Comments on: Missions Theory

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:33:10 +0000

Michelle in MX,

Nice find. Do you know anything about this guy, Marcos?

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:25:55 +0000

actofkindness,

Tijuana is surely saturated w/ short-term mission trips, absolutely. Yet because people arrive daily from the south in hopes of work, there is a constant, large percentage of poverty. Since this city is right across the border from the U.S., the vast difference is so obviously notable. Thus, tons of helpers come down. In and of itself, it’s really a good thing. But is too much too much? I don’t have the answer but I have often pondered what Tijuana would be like today in 2007 if no help from any outsider had ever come. Would the people have been better stewards with what they had? And would the local churches have stepped up in bigger or better ways?

Your situation w/ the soup kitchen is really telling. I think it goes along perfectly w/ John the Baptist’s first recorded sermon when he says: “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down.” I hope I will (like you) be discerning in my effectiveness on earth—and if not, make the necessary (drastic) changes.

By: Michelle in MX

Michelle in MX — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:02:15 +0000

You might like this video challanging people to missions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MQJpH14qlY

By: actofkindness

actofkindness — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:50:19 +0000

Ben ,do you think that there might be a saturation point for short term missions that they no longer become effective? The areas I am familiar with are fairly new ground, and for many, they have never had contact with foreigners before. Secretly I wonder if the time will come that we will loose our effectiveness. , I ran a soup kitchen for about 4 years, and one day rather than the usual 80 to 100 people, I only had about 5 show up. then one lady came in and said that they had all decided that they did not want me to put the Bibles on the table any more, and when I agreed to take the Bibles off, they would start coming again. I thanked her very much for letting me know, and packed it in…. obviously, it was no longer effective.

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 01:40:21 +0000

Nate, thanks dude. Keep us posted on YWAM.

toddh, thanks for the farmer/developer story. I think it’s better than the one I used.

actofkindness, I wish I had examples of the ground swell you discuss; yet I’ve seen no action. Maybe something’s wrong…

By: actofkindness

actofkindness — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 23:26:45 +0000

I agree with you , As far as I am concerned the single most important purpose of short turm missions is to support and lift up the Missionary team that is already in place They know the needs and the people. If you are going to be more work than you are help, stay home. A short turm team should NEVER be in a possition of “Look what we have done” It does nobody any good for the team to take any credit for work accomplished. When done right , the greatest ground swell in the local church should take place in the weeks and months FOLLOWING a teams departure. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me………”

By: toddh

toddh — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 17:13:23 +0000

I think that’s an interesting story from a short term missions perspective. It is so, so hard in the pragmatic, results-oriented culture of the US to come to that kind of realization about the work of missions, especially in a foreign culture. We want results, right now, and the idea of taking the time to truly understand another culture, its people, and its customs seems too difficult. One of my favorite analogies for pastoring comes from Eugene Peterson (he says it far more eloquently than I will). He thinks of it as farming. A farmer knows the soil, what will grow in it, when it needs rest, and when it’s time to harvest. By contrast, a developer could come in, pave over the soil, and put up a shiny new strip-mall. A developer needs to know very little about the place where he or she will build. The only thing that matters .What would that place look like in a hundred years? The farm would still be yielding crops, while the strip mall would consist of broken asphalt or concrete. It seems like that analogy would hold true for missions as well.

By: Nathan Borcherdt

Nathan Borcherdt — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 07:09:33 +0000

Absolutely amazing, and I totally agree. That is my new perspective on global missions. I wish I could write more, but there are people asleep in the house. Quite brillant, I must say. VERY GOOD ARTICLE