Dear friends,
It is my privilege to serve as the director of Outreach to Asia Nationals. This mission board has been dear to my heart for many years. It was OTAN’s founder, Otis Goodwin, who mentored me when I was called to be a missionary to far-east Russia in the late 90s. I counted myself privileged then to be the first overseas missionary with OTAN.
Otis’s burning desire to see the unreached come to a saving knowledge of Christ inspired me, and his vision to see nationals reaching nationals changed the way I saw missions. I learned that missionaries could empower the native peoples to reach those who I could never hope to reach. Having lived overseas, I had the joy of seeing this principle in action and, let me tell you, it works. Churches are being planted, the lost are being evangelized, the new believers are being discipled – all in their own language and from the perspective of their own culture.
But this international ministry cannot be accomplished without the partnership of the local church.
It is my personal ministry philosophy that missionaries have no individual mandate. God gave the church the mandate to go “…into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) The Bible also says, in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This mandate was given to the church. As a missionary I am an employee of the local church. I work not only for the Lord Jesus Christ but also for the churches that have sent me out to accomplish this mandate.
Without the support of local churches, I would have no authority to do the work. God the Father has put a burden on my heart, certainly, but he also put a burden of responsibility on the church. And when the churches come together to hire a missionary to represent them, those missionaries need prayers and partnership.
Because I believe it is essential for missionaries and local churches to work as partners, it is my desire to support local churches in any way possible. If your church needs revitalization in the area of missions, OTAN would be happy to partner with you. We would love to offer help in creating a mission board, a strategy to hire missionaries, and/or helping with missions conferences. Whatever the size or demographic of your congregation, if you are interested in missions and would like help, please contact us. Our eternal impact can be so much more effective if we work together.
AL DOOMY
Executive Director
Al Doomy joined OTAN as the Executive Director in August of 2018 after having served as senior pastor for Lighthouse Baptist Church in Eden, NC for 11 years. Al has 30 years of cross-cultural missions and pastoral experience. He and his wife, Joy, previously worked with OTAN as representatives and missionaries to Russia for 8 years. Prior to their mission work, Al was a youth pastor for 5 years at Truth Baptist Church. Al received a Bachelor’s degree from Calvary Baptist Bible College in Theology.
Al and Joy have been blessed with five daughters; four are married and the grandchildren are multiplying! They are thankful to see them serving God on the mission field and through the local church.
