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Good coverage on a hot topic.
Was there a handout for this session? If so, how do we get a copy of it?
This is really good!
Yea! Jump to this Resource Page and search for Thriving: https://missionexus.global/mlc2018-resources/
Great exhortation. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome presentation! Any way to get a transcript of this?
At present, no transcript is available. I have put it on our list to consider, though.
Thank you!
Good stuff. Appreciate Kathy’s insight.
So thankful to hear f the hand of God in your life Mary! May you continue to experience the freedom in using your gifts to equip the next generation of Kingdom leaders.
Trying to follow up. Joshua, Mary or Pam–what resources have you collected for mentoring, discipling, preparing candidates for higher risk areas? We have resources for assessing and mitigating risk. I do not have the kinds of resources that I want for recruiting candidates to engage risk–and then, the resources to ground those candidates in a “robust faith” that sustains them with wisdom, courage, stamina, and humility in a higher risk environment. I’d love to hear your suggestions. Thanks.
Thank you Eldon and Heather for such a lucid framework to help us all think about our network engagement. All you have written applies to what those of us in the mobilization domain are experiencing.
Glad this you’ve found this framework applicable, Mark!
Excellent article, Dave! We’re going to have to change your name to Baranabas (cf. Acts 11:19-24).
Wonderful and enlightening article. Thank you.
I support the arguments in this article wholeheartedly. We learned from the founder of the Wycliffe Bible Translators, our mission, the principle, “No solicitation, full information.” My wife insisted from the beginning that we follow that principle, and for the last 50 years, the Lord has provided what we need. Only one time in all these years did we mention something of lack of funds in our newsletter in hopes of raising more support – that month, we received a very low amount of support, and my wife vowed that we would never do that again. The Lord can provide, sometimes in mysterious ways, but always enough.
Excellent discussion. Thanks for sharing this. I was relieved when Dave Coles sates that “rapid” growth should not be the goal. though the oft heard saying “start slow to go fast” seems to imply tat it might be an expectation for many. My opinion is that there should be a more balanced emphasis on numerical growth and maturational growth. Orlando Costas has offered the classic reply to the emphasis on rapid numerical growth in Costas 1979. The integrity of mission. The inner life and outreach of the church. New York, NY: Harper and Row.
Eugene Nida, McGavran and even David Watson have spoken of the societal structures (collectivistic) that lead to people movements. Have those external factors been considered in the expectations of rapid growth (100 churches, 4 generations in 20 years)? In individualistic societies, although we use CPM approaches, I believe we should adjust our expectations focus on generational multiplication rather than numbers, scope and speed. We love to give Ephesus and Thessalonica as examples, but look at Athens. It was slow growth at first, but history record an influential church in the 2nd Century.
Thanks for your thots, Mr. Arensen.
I’m not a TCK, but having spent 35 yrs in Africa, We’ll be facing many of the same issues when we ‘retire’ home. Home is not the same, our friends are gone or different, ministry won’t be the same, and it will take some adjustment.
Excellent article and insightful observations and reflections. I would love to hear your recommendations to strengthen scripture engagement at the Meso level. Do you find Scripture engagement should naturally move up from the micro level in this DMM and why did it not penetrate the Meso level as well? What adjustments should be made in the movement based on your conclusions?
I really like the Wycliffe principle; short, sweet, but spot on.
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I am open to your comments! What do you think of the 99 names app? Please ask your questions. Thanks, Scott
Thank you for your reminder that persuasion is necessary. I hope we can be gentle and kind in that process.
In my experience, Muslims misunderstand so much of our basic foundational beliefs. Thanks for proclaiming the truth!
A few ministry leaders who have read my book, “Facing Danger: A Guide Through Risk” (“Haz Frente Al Peligro” both on Amazon) have asked for my response to Mr. Rievan’s thought-provoking article.
Mr. Rievan correctly states that the Covid-19 crisis has made the feeling of risk accessible to just about everyone, not just cross-cultural workers. However, he rightly states that cross-cultural workers take on higher levels of risk than those staying in the relative safety of home.
I urge caution to anyone discussing “Biblical Principles” and citing specific cases in Jesus’ life, Paul’s, or the Early Church, as the individual situations are just that…situations. All too often in the risk discussions I’ve read, generalized concepts are applied to risk, or a suffering answer is given to the risk question, and neither approach answers the risk question. Risk is situational, and must be answered situationally.
He states, “Self-sacrifice should be a core value for every Christian, and particularly for those sent to reach the unreached.” This seems to imply a dangerous assumption, and that is that staying in the risk is self-sacrifice, and conversely, leaving the risk is not self-sacrifice. The opposite may very well be true – it could be at great sacrifice that a worker leaves a situation due to a spouse or children’s needs.
His discussion on both self-sacrifice and then caution focus the locus of the risk question more on those two approaches. I submit a much more helpful question to ask is simply, “What is the Lord’s leading in this situation, no matter what it looks like?” That is risky, because He may (and often does) ask us to do something we don’t want to do or would think to do without His help.
Mr. Rievan next explains Johnson’s Model of Polarity Management and applies it to the discussion of staying or leaving in risk. I agree that this model is useful, but suggest some modifications to Rievan’s proposal.
First, is his suggestion that we use the word vulnerability. I would suggest a better term is stewardship, because that is more easily translatable for the Global South workers who make up the majority of cross-cultural missions. Additionally, stewardship re-focuses the discussion of risk back into a Biblical framework. While I realize that the industry standard for security experts is to use “vulnerabilities,” I propose that in cross-cultural missions, this be replaced with stewardship for the simple reason that we think about risk much differently than any government’s military risk experts. We are stewards (Genesis 1:28) of all entrusted to us in risk. I have a whole chapter in my book on stewardship in risk.
Next, he proposes “Mental Models” as a way to reconsider our missiology. This is very helpful, and we are in agreement that these are hindrances to how we evaluate risk. See my discussion on the 14 Risk Myths here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17SnOkJsdu3rhpi2KfOQHyyLD23fMz5pW/view
Thirdly, in Figure 14.2, Mr. Rievan seems to be making the suggestion that a lack of balance in the conversation on risk results in a focus on the bottom half of the model. However, this implies that Leaving the Risk and not continuing the ministry from home is negative. The thing is that in risk, it’s highly possible that God DOES want us to stop a certain aspect of our ministry, because it is actually not as effective as we thought. I’m uncomfortable with automatically applying a value to someone’s leaving risk or staying in risk. There is both cowardly remaining and cowardly leaving, courageously leaving and courageously staying.
Applying the Polarity Model without further adaptation leaves “Staying in risk without significant ministry contribution in the country” as “Early Warnings” that “…we are sinking in one of the lower quadrants of the Polarity Management model.” Sometimes staying is what is required, even when it doesn’t look like much. I would urge re-working this model so that such scenarios are not automatically considered “wrong” or negative.
The research on the psychology of risk is very clear on the issue of a logical/emotional risk analysis. It is not helpful to bifurcate the person by saying that “…conversations can easily slip back to focusing on risks and fears.” Why is this automatically stated in the negative? If we do not account for our fear, face our fear, and wrestle with it, we miss having wholistic risk assessment as well as a wrestling with God for the transformation He wishes to work in us in the moment of fear. I suggest the discussion of fear to be reworked among global workers and their senders. There is a lot of un-Biblical teaching on fear coming from particularly America’s pulpits. Gideon’s men, the 22,000 who were sent home because of their fear, WERE NOT CONDEMNED, although I’ve heard plenty of American preaching that condemns them.
Dismissing the fear of global workers is one of the primary ways we decrease resiliency and increase stress. Conversely, facing our fears, working through them with God and our team, will enhance resiliency and help us endure for the long term. And Covid-19 and it’s consequences (the pandemic of fear that has swept the globe) requires long-term resiliency and endurance from global workers.
I loved Mr. Rievan’s questions toward the end of his article, as those are common to all of us, or should be. Honest and transparent questioning of ourselves and our motives allows the Holy Spirit to speak into our risk situations and helps us to know what He is leading us to do despite the best most comprehensive and “responsible” risk conversations, assessment and management.
