Beyond Cultures International began as a vision and a calling that was originally placed in the hearts of Ron and Diana Baird after serving as missionaries in Indonesia for several years with New Tribes Mission.  In fellowship with New Tribes Mission, they ventured out to begin a ministry that would allow them to focus on the training of national Christians (pastors, leaders and lay workers) with the goal of helping to equip them for church ministry and for church planting within the context of the local church.

It has also been their desire to encourage and help international brothers and sisters in Christ to be placed into self-supporting and self-propagating ministries throughout the country of Indonesia and Asia.  They realize this not only includes helping them meet their spiritual needs but also helping to develop their physical and social skills.  It is Ron and Diana's desire to see www.BeyondCultures.net (BCI Social Helps) become a branch of the ministry extended to specifically focus on helping to meet these needs.

Since God has richly blessed Christians in the West with so many resources and skills, they consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to share a portion of what they have with the Christians in the East, rather than hold on to it, considering the need for physical and spiritual support in the East is so evident.  It is the goal of BCI to help encourage nationals to realize their gifts and abilities and realize their own resources wherever possible in order to avoid creating a lasting dependency on the western culture for ministry and resources.

In 2001, when God placed this vision on Ron and Diana's hearts, He made it quite evident to them that they could multiply their effectiveness by raising up national Christian men and women to carry on the work of the Lord.  Paul exhorted Timothy "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:2

They realized that with properly trained and equipped national coworkers, they would have the ability to enter areas where Western missionaries have had difficulties entering and working.  They could see that there were already many ministries in need of national Christians who had been called by God and who where properly equiped for ministry leadership positions.

Beyond Cultures International realizes that Western missionaries cannot handle the entire task of reaching billions of people worldwide, nor is this an expectation of our Savior. Only by mobilizing national Christians will the church be able to speed up and effectively reach the world with the hope that is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

With this truth firmly believed and the words of Jesus Christ, to "make disciples" (Matt 18:19-20), strongly impressed in Ron and Diana's hearts, they set about the task of reaching this goal through the work of Beyond Cultures International.   So many of their own efforts, and many previous missionary efforts, have led many nationals to Christ but with little or no emphasis on discipleship of beleivers.  This has left them scripturally untaught and with limited resources.  The national Christians are then ill-equipped to carry on the ministry effectively.  Consequently they have been left feeling discouraged and misguided; their dependencies have been misplaced from the Spirit of Truth to their own reasoning.  Many are seeking jobs and positions in their communities rather than pursuing and learning how they can use their spiritual gifts and personal abilities for ministry.

They are convinced that there is a faithful remnant of believers throughout Asia and throughout the world that desire to be used by God, but are hindered due to lack of knowledge and spiritual leadership. They are also convinced that God will be faithful to cross their paths with faithful men and women who have willing hearts to be taught, and who will in turn be faithful to teach, train, and disciple other believers also.