Grace Missions

Introduction to Grace Missions

Grace Missions is the missionary outreach of Grace Christian Fellowship in Bainbridge, NY. God has directed us to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached people of French West Africa.

Our exposure to West Africa was initiated with a number of six-week mission trips that about ten of our youth have taken to Ghana beginning in the late 1990s. One of our families had been in Ghana for over two years administering a native Christian school. While there, they took several exploratory trips into Benin, following up on reports of open doors and unreached peoples. These trips involved others from the home church and included networking with other mission groups in Benin. In response to God’s leading, this same family and another family from the home church (who spent 9 months in Ghana) have relocated to the central Beninese city of Parakou. Both families had completed one year of intensive French language training in Quebec City. In Parakou these families will acclimate to the culture and do exploratory work to seek out an unreached people group that God would have them work with. We are primarily interested in church planting in northern Benin, but maybe God will redirect us.

Our Mission Philosophy

As basic mission philosophy, we desire to labor as servants of Christ…

• For the glory of God,
• Towards an indigenous church (self-governing, propagating, supporting),
• Relating to a local people relevant to their culture and worldview,
• Presenting a clear gospel of repentance and faith, bringing forgiveness and victory over sin.

We see the need to learn from the experiences and perspectives of others, and to network in this mission pursuit.

Benin Photo Album

Here are a few photos to give you a glimpse into missionary life in Benin.

Click on a photo to enlarge it.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11

Why Benin

Four reasons we are pursuing Benin:

1. One of the brothers in the local church already speaks pretty good French.
2. The political atmosphere in Benin is open to missionaries.
3. There is a large population of unreached people in Benin.
4. As a church we have been exposed to West African culture and religion.

Our 5-Fold Approach

1. Envision the church: Pray, Inform, and Explore
2. Commit to a People Group
3. Strategize the Approach
4. Train the Participants
5. Engage the People Group

More About Benin

• Size: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania.
• Population: 7.8 million.
• National language is French (7 out of 14 West African countries are French-speaking).
• Over 50 tribal languages spoken.
• Politically friendly towards missionaries.
• Country was under Marxist rule during 1970s and 1980s.
• Religion: 40% Animist, 20% Muslim, and 20% Catholic.
• A handful of people groups with no indigenous church.
• One of the poorest countries in the world.

For more details on Benin, see The World Factbook.

A Crash Course in World Missions!

See our links page for more links to other missions sites.