“Getting things done is more important than relationships.”
This is a classic weakness found in many unhealthy partnerships. In the west, we love our formulas for success and our to-do lists. In the majority world, there is a greater value given to relationships, community harmony and “the journey together.” Jesus teaches us that a vital relationship with him is essential for fruitfulness (John 15:4). Bearing fruit, getting things done flows out of healthy relationships.
“It’s cheaper and easier to just give the job to the nationals.”
Careful here. There can be an unhealthy attitude in the saying, “More bang for the buck” that suggests partnership with nationals is mainly about the money or the method. The idea of “using the nationals because it is cheaper” can be disrespectful and dehumanizing—both toward the indigenous Christian men and women with whom we are partnering, as well as the western missionaries who live and serve in the majority world at significantly higher cost. Financial stewardship is, of course, an important issue. But it is only one of many variables in the work of Christian world missions.
“We can do partnership quickly.”
In the American South, there is a saying, “Git ’er done.” I love the spirit behind this saying—hard work, no wasting time, that can-do attitude. But when working in cross-cultural partnerships—in communities where things move much more slowly, where competition and speed is not as important as group harmony—we must adjust to a slower pace. After all, we are their guests! Isn’t it true that relationships and trust are built slowly? Expecting to get things done fast usually results in big disappointment, and can damage a cross-cultural partnership.
“Cross-cultural partnership is easy; we can go it alone.”
Healthy cross-cultural ministry partnerships require education, training, hard work and many other investments over a long period of time. There are no shortcuts; it’s the law of the farm: You reap what you sow. Furthermore, to think you don’t need the wisdom and experience of missionaries and mission partnership experts is arrogant, and it violates the principle of the interdependence body of Christ—“the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of you: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (2 Cor. 12:21). The local church should not say to the professional mission practitioner—neither should the professional mission practitioner say to the church—“I have no need of you.” This African proverb sums it up: “If you want to fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
“You can’t trust the nationals.”
One of the greatest gifts we can give to one another in cross-cultural partnerships is friendship, and friendship is nothing if it is not rooted in trust. According to Daniel Rickett in his book, Making Your Partnership Work, the greater the interdependence and the greater the cultural distance, the greater the need for trust. If you have little trust, you simply will not have a healthy or lasting partnership. As Steven M. R. Covey says in his book, The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything, “High trust is the critical career skill in the new global economy.” See also the intro video for Week 5: Trust, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
“We’re just being biblical” … or … “We don’t need cultural intelligence.”
According to Brooks Peterson in his book,Cultural Intelligence: A Guide To Working With People From Other Cultures … Cultural Intelligence is the combination of: Knowledge About Cultures + Awareness of Yourself and Others + Specific Skills and Behaviors. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is important because there is a great temptation to think … “We’ve been Christians a long time, we have been successfully following Christ for many years, building his kingdom in our community” … “We do not need to learn that much about cultural differences and how to adjust our thinking and behavior when working cross-culturally; after all, aren’t we all one in the Body of Christ?” … “Only full-time resident missionaries need to develop deep cultural understanding.” In reality, cross-cultural partnership practitioners will benefit just as much from cultivating cultural intelligence as resident missionaries. My definition of cultural intelligence is as follows: Understanding deeply our diversity and unity, for the glory of God. For more on CQ, check out the intro videos for Weeks 5–8 in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey; all of these lessons are devoted to Cultural Intelligence.
“Accountability is not that important.”
Actually, accountability is vitally important—because appropriate accountability is biblical. It is modeled in Scripture again and again. “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Note also the word, “appropriate.” Finding the right level of accountability going both ways is a matter of cultural intelligence and organizational competence. Without appropriate accountability, your partnership can easily move toward frustration, distrust, or failure. See also the intro video for Week 10: Accountability, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
“There’s not much risk in cross-cultural partnerships.” Reread point number 1 and point number 3, above. How much money is wasted by not doing our “due diligence!” Our tendency is to underestimate the risks of cross-cultural partnership, especially if we expect success to be easy. To reduce the risks, going through a learning journey like The Beauty of Partnership is extremely helpful—it reduces the risks by giving you the KSAs (knowledge, skills and attitudes) necessary for a developing a healthy cross-cultural partnership. And once you have gained these KSAs, you can confidently and wisely take wonderful big risks for the glory of God! See also the intro video for, Week 3: Risk, in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
“I have more to teach than to learn, more to give than to receive.” When it comes to cross-cultural partnership ministry, it’s often the other way around. You may indeed have much to teach, but if you have this attitude, it will be an obstacle to serving well. Why not engage in cross-cultural partnership to learn together, to discover what God is teaching all parties in the partnership? What’s more, given that the church in the west is generally in significant decline (see my blog post, 15 August 2009), shouldn’t we rather learn from our brothers and sisters in the majority world—how to pray, strategize, serve and suffer well in the cause of Christ?
