Thank you for considering going for EFM’s Five-Year Goal!
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What is the Luke 10 Initiative?
The Luke 10 Initiative is how EFM will determine where the five new fields will be started for our Five-Year Goal! EFM depends on the regions/yearly meetings, churches, and individuals that EFM serves as their missions’ agency to engage in this discernment process. The Luke 10 Initiative requires four types of participants who gather for Luke 10 Think Tanks and discern, based on EFM’s CAN GO criteria, what locations and people groups to visit via exploratory teams called Luke 10 Exploration Trips. Out of these trips and the think tanks will come recommendations to the EFM Board about where to launch new fields, where all five of EFM’s CAN GO Criteria has been identified.
EFM CAN GO Criteria
During the first Luke 10 Think Tanks that were held the following criteria for where to launch new fields was set based on a study of missions history, especially how decisions were made about where to pioneer new fields. The CAN GO Criteria was specifically developed for discerning where to EFM ‘can go’ to work at launching new fields, not for discerning who should be on Luke 10 Trips or who should serve on missionary teams to launch the field.
Luke 10 Think Tanks
Luke 10 Think Tanks help discern where to look for potential new fields and also what steps to take in launching those new fields once they’ve been approved by the EFM Board. During the think tanks there is lots of prayer, reading Luke 10, looking for themes voiced by the four types of participants, and discerning the leading of the Holy Spirit in regards to how to move forward with plans.
On Wednesday, November 8, 2023, seventy-five leaders met for our 2023 Luke 10 National Think Tank. Participants included the EFM Board and Staff, potential future missionaries, missionary applicants, and people with missions experience representing seven regions/yearly meetings in the U.S. and seventeen Luke 10 Exploration Trip teams. After an incredible day of worship, prayer, and discernment, the Think Tank made the recommendation to begin the launch process for six new fields. The next day the EFM board approved these recommendations after further discernment and discussion, and the results were announced at the 60th anniversary banquet that evening.
The Six Fields that EFM has Committed to Launching so Far!
- Mexico
- Shuar People of Ecuador and Peru
- South Sudan
- Greece
- Northeast Brazil
- Gulf States
The Three Fields EFM is Continuing to Explore
- Eastern Europe
- Tanzania
- An Unreached People Group in a Country near Cambodia
Four Types of Participants
- Future Missionaries. These are persons who may already be feeling led to become career missionaries or are simply exploring the idea and are open to taking next steps. These next steps might include participating in a Luke 10 Trip or visiting an existing mission field (or more than one field).
- People with Missions Experience. These are persons who have served as short-term or long-term missionaries or have extensive involvement in missions and cross-cultural work.
- Influential Church Leaders. These are persons at the local church and/or regional levels who are passionate about missions, known for their ability to discern the Lord’s will, and who are eager to help guide their church(es) in actively engaging with this Five-Year Goal.
- Voice of Friends from Other Continents. The areas of the world where Evangelical Friends churches are multiplying the fastest are in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Not only do we need to listen to their perspectives when we consider possible new fields in their regions of the world, but we also may find ourselves joining forces with them to launch these new fields.
Future Missionaries
What is a future missionary? If you are a person who is seriously interested in exploring the idea of missionary service, whether that be for a couple of years or for a long-term career, or if you are certain you are called to be a missionary overseas, EFM is calling you a “future missionary” and designing opportunities for you. The opportunities EFM is providing for people in the U.S. include:
- Future Missionary Retreats. Our next annual retreat is scheduled for May 27- May 30, 2024, in Quaker Ridge, Colorado.
- Future Missionary Training Trips.
- Future Missionary Field Experiences. You can talk with Matt Macy to schedule a custom-fit experience!
- Future Missionary Cohort. Find the video conference call link and other information below for the 2nd Monday of each month at 5 pm Pacific, 6 pm Mountain, 7 pm Central, and 8 pm Eastern.
- EFM Luke 10 Initiative. EFM has identified the locations of 10 potential new fields that we are exploring, and we need and invite future missionaries to join us on these trips.
Why participate in these opportunities? We are observing that it is a mutual game-changer for groups of future missionaries and for groups of EFM mentors and for EFM staff to know each other face-to-face in relationships through retreats and trips. Learn more and register for these opportunities here.