I would welcome more dialogue with Mr. Rievan and others on this topic.
Dr. Anna E. Hampton
Author, Facing Danger A Guide Through Risk.
https://better-than-gold-faith.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Thanks you Ana, for sharing your thoughts on this! I have posted by response on the Lausanne site: https://www.lausanne.org/content/lga/2020-07/in-a-pandemic-should-missionaries-leave-or-stay I
Reaching UPG peoples has headwinds against it. Mission and higher education are at loggerheads still. We sed out non theologically prepared teams that are barely educated and consider a “team” as the holy grail. Second, interagency coordination is rare and only a veneer. Third, I think that reached UPGs are better, far better equipped to reach UPGs than we are. We do not train a theology of persecution to UPGs, no theological ethics, and leave converted UPGs to figure out Biblical ethics on their own to avoid tampering with their culture. It is better to boast in converted UPGs and what they can do than to shoot westerners into a UPG area and to think they will gladly receive us. Our focus on UPGs is misplaced.
Don Heckman
The Pentecost represented peoples from all or many nations. Even the Arabs were there. But most of these nation groups were Jewish converts and not pure uninstructed seekers of Jesus. So Jewish synagogue Arabs came along with many others. These were not UPGs, but god fearers. Thus it was a 2-step approach to see thousands hear and believe.Every UPG has god fearers among them, fearing all sorts of God. Can we not affirm them as god-fearers and as a second step bring them to fearing the God if Israel. Honor is everything to them. There is so much rejection with our straight-on on “have faith in Jesus” approach. Why can’t a Muslim be praised for his or her faith in an awesome God and then brought into t
the community of faith? Honor God, their God, and show the burden-bearer of Jesus the Lord?
Honor and don’t isolate them unto Jesus, perhaps.
Don Heckman
My post was truncated. Arabs and others at Pentecost were mostly Jewish synagogue converts. It was thus a 2-step conversion for them to hear the power and message of Jesus. Can we not likewise honor the UPGs god, honor him as to be feared, and honor the Muslim, for example, for his or her adherence to their God before we place a label on them as “Jesus follower?” We carry a rejection theology that antagonizes family and friends of UPGs. Let us bring honor and not a rejection of their religion and then show the burden-bearer of our Jesus as freedom to them, always honoring them. Why carry an all or nothing at all approach which can be so destructive and alienating? No honor means failure. Honor opens doors and unites families like the Arab Jews were honored.
Don Heckman
Thank you for this response, Don. Very helpful comments.
I wrote a related paper, “Decision Making For Missions Involvement: A Biblical, Rational Process For Considering Family Issues”, when I was at Moody [1].
I highly recommend “Decision Making and The Will of God” by Gary Friesen [2].
[1] https://www.academia.edu/7573162/Decision_Making_For_Missions_Involvement_A_Biblical_Rational_Process_For_Considering_Family_Issues
[2] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RLBKEA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Thank you for these insightful comments and helps, Brad. Blessings on your ministry! Thankful for you.
Mr. Oke’s thesis is sound – to an extent. However he still doesn’t satisfy the claim made in the title of his article. He is unable to do so because whatever Jesus means by “make disciples” and whatever the early church understood by it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus never told us to plant churches. He told us to “make disciples” and that he would “build” his church. As Breen and Cochram say in their excellent book, Building a Discipling Culture, “If you make disciples, you always get the church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples.” I agree with the author that discipleship was never intended to take place outside of a missional community. But too often we move too quickly to all of the trappings around group formation and our own culturally assumed ideas about what “church” is and pay little attention to corporate and individual spiritual formation.
Another problem I have with the article is that I suspect that “church”, as Mr. Oke would define it, means local churches only and doesn’t take into account its “beyond the local” sense nor that churches were intended to be part of a movement that impacts whole cities and geographical areas.
I like the definition that the church is “the presence of Jesus among his people called out to be a spiritual family to fulfill his mission on this planet.” Discipleship that includes real relationships with others meeting regularly to help each other live authentic spiritual lives in groups of two or three is the DNA that can comprise healthy local churches. But the disciple piece is the first thing.
To suggest that we’re simply called to make disciples and that we should leave Jesus to build his church seems to be at odds with Paul’s assertion in 1 Cor. 3:10 in which he compares his apostolic ministry to that of a master builder.
Also, if this assertion were true, Paul would have been interfering in a project better left to Jesus when he instructed Titus to do bring more structure to the churches he had established in Crete (Titus 1:5).
Dear EMQ readers. We just learned of the passing of Tom, the author, this past December 20. Join in our prayers for his grieving family. -EMQ editors
Thank you for these insightful comments, William.
Thanks for the stirring article Mark. Another suggestion is to read/listen to the podcast of “Unreached of the Day” from Joshua Project: https://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday/podcast
Brother Uytanlet offers an interesting alternative interpretation of Matthew 24:14, and I appreciate his gracious tone. Unfortunately, his thesis contains at least one fatal flaw. After acknowledging that the question the disciples asked (Matt. 24:3) distinctly pointed to the end of the age, he claims that the use of telos proves that in Matt. 24:4–28, “Jesus replied describing the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple” but not the end of the age. However any reading of those verses reveals numerous signs and events that appear to have never happened prior to the destruction of the temple. Verses 4-13 and verses 24-27 describe many events far beyond anything known to have taken place during the few decades between Jesus’ resurrection and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Matthew 24:27 even refers explicitly to “the coming of the Son of Man.” Numerous commentators (such as D.A. Carson, in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, pp. 497-504) see these verses as relevant to the whole age prior to Christ’s return. Commenting, for example, on verse 9, Carson writes: “‘You’ quite clearly extends beyond the immediate disciples and includes all the followers Jesus will have.”
Uytanlet’s word choice reflects a straw man understanding of Matt. 24:14’s function as inspiration for world evangelization. He mistakenly claims two false implications from “the assumption that the timing of Christ’s return is partly dependent on his followers’ involvement in mission.” His first false assumption claims: “It implies that Christians have, to some degree, control over the timing of Jesus’ return. We can make him come back sooner through proactive involvement in evangelism.” To say that our actions have some impact on what God does neither claims that Christians have some degree of “control” over God’s action nor that we can “make him” do anything. Rather, it simply reflects that God often chooses to take or not take certain actions based on what humans do.
Think, for example, of Jonah’s preaching to Nineveh that it would soon be overthrown in 40 days. The Ninevites’ repentance brought a long delay in God’s judgment. Or consider Peter’s call to “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Throughout all history, God has responded accordingly to human actions of obedience or disobedience. His ultimate plan cannot be thwarted, but his sovereignty never negates the effects of human obedience or disobedience to his commands.
Uytanlet’s second false assumption claims: “Consequently, human salvation becomes a secondary motivation for mission, and hastening of Jesus’ return is the primary.” This falsely assumes that mission can have only one motivation. It then adds the false assumption that if anyone believes gospel proclamation can hasten the Lord’s return, that necessarily becomes their primary motivation.
Uytanlet opines: “this passage does not speak of worldwide evangelization as the cause of the ‘end,’ but as a necessary preliminary.” This again presents a straw man, as if anyone would claim worldwide evangelization as the cause of the end. I think all responsible believers would agree in viewing it as “a necessary preliminary.” He then concludes: “the gospel must be proclaimed until he returns. We must continue to do so, not to force Jesus’ return…” I know of no one suggesting we can “force” Jesus’ return. The prejudicial wording presents one more straw man.
It seems Uytanlet has both undervalued the immediate context of Matthew 24:14 and misrepresented the views and motivations of those with whom he disagrees. I hope his misrepresentation will not deter others from the inspiration Matthew 24:14 rightly gives us for world evangelization.
Another perspective on the important issues raised by Rev. Aweis Ali will be forthcoming in a response article from SIM in the April 2021 issue of EMQ.
Thank you Dave. I think your critique of this article captures well the concerns I had as I read this. Well put.