“We can partner without being invited.”
I recently heard of a mega-church that decided to build a school in Africa for half a million dollars, and then also committed to fund it for 10 years. Seems like a worthy goal, except for one huge thing: This was done without consultation from the local leadership, without local “ownership”—essentially, without being invited. This is probably a train-wreck waiting to happen. It belies a lack of trust and respect for local leaders, and violates the spirit of humble servanthood. For more on this, see my blog post, “Have we been invited?”
“I can control the partnership with the right system.”
I am aware of a cross-cultural partnership which began with this attitude: “We absolutely can’t let this fail” … “We have to control this as much as possible” … “One of us from our side will sit on their board of directors, and we are going to MAKE SURE there are no problems.” What do you think happened? The partnership failed miserably—and there is an ongoing three-year lawsuit between these Christian partners. The result has been that thousands upon thousands of dollars have been squandered, along with untold heartache and the name of Christ defamed.
“My ministry model is the most biblical.”
If you believe that, you have probably labored intensely to be faithful to the Word of God—and paid a significant price to do so. This is a good thing. But isn’t it also true that your ministry model is influenced in part by your culture, your worldview, and peer group? Your ministry model is one way of obeying the Scriptures, and it is possibly no more biblical than a myriad of other ministry models found in the majority world. Consequently, we should be very cautious in trying to extend our unique ministry model across other cultures around the world.
It is a wonderful privilege for Mission ONE to partner with indigenous ministries. How encouraging to hear stories of great faith and great acts of God in bringing the transforming love of Jesus Christ among unreached peoples. Below is a recent story from one of Mission ONE’s long-standing partners, Hindustan Bible Institute. This story comes from the most recent quarterly report from the HBI India Team. One of the stories contained in the report is below, featuring Pastor K. Albert.
Pastor K. Albert, part of the HBI India Team, doing strategic evangelism, church planting, and holistic ministry in India
The Pastor went to a village named Peravali to organize a wedding. There the Bridegroom’s mother Anjanamma suffered from the oppression of evil spirit for a long time. While the marriage procession was going on, suddenly Anjanamma was unable to talk and this created a great confusion in the function. Her family members took her to the hospital.
All the medicines which the doctors gave proved futile. Her condition remained the same. Then she was brought to the church again. The Pastor prayed for her and cursed Satan in the name of Jesus. The spirit was unable to resist the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. It left her body at once and she started to praise the Lord.
All people who came to the wedding were awe struck. Even the Hindu people who came to the wedding glorified the name of Jesus Christ. Now she stands as a great witness for God amidst the non-believers. All glory and praises to our Lord Savior Jesus Christ!
Dr. Paul R. Gupta with his wife Linnet. Dr. Gupta is Director of Hindustan Bible Institute (HBI), in Chennai, India. Mission ONE has been partnering with HBI to support indigenous evangelists and church planters since in the early 1990s.
The challenge for the Western church is to invest in the equipping of leaders in India, Africa and the poorest nations of Asia. The opportunity is vast, and the needs are critical. The Lord is waiting for the rich to partner with the poor to make disciples of the nations.
I remember reading this book three years ago when it first came out. The book chronicles the story of HBI. It is a fascinating account of the formation of a community of Christian leaders pursuing the enormous vision of discipling the whole nation of India through a church-planting movement. Dr. Gupta tells the story, and Dr. Lingenfelter writes commentary on the story.
The book made an enormously impact on me.
I was amazed at the level of strategic thinking, the constant revisiting of their vision, and the willingness by Dr. Gupta and the leadership of HBI to make significant and difficult choices to obey God and think big.
