International Missions Board Report

The development of the work of the International Missions Board is being severely limited by the lack of availability of finance for development of the work of international mission. While this is true of the work of the Free Church in general, it is especially true of the work of the Missions Board and it is only through the generosity of a legacy from Canada that the Board is able to contemplate opening up one of its specific objectives over the next four years.

The Board is delighted that the Free Church is able to supply candidates for positions in theological education and that they are so frequently elevated to very senior posts in the institutions where they serve, but the Board recognises the need for opportunities of service for others than those with such specialised theological capacity.

The vision statement of the International Mission Board, which will guide policy and strategy is: To see the establishment, growth and spread of national Christian Churches of a Reformed perspective, being nurtured to maturity, fully indigenous and reaching out in turn to the nations in missionary activity, where appropriate in brotherly partnership with the Free Church of Scotland.

The Board will respond to needs in the world where God gives opportunity, with a view to the establishment of fully self-supporting Christian Churches, with particular interest in two areas: the Muslim world and theological education.

The annual student visit to Scotland of pupils from Colegio San Andres, Lima, Peru, continues to be a major feature in the life of the School. The value of the trip may be measured in a number of ways: it adds to the existing good reputation of the School; it allows the Free Church congregations, through the provision of hospitality, to have an improved awareness of the work of the School; it gives the pupils an excellent point of contact with the language and culture of Scotland; and it allows pupils to experience the benefits of attending the superb Free Church camps run during the summer.

Rev David MacPherson, Moyobamba, Peru, heads a ministry team out of the Moyobamba congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Peru. He has frequent contact with the Annie Soper Christian School in his role as Board chairman. A project to construct a university is at developmental stage. Mr MacPherson is crucially involved in its planning. He is also regularly involved in radio and television ministry.

Dumisani Theological Institute, King William’s Town, South Africa, continues to attract a good number of students drawn from a wide spectrum of ecclesiastical backgrounds. The total student enrolment for the current session is 79. Rev Ronald Christie will step down as Principal and his place will be taken by Rev Dr Alistair Wilson. The Church owes a great debt of gratitude to Ronald Christie for the sterling work he has done in Dumisani and for the great help he has given to the Free Church in South Africa.

The Board have been working with Dr Mohan Chacko, Principal of Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Dehra Dun, India, to do something about the dearth of reformed literature in Indian languages and to develop a reformed publishing house. Chhapara and Lakhnadon Christian Schools are both making notable progress. Lakhnadon, now just 12 years old, has over 400 pupils and Chhapara with more than 800 pupils is established as the top school in the district. Both are engaged in building new classrooms and both projects are expected to be completed by mid 2006 with the help of funds raised in Scotland.

Earlier this year three members of the Board paid a brief fact-finding visit to a country in the Muslim world to explore the possibilities of basing a work there. Following consultation with various interested parties it has been decided in principle to start a new work in that area. There is a possibility that we may be able to send one couple there in 2007 with the hope that a second couple could be found for this work. The launching of this new work now has been made possible through a large legacy that was received during the last year.

£24,713 was received during 2005 for the Disaster and Relief Fund. By the end of the year £14,450 was donated to various needy areas, leaving a balance of £13,636 for new needs.