What is the working definition of “unreached people”? Thx
Virgil, the basic definition for Unreached People Groups is: “A people group within which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians able to evangelize this people group.” Find out more on GlobalGates website: https://globalgates.info/unreached-people-groups-priority-matrix-frequently-asked-questions/#define
Andres:
Greetings!
Check my latest book on this topic:
Hispanic Muslims in the United States (2020, Wipf & Stock Publishers).
https://wipfandstock.com/9781725253841/hispanic-muslims-in-the-united-states/
https://www.amazon.com/Hispanic-Muslims-United-States-Commitment/dp/1725253844/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hispanic+muslims+in+the+usa&qid=1614878189&sr=8-1
Blessings,
Victor H.
I totally agree with you on your perspective, although the idea is deeply entrenched around the world! our organization does not use that term anymore, but our visas in our country have been classified as a “missionary visa” (we are trying to avoid that visa in the future, but it is what it is and has benefitted many). A re-education of people on both sides of the world will help with this, partly by Biblically explaining the issue and defined by what we do and how we do it. We have spent our lives being categorized in ways that we don’t like and have tried, with some success, in trying to change peoples perspective. The key is re-educating people as your article does. Thanks for your effort!
Thanks Larry! And Mallory! Good thoughts. I didn’t like the term “missionary” in 1979 when I became one! ? Over the years it has become more problematic.
I would like to respectfully push back here. Some of this is semantics. Some is devaluing the function of the missionary–one who is SENT with both AUTHORITY and a MESSAGE. Whether this is done bi-vocationally or not is not the central issue. The intent is to go across cultures with the goal of disciple-making.
While the word “missionary” has fallen out of favor, I’d rather see it redeemed for what it is intended to mean rather than do away with it. Yes, there are security issues. But I think the way to address the dual identity concern is to better define what a missionary does rather than what’s on his or her visa.
It’s fine to refrain from using the term missionary to describe oneself. But a descriptor is needed, at least within the Church, to describe people who are intentionally sent to transcend cultural barriers in order to make disciples of Jesus. Until such a term is adopted, we will frustrate people if we ask them to give up something (the term “missionary”) without providing another term which is a dynamic equivalent. Terms like “father, husband, teacher, or disciple-maker do not adequately represent the denotative meaning of “missionary.” I am certainly open to alternatives given the negative connotations many people associate with the word “missionary.” But at this point, I’m not ready to give up a less than ideal term until a more ideal one is found. Let’s keep looking.
Agreed, it’s often far easier to criticize something than suggest a suitable replacement. Our local pastor describes himself as a “follower of Jesus” rather than “Christian” in terms everyone can understand. When someone asks if it’s possible to be a “gay Christian” he responds “Yes, but you can’t live a lifestyle of open rebellion and follow Jesus at the same time.”
A solid New Testament alternative is “apostle” (“one sent out”)
I don’t think purposely avoiding a misunderstood word is a matter of integrity, based on the example of Jesus Himself; He readily acknowledged that He was the Messiah/Christ when necessary, but also commanded the disciples to refrain from using that title because to most people it raised incorrect ideas. It is not the term “missionary” that is in fact offensive to people, it is the idea that people need saving and that God has chosen to deliver the saving message through specific (imperfect) individuals. No matter what word we use, the world will not be happy with our attempts to fulfill the task. We are ordered to make disciples (“converts”) — the very thing they don’t think we should be doing. Among the churches the title Messiah was freely applied to Jesus, and I see no reason for us not to use the title missionary (or something genuinely equivalent) among those who understand not only the real meaning of the term, but also the basis, the need, for the mission.
I don’t think the problem is ‘being a missionary’. Rather, the ‘problem’ is, being a missionary who uses a non-indigenous language, and who spends donor money liberally on agendas designed and envisioned somewhere else.
I find it interesting that the word ‘missionary’ is increasingly contested in both the ‘receiving’ and ‘sending’ arenas. Perhaps this is because in certain parts of the world it conjures up the image of the pith helmet wearing colonialist seeking to promote the ‘one true faith’ among poor primitive peoples. Seeking to change their allegiance to a ‘foreign God’ by using foreign influence.
It is therefore, understandable for those of us who have come from such a context to feel that sense of post-colonial guilt and to want to distance ourselves from any such terminology.
To a Post Modern Western society, it is undoubtedly anathema to seek to impose one’s religious beliefs or views on another. Whether that happens locally or internationally. To a society under the control of another world religion or philosophy, it is perceived as competition for that control; ‘haram’!
Liking or not the term ‘missionary’ would seem to be akin to arguing over the make, model and colour of a car. Some will love it others will hate it. But it will probably still get you from A to B for the purpose that was intended by the manufacturer.
Interestingly vehicles that are branded in one way in my home country are often rebranded differently in the country that I live in. This is to try and to take into account local tastes, concerns and language.
As ‘missionary’ is not a particularly biblical word I am fairly agnostic as to how I use it. If it is an obstacle to the local church in expressing or multiplying the ‘image of God in Christ Jesus’, we ought perhaps to reframe it as the cross-cultural or international component of mission that is promoted by the local church. At the same time we should intentionally promote the importance of the Missio-Dei at every level of the church community, including the business sector. The two should not be in competition with each other.
If the word ‘missionary’ is well embedded and properly understood within the local ‘sending’ church, what is the point of changing it?
I think the motivation for change should be surfaced here. Is the reason we ought to have an alternative word for ‘missionary’ because of the personal discomfort I feel when using the word, or seeing it written on my CV or visa? That slight embarrassment that I feel every time I try to explain what it is I actually do to my secular friends?
Is it to be ‘better accepted’ in the community that I come from or am going to?
Is it because it represents an expensive ministry that competes with other local ministries for scarce resources of time, personnel and finance?
Is it that after so many years of ministry, I have lost my identity some where along the line and no longer feel a sense of belonging to either my home country or the country I minister in?
If it is the latter, we are probably have more in common with Abram , the first ‘missionary’, than we think!
Kudos to Larry Sharp for the article. Speaking from personal experience. we were careful to quietly tell our infrequent foreign visitors (yes from the West) that we don’t say that word here. This was a sometimes futile attempt to prevent the awkward moment when the word was blurted out in the middle of our busy urban streets. Admittedly, it is a challenge to find an adequate substitute. For better or worse, we came up with “expat worker” which worked for us. Yes, this will not fly in our churches and the idea of re-educating our home-based supporting constituencies is a tough one. Our local sending church tried to use “Global Partners” which did stick for awhile. Sadly it is falling into disuse and is on its way to oblivion. I guess I simply need to throw my voice into the mix to acknowledge that this is a critical issue for most of the Majority World. What can we do to better serve the long-term viability of our freshly-minted new workers?
The word “missionary” as with many terms associated with Christian ministry, were not “titles” conferred nor offices held, but were originally verbs or nouns that described a function of ministry. The “mission” will define and determine whether anyone is a “missionary”, “one sent on a mission”. The 12 men that we associate with the word “apostle” in the new testament were sent out by Jesus with a specific mission, specific instructions and returned to report on the impact of the specific “mission” they were sent to accomplish. But in our modern day, the word “missionary” has indeed lost its original meaning almost completely. It can now mean almost anything and represents more of being an “emissary” sent out to represent a local church, organization, network, fellowship or even just carry out a personal desire to “help” people. What we refer to as “the great commission” is the basis of Jesus last command to Go, make disciples, baptize those disciples and establish local groups of Jesus followers that reflect and obey Jesus and His Word. If that is not happening then we must certainly question what we call ourselves or what terms best describe our mission. Bob Craft
This is a good discussion. In Iceland where I work the word for missionary is “kristniboði” lit. one who preaches Christ. I didn’t use this term for a long time because of the image Icelanders had of missionaries going to other lands like China, Ethiopia and Kenya where the missionaries were there to help people living in lands that were “non Christian mission fields”. So I called myself either a “pastor” or “a worker with a Christian organization.” This was never a problem.