I thought to myself over and over again—there is so much here for Western Christian leaders to learn—about leadership, about vision, about strategy—from what God has done in India through this ministry.
I was thrilled to tears to observe a leading voice (Dr. Lingenfelter) in the North American evangelical Christian mission community—to so thoroughly endorse the strategy of cross-cultural partnership to disciple the nations.
Below is a report by Hannington Munyao, Director, Mission to Unreached People (MUPE)concerning the event of the Jie tribe in southern Sudan receiving fresh water for the first time (May 2009). Before you read the report, take a look at the video below produced in early 2007 describing the need of the Jie people. Note the profound need for clean water.
JIE TRIP IN MAY 2009 BY HANNINGTON MUNYAO
Wonderful greetings in our savior’s name.
I just returned from Lopet, South Sudan. We praise God for keeping us safe in His arms there.
This time our team comprised of Viola, new missionary to Jie, Rachel Nyamai—on a strategic visit, Pr. Dickson Musembi—prospective missionary and myself. We had a hard start from Eldoret through Kakuma—we were delayed by a day in Ortum owing to problem of shifting gears; another delay in Kainuk and Lodwar due to replacement of spring brushes and a broken front main spring problem. After Lodwar we had four punctures, one after another.
At the border, Lokichogio, a seasonal river overflow delayed us for yet another day. 25KM before arriving in Lopet Jie, a mud hole, caused us to sleep out in the bush two nights. After seven days of a hard journey we victoriously arrived to a warm welcome by the Jie.
My main mission was threefold;-
Build two mission houses at the new station
Evangelize through Jesus film
Research on the strongholds that have kept Jie from the Gospel and development. It was supposed to take six weeks.
Through a very hard schedule we managed to finish the first house in almost three weeks and set frame for the second. Then fate struck! One late afternoon I heard a motorcycle sound – it was Pr. Nzungula and Pr. Odoyo. The Presence of Odoyo made my nerves to stand! I knew something drastic must have happened. And it was.
After receiving the gentlemen, as we took a cup of hot tea, they shared their news—that the wife of Pr. Kamwara had died—and that efforts to get a vehicle to transport the body upcountry had become fruitless. Every vehicle owner contacted charged too much money – e.g one school bus was charging Kshs.200,000/= while another man asked for Kshs.160,000/= and another Kshs.120,000/=!
All these unrealistic charges prompted Odoyo to think of the MUPE Land Cruiser—but it was in Sudan. While this seemed an easy option Pr. Odoyo forgot the logistics of a trip to find me in Sudan and bring back the Land Cruiser given the emergency at hand.
I really contended with the Lord about the whole issue and it was with a very heavy heart I ascended to this emergency call. Obviously we all missed the funeral which took place on Saturday 30th, the day Pr. Odoyo and I arrived at Lokichogio, Kenya.
We have rested a bit and now are planning on visiting Pr. Kamwara and the children in Tharaka district, his birthplace and where the funeral took place. Though I feel my mission was gravely curtailed we trust God for another quick trip whereby I could complete the strategic research. Vehicle repairs plus fuel is the hurdle.
Nevertheless, we achieved the following:
Missionary House
Teachers house(the roof)
Showed Jesus film in two villages
Met water drilling people
Met Jie elders
I must report on an interesting phenomenon that took place the day the Borehole drillers came.
We welcomed the team to put up in the mission station and treated them to a cup of tea.
I joined them to go to the village elders who are the authority.
I joined them as they started their survey.
I went aside to pray in order for God to guide into finding a suitable location to bore.
I requested the team if I could pray for them before they started. They accepted I prayed and broke the stronghold that blocked efforts to get the Jie clean water.
On reaching home rain clouds formed and very severe thunderstorm begun. A continuous lightening hit the region with such brightness as I have never seen in my life. Wind began to blow – it blew the thorn bush which we had set around the station. It even blew off the canvas of our pick up where we had stored our food stuff – all our flour went wet.
