Today's African American Mission Leaders
by Mission Frontiers magazineHere are some real people to illustrate some of the leadership roles being filled by African-Americans today. They were originally featured in Mission Frontiers magazine.
Rev. Virgil Lee Amos
Director of Ambassador Fellowship
Virgil began his missionary service in 1962 with Operation Mobilization, working for 10 years in Mexico, Europe, India, Sri Lanka and Iran. Upon graduation from Talbot Seminary in 1979 he went on in 1982 to found Ambassador Fellowship (AF) which, from its start, was focused on getting minorities involved in missions.
In 1997 AF began focusing its attention on mobilizing the African-American church in the U.S. to become more vitally involved in missions by adopting unreached people groups. AF is intensively working to plant churches in the Muslim people groups of northern Africa. It is likewise seeking to recruit 200 churches to adopt Muslim peoples and connect them with the national mission organizations that are working with them.
Virgil says, "Your church can have a vital role in establishing the Gospel among the unreached peoples who have never heard of Jesus. This is a great opportunity! We are believing that churches from every major city will adopt an unreached people by the end of the year 2000. For more information: 719-495-8180 or e-mail: 102466.2243@compuserve.com
Wilondia and Shirley K. Wright Masongezi
Serving with the Baptist General Conference in the Ivory Coast as Church Planters among the Hausa people.
While studying for her doctorate Shirley Wright came into contact with Campus Crusade. Through this contact she gained a vision for missions and began serving with Campus Crusade in Nigeria in 1983 as a teacher and campus ministry leader. When denied a visa she began working with the Campus Crusade ministry, Here's Life Black America. With a passion for the Hausa people burning in her heart, Shirley began working with the Hausa people in Cameroon in 1990 through the Baptist General Conference. It was here that she met her husband Wilondja. They are now preparing to serve the unreached Hausa people in the Ivory Coast starting in June 2000.
She says the African American today "needs a greater vision of world evangelization by the local pastors. This vision must be imparted to our people. African- American pastors need to be exposed to the needs worldwide. The African-American missionary can be a resource for the people in our churches. These missionaries are not a threat to the pastors nor are they competing for dollars in the church. The African American missionary only wants to do what Christ has told us to do - take the Gospel out into the entire world."
Ruby P. Clarke
U.S. Representative of United World Mission
She spent 30 years working in Mali and Senegal with Muslim women in unreached peoples.
Ruby received her call to missions in 1964 at an interracial, nondenominational church with a thriving missions program. Her pastor suggested applying to United World Mission. She was accepted as their first African American missionary. While she was sent her out to raise support in white churches, it did not turn out to be a hinderance to her efforts. She was able to raise all of her support in just 3 months.
After working 8 years in Mali with Muslim women, Ruby was asked to join an all-white team to do pioneer church planting work in Senegal. Ruby says,
"The Mali and Senegal teams were all-white but there was no distinction whatsoever. The Muslims and Senegalese accepted me for what I was - a missionary for Jesus Christ. I gained many friends for life from our missionary family and the Malian and Senegalese people. My interactions with the unreached people groups were excellent. Many of the Muslim women I worked with accepted Christ as their savior and are serving the church in leadership roles and winning souls for Christ.
"It is my burden to see the African American community/church get fired up for career missionary service. This has been a disappointment to me. I believe the pastors must have a burden for career missions and train and encourage their people toward that end. Four African-American churches have supported me during my missionary service. I would recommend that any African American consider United World Mission. They will treat you right!"
Unless otherwise noted, all materials on the urbana.org web site are Copyright InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA. All rights reserved.
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