Recently however I’ve started calling myself a “kristniboði” because my missiology has changed. It seems to me important to emphasize that the so-called first world has become a mission field and that it is perfectly legitimate to expect workers from other countries to be coming to us to proclaim Christ and make disciples because we in the west have done such a dismal job of it!
For people in churches here in N. America I have no problem saying missionary, but I´d rather call myself an “apostolic shepherd.” Why? Again because of changed missiology. I think we need to go back to some New Testament terminology that reminds the church that the church is distinct in its identity and calling. When the Holy Spirit sends us and the church releases us for “the work that he has called us to do” we are not doing the same thing as ex pat Christians who work for a multi national company and are living in XYZ land that it not their home country. Let’s admit that the cross cultural disciple making call is a crazy thing in the eyes of most people because it doesn’t make sense to them.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t be wise as serpents and harmless as doves in our entry strategies, but let’s also be OK with working under a calling supported by a “sodality” called a mission agency. This is a totally different thing than being a member of a local church who is witnessing in the work place for Christ. We are as much a part of the church as those who are called to stay local and are part of something as old as Paul and his apostolic band in the 1st century.
Those of us working in so-called “developing” countries find mission terminology (missionary, missions, missional…) and the mentality associated with it to be a serious barrier to the Gospel. Many colleagues where I work in Southeast Asia refer to “missionary” as the “M-word”. We whisper it under our breath as if it’s the kind of word you would never say out loud in front of your mom. One reason for this as Larry Sharp points out is credibility. “Missionaries” aren’t credible because the M-word conjures up our dark past that don’t want to deal with and would like just forget about all together, colonialism. David Bosch explained that “the very origin of the term ‘mission,’ as we still tend to use it today, presupposes the ambience of the West’s colonization of overseas territories and its subjugation of their inhabitants. Therefore, since the sixteenth century, if one said ‘mission,’ one in a sense also said ‘colonialism.’ Modern missions originated in the context of modern Western colonialism” (Transforming Mission, p. 293).
There’s a reason why too many countries in Africa, Asia and South America are “developing countries.” But, they are not underdeveloped because they are poor countries lacking in natural resources with primitive populations. In fact, most of these countries aren’t poor at all. They are rich with incredible natural resources and industrious populations. In reality they are not underdeveloped, but rather have been overexploited by colonial powers and still suffer under a global economic system that favors those former colonial powers. Many of these countries had thriving economies and trade systems, but its people were subjected to poverty through annexation of thier land, forced slavery and even genocide. We in the West want to just want to move on from all that. We tell ourselves that colonialism is something from the past that we should just put to rest, let bygones be bygones. But, scars of colonialism are still seen today in many former colonies and the injustices of that era are still remembered. In the country where I work, there are museums all over the country where the raw brutality their former occupiers is on full display. So, yes they still remember.
This leads us back to the m-word. Both Catholic and Protestant missionaries were often complicit and benefited from these colonial powers. Yes, there were some movements among colonial era missionaries that attempted to address the abuses of colonial powers. But by and large, missionaries and missions organizations rarely questioned the colonial vision itself. Again Bosch notes, “The problem was that, even where they launched stringent criticisms against the colonial administration, they never really doubted the legitimacy of colonialism; they assumed, virtually without question, that colonialism was an inexorable force and that all they were required to do was somehow to try to tame it” (Transforming Mission, p. 303). And, that is the baggage packed into the word “missionary.”
Another potentially problematic ramification of the term is that it creates two classes of Christian…sent ones…and not sent ones. The reality is that the Great Commission applies to all. I am no more sent because I’m paid to serve missionally full-time than is my brother or sister in Christ who are working in a secular position. We are all sent ones, and if we keep insisting on the missionary term I think we do damage to MORE than reputation abroad…we create a false understanding within the church walls of what it means to follow Christ.
Excellent article. How can I legally share this article with my Missions Students and fellow faculty in the Philippines?
You can use in the classroom and academic settings as you so desire.
Thanks Ted! I appreciate your historical and biblical perspective. I was just reading my 1908 copy from John Mott of the Future Leader ship of the Church. I guess he had not deconstructed in 1908.
I did appreciate this interview with Skye Jethani and AJ Swodoba on deconstruction.
https://youtu.be/mMzbow19HVM?t=2525
Thanks so much Ted. I wonder how much of re-thinking missions is driven by two Western cultural priorities, namely innovation and tolerance? Check out the Holy Week editions of Time or Newsweek over the past many years. The cover story is typically about the latest discovery or theory about Jesus. Orthodoxy simply isn’t newsworthy. Neither is exclusivity. The great commission does not tolerate any competitors to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Great article Ted! Thanks for the clarity! Also, thanks for the work you all do at Missio Nexus!
I sense that there is a weariness among some mission leaders from all the “deconstruction” that’s been going on in recent years, and rightly so. While I don’t suggest rethinking anything for the sake of rethinking, I believe much of the recent discussions are helpful and they are for producing better theology and practice in missions. As someone who’s been critiquing missions practices during recent years, I feel that I am often misunderstood by those who feel attacked by my writings. I hope to have constructive discussions for faithfully obeying the Great Commission. I do believe that we need to continue to evaluate the way we understand and act upon the Great Commission. That is very different from deconstructing the Great Commission.
As I read your comments, Ted, I am struck by your efforts to tread carefully between the swirls of culture and language in our complex and diverse world. How can we honor and respect those for whom “mission” and “missions” is a high, selfless, and sacrificial calling while also honoring and respecting those for whom it is laden with cultural and ethnic privilege and militaristic over-against zeal. At times I just internally sigh and wish the best to the generations who are coming after me, who must negotiate these changing swirls of language, culture, and privilege. For my part, I think privilege may always exist. When I have it, I should use it altruistically, as has been done for me at least at the divine level, and when I don’t, I should rest secure in a transcendent reality. And ideally, I will be ever aware of both as they swirl and shift in me, around me, and beyond me, but on my guard and not deluded by them.
Thanks for this Ted!! It’s a helpful challenge to being knocked senseless by the swinging pendulum of history, theology and culture! Part of the beauty of the Great Commission is it’s clarity! But it does have a scope to it that of course includes the Great Commandment! How else could we possibly obey, ‘teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you’ if we don’t convey and practice Christ’s commands and obvious care for the poor and oppressed.
The second-guessing and ‘yeah, butting’ of calling for people to go and make disciples has muted our challenge to the churches in the West. This is a helpful rethinking of that rethinking!
Great article! I have posted longer comments at https://www.btdnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/Blogs/2021/DBS%20-%20Real%20Discipleship%20or%20Foundational%20Problems.pdf. That also includes some comparison of this article with the next.
Great article! I have posted longer comments at https://www.btdnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/Blogs/2021/DBS%20-%20Real%20Discipleship%20or%20Foundational%20Problems.pdf.
That also includes some comparison of this article with the next.
I noticed a number of significant weaknesses in this article; too many to post here. You can see my thoughts at https://www.btdnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/Blogs/2021/DBS%20-%20Real%20Discipleship%20or%20Foundational%20Problems.pdf.
That also includes some comparison of this article with the previous.
What an insightful article. Thanks! This line ” We assume our job is to get Christ to [fill in the blank].” reminds me of my very first year with Wycliffe about 17 years ago. I listened to a speaker from India who challenged me and other young, enthusiastic missionaries by reminding us that we are not taking Jesus anywhere, cause he is already there! He is the ONE taking us there. Of course now many years later I know exactly what this means from experience but most of all understanding that Missions is about presence it is a transformative process- and more for me even than for those I seek to “win for Christ” . We follow Christ and He makes us….he transforms us and those with whom we interact. We are not the ones with the winning formula. Christ is at one in us and through us.
How do I register for the pre-conference workshop on innovation? Thanks!
Sam Goff
I suppose I should read the book mentioned in the footnotes, but it would have been helpful if this article explained the author’s definition of “finishing well” and “failing”. And it would be extra helpful to have concrete examples of the two for comparison.
