Category Archives: Global Christian mission

Searching for problems vs. searching for possibilities

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions

Walking With The Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development, by Bryant MyersBryant Myers’ book, Walking With The Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development is an extremely thorough resource for Christians engaged in the work of world missions, especially those who are involved in community development among the world’s poor. One of my favorite parts of the book is in the chapter, “Development Practice: The Tool Kit.” In this chapter, Myers describes a discipline called Appreciative Inquiry (or “AI”)—an approach that looks at “organizing as a mystery to be embraced rather than a problem to be solved.”

According to Wikipedia, the basic idea of Appreciative Inquiry is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn’t. Consider this: What would you do if you were going into a new community where it was obvious there are glaring problems and crippling poverty? You might begin by asking and observing, “What’s wrong here? What needs fixing? Let’s list all the problems in order of importance and then work on them one by one.”  In contrast, check out these questions below from Myers, page 179—a list of questions that he says would be asked by someone with an “Appreciative Inquiry.”

  • What life-giving, life-enhancing forces do you have in your community? What gives you the energy and power to change and to cope with adversity?
  • Thinking back on the last one hundred years of your community, what has happened that you are proud of, that makes you feel you have been successful?
  • What are your best religious and cultural practices? Those that make you feel good about your culture? That have helped you when times were tough?
  • What do you value that makes you feel good about yourselves?
  • What in your geographical area and in your local political and economic systems has helped you do things of which you are proud?
  • What skills or resources have enabled you to do things your children will remember you for having done?
  • How have your relationships, both within and without the community, worked for you and helped you do things that you believe were good for the community?

Elsewhere in this chapter and actually, throughout the book, Myers deals head-on with the need to confront evil and oppression. We cannot simply avoid the reality of what is wrong. But I believe Myers is also articulating the tremendous value of recognizing that wherever God is present, he is at work! Even in the darkest places, God is there and He is at work. Consider the biblical support we find in Philippians 4:5 and 8 …

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; …

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What if, in our work of serving an impoverished community or a cross-cultural partnership ministry, we always began with a focus, not on the need and the problem, but rather, on “whatever is true … honorable … just … pure … lovely … commendable”? What if in the work of short-term mission trips, leaders intentionally focused FIRST on learning what is good in the community being served? And doing this before trying to solve the problems, address the glaring weaknesses, and make it “better?” When we are coming alongside indigenous Christian leaders and their ministries in the majority world, this will go along way in building friendship and trust.

The appreciation, empowerment and dignity that people would feel would be tremendous, don’t you imagine? Myers writes,

The net result of such an inquiry is often spectacular. The laundry list of problems the community would like the NGO to fix is lost in the enthusiasm of describing what is already working. The community comes to view its past and itself in a new light. We do know things. We do have resources. We have a lot to be proud of. We are already on the journey. God has been good to us. We can do something. We are not god-forsaken. This is a major step toward recovering the community’s true identity and discovering its true vocation. With these discoveries a major transformational frontier has been crossed.

In the practice of healthy cross-cultural partnerships, it is vital for partnership advocates from the west to be intentional about looking for what is good, strong and beautiful before identifying what is ugly, sinful or weak. In doing so, could it be that we also may become more aware of our own needs, weaknesses and sins—and that ultimately, we are just as vulnerable and desperate for the saving grace of Jesus Christ?

Of course, this mindset and approach can be applied in not just far-away cross-cultural settings, but also in my own home, my family, church, business, or neighborhood.

After all, as Apostle Paul wrote, “The Lord is at hand!”

For more about the discipline of Appreciative Inquiry in cross-cultural partnership,
see “Week 11: Appreciation” in The Beauty of Partnership learning journey.

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 3 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission, Indigenous ministries, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions
  1. “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.
  2. “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.
  3. “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.
  4. “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.”

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 2 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Indigenous ministries, Organizational competence, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership
  1. “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.
  2. “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.
  3. “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.
  4. “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.

Myths to reject—to help your partnership succeed, part 1 of 3

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Godly character, Indigenous ministries, Organizational competence, Training
  1. “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?
  2. “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?”
  3. “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.
  4. “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.

Will I choose “the robe” or “the towel” in partnership with indigenous ministries?

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Godly character, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership

Jesus washing Peter’s feet, by Ford Madox Brown
Jesus washing Peter’s feet, by Ford Madox Brown

Duane Elmer’s Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility is a wonderfully rich book describing the challenge and promise of Christlike servanthood in cross-cultural settings. But it’s not only helpful for people who serve full-time in cross-cultural ministry. Elmer’s book is also great for anyone engaged in partnership with indigenous ministries … or going on a short-term mission trip … or who simply wants to be more like Jesus in their everyday relationships. Everyone would benefit much from this read, simply because servanthood is so contrary to our nature.

