The following was gleaned from a mission website. Note the contrast between this approach and the goals during 1982-1992 period, when most of the planning and execution was done by the local Panamanian members of the congregations, already well on the way to self-governing status.
CALMS: NEW MISSION PARTNERSHIP STRESSES STRENGTHS OF ALL
Bruce Collett, a member of CALMS (Central America Lutheran Mission Society), describes members of the new mission partnership working in Panama: 1) the nationals, "who have a burning desire to be self-sufficient and to bring people to a living relationship with the Lord"; 2) "the missionaries are the ground troops and the LCMS is headquarters, the greatest resource we have for theological training and mobilization"; 3) Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM), which has "contacts into the schools and governing bodies of the country"; and 4) CALMS, "the resource arm that can supply the financial and volunteer needs of the church at large."
This unique partnership stresses strategic planning and envisions a self-governing church as its 10-year goal. Members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas, with a heart for mission, began CALMS and also reach out to Houston's Hispanic community and to African-American youth. Gloria Dei will provide $127,000 to CALMS over three years. Individuals will contribute time, talents and resources, and construction teams will travel to Panama as needed.
In 1998, LHM Representative Ken Peterson described Project JOEL, which talks to youth in Panamanian schools about drugs, violence and other problems, offering Jesus Christ as the answer. "We were so inspired and delighted with this plan we knew this was what God had called us to do," reported Collett. More than 70 percent of Panama's population is under 21.
New LCMS Missionaries Dan McMiller, Danelle Putnam, Robert Gamble and Rev. Michael Nemic are strengthening existing churches. Marcos Sonntag oversees Project Outreach, an effort to reach youth through public schools and LHM contacts. On Sept. 4-8, in Panama City, CALMS representatives Derek Shelton, a bilingual facilitator; Chris Mellin, CALMS executive director; and Gloria Dei Pastor John Kieschnick participated in "overwhelmingly positive" strategic planning meetings. For more information, visit http://www.calms.org or e-mail calms@calms.org.
Captian Kurk and the crew of the Enterprize had it stated correctly in the PRIME DIRECTIVE