Also, is this concept referring to pastors and missionaries exclusively? If someone pastors and then takes a secular job are they a failure or not finishing well? If someone starts a Christian charity that is mediocre or declining in impact after twenty years have they begun to “fade into a slow fail” (the author’s words above)?
Out of context of the author’s definitions or any case studies it’s difficult to critically evaluate the claims of this article.
As a lifelong full-time Christian worker, I was once a functioning performaholic. I equated my service for Jesus to my relationship with him.
I think that pastors and Christian workers commonly fall into that trap, without even knowing it. We go from spiritual high to spiritual high based on our performance for him. Gradually, we grow cold, spiritually dry, distant from God. That leads to not finishing well, or not even getting to the halfway point well.
The 6 traits in this article are good, especially 1, 3 and 5. Those are the ones tied to the leader’s relationship with Christ.
Paul said, “I want to know Christ.” This phenomenal leader never, ever thought he had arrived, and wanted to know his Savior more and more. He knew that was his source for service.
jon@freshfaith247.com
I could not agree more with you Jon. It’s a message I’ve been preaching to myself and those I influence (mentees and missionary applicants)- my love relationship with the Lord is seperate from what I do for Him- they are not the same.
Overall this was a good and needed article. I do think you missed one of the most important items though. Mature leaders always look at reproducing themselves, especially as they get into the last half of their ministry. The biblical principle is spiritual kids and grandkids. Paul told Timothy, the things you learned from me teach others, who are also able to teach others. Paul looked at developing leaders to three generations. Blessingd!
Fantastic treatment of a difficult, and often overlooked, topic! Thank you for this scholarly nudge to organizations who can have significant influence on the well-being of their staff and, in turn, Kingdom work.
We are working in our local church to grow cultural appreciation for the testimony of Christ in our community.
Informative article on a impacting woman. Thank you Marti for a wonderful life of service! You are valued.
Thanks for these concise tips on adult learning. It looks like this could be relevant in a lot of different contexts!
Although I would agree with the importance of prayer and the emphasis on retention, I do not agree with Williamson’s dismissal of the importance of mobilization. I would argue that Mathew 28:18-20 does include a command to mobilize others for making disciples of all nations. Jesus tells his disciples to teach others to obey everything he has commanded them. This would include teaching others the command to make disciples of all nations. Mobilization includes calling others to obey the Great Commission. The example we see in Acts lends support for mobilizing others for cross-cultural mission work. Barnabas invited Paul to join him in cross-cultural work in Antioch and then Paul invited Silas, Timothy and others to accompany him on his missionary journeys and then sent them to serve cross-culturally without him. When I look at VanHuis’ Mission Motives Full Report, I see that the largest number of those who serve and stay cross-culturally were called to a role and the second largest number were called to obedience. You only can be called to a role if someone tells you about a role that is needed. This is the function of mobilizers – not just to invite but to present needs and possible roles that a person could fill. One of the quotes illustrating the calling to a role says, “The need was presented by our organization.” In other words, a mobilizer talked about the need and someone sensed God’s call to meet that need. I have served more than 35 years in cross-cultural work and I know that a critical reason for why I made the decision to apply for missionary service is because a mission mobilizer expressed interest in me, my gifts, and my sense of calling and then pursued me. In this way, this mobilizer expressed their faith that God could use me in cross-cultural missions.
The article touches on the high cost of the mobilization for ex-pat missionaries. When compared to the impact of mobilizing indigenous workers to reach nearby villages it makes ex-pat mobilization (as it has traditionally been done) seem like very poor stewardship of resources. Any of us who have been responsible for managing an ex-pat missionary team can site examples of those who are excellent, incarnational missionaries who do very well for the duration and, sadly, those who should never have been deployed or quickly became dropouts despite efforts to help them. While the good and obedient motivations of the missionary are strong indicators of future service, even that is no guarantee of fruitful service toward Great Commission goals. It is more and more important that mobilizing the right kind of missionary in today’s world is essential to mobilizing the Gospel at the ground level among the local, indigenous church. Mobilization at the local level, cutting edge, of the Kingdom is equally as important as mobilizing the right kind of missionary to help complete the great commission. The modern missionary still needs to be incarnational and at the same time have a deep understanding of the “internationalization” of great commission efforts. R. Craft
Thanks Kimberly for taking the time to dig deeper into this important topic! Once again reminded me as a leader of a member care organization to continue to be attentive to the needs and well-being of those under my care! I trust other organizational leaders will take note!
as I have read this particular version of 7 things no missions textbook will teach you, I found them all good. I want to emphasize #1 comments, “and I quickly learned that I knew more about some formal teachings of Islam than the local people. The average person in my community doesn’t read the Koran or go to the mosque regularly.”
Even in my Nigerian context this is very true to the particular people that I am working with. (not all the people of this country, but who I am working with) Traditionalism weighs more importance than truth. Being born Islamic, is just as important than you country or tribe of birth. To change your Islamic birth is like being disowned and removed from your family origin. This said they do not read the Koran or (many can’t read)so they only follow what they are told.
I do not agree with the first comment that it is not important to know what Islamic people believe, just at what level you might meet Islamic people is very much a variable.
Nigeria
I also want to challenge those who live by the writings of the book, “When helping hurts” as when it comes to people dying because they have nothing to eat, you cant say No!
when it comes to helping change a concept of the mind, it takes many failures to finally get success. I agree with the comments from #5 as he says, ” but real-life issues are much less black and white.”
Unable to open either download for the workshop.
Our apologies for the inconvenience. We’ve fixed it. You should be able to read and download a copy.
Unable to download notes for this workshop. Only get a few lines of computer code.
We’re sorry. YOu should be able to access it now.
I am watching the video recording of “Current Innovations in Diaspora.” May I have the contact information of John Baxter?
Excellent article. How hard it is to die to that self-seeking thought that we know it all and need to share it. Sadly, this “hard and hidden truth” about missions is still mostly hidden. Thank you for your part in revealing it. Just a side-thought… wondering if Virgil’s message to the boys on the hood was perhaps trunk-ated.. 🙂
Is there a video available from this seminar?
I have the same question.
The video and audio recordings have been added.
This is a very insightful article. My experience in ministry in India and my current role in an ever-changing organizational environment in my organization makes this a very timely concept.
Where can we find articles written by Ian Prescott?
Is it possible to obtain a copy of this workshop on GenZ.
Thank you. Lydia Mims
Hello Lydia. I will see about getting you a copy.
I am unable to access either download. There seems to be a problem with the links.
Sorry for the inconvenience. The links are now fixed. You may read and download your copy.
Can you make the “Diversity, Inclusion, and Conflict: Do You Want Uniformity or Unity?” 8:30AM session available? I am looking to access this session, but am not able to find it anywhere on your website. Thank you.
Bill, thanks for addressing these things in your article. I know how often the fear of man, my own misguided understandings of what ‘faithfulness’ should look like, or unspoken organization/church culture that I don’t stop to challenge can lead me in a path toward exhaustion, weariness, and discouragement.
I wonder if it would be better to say that our identity in Christ–our commitments to him and his work–should define our boundaries, rather than saying that personal boundaries define identity. Otherwise, I can attempt to erect “good” or “healthy” boundaries based on external values/best practices rather than in the midst of relationship with the One who might call me in a season or instance to live in a way that initially might seem “unhealthy.”
Obviously, there is a danger of not listening to the Lord and striving in my own strength–which leads to overwork. But the other side is to allow my culture or my own feelings to define what ‘healthy’ means and not to take risks (something I think we’re considering in an upcoming MissioNexus event) that he may be asking of me. Neither end of the continuum is desirable, but I often find myself there!
Thanks for your work in calling us to consider Jesus’ practices in a life of serving him.
Michael, thanks for taking time to share. You make important points. I agree with you about our true identity being in Christ and that’s central. I’d add that from a developmental perspective we learn start learning that in our personal and family relationships, before we can study the Bible.
Thanks for this helpful article. I love this approach.
Great write-up! A comprehensive framework of Biblical foundation for member care to delve into and to share with sending entities.
Well articulated, Ivan! Appreciate always your contribution of church and agency working together partnership.
