What is a key expected outcome of indigenous churches being self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating?

• A. They rely on foreign leadership to make all decisions.
• B. They cannot sustain themselves financially.
• C. They are limited to a single generation.
• D. They sustain mission effort locally with local leadership and resources.

Answer: (D)

Having churches govern themselves, fund themselves, and reproduce themselves creates local ownership and lasting impact. When a church is self-governing, local believers set priorities and make decisions in ways that fit their culture and context, rather than relying on distant foreign leadership. Self-supporting means the congregation finances its ministry from local members and resources, which builds resilience and reduces vulnerability to external shifts in funding. Self-propagating ensures the church multiplies by planting new, locally led congregations, extending the reach of the gospel within the same community or region. Together, these three aspects mean mission efforts are sustained locally with local leadership and resources, allowing the movement to endure and grow over time.