What is GAP?
GAP stands for “Gospel Advancement Project”. It is a gospel saturation ministry that seeks to place evangelistic materials in every household and clearly present the gospel in designated areas. This is accomplished through the use of volunteers partnering with missionaries and Baptists in the target areas. The GAP model is from the IMB South American Region. A similar model from the Central America and Caribbean Region is called “GO” or “Gospel Outreach.” These projects are excellent LEVEL ONE opportunities (see Levels of Involvement).
How does GAP work?
GAP uses four “waves” of Gospel advancement in the target area:
- Prayer Walking – street-by-street prayer walking in the GAP target area is a crucial step to breaking through spiritual strongholds.
- Scripture Distribution – community-wide saturation of the gospel through distribution of evangelistic materials, identification of prospects, and personal witnessing.
- Marketplace Evangelism/Distribution – specialized evangelism in open air markets, parks, streets, beaches, and malls to distribute literature and engage in one-on-one witnessing.
- Evangelistic Outreach Events – special evangelistic events in a neutral setting in the target area such as evangelistic films, concerts, sports tournaments, children’s festivals, and clowning.
What are the Results of GAP?
When effectively implemented, GAP leads to new church plants, evangelistic outreach groups, and new prospects for already existing churches.
What does GAP involve?
There are three periods in the GAP experience:
- Pre-event Preparations: scheduling, promoting, recruiting team members, travel arrangements, prayer, GAP training
- GAP Week: Orientation in the target zone, working through the “Four Waves”, daily worship times, encouraging the local Baptists, seeking and identifying the “persons of peace”, sightseeing
- Follow-up Emphasis: Project debriefing meeting and evaluation, continued contact and prayer for the work and the Host Team.
The IMB missionary in country will help in the coordination and implementation of these three periods.
Strengthening Your GAP Experience
The following ideas and suggestions will greatly enhance the results of your GAP:
- Customize your overseas experience. Build off of your team’s strengths and giftedness as you plan the specifics of your trip. Make suggestions and ask questions of the missionary in country.
- Bathe this project in prayer. Be creative to enlist as many prayer partners as possible.
- Build strong relationships with the Host Team left behind to work with the follow-up phase of GAP. They need encouragement, love, and prayer.
- Be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading and consider returning to your target zone for future work and follow-up. It would be awesome to see churches and groups “adopt” their specific target zones.
- Do all you can to prepare your team for the difficulties of working on the front lines where the work is often difficult, slow, and discouraging. Your team will be blessed and strengthened as they obediently answer the call to the Great Commission!
Where can we go with GAP?
GAP and Go projects are most available in Central and South America, but the model is adaptable in ALL THE WORLD. Contact the Partnership Missions Office for details!
