• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In

MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission Matters
          • Members Only Feed
          • Missions Podcast DirectoryNew
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
          • UkraineNew
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Bible Certificate
    • Church Missions Coaching
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • ImproveNew
    • Mission Jobs
    • Missions DataNew
    • Publish
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission App
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Premier Events
          • Mission Leaders Conference
          • On Mission
        • Upcoming Events

          • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
            Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
          • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
            Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
          • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
            Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missions DataNew
          • Missiographics
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
    Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
  • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
    Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
  • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
    Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • From Harlem to the World - the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions
    Wed Aug 3 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • Innovation Leaders Discussion
    Mon Aug 8 2022, 01:00pm EDT

View all events »

Topics

author interview CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Disciple Making Discipleship Focus Future Innovation Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Member Care Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 MLC2021 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Podcast Presenter Pursuing Partnerships Series Research Risk Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached Weekly Roundup Women Women in Leadership

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

SYMPOSIUM RESPONSE #1: Balance in Mission Strategy

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Ted EslerApril 1, 2015

by Steve Sang-Cheol Moon

Ted Esler’s article is a careful missiological reflection on the unengaged paradigm. His argument for “robust missiological dialogue” is convincing. It is desirable that mission strategists and missiologists have more time for fellowship and dialogue. 

Ted Esler’s article is a careful missiological reflection on the unengaged paradigm. His argument for “robust missiological dialogue” is convincing. It is desirable that mission strategists and missiologists have more time for fellowship and dialogue. 

Esler’s article reminded me of the need for balance in strategizing missions. Basically, we need balance between different emphases and orientations, which is not necessarily a matter of right or wrong. Different individuals and organizations can rightly have particular commitments and foci, but need to respect the perspectives of other harvest forces. Let me suggest five areas in which we need balance.

First, we need balance between passion and reflection. Mission strategists and mobilizers are passionate, whereas missiologists are reflective. They need to learn from one another, and they need to complement and reinforce one another. 

Second, we need balance between regular missions and frontier missions. Pioneers of frontier missions did not promote frontier missions at the expense of regular missions. Missionary service in more receptive areas consolidates the foundation of frontier missions in the next generation. 

Third, we need balance between task-orientation and relationship-orientation. Strategists and mobilizers in the West tend to be task-oriented, whereas relationship comes before tasks in the Majority World. Mission consultations and forums need to set aside time for relationship-building to create a secure setting of dialogue before dealing with specific agendas. If this time isn’t set aside, then participants from the Majority World will be very careful not to pour cold water on the dominant opinions. 

Fourth, we need balance between a sense of urgency and a long-term perspective. Strategists of frontier missions carry a sense of urgency, especially in their “closure missiology,” which often provides churches and Christians fresh, motivating energy. Missiologists study mission academically so they tend to think broadly in their geographical scope and time span. We need both perspectives. The sense of urgency could raise the level of effectiveness and efficiency as long as it overcomes myopia. 

Fifth, we need balance between strategic planning and keeping in step with the Spirit. The approach of strategic planning can fall into the pit of artificial plans and campaigns unless it is controlled by the guidance of the Spirit. Missiologists need to pray more to be led by the Spirit in doing missiology. Mission strategists need to pray more to be guided by the Spirit before setting specific goals.

We need one another in order to keep balance better. We need to pay attention to what others say at the deep level. We need to respect different roles, commitments, and orientations in doing missions. In the process, let’s be careful not to claim a paradigmatic theory as the grand unified theory. 

….

Steve Sang-Cheol Moon is executive director of the Korea Research Institute for Mission. He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a PhD in intercultural studies.

EMQ, Vol. 51, No. 2 pp. 140-141. Copyright  © 2015 Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.  All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMQ editors.

SYMPOSIUM RESPONSE 2

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsArticlesEMQSectionVolume 51 - Issue 2

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Home
  • Directories
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Join

  • Join
  • Benefits
  • Learn
  • Meet
  • Engage

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

About Us

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources
Missio Nexus Logo

© Missio Nexus. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate Missio Nexus earns from qualifying purchases.


PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

Annual Sponsors

ECFA Logo Brotherhood Mutual Logo

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks