Why Hasn't this Problem Surfaced before Now?

        Actually, this problem has been around for a long time.  The church at Jerusalem, even though it had thousands of members, had this problem.  Paul commanded other churches, "upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come" (1 Corinthians 16:2).  This collection was to support the church at Jerusalem, a church which could not support itself.  Mission Churches International Incorporated (MCII) endeavors to do the same thing.
        Even though this problem has been around for a long time, it has not been evident, because most oppressive countries have been closed to the gospel.  In past mission fields either the people made enough money to support their church or the expense of maintaining a church was very little.
        In oppressive countries this is not true.  The church at Jerusalem was in an oppressive environment where the members were too poor to support their church.  Now that oppressive countries have been open for several years, missionaries wanting to establish local, independent churches are finding that this is a big problem.  Even though they establish mission churches with national pastors and leaders, they are stuck in those churches and cannot move on, because those mission churches still need their money.
        This problem has gone unnoticed for centuries because the number of oppressed mission churches has been small, but as more and more mission churches get established in oppressive countries, this problem will become more evident.

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