The thunder and lightening grew so worse that a few Jie men who came to shelter in our station yelled “oh great God—don’t destroy us—please save us—it is enough—cause this wind to cease! Oh God help!” Rachel and I held hands together in prayer. She too was terrified. My eyes could see clearly on account of the bright glare. Rachel asked me, “Pastor Munyao, what did you tell God when you prayed about the water situation.” I responded, “I told God to release the Jie from their ancestral curses, and to raise the water table for the drillers to find and drill.
Amazingly, after it calmed down water filled our little house. It was all mud! In the morning when the surveyors went seeking they found three spots and they promised to return after a week and begin drilling. I could hardly believe my ears to hear the surveyors state that at one spot water could be found only sixty meters!
It was a day of great joy and will be greater when one day in Jie there will be clean borehole water! I want to believe God did a miracle to raise the water table. Strange as it may be the following day when Pr. Odoyo and Pr. Nzungula came in they reported that this massive rain thunderstorm extended only to the outskirts of Lopet village!
Please remember the Kamwara’s in prayers for comfort and provision to handle this time of sorrow and grief. They incurred some debts in the process.
May God bless you richly.
Hannington Munyao
Director, Mission to Unreached People
My prayer is the God will raise up a Mission ONE Ambassador to serve as an advocate for Mission to Unreached People (MUPE), and to help the dreams come true of Pastor Hannington Munyao. Who do you know who might be a candidate to serve as the Ambassador for MUPE? … Someone with Christian character, a love for adventure and great challenge, an entrepreneurial spirit, a track record for results—plus good health and good humor, and the willingness to learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes to serve effectively? We will train you to be successful! If you or someone you know might qualify for this kind of ministry, please let me know. –Werner Mischke, werner@mission1.org
The three trends are: 1) Globalization, 2) Non-Western missionary movement, and 3) Short-term missions movement (STM).
1) Globalization: Globalization has had a huge impact on the practice of world missions. [1] It is marked by the widespread use of digital technology and the Internet, low-cost international travel, dramatically lower cost for global communications, the growth of global markets, and financial interdependence. While globalization offers many benefits that have accrued to Christian world missions, there are also aspects of globalization, which, when used uncritically, can undermine the growth and mission of the church. [2]
2) Non-Western missionary movement: The chart at right [3] compares and projects the growth of the number of non-Western evangelicals relative to Western evangelicals from 1960 to 2020. This growth is in part a testimony to the success of missionaries sent from Western nations to Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as to the receptivity of the gospel among harvest nations. It also gives witness to the transforming power of the Word of God when translated into the heart language of any people group. [4] The Lord has raised up countless new churches and Christian mission structures in hidden or obscure communities all over the world.
3) Short-term missions (STM): The dramatic growth of short-term missions in recent years represents both amplified opportunity and amplified threat. It is estimated that some 1.5 to 2 million laypersons from North America visit the mission field every year. Whether the human and financial resources being expended are making a long-term difference is questioned by many. One non-Western Christian leader speaks of such mission trips as the “elephant dancing with the mouse.” [5] More often than not, “the mouse gets hurt.” Others point to the many accomplishments of STMs on the field and renewed enthusiasm for missions for the Western returnees. Care must be taken that STMs and cross-cultural partnerships do not foster another form of colonialism. [6]
So the movement of partnership with indigenous ministries—or partnership with nationals—is concurrent with these major global trends. It is one reason that cross-cultural partnership is not just a missions fad, but a vital mission strategy for the church in the world today. Furthermore, we believe at Mission ONE that training is essential in order to realize the full potential for accomplishing global Christian mission through cross-cultural partnership … and this is the purpose of The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.
Can you think of other trends that contribute to—or challenge—the movement of partnership with nationals?
