I just returned from a conference at Baylor University in Texas where I listened to lectures for three days straight from scholars all over the world. One thing is clear - the world we live in is very different than it was 25 years ago, and much of the change is owing in part to the great missionary efforts of the 20th century. (For those interested I've listed a few helpful reads on the blog.)
In 1900 John R. Mott (1865-1955), the famed president of the YMCA and winner of the Nobel Peace prize in 1945, published his book "The Evangelization of the World in This Generation." When Mott published his book that would inspire thousands of students to take the gospel to distant lands, there were only 9 million Christians on the continent of Africa. Today there are more than 380 million on the "Dark Continent" who call Christ their Savior and Lord. (Compare that with a grand total of 224 million in all of North America.) While massive cathedrals sit empty in Europe, churches in the "Global South" (Africa, Asia and South America) are bursting at the seams.
This naturally raises the question of how our role in the West changes in the 21st century. We must do missions, but do we need new paradigms for doing missions? Shouldn't we begin to think more in terms of "partnerships" with the indigenous church in distant lands? Should we even consider how we can partner with them to better engage in missionary efforts to those who are yet unreached? (Perhaps our brothers and sisters in Nairobi are better suited for reaching their Muslim neighbors.) We still have an important role to play -but I think it will look very different in "this generation."
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The great thing about our church is our committment to spreading the gospel through missions. This year alone we have sent a team to Australia, and team to the Dominican Republic, a team to Guatamala, and a team to South Africa. We are committed to teaching "locals" to spread the good word to the people of that country. I feel so blessed to have been a part of the Australia team. Our contacts in Sydney (Steve & Sue Mayo) are doing just what you are talking about. They are training men to teach, preach and think about the gospel through the Sydney Institute for Biblical Studies (SIBS). I think that the way to reach the world is not by "being an American missionary", but by training locals and using God's resources to spread the word.
I love the fact that Calvary is committed to missions. Not only in other countries, but within our own country as well (Project Mississippi). Sometimes people are in need, and we are helping any way we can.
I've had this conversation with my roommate once or twice. She's been on medical missions trips to Central America, where she once wanted to practice medicine after school. However, she has questioned the role of the church in that aspect- how much can a group REALLY do in 2 weeks, and why try? If they're trying to just help and bring the Christian message, that's fine... but she comments that central america does fall into the area of the "Global South" that pastor Lionel wrote about, with booming faith, amidst the poverty.
But I wonder when we talk- is it really that helpless? Or is it identifying in solidarity with those in need? Reminding them that we care as family in Christ, even from our comfortable, wealthy lives. And so I can't help but feel that service missions still have the same value that they have had for years. A chance to serve our needy "siblings." And to be served by learning about their booming faith.
The outward focus that Calvary has towards the world has drawn me to this church, especially since I studied abroad and realized that Christianity is not an American identity. It's so much larger, and it's time that many Americans were able to see it as such. missions aren't about spreading "American Christianity," but rather, joining in solidarity and unity with brothers and sisters of all tribes, tongues and nations.
Our world is indeed changing, at God's pace. He has an infinite number of chess games going on, using billions of people for his kingdom.
The American church has probably been a disappointment to him. We've blessed with prosperity and peace and freedom, and we've squandered many of our opportunities.
A local church's committment to even understanding a global church is admirable and life changing.
Vision trips are all the rage, and they play a vital role in giving us a glimpse of what the rest of the world is.
But, are we really sold out to reaching the unreached? Is the new paradigm of go and visit, send some money, train up the locals ... is that really a committment on our part?
Are we really committed to the unreached, while we drive through the gettos of America?
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