The message of this book is partly based on John’s gospel, chapter 13, where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him …

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.  –John 13:3–5, 12–17 (ESV)

Dr. Elmer says that a vital question for Christ followers centers around the metaphor of the robe versus the towel: Will I serve God in the way of the robe or the towel? Jesus took off his outer garments, his robe, representing authority and lordship—and instead took up the towel, and washed the disciples’ feet. Footwashing was a common practice in that culture, but it was always a job reserved for the most lowly of servants. Nevertheless, Jesus chose the towel. Elmer writes…

Jesus came to earth occupying two roles: (1) Lord and Christ, and (2) humble, obedient servant. He alone is Lord and Christ. But he taught and exemplified humble servanthood, the role we are to occupy—the way of the towel. The problem arises when his followers choose to follow him in his kingly role and not in his servant role. They gravitate toward the robe while resisting the towel. The Lord Jesus Christ alone wears the robe. His disciples are to follow him only in his humble, obedient servant role—maybe even his suffering-servant role.

I understand this. I gravitate toward the honor of the robe and while resisting the humility of the towel. But as I abide in Christ, another way is genuinely possible: the way of servanthood.

Isn’t this is the essence of healthy cross-cultural partnerships—Christ-centered servanthood? We in the west have such a tendency toward an attitude of superiority. It’s natural. A mindset of superiority is usually not explicitly stated by westerners, but non-western Christians can easily sense when westerners visiting their country come across as having more money, better ideas, better spiritual wisdom, more ministry experience—an attitude of superiority rather than servanthood. Ironically, westerners often have more to learn from them than the other way around. At Mission ONE, we believe that in a healthy cross-cultural partnership, we are learning together, from God and from one another.

This book by Duane Elmer can offers clear guidance about specific behaviors and practices so that we can actually live out “the way of the towel.” Those practices are openness, acceptance, trust, learning, and understanding—all culminating with truly effective serving. The book is structured around these practices; I love the definitions, the practical life stories, the clear principles, the Christ-centered theology. Thank you, Dr. Elmer, for the great service you have rendered to the church through your book.

Will I choose the robe or the towel in my life? Will the way of the towel be what characterizes how I partner with indigenous minsitries? By God’s grace, and by abiding in Christ, I want to choose the towel, don’t you?

A great deliverance

Cross-cultural partnership, Global Christian mission, Indigenous ministries, Uncategorized

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 which engages in evangelism and church planting in India
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), Chennai, India. Mission ONE has been partnering with HBI to support indigenous evangelists and church planters since in the early 1990s.
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.

Hindustan Bible Institute is directed by Dr. Paul R. Gupta, also known by his friends as Bobby Gupta. Dr. Gupta is  co-author, with Sherwood G. Lingenfelter, of Breaking Tradition to Accomplish Vision: Training Leaders for a Church-Planting Movement: A Case from India. Dr. Lingenfelter is Provost and Senior Vice President of Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA. Here is one of my favorite quotes from Lingenfelter in this book:

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.

This is why we say at Mission ONE: Partnership with nationals. It just makes sense.

What is a “partnership in the gospel?”

Biblical basis for partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Godly character, Uncategorized

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3–5 ESV)

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is, among other things, a letter that celebrates partnership. Here are some introductory observations about this theme based on Philippians 1:3–5.

  • Paul remembers the believers in Philippi. It seems he thinks of these Philippian believers often, evidenced by the phrase, “always in every prayer of mine for you all.” We learn from Paul that a healthy partnership is a heart-to-heart connection which deeply affects what we think about. Partnership is not just a passing experience, devoid of long-lasting impact on our lives. A healthy partnership has “relational staying power.” This encourages us to define partnership not only by what is accomplished (although that is important), but more significantly by relationship—the people we come to know and love and work with toward a common vision.
  • Paul prays for the believers in Philippi—a lot! In any cross-cultural ministry partnership, one evidence of health is the quality and quantity of prayer. Paul indicates that he prays for the Philippian church all the time; he is thinking about them and cannot help himself. It seems he prays for them night and day. This adds a cosmic dimension to the relational depth between him and the Philippian believers. This is way beyond just human friendship. This is a human relationship, a community, a fellowship which has its origin and life in the divine. Paul prays for them, and, according to verse 19 of chapter 1, they also pray for Paul: “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” Prayer keeps the relationship alive, active, full of the energy of the Holy Spirit, even though they are geographically distant.
  • Paul’s affection is joy. Paul describes his prayer for them as “my prayer with joy.” It is no surprise that he remembers them: there likely is great joy in his memories. Paul writes from prison in Rome, so the sweet memories of the saints in Philippi is a source of encouragement to him. A healthy partnership has positive feelings: joy, affection, hope. An unhealthy partnership has feelings of neutrality (neither hot nor cold), disappointment, distrust.
  • Paul’s partnership has divine purpose—“the gospel.” This is a “partnership in the gospel.” The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The gospel carries with it the divine expectation of God, namely, that the blessing of salvation in Jesus Christ will be extended by his church to all nations, all peoples, everywhere. The gospel is not just a set of beliefs or doctrines, it is so much more than that. The gospel is a dynamic, global, divine mission and blessing—rooted in the Person of Jesus Christ—and extended through his body, the church—to all peoples. Paul identifies himself in Romans 1:1 as “a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” The gospel of God is thoroughly infused with mission; Paul is sent on mission as an apostle; Paul’s life gives testimony to the fact that the gospel requires enormous sacrifice, adventurous journeys, and suffering.

