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The
Amaturisation of Missions
Despite
the hard realities and desperate needs of the mission fields,
we are increasingly seeing the amaturisation of missions.
More and more Christians are pouring into the mission fields
– but for very short periods of time and for very superficial
goals.
I
have been astounded to come across large tour groups (calling
themselves “missionaries”) travelling across
the world just to spend four or five days “in the
field”! The high costs of international air travel
would seem to make such short visits cost-ineffective. Even
more incredible is how most of these short termers have
undergone no selection procedure, received no training and
are ill-equipped to benefit the local believers. In most
cases these religious tourists have a lower grasp of Scripture
and a spiritual maturity that is dwarfed by the local believers
to whom they presume to come to minister.
Most
people understand that doctors and engineers, in fact every
other profession, need proper training to be able to do
their work. Yet for some obscure reason many Christians
seem to think that any churchgoer can be a missionary! The
flood of untrained, ill disciplined and unaccountable lone
ranger supposed “missionaries” into Third
World countries is disastrous. Many don't even know enough
of the local culture, to realise how much damage they are
doing to the Christian cause.
Cross
Cultural Challenges
I have seen many female missionaries in trousers, or even
shorts, ministering in rural Africa. They seem oblivious
to the fact that all the local Christian women only wear
dresses. Nor could they possibly realise how offensive their
dress (or lack of it) is to their hosts. Once a team of
6 American medical missionaries flew out to work with us
in Mozambique. As they arrived in Malawi, the two women
were detained by Police for wearing trousers! They didn't
even have a single skirt between them in their luggage.
We had to go into town to buy some dresses for the ladies
before the police would release them!
African cultures value politeness and hospitality highly.
So unless you probe and ask lots of penetrating questions
you will never know that you have offended your hosts. They
will continue to smile and be friendly even as the door
slams firmly shut to further ministry. For example, in Africa,
it is generally considered a disgrace for a man to have
long hair. This is not only cultural, but Biblical: “Does
not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long
hair, it is a dishonour to him.” (1 Corinthians
11:14). Yet you will see many long haired and pony tailed
men heading out “to evangelise the pagans in Africa”
oblivious to what a “stumbling block” they
are.
The
present fad of body piercing seems to have invaded the church
as well. I have met Christians heading out to the mission
field with nose rings, belly rings, tongue studs and who
knows what other body mutilations. It’s not that these
piercings are unknown in Africa or Asia. In fact every pagan
culture practises it. The Hindus and animists in particular
practise body piercings and tattoos extensively. However,
once converted they repent and turn away from such abominations.
It
is generally quite easy to tell the difference between a
Christian and a pagan in Africa: by how they dress and by
how they treat (or mistreat) their body. The Scriptures
are clear: “You shall not make any cuttings in your
flesh . . . nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord”
Leviticus 19:28. Earrings on men in the Bible were a mark
of slavery (Exodus 21:6; Deut 15:17). Cutting of ones own
flesh was seen as an act of worship to demon idols by the
pagans (1 Kings 18:28). For a Christian who recognises that
his body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthian 3:16-17)
to defile himself with the pagan practise of body piercing
is not only tragic but blatant rebellion against God. How
then can you expect African Christians to respect long haired
men with pony tails and earrings – who presumed to
come and teach them?
Helping
or Hindering?
Often the message we bring is undermined by our appearance
or actions. One “mission team” that came to assist
some good friends of ours started arguing with the established
missionaries over divisive doctrines, then they asserted
“a woman’s right” to have an abortion! Finally,
they complained about being given physical work.
“We came here to minister” protested the pony-tailed
team leader. “Physical work is part of our ministry,”
answered the mission leader. Before the whole congregation
the young team leader stood up on Sunday morning and protested
the way his team of volunteers had been forced to help with
the building extension of the mission station. “We
came here to preach the Gospel, not to lay bricks. Look
at my hands,” he pleaded. “My hands are like that
of a little girl. God didn't make my hands to handle bricks!”
The
incredible thing is that every year thousands of such undisciplined
and unteachable selfish individuals jet into mission fields
around the world . . . to help!
Religious
Tourism
I first came across the term religious tourists in Romania.
