The Haggai Institute: Rewriting the Story of Global Missions

ATLANTA – When you visit the home page of the Haggai Institute, you immediately understand the organization’s objective. It is emblazoned right before your eyes.

2.1 BILLION PEOPLE HAVE NEVER
HEARD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
LET’S END GOSPEL POVERTY

John Edmond Haggai’s dreams of becoming a missionary to China were crushed when China closed its doors to foreign missionaries during the country’s Cultural Revolution. Missionaries John and Betty Stam had already been executed so there was no mistaking that the government would be any more lenient to those who tried to follow in their footsteps. But Haggai would not be stopped.

There was a world to win for Christ and there was a commission for Christ’s followers to reach those living in gospel poverty. Haggai believed that the approach to missionary work in many parts of the world would have to change. Former British Commonwealth territories were becoming independent nations bent on reclaiming their ancient cultures from the dominance of Western colonialism.

There had to be another way. And there was.

The Lord planted a vision in Haggai’s heart and mind. As he shared that vision with others, a Revolution in World Missions began to take shape. The result of that vision is that, today, “over 110,000 strategically-positioned men and women, drawn from almost every nation and profession . . . [are] working in 188 nations . . . dedicated to seeing every nation redeemed and transformed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The Haggai Institute continues to hold to the same core curriculum with which it began in 1969: Teaching native pastors, evangelists, and missionaries the skills and knowledge to lead people in their home countries to Christ. Rising Christian leaders are reminded of the truth that Dr. Haggai spoke when he said,

“There is only one answer [to Gospel Poverty] – reconciliation to God and to each other through Jesus Christ.

There is no shortcut, no easy way.
Governments cannot bring peace.
Education cannot bring salvation.
Business and industry cannot bring healing.
Psychology and sociology cannot bring joy.

Only Christ can bring reconciliation to the world.”

In 1971, just two years after Dr. Haggai began the institute, a young man from India was invited to spend a month at the nascent work in Singapore. Haggai challenged that man, K.P. Yohannan, to “do something significant with his life for God’s glory.” Eight years later, Yohannan and his wife established Gospel for Asia (GFA). He wrote the book Revolution in World Missions to help inform believers of the change that was imminent and, indeed, necessary to support and expand the spread of the Gospel.

The Haggai Institute has helped to develop Christian leaders like K.P. Yohannan around the globe. Implementing the multiplying effect popularized by the late Dawson Trotman, the Gospel message has been shared by reaching multiple others who, in turn, reach multiplied others with the Good News.

The institute currently has a list of 7,000 qualified leaders waiting to learn how to more effectively

• Make the love of Jesus real, even in nations closed to conventional missions.
• Take effective action against disease, hunger, and poverty.
• Exert influence in societies locked down by corruption and injustice.
• Reach the young people who might become tomorrow’s agitators and jihadists.”

The 95-year-old John Haggai has left a remarkable imprint on global missions by challenging others like K.P. Yohannan to go and do likewise.

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