FOOTNOTES
1. See Friedman, Thomas: The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005) 2. See Guinness, Os: “Mission modernity: seven checkpoints on mission in the modern world,” from Sampson, Samuel, Sugden, eds: Faith and Modernity (Oxford: Regnum Books International, 1992), p. 322-325. This article was originally presented at Lausanne II in Manilla (1989) and remains an incisive commentary on this issue. While Guinness does not use the word ’globalization,’ his article on modernity is completely suitable and appropriate to this subject. 3. Myers, Bryant: Exploring World Mission: Context & Challenges (Monrovia, CA: World Vision International, 2003) p. 53. Based on information from Operation World by Johnstone & Mandryk (Paternoster, 2001). 4. See Sanneh, Lamin: Whose Religion is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003) p. 10–11 5.See Adeney, Miriam: “When the Elephant Dances, the Mouse May Die” (Short-Term Missions Today, 2003-2004 Issue) p. 86–89 6.See Livermore, David: Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence (Grand Rapids, Baker Book House, 2006
Business entrepreneurs and Christian missionaries are similarly wired. I like to say they have a lot of overlapping DNA. Both have great vision. Both have a higher tolerance for risk than others. Both understand the importance of team. Both recognize the value of creativity and innovation. Both have leadership skills that can be used to pursue a vision, a dream, a “big-hairy-audacious-goal,” or “BHAG,” in the terminology of Jim Collins.
There are also dissimilarities between the classic business entrepreneur and the classic missionary. Usually, the best missionaries, while they are visionary doers, they also have superb people skills; they are terrific at building relationships. Usually the best entrepreneurs are effective in working with people — but they’re even more effective at pulling things together and getting things done. Perhaps we can say that the excellent missionary puts relationship ahead of task, whereas the entrepreneur will usually put task ahead of relationship.
The Bible has a huge visionary goal for followers of Christ. The Lord Jesus tells his followers in Matthew 28:18–20 to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.” His Word (“All authority is given me in heaven and on earth”) — and his death-defying presence (“I will never leave you or forsake you”) — are the foundation for this audacious command to bring the transforming love of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. This command is called “The Great Commission” for good reason. There could be no greater goal, no more ambitious vision.
How interesting that Christ’s command reflects a perfect balance. On the one hand, there’s a huge vision which requires an almost infinite array of tasks; on the other hand, it is a command focused on building relationships (“making disciples of all nations”) which is made possible by a relationship with the One who gave the command.
Christian entrepreneurs have many of the skills that are essential for Christian global mission. The Beauty of Partnership learning journey builds on that, and equips them with additional knowledge, skills and attitudes that are essential for success in serving a cross-cultural partnership ministry.
The short video (here) is about bringing hope to the Jie tribe in Southern Sudan. The mission organization shown is Mission To Unreached People (MUPE), directed by Rev. Hannington Munyao, Eldoret, Kenya. MUPE, a long-time ministry partner of Mission ONE, specializes in sending trained African missionaries to other tribes and peoples who are untouched by the gospel of Jesus Christ. These highly-trained national missionaries bring the Word of God, plus education, improved health, some new technology and other transformational blessings. They truly bring the blessing of Christ in word and deed.
Hannington says in the video, “The people have no church, no school, no medical facility, no shop, nothing.” It is amazing that they were getting water for their tribe from essentially a little pond dug by their own hands with stones.
Hannington also told the story that when the African missionary, Isaiah Majuma Bwala, came with his wife and children to stay with the tribe, the whole tribe burst into dance and song because they now knew the blessing of the gospel would remain with them. Isaiah, the national missionary from MUPE, literally became the hope they never had before.
Amazingly, these national missionaries like Isaiah who serve with MUPE need less than $300 per month to serve in these remote tribes and villages. Mission ONE has had a long-standing partnership with MUPE. We have huge trust in this ministry and its leadership. Hannington is a wise and capable leader who himself has served effectively as a missionary among the Toposa people in Kenya.
Hannington has informed us that more than 60 African couples or single individuals are waiting to go as MUPE missionaries to serve among unreached tribes like the Jie.
Who will be the Mission ONE Ambassador that serves as an advocate for MUPE? Who will be the Mission ONE Ambassador to help mobilize the people and resources to bring the the transforming gospel of Christ to hundreds of unreached tribes in East Africa who still have not had heard the name of Jesus?
2) Non-Western missionary movement: The chart at right [3] compares and projects
the growth of the number of non-Western evangelicals relative to Western evangelicals from 1960 to 2020. This growth is in part a testimony to the success of missionaries sent from Western nations to Africa, Asia and Latin America, as well as to the receptivity of the gospel among harvest nations. It also gives witness to the transforming power of the Word of God when translated into the heart language of any people group. [4] The Lord has raised up countless new churches and Christian mission structures in hidden or obscure communities all over the world.