Middle East / Dan and Sharon McNerney / Frontier Fellowship
Frontier Fellowship (FF) is a mission-support group which historically has served the Presbyterian Church worldwide. It has been in existence since 1981. FF’s mission statement is, “For Every People an Indigenous Church. For Every Church, a Mission Vision.” We serve any church wanting to be active on the frontiers of the world to complete world evangelization by developing strategic and missiologically-appropriate frontier mission projects, including inside the US, and then connecting individuals and congregations to these frontier initiatives. In establishing partnerships overseas, Frontier Fellowship establishes relationships with various denominational affiliations as we look for individuals and churches who are doing the special work of presenting the Gospel to unreached people groups. We believe deeply in the body of Christ world-wide working with a cooperative interdenominational spirit. Furthermore, FF helps churches in America learn how to be effective and humble partners in cross-cultural settings. We believe that the church in America benefits greatly from being in partnership with the often-vibrant church in the non-Western world. We also believe that the church in the non-Western world can benefit from being in relationship with churches in the US. Especially in today’s environment, it is essential that the American church be involved globally with what Christ is doing in the world today.
“As an Associate Director for Frontier Fellowship for the last 25 years, I have worked to serve Latin America then Europe, and for the past 20 years have supported the growing church in the Middle East. More specifically, the projects I have developed serve the frontier mission needs of the Synod of the Nile in Egypt, the 2-3 million members of the underground church in Iran, and most recently the churches in the Arabian Peninsula Countries of UAE, Bahrain, and Oman. In addition, I am helping various churches across America develop bridge-building relationships with their local Muslim neighbors. I work to educate U.S. congregants through preaching and teaching in order to mobilize American churches into frontier missions. My ministry goals and objectives most succinctly describe the work I seek to undertake:
To help the Presbyterian Church of Egypt in its outreach to the Muslims of Egypt and the Arabic-speaking world.
To help the underground church of Iran with its theological and leadership training, and to provide Bibles and Christian materials for the congregations.
To support Egyptian missionaries in the United Arab Emirates and other outreach efforts on the Arabian Peninsula.
To encourage Christians in America to develop church-to-mosque relationships as a way of making the Gospel more accessible to our Muslim neighbors.
To teach, preach in the US and write on the need for frontier missions.
To lead three men's Bible studies in the Winnetka area, while providing pastoral care to individuals in need. Also, this past year I was asked by the Frontier Fellowship Board to assume greater responsibility on the staff in mentoring the mobilizers and other Associate Directors in their mission work. I have been given a new title as Senior Associate Director. Currently I am working closely with Richard Haney, the Executive Director, helping him with a capital campaign keying off the 40th Anniversary to raise additional funds for FF and expand our work in the United States and throughout the world to go “deeper, wider and farther”. This opportunity has become a joy for me as I am able to lend my many years of experience in frontier mission for the benefit of Frontier Fellowship’s future. I will continue my own work in the Middle East as well. There are exciting opportunities now emerging to become more involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, and I am excited to lead 2 upcoming vision trips to Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula after over 2 years since my last overseas trip.
Prayer Points:
A developing a relationship with TCI – a Bible college in Ukraine which has been overrun by Russian troops in Kherson.
Please pray for the professors’ safety and ability to continue their outreach.
That we can print and redistribute more Farsi-language Bibles in Iran.
There’s still a tremendous demand for Bibles!
Frontier Fellowship began a capital campaign to raise $3 million to go wider, deeper and further for the next 40 years, and my advising capacity for that.
New role as Senior Associate to manage time, stress and new responsibilities. How to pace myself in this new exhilarating position!