I appreciate this acknowledgement of the complexities involved in funding Bible translation ministry.
Great article Jennifer… Thank You for contributing to a clearer understanding of Wycliffes past, present and future as part of God’s redemptive plan for the nations!
Thanks, Heather, for a current, clear and compelling intro!
Can’t hear much of the conversation in the middle. 🙁
I have updated the post. Can you try again, Andrea?
Hi there, I am doing research on best practices for long-term health for foreign missionaries. Have you guys written a paper or saved a workshop or presentation of your findings? I would really love to delve into the topic and learn from you guys as I research for my DMin for the overall health future of missionaries. thanks so much! Matt
@tedesler, thanks for the globalization webinar. Possible for me to get a PDF of your slide deck … to share with others in Frontier Ventures unlikely to watch the one-hour recording?
Darrel, I just sent an email to you with the PowerPoint and speaking notes.
Ted, I was unable to access the webinar despite repeated attempts. Will you send me the link to recording and the slide deck?
Beautiful. Marvelous! All glory to God. Thank you for sharing, Ted.
Ted,
I apologize that I was unable to meet with you for dinner during your time here in Wilmore. I was wiped out and your invite through Geoff caught me on a busy night. I just want to relate that your assessment of the Asbury Outpouring/Revival is spot on. It is consistent with my own personal assessment as someone who has been a part of it from day one, as someone who worked with the Asbury leadership during the revival and as someone who has been processing it with students over the past several weeks. I have shared your article with One Mission Society Senior Leadership Team to help them process this well and to help temper our expectations. The spiritual temperature here in Wilmore is that God is not done and a missions movement is forthcoming. When? No one knows. It may be through the process of discipleship of students of which I am heavily involved and through continual discussions. But as we have seen, only God knows. Until then, we continue to be obedient to Matthew 9:38 and to the Great Commission. Thanks for your article. Well done!
All For Jesus,
David Schnake
Dir. OMS Asbury Student Center
Thanks for the good report, Ted. As a resident of Wilmore, we described this move of God almost exactly like you did. Wish I had known you were in town, I would have bought your lunch! Blessings to you!
Ron Houp
President, GO InterNational
Thanks, Ron. Going was a last minute decision for me, and I did not plan it as well as I would have liked. Usually, I look for members in the area I am going to and try to set things up.
GREAT suggestion! This is one of my top 10 books of all time. I reread it every few years.
@tedesler I don’t see a link on here to watch the webinar (a mix-up kept me from receiving the zoom link). Is it possible to view the webinar? Thanks!
Pamela, your user account is not associated with the Frontier Ventures membership, thus the system sees you as a non-member. To get this corrected, please contact lori.benavides@frontierventures.org and she can add your to the account. Then the webinar will show up for you, as will lots of other content!
Thank you, Ted! I am not FV, though some of my Perspectives colleagues are. I hope that soon they will provide that for all Perspectives staff!
I just glanced at this webinar’s handout, to decide if I want to watch it. The topics it covers remind me of the Lausanne Movement’s paper, “Wealth Creation: Biblical View and Perspectives” [1]. The forward to their paper begins:
‘Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth’ (Deut 8:18).
“The Bible talks about wealth in three ways; one is bad and two are good. Hoarding of wealth is condemned. Sharing of wealth is encouraged. Creation of wealth is both a godly gift and a command, and there is no wealth to be shared unless it has first been created. But all too often the issue of wealth creation is misunderstood, neglected, or even rejected. The same thing applies to wealth creators.”
[1] https://lausanne.org/content/wealth-creation-biblical-views-perspectives
I’m logged in but don’t actually see where I’m able to download the report?
Hi Kate – The report is only available to Missio Nexus members. The profile you are logged in with is a free guest account. If you are part of a member organization, reach out to your organization contact (from the top navigation choose Membership » Members to find their contact info). Otherwise, you can purchase a membership here: https://missionexus.org/join
Same thing happened to me. I am logged in but don’t see how to download the report.
Hi Joyce, can you try logging out and back in again. Your account was missing the necessary permissions. I have corrected this.
How and where do I download the report?
Hi Christiana, The report is only available to Missio Nexus members. The profile you are logged in with is a free guest account. If you are part of a member organization, reach out to your organization contact (from the top navigation choose Membership » Members to find their contact info). Otherwise, you can purchase a membership here: https://missionexus.org/join
Ditto–no way to download the report once logged in.
you should be able to now. I’ve updated your profile.
My mission order, YFCI, is a member of Mission Nexus and informed me that I am also a member through them. I am logged in, but not able to view the report nor listen to this session. Can someone please help me with this? Thank you.
Hi! I’m logged in but also can’t download the article. I pay for a church leader membership, and it says I must be logged in to view the content, then it says I’m logged in and asks if I want to log out. Help?
Logged in and a member. Unable to download the report!
I can see the pdf but doesn’t open and I can’t see a download button for the actual report to listen to.
It looks like the link to the handouts is for a webinar called “Sharing your Story.” Thank you for checking on this.
Thanks, Eric. We have this corrected. God bless you!
Is there a typo in the third sentence of the book summary? The phrase “how…poverty” seems to lack a verb. “Though the book recognizes the increasing focus on how the social, political, and economic dimensions of poverty, it seeks to address the neglected study on the spiritual realities of the poor, how they relate to God, and why they follow Christ.”
Thank you for this conversation and research! I always appreciate hearing from Pastor Reeves.
How do I view this? Is there audio or video?
If you are logged you should be able to see the recorded video and audio. And you must be a member too. 🙂
I am a member but I cannot find the link to the recorded video.
Is the recording of the webinar supposed to be in this post??? Don’t see it anywhere.
It hadn’t been given when you posted.
As of 5/22/23 It’s at the top of this page.
If you log in to the site, the video becomes playable.
I don’t see it either!?
@tedesler
Ted, I was unable to access the webinar despite repeated attempts. Will you send me the link to recording and the slide deck?
Mahalo.
Luke, welcome to your new role! Congratulations and I look forward to talking with you!
Thank you, Ted! I look forward to connecting. We are so grateful for the work of Missio Nexus!
I am looking forward to read this book (I am still working through Anna’s book “Facing Danger”.
Thank you, Mechthild! Let me know if you have any questions. It is not light reading…..
I serve in Member Care with a large organization and what Faith said was very true of my organization and what I have experienced in serving members. Thank you for the webinar!
Thank you for this unblinking stand for God’s loving truth that can set us free. I’ve been worried about a few things I’ve seen on Missio Nexus lately where it feels like some are ready to compromise with the spirit of the age. Featuring clear statements in line with the eternal Kingdom of God will keep anyone who wants to bow the knee to “diversity and inclusion” from sticking around long.
Your starting point, about “those trying to bring confusion through false teaching into the church” makes the church out to be about humans who teach, rather than about people who were not the people of God as they become the people of God and who, through the work of the Spirit, are becoming a new humanity by surprisingly including those whom we would keep out. Acts 8:37, 10:46, 11:15-18, Rom 14:3, 13
When we teach, and try to establish our authority over the developing story of blessing for all peoples, we often get in the way and don’t see the fullness of the gospel that the Spirit might want to make visible.
Why resist the clear teaching of scripture (e.g., Gen. 1:28, Matt. 19:5, Heb. 13:4, 1 Cor. 7:9) that God created sexual intercourse for pleasure and fruitfulness between one man & one woman within his holy institution of marriage? Why do you try to hold up the understanding of new arrivals (including those suffering mental illnesses and confused identities) as somehow equal or superior with those speaking the eternal truth of God clearly laid out in his infallible word?
This sounds like an echo from Eden, “Did God really say?”
Amen!
My “Amen” was in agreement with Halls’ comment.
The irony is that the reasoning and emotion used to argue that gender and sexuality are essential issues makes all issues addressed in the Bible equally essential. And, yet, I don’t hear the majority of our Christian spaces in the US speaking out against labor exploitation, ableism, the rich and powerful, etc. This is of course because there would be no one left to speak out because we all fit into one of these categories.