A pastor was relating to me the bizarre story of 89 Californian
Christians who had flown in to “minister”
in Romania! Naturally, none of them spoke Romanian. Neither
did they have transport. They were totally dependent upon
their local hosts, whom they presumed they were coming to
help. On Sunday morning they all wanted to speak at the
main service. Each was given two minutes to bring greetings!
So began a seemingly never-ending procession of 89 religious
tourists delivering their greetings through an interpreter
– with successive camera flashes accompanying! These
visitors never seemed to consider just how much their large
tour group had imposed upon their Romanian hosts for transport,
accommodation, food and interpreters. “We never
saw these people in the dark days of persecution.”
declared one pastor. “They're not missionaries –
they're religious tourists!”
There have recently been groups of up to 29 Americans and
Europeans flying in, on a single aircraft, to one location
in Sudan. When I asked how long they were going in for they
proudly announced “two or three days – maybe even
four!” I could only stand in amazement at their superficial
understanding of what is needed in Missions. “What
do you plan to accomplish?” I
asked. “Oh!” the man answered, “We
plan to hand over some relief aid and buy some slaves!”
So
this is now what missions are coming to: large groups of
people flying half way across the world to hand over some
relief aid, say a few nice words and set some slaves free!
And in just a few days they fly back home thinking that
they are now missionaries! They have no real grasp of the
people to whom they are going, they have no understanding
of the religious worldview of the people they are evangelising
and they have never bothered to study the history of the
nation they say they are sent to. Untrained, unprepared,
unac-countable, and even unaware of the way the local people
perceive them.
Without
knowing the local language or staying there long enough
to know what is really going on, how can they be sure that
those people sitting under the tree really are slaves? Do
they know what the correct price and exchange rates are?
Once they set the slaves free how can they be sure that
they will not be re-enslaved again? Would they even know
if they were being deceived in an elaborate plot to enrich
certain slave traders? Those who only fly in for the day
cannot be certain of the answers to any of these questions.
The mission fields are too complex for amateurs.
What
Makes a Missionary?
Of course a mission worker's training should not stop when
they reach the field – in fact it must never stop.
It takes an average of 2 years or more for a trainee field
worker in Frontline Fellowship to qualify as a Field Worker.
This training will include many courses such as: the Great
Commission Course, Discipleship Training Course, Biblical
Worldview Seminar, Muslim Evangelism Workshop, Evangelism
Explosion III, First Aid courses, and participation in many
outreaches including street evangelism, Muslim evangelism
and Bible smuggling into restricted access countries. There
are required reading lists, written assignments and practical
tests. All of these are important components of a comprehensive
programme to prepare effective missionaries for ministry
in war torn, Muslim or Communist countries.
Frontline’s selection and training procedure is fairly
unique in its blend of intensive Biblical instruction and
practical outreach within an apprenticeship programme.
Those
who are easily upset by irritations, loss of sleep or unfair
treatment and those who are moody and easily discouraged
and depressed are not suitable for missions. Missionaries
must be emotionally stable, and self disciplined.
In
the mission field, relationship difficulties are often aggravated
by high levels of stress, heat and cross-cultural frustration.
The closeness of living, travelling and working conditions
intensifies interpersonal conflicts. Missionaries tend to
be strong-willed people, so potential clashes can undermine
the mission team and projects. There are two major problems
here: dependant people who need constant support and direction
and sap the energy from a team; and independent people who
divert the team's energy as they pull one way and another
to pursue their own agendas. Missionaries need to be inter-dependant
(team players) relinquishing their own interests for the
good of the team: Self-starters, self-reliant and self-sacrificing.
The
harsh terrains, hot climates and primitive conditions of
most mission fields require healthy and fit missionaries
who can endure and be effective in adverse conditions. And
who can cope with and recover from debilitating sicknesses
.
It is amazing how many people volunteer for missions who
have never done any ministry at home! It is essential for
all missionaries to have extensive ministry experience at
the home front before venturing into cross-cultural missions
overseas.
Obstacles
abound. Frustrations, disappointments and discouragement's
are occupational hazards and part of our job description.
Missionaries need endurance – a willingness and capacity
to suffer hardships, discomfort, opposition and worse. Sacrificial
service is more eloquent than many sermons.
Dr.
Peter Hammond
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