “Unreached.” Priority has a much more positive conotation to it ,and should lead the Church to action. The U.S Center for World Missions and Joshua Project are also using the term “Priority” to begin to show those people groups with greater needs. Jack Hanes’ book, His Last Command Our First Priority, discusses the need for the Church to wake up and realize it’s purpose again in reaching those that have yet to hear.