Am really touched how God uses your ministry for spreading the Gospel, back here I was pastoring 7 churches uniting them with God’s word so could you support them with the bible
Well said Jim!
I was very interested to look up the two Barna reports and the Lifeway report in the footnotes. I shared them with the staff of my church and the Anglican diocese office.
This is a good article. When people talk about “holistic health” I encourage them to look at the articles written by salutogenesis researchers and practitioners. One can get a summary in the Wikipedia article and more details in the next links.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salutogenesis
https://www.centrelearoback.org/assets/PDF/04_activites/clr-GCPB121122-Lindstom_pub_introsalutogenesis.pdf
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-04600-6
Wonderful testimony of what God can do with someone who is willing.
This is an excellent article! Thanks for giving us a better framework for livestock-based community development!
Thank you, Vern!
Warm welcome brother!
It’s great to know that our association continues to implement.
We are all better for it.
Looking forward to meeting you, serving you and benefiting from your rich wisdom.
Congratulations, Bob.
Great article Natalie! Thanks for sharing. In working with new missionaries with my org I see this all the time as well.
Bravo. In my case, God’s will was for my wife and I to wait till my mid-30s to find each other.
We need a more robust theology of singleness in missions (which will help fend off the “Alphabet Jihad” now attempting to infiltrate our ranks and make it acceptable to compromise with sexual sin).
You identify the issue of the “tax” (administrative fee) on missionary support but you don’t give any alternatives. Can you be more specific as to alternative structures or practices in light of the unsustainability of admin fees.
THANKS for this Ted, I always value your perspective and hearing what you are seeing “out there” (which, means here to of course).
I know you needed to limit this, but George was only one of the global mission founders who died in 2023 – so mentioning Loren Cunningham (YWAM) and Paul Eshleman (“founder” sort, of, of the Jesus Film Project) fit your point as you know.
Hamas’ attack was beyond terrible, and I agree too, that we’ve seen the impact of the radical Muslim fringe drawing people to the Prince of Peace. BUT at the same time, since the response by Israel has been so brutal, unrelenting and indiscriminate, I fear (with good reason historically) that the reverse will happen. It is not that Islam will seem less prone to violence (most, of course, are NOT violent of course) but that anti-American often translates into any “Christian.” Many have suggested we are creating more terrorist at this point.
Good thing that many witnesses out there are not from the U.S. these days.
THANKS again…great points to reflect on and watch in the coming days. As well as whatever new shows up in this radically shifting world. Aslan seems to be on the move!
Do you know of any comparable recent studies to this? ReMAP?
REMAP is the only one I know of and it is very old.
I’m not sure that the correct interview is linked above. Thanks for everything you do.
This has been fixed. Thank you!
The author interview link points to the book on Amazon, not the interview.
This is fixed. Thank you!
Just wanted to let you know the amazon link goes to a different book than the one listed.
the link must be broken. I am logged in but can not see the webinar. Sorry I missed the live connection.
So, we’ve been practicing this, otherwise known as “leadership plurality”, for many years now; and recently launched a multi-national, multi-2ndary doctrine network in Asia. Of course the authors recognize that this is the approach found in the book of Acts, and our relationships have focused upon this in all our mission efforts. There are many lessons to be learned, and we outline these in our foundational documents. I’ll look at getting the book; just was curious at the ‘new’ and ‘theoretical’ parts of the title.
I do not doubt that this book contains some good lessons we can learn from, but we should be cautious about what it does to our spirit. God’s Spirit mourns over our corruptions, but the corruption of this world does not change truth. The corruption found in any denomination does not negate the truths that they share. The pride God hates will surface when we judge by comparing our best with someone else’s worst. Jesus was Sacramental, Jesus was Charismatic, and Jesus was Evangelical. The Bible says the Church should not have divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10), a kingdom divided cannot stand (Mark 3:24), and that those who promote factions “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). It is possible to believe a truth without it affecting my life. Jesus prayed for the oneness of the Church and said it would cause the world to believe (John 17:20-23). When was the last time you prayed for our oneness like Jesus prayed? We cannot heal our divisions, but God can. I am (We are, I hope) confident that God will answer our prayers and direct us in a new spiritual oneness in the Church (otherwise considered impossible) when the Church demonstrates that we are serious in our asking. TheChurchGathered.com
In Philippians 3:2-4, Paul tells us to “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh.” He is warning here about a return to a works-based religion, which is a different Gospel. Was Paul promoting factions when he wrote this? No. He was drawing a distinction between a works-based religion (confidence in the flesh) and a Gospel based religion (confidence in the work of Christ on the cross). Insofar as other religions promote a different gospel, they cannot share in the Kingdom. Unity with them is fruitless and an affront to the cross.
Having learnt the heart language once saved me a traffic fine! I had been pulled over and the traffic officer already had his book out wanting to write a stiff fine. I was speaking to him in the country’s trade language, Portuguese. I turned back to the car and said to my passenger in the local heart language “I think this is going to take a while”. Upon hearing me speak the local language, the officer promptly put away his book, smiled, and said with a smile “You speak the local language? Go. Don’t do it again.”
Henry
BTW: Having learnt two languages as an adult (one documented and the other not), and having taught missionaries to learn language, I can heartily recommend the book “Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It” by Gabriel Wyner. He combines some of the modern language approaches in a practical way, and makes it tech savvy too.
Give it a read. It’s a good book.
I totally agree that preparation is essential. I went through a 7 day “disappearance” and I’m grateful for the H.S. in giving me and my wife answers, the prep things my organization gave really helped. One of the officers that interviewed me said the steps the organization taught us was very effective in stopping them from finding information (that particular e-mail had not yet be deleted when we were picked up.) After our experience, we were able to help our organization more on more specifics on what worked and what did not. But being prepared (as much as one can prepare) definitely helped a lot.
Great webinar. Thanks for including the younger generation and allowing him to tell HIS-story!
So sorry to hear the experience of your grandmother, and others like her. May the Lord bless you, your studies and your ministry and may more Yuchi come to know Jesus the Lord and Savior, to worship God, the Great Spirit
Thank you for bringing Dr. Williamson as the new Director of Leadership Formation. Excellent choice!
This article was written by Kathy Wilson and can be found here: https://supportraisingsolutions.org/4-characteristics-of-a-great-mpd-coach/
She sounds wonderful! So glad she joined the team!
Geoff: Is there a .pdf summary of your report of findings? Eager to read. I’m a colleague of Kimberly Drage at NOVO
Warmly,
Steve
Steve.Hoke@novo.org
Good thoughts. Thank you
Blessings brother! Thank YOU! We can talk any time 🙂
THANK you for this summary! Very good!
trial
As someone who regularly gives away his book reviews I’m not sure this really warrants being behind a paywall. I think we would all be better off freely sharing these sorts of efforts with each other. Instead of requesting permission to share this review, I think I’ll read the book, share it with those I’d like to, and post the review on Amazon where anyone can find it.
Thanks for the discussion. I was disappointed that more time wasn’t given to the actual concern of pastors’ not having zeal for missions. If that were addressed, demand would go up. And schools that already DO provide good theological and missiological training would be growing even more than they currently are.
Listening to the recording: the conversation about 2nd gen immigrants is also relevant to mks – they have similar cultural difficulties (in reverse). A church that is a fusion of mk and 2nd gen immigrant would be pretty awesome! And a great sending force!
Thank you to everyone who downloaded the Pray for Eurasia app! We have new exciting updates!
New Languages: The app is now available in Spanish, Filipino (Tagalog), Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese—along with English, Ukrainian, Russian, and German.
Revamped Maps and Images: Dive deeper into the stories of the People Groups with updated maps and refreshed photos designed to inspire and inform.
Easier Navigation: You can now use the new arrows at the bottom of the screen to effortlessly move between prayer dates.
We hope these updates make your app use even more meaningful!
