Today some groups suggest that instead of sending people overseas, we should send the money to Christian nationals in each country. These people, it is said, could do the missionary work at far less cost. SIM believes both in sending missionaries overseas and in supporting emerging national partners. By their physical presence and living out of the gospel message, missionaries have a huge impact in the places they serve.

The following reflections come from an SIM worker in Asia:

I've been challenged by the emphasis among some churches to stop sending western Christian workers overseas and to only partner with national churches or organizations. Some even say we shouldn't send any Christian workers overseas at all, and we should only send our money to support national Christians. I have thought about this in my context, and I agree that there is much we can and should do to support national Christians. This is a strategic and effective way to be involved in overseas Christian work. However, I don't believe God has only one way to reach the lost.

Three things have affirmed that I should be here in Asia:

1. The task is too huge to merely send money to our national brothers and sisters. In Asia, you can't miss the masses of people everywhere. In the area of the country where I live, there are 400 million people, and yet less than 2% of the 3% total number of Christians in the country live and work in this region. We do seek to partner with nationals in our work here, but there is still a great need for training, leadership development, and mentoring.
2. There is still the mandate given by Jesus in Matthew 28 to 'go,' and I'm not convinced this is redundant yet.
3. This is the calling God has laid upon my heart and life, and it would be disobedient to stay in New Zealand!