The fact that Paul’s life has so divine a purpose because of the gospel, is an aspect itself of the glorious goodness of the gospel. Yes, Paul must sacrifice. Yes, there is pain. Yes, there are times of despair. But knowing Jesus Christ in His purpose and mission far exceeds all the negatives. This gospel, this Savior, is so strong, so beautiful, so glorious, so worth dying for. In Philippians 3:8, Paul writes, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” With the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of it all, it is a mission of blessing; it is also the blessing of being on mission.

I can now ask myself: To what extent am I remembering the brothers and sisters in Christ for whom I am advocating, and with whom I am partnering? Do I pray for them like Paul did—“in every prayer of mine for you all”? Can I add to or deepen my prayers for the saints with whom I am partnering? Is there joy in my memory of the ones in distant lands for whom I serve as an advocate; can that joy be enhanced or rekindled through my prayer for them? Do I fully embrace Christ’s divine expectation? Am I wholly committed to this mission of blessing and this blessing of mission—through cross-cultural partnership?

I am under conviction. What a challenge, and what a joy. What trembling and delight we can have being engaged in “a partnership in the gospel.”

Have we been invited?

Cross-cultural partnership, Global Christian mission, Global trends, Quotes, articles & books related to cross-cultural partnership, Short-term missions, Uncategorized

I recently read this in Lesslie Newbigin’s The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission.

All thinking about the world mission of the church today must thankfully and joyfully take into account of the fact that the “home base” of missions is now nothing less than the worldwide community, and every proposed expression of the church’s missionary outreach must be tested by asking whether it can be accepted by the whole ecumenical family as an authentic expression of the gospel.

I wonder what would happen if all short-term mission efforts began with some simple questions? Do you want us to come? Will you accept our mission efforts? What a grand idea—to be asked to be accepted by the church community in a host country—instead of assuming that we are needed, we must go, and they must accommodate us. So many short-term mission efforts are done more for the experience of the goers, than for those who are supposedly being served. When one considers the billions being spent on just the jet fuel for short-term missions, we need to seriously ask, What are the strategic long term benefits?

There is a huge need for training in short-term missions and partnership with indigenous ministries. This is why Mission ONE has developed The Beauty of Partnership learning journey. Would you like to join the journey with us?

To Catch the Wind: A New Metaphor for Cross-Cultural Partnership

Competencies for cross-cultural partnership, Cross-cultural partnership, Cultural intelligence, Global Christian mission

The article referenced by the title of this blog is downloadable by clicking on this link. The article grew out of a dialog I shared with Alex Araujo and Mary Lederleitner in 2008 when we were discussing the possibility of The Beauty of Partnership curriculum. Turns out it was the basis for Alex’s outstanding presentation at 
the 2008 COSIM conference, and is now an important part of The Beauty of Partnership learning journey. This article is written principally by Alex Araujo, Senior Partnership Consultant, Partners International.

PwerboatAndSailboat

The main idea of this article is that we can have healthier cross-cultural partnerships by understanding the paradigm through which we see ourselves, our world, and our ministry partners in the majority world. Alex Araujo offers the metaphor of the powerboat and the sailboat to help us see contrasting paradigms—the “powerboat mindset” versus the “sailboat mindset.” Since this article was presented in June 2008, Alex Araujo has further developed and refined the material. Alex has presented this material in several missions consultations and executive leadership gatherings. This question was often raised: If the powerboat represents the western mindset, does the sailboat represent the non-western mindset? Alex’s answer is No, the sailboat represents the biblical mindset. What then represents the non-western or “majority-world” mindset? Answer: The rowboat. The chart below clarifies the distinctions. See the full article here.

What do you think of this metaphor for cross-cultural partnership ministry? Is it helpful? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this metaphor?

A post-American world—for cross-cultural partnership?

Cross-cultural partnership, Global Christian mission, Global trends, Uncategorized
The Post-American World, by Fareed Zakaria
The Post-American World, by Fareed Zakaria

CNN commentator Fareed Zakaria came out with a book in 2008 entitled The Post-American World. I just ordered it, believing that he may have something to contribute to our understanding of Christian mission in our world today.

“This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else.” So begins Fareed Zakaria’s important new work on the era we are now entering. Following on the success of his best-selling The Future of Freedom, Zakaria describes with equal prescience a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures. He sees the “rise of the rest”—the growth of countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia, and many others—as the great story of our time, and one that will reshape the world. The tallest buildings, biggest dams, largest-selling movies, and most advanced cell phones are all being built outside the United States. This economic growth is producing political confidence, national pride, and potentially international problems. How should the United States understand and thrive in this rapidly changing international climate? What does it mean to live in a truly global era? Zakaria answers these