Strategic Partnerships Create Massive Opportunity
Ken Harbour always has had a heart for the unreached ever since college. Even after taking steps into a Seminary structure, he was unsatisfied with the state of a world that was over 75% restricted to missionary activity through conventional means. He and Diana had a goal to make their lives count for eternity! Leaving seminary, Ken was eventually hired by a corporate 100 company, Motorola Inc. Ken was soon promoted into the coal fields of Southern West Virginia and Virginia. Being from West Virginia, the company hoped he would succeed where others from large northern cities had failed. They were not wrong. Ken soon made the list of the top 10 sales exectuives for the company in that market multiple years in a row. But he still had a mission heart and would pour over ways to be involved as a "tent-maker." One day, while talking to a VP of Motorola who was working in the Pacific Rim, the VP told Ken that " I've got people here that can do the job better than you. They know the people, the language, all the nuances, and don't require the salary we are paying you." Then he asked this question: "Why do you think we sent you to Southern West Virginia?" Lights came on and the idea of being indigenous to the culture made all the sense in the world to Ken. That question is the foundation of our overseas strategy. From that day until now, Ken and Diana have looked for, worked toward this idea, and founded an organization that utilizes the strengths we have here in the West with the strengths our project leaders in various Asian countries have. All the projects are based in a "strategic partnership" that is accountable and fruitful with each party bringing its strengths together for on purpose.
Unlike other organizations that are always presenting national ministries as those who need Western presence to succeed, or require Western oversight, Ken and Diana approached the mission field as servants seeking to find where God was active and enter into the vision of the indigenous believers rather than dictating. The perspective from the past assumes, as you will hear from many churches or mission groups, that we must go and "train the nationals" or continue to "disciple" them. This allows so many to continue propagating their particualr denominational structures on people who are entirely capable of creating and sustaining vibrant spiritual lives and churches. Our appraoch isn't based on that colonialist model...but the model of servant. As Ken says, "That's the gift nobody wants!"
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