If this quote from the preface to Early Christian Mission Vol 1: Jesus and the Twelve. is correct (and I believe it is) then mission representatives and mobilisers have got some serious thinking to do.
Missiologists, missionaries and representatives of missionary societies seek to promote interest in cross-cultural dialogue and witness and to encourage and develop the involvement of Christians, young and old, in active outreach to non-Christians. As laudable as these endeavours are, their proponents have not always sought to provide exegetical explanations or to engage in theological discussion when presenting models for missionary work and paradigms for effective evangelism. Tite Tiénou, missionary theologian and dean of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, has deplored such a lack of exegetical foundation and theological sophistication in regard to the widely popular writings of Don Richardson. This is but one example. Typically, understanding among evangelicals about the early Christian period and the endeavours of the earliest Christians is more often than not, unconsidered and sometimes naive or romanticised.
8 replies on “A Challenge to Missionary Agency Reps.”
Simon Cozens liked this on Facebook.
Paul Giacomini liked this on Facebook.
Ian Watkins liked this on Facebook.
Although to be honest, I think stating that evangelical missionary societies “seek to promote interest in cross-cultural dialogue” is somewhat wishful thinking. (Dialogue means *they* listen to *our* message, right?)
The same thought struck me as I posted this, but I decided not to open that can of worms as I didn’t have a plan to get the worms back in the can afterwards.
I’m not defending what mission orgs have done in the past, but I don’t think that if we had gone out into the Christian scene offering to have theological discussions on missiological topics we’d have gotten a lot of people wanting to engage… Neither “missions” nor “theological” are big buzz words. Try finding either one high up on publicity for major Christian events and conferences.
My thoughts on that got a bit too long for a Facebook comment: http://www.simon-cozens.org/content/why-missiology
I think you miss the point on two levels. Firstly, no one is suggesting that we go into the “Christian scene offering to have theological discussions on missiological topics”. However, if these discussions are not happening within the mission world, then what we do offer to the “Christian scene” is, at best, less than it could be and, at worst, unbiblical. Secondly, I believe that part of the role of mission agencies today is to bring a prophetic voice to the church, not just respond to whatever people want today. Just because a prophet has no honour in their own country doesn’t mean they should stop being prophets.
edit: Thirdly, what Simon said.