May God bless the souls of the dedicated soldiers of the faith.Abundant fruit on their work for the Ministry.
https://docs.vultr.com/java/examples/count-the-number-of-vowels-and-consonants-in-a-sentence
Vowel and Consonant Count Program In Java, counting vowels and consonants in a string involves iterating through each character and checking whether it is a vowel or consonant using conditional statements. By using methods like charAt() and a loop, you can compare characters with the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and increment counters accordingly. To ignore case sensitivity, convert the string to lowercase using toLowerCase(). This program is a great exercise in string manipulation and is useful in text analysis tasks.
Typo in second sentence: “seed-sewers.” 😉 Did you mean “seed-sowers?”
I know people who “hate evangelism” but what they really mean is the way evangelism is typically done. Looking forward to this topic this coming year!
I am hoping to retire soon, and one of my projects is to write the story of Roy and Dora Whitman. Roy’s mother was black. His father was the brother of the famous Walt Witman, and I believe Roy’s parents were missionaries to the Congo. Roy traveled to the Middle East around 1920, and eventually became the father to many churches in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. A book about his life has been written in Arabic but it contains many many names and places, but many of the stories have been missed. I knew Roy and Dora well, and we were their neighbours (same building) back in the 1980s. I have done a lot of the research, just haven’t had time to write it all up. Hopefully next year. I am sure there are others.
Nice podcast. I generally disagree with Alex’s conclusions. The US Constitution does not state immigration is illegal. Rather Article 1 Section8 Clause 4 describes “congress has the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization.” Congress has described restrictions and pathways to entering the nation. I look to Christ’s words in Matt 25 and his reply from the pharisee who asked “What is the greatest commandment?.
It would appear that there are 2 books being reviewed here-one on the life of the Gibbons in Papua and one on the life of Fraser.
411
BMWL would like to select 104 and 106 (I believe we will get a double booth with our sponsorship). Thank you!
One of the most impactful worship services that I participated in was outdoors in Africa! It reminded me of the beauty of worshipping in God’s creation just as the first worshipers would have enjoyed when communing with God in Eden.
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Hello, I would like to watch the recording of the webinar “Rest, Reflect, Reorient…”
I signed up and I signed in, but I can’t find the recording. Where must I click?
Thanks!
Gisela
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Thank you for this article, Richard. Well done. May God use it to stir the hearts of pastors, organization leaders, senders, and goers to focus on the least-reached in the hard places.
A reader sent in this question: “In Table 4 of the article the activity you call “facilitator”. I don’t see an explanation for this term.”
My response, “The Facilitator would be in the NRI group, working in the most unreached and hard contexts. They could also be Growers working in medium situations, where the people are resistant but not hostile to the Gospel.”
Thank you, Missio Nexus & Leader’s Edge, for this wonderful summary and thoughts. This book is written by our president and one of our workers. We are thrilled to be able to share these ideas and hope they inspire you all to start living out loud!
Dear Aweis, Thank you, this is a really interesting article.
We live in an amazing era of missions, as your article testifies to! The definition of “go” has taken on new meaning when we can enter into peoples’ lives from around the world anytime and from anywhere because of the mobile phone, social media, messaging apps, and other technologies. And while “armchair” (form the comforts of home or office) evangelism & discipleship can be powerful & effective, the need for more workers to “go” in the old fashioned sense – i.e. to physically relocate, learn language and culture, and engage in face-to-face ministry is growing because of the ways that media can be used to more quickly connect workers with those ready to learn about Jesus and explore the Scriptures. There is also a much greater opportunity now for workers who have returned home after years on the field (especially if they learned language & culture well) to get involved in media-related ministry. And let’s not forget the growing need for new skills on the forefront of missions – media creation, app & web developers, marketers, etc. A couple of good places to learn more include http://www.mobmin.org and http://www.mediatomovements.org.
This was really awesome! I enjoyed learning and I am inspired to think about starting a podcast. 🙂
This was really awesome! I enjoyed learning and I am inspired to think about starting a podcast.
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Where is that four-week Bible study or the Mission in the Bible video series? Couldn’t find either on their website(s).
Marti, I think that is the 26-day prayer guide from TWR: https://connect.tpniengage.com/gov3/156343/prayer
Marti, I can’t find where the video series is linked to. But it may be a reference to Global Frontier Missions’ free “Missions 101” course: https://www.globalfrontiermissions.org/missions-101
Thanks, Kurtis!
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Hello. I am Sagar Mahara from Nepal and doing ministry here among Maithili people.
I’ve known Kevin for a long time from his days with World Team. Thank you for interviewing him. I’m encouraged and inspired and will be looking for fresh ways to live out loud, not only in love and integrity, but in purposeful comments that turn people’s attention toward Jesus.
Great!
Thank you for this insightful article! Excited to implement these concepts with oral students.
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I signed up but can not get into the meeting Pipeline
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Hi Joel, I was halfway through watching the video and taking notes on Decoding the Missionary Pipeline, when I had to step away and my computer went on sleep mode. When I returned, I could not access the video nor the recording again. Was this a one-time use only? I was hoping to download the PDF as well but hadn’t done so. Thank you for any help you may provide. Blessings, Agnes from Go Live Serve International (a bi-vocational missions org)
Hi Agnes, Thanks for letting us know! It looks like you may have been caught in between a small glitch that time. I just checked, and the video should be working now. Feel free to give it another try, and if the issue persists, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of. I’ll gladly send you the PDF as well if you haven’t had a chance to grab it yet.
Blessings!
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Great article Truong, very thought provoking. It was a blessing to meet you in Manila. I’m thankful for your ministry.
I think you went to IGSL, didn’t you?
This is a great article. I love the last paragraph. It’s what burns in my heart too.
Today (August 5) I think Hannah from Missio Nexus compressed the webinar file and hopefully that has solved the problem some have had.
Thanks for this post, Jon! Even though the place of Christian books and literature is different than it was 40 or 50 years ago, it remains critical to evangelism, discipleship, church growth, and cultural transformation. I think this gets overlooked in missional strategies. I love how you call libraries the “museums of the mind” and publishers the “investor in the mind.” Good stuff!
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I know of several churches who have used Far Off Saints for their “missions month.” The pastors were enthusiastic for the results it produced.
@jonhirst-innovation
Looking forward to your 10:30 session Thursday morning Jon!
Annette, this Survey failed for me the first time I took it. I was on an iPhone and not logged in. After I logged in, the survey went through on the same phone.
Is there a recording of “Is Your Organization Worthy of the Gift? Take Your Fundraising to New Heights
This workshop introduces the concept of organizational and personal worthiness and how they are linked to the receipt of transformational gifts. Bryan Taylor explains how developing a donor centric fundraising model can lead to transformational giving. Join us.” ??? If so, please email to Michelle.knobloch@perspectives.org.
Thanks Ed. This is a great article to share with our team. We appreciate your insight and experience.
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Recommend this book for those interested in the topic.
I have listened to the interview of Steve Pardue, but have not read the book or any of its reviews. I am particularly appreciative of Steve’s saying that contextual theology is that which “intentionally seeks to engage the resources of local cultural context” and you can’t avoid contextual theology as it is “something we do when we speak. When we speak we use language, and when we use language we use culture.” Later, 17:20 plus minutes into the interview, Pardue tells us “that the church in Metro-Manilla is also called to listen to the church in New York, or Nairobi, or Delhi”. My question for Stephen is really quite simply: how can the Manilla church listen to cultural expressions of the church in Nairobi if those expressions are in a language, as culture and language are inseparable, yet people in Manilla will know be familiar with language[s] used, say, in Nairobi? (Assuming of course that English will be understood and used differently in Nairobi than in Manilla.) Thanks.
This was a helpful overview and spurred a renewed look at how I’ve discerned God’s will over many years. Thank you, Jasmine!
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Thanks Neil, I found this article very helpful for supporting others and personally.
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Is there someone I could chat with to ask some more questions about this?
Hi Mike, feel free to email me at andreak@touchtheworld.org. Happy to help answer your questions.
The attrition percentage is interesting as a summary number, but did the research data set include reasons for attrition?
I can’t seem to view or download “handout 1”