Q: What is Adventist Frontier Missions Society (AFMS)?

A: We are a church-planting mission agency operated by Seventh-day Adventist clergy and laymen. Our goal is to recruit, train and send missionaries to pioneer new church-planting movements among groups of people who have not yet been reached with the everlasting Gospel.

Q: Isn’t what you’re doing already being done?

A: We work exclusively among groups of people where the Seventh-day Adventist Church does not yet have an established congregation of believers. So we are neither repeating nor competing with what is already being done. We are pioneering new mission work and only new work.

Q: Are you starting new work where no other Christian agency is working, or just where there are no Seventh-day Adventists?

A: Both. Some of our projects are among peoples where no other Christian agency is established. Others are among groups where other Christian agencies may be at work but no Seventh-day Adventist work has previously been established.

Q: Aren’t national workers better suited for this kind of work than expatriate missionaries, and more economical besides?

A: By definition, there are no viable Adventist churches in an unreached people group and, therefore, no indigenous workers. Further, working within any unreached people group is necessarily a cross-cultural ministry, no matter who does it. We seek to send missionaries where there is great need for any Gospel worker. In some cases, a national worker from elsewhere in the region may be better suited to cross the cultural barriers, but not always. Barriers of tribalism, racism and prejudice that exist between neighboring groups are often greater than the barriers of language and culture that exist between groups separated by half the globe. After our missionaries have identified a unique worldview approach to evangelizing the local people, they intentionally train nationals within that people group to continue the vibrant church-planting movement long after the missionary is gone.

Q: What is your working relationship with the Seventh-day Adventist Church?

A: From the very beginning, we have had a policy of working closely with the Church at all levels. We greatly value the assistance and guidance provided by church leaders. We appreciate the positive working relationships we have with leaders and fellow missionaries around the world. It is our goal to plant Seventh-day Adventist churches, so we are committed to partnering with our brethren in Church leadership.

Q: What is the source of your funding, and do you accept tithe?

A: We are entirely supported by the contributions of dedicated Christians and organizations who firmly believe in missions. We appreciate the spirit of sacrifice exhibited by our supporters and their desire to see God’s work go forward among the unreached. We do not knowingly accept tithe funds.

Q: Is AFMS financially accountable?

A: Adventist Frontier Missions Society is thoroughly committed to providing faithful stewardship of the funds our committed partners have entrusted to us for the planting of churches among unreached people groups. We are fully aware of the sacrifices our partners make as they give, and we faithfully commit to using their gifts wisely. We engage in full financial accountability by having our records audited annually by an outside accounting firm. If you contact our office, we would be happy to send you a financial report of our latest audit, listing income and expenses.