JungleMaster has modified its strategy for reaching the lost in the Amazon.

After 6 years of struggling to find an effective avenue to reach the most remote parts of the jungle we have given up on conventional wisdom.

Almost every organization working in South America have a couple of things in common;

1. Most rely on the efforts of North Americans to build the network of people in which they work.

2. Many do not have any legally establish institution in the country in which they are working.

At JungleMaster we have established a Non-Profit organization in Peru. This gives us the legal framework to establish bases and own property. It also allows us to maintain ownership of equipment and tools.

Our Peruvian Non-profit has a national Board of Directors and one North American that sits as President, Tom Clark. The National Leaders set the goals and vision of JungleMaster Peru. JungleMaster Peru owns the land where our mission center sits on the Rio Marañón. JungleMaster Peru also owns the chainsaws, outboard motors, generators and other equipment we use to build churches along the rivers. The JungleMaster Missionary Church now has a legal charter in Peru and all the equipment is controlled by the Senior Pastor of the church. That Pastor also sits on the board of JungleMaster Peru. Every Church and Pastor that joins JungleMaster signs a covenant that gives specific direction on the use and return of the equipment and how to resolve conflict within the group. The covenant also covers doctrine and the process for expulsion from the group.

Why? You ask.

This is the only way we've found to give the power and ownership to the national Church without risking the loss of everything in the event of poor leadership or dishonesty.

How Did We Get Here?

Problem:

I've seen over and over this scenario; A North American laboring for years building a work and developing leaders, within months of his going home, the bright flame for Christ he built turns to a tiny, flickering candle.

Solution:

The Nationals don't go home, they are home. They know the culture, the people. They can chose the proper leaders. What they build, they own. Its not just giving it to them its letting them build it. From the buildings to the ministry, it has to be theirs. Their Vision, Their Ministry, Their Hearts.

Problem:

Its an opportunistic and poor culture. Many of the gifts sent, never reach their destination. There are National leaders in the cities that are professionals at bringing North American groups and churches in emotionally and taking their money. The pastors that I work within the jungle tell me that over the last 20 years many churches from the big cities have brought gringo groups to see the work that God is doing in the jungle, but never does the blessing that they promise make it back. later they have found that the gifts and donations were all used for the church in the city.

Solution:

We found a group of leaders that we could trust. The Bible tells us to locate the "Peacemakers" in the villages to make leaders. JungleMaster does not work with any leaders from the cities, we work directly with the front line Pastors on the rivers. Our Director of JungleMaster Peru lives in Lima and has no direct benefit from the work we do in the jungle. Our Director of Ministry lives in the jungle and is Pastor of the Church there.

Problem:

One bad leader tears it all down. Without a legally established institution there is no recourse to recover anything has been built or sent into the country were you're working. I fell victim to this in a big way. JungleMaster built a first class small church in Iquitos and purchased property next door to the building. The Pastor became greedy and power hungry. He pushed all the other leaders out of the ministry. When I went to the board of the organization that controlled the mission he was with, I found out that the Directors were himself, his brother and mother. There was nothing I could do. Today the man lives in the church building and there is no longer any mission.

Solution:

JungleMaster set up its own Non-profit in Peru. We also established a church charter for the mission in the jungle. The leaders of JungleMaster Peru are all held accountable by the Board of Directors. We have a covenant that all the leaders have signed that sets standards and procedures for every situation we have run into and thought of. I have spent hours establishing relationships with Lawyers, Mayors and Leaders. In December 2006 I went deep into the jungle to have the first Board Meeting of JungleMaster Peru. All the leaders there are "Peacemakers" If perchance we have a leader fall, there is a procedure and Legal rights that we have to maintain control of all that JungleMaster owns.

Problem:

Ministry in the Jungle can never be self-sustaining. There is not enough tithes to support the pastors or the work.

Solution:

JungleMaster-Peru's focus is to create economic opportunity within the mission. We have given grants to Pastors to buy motorcars to become taxi drivers. We purchased chainsaws that are used to cut wood to make boards to build Churches. We are buying a sawmill to cut wood to sell to create incomes to build the economic foundation for tithes. JungleMaster builds small outboard motor that power canoes with very little fuel or maintenance, we then give those motors to the Pastors so they can free up more time for ministry.

Read This from our Pastor/Director in The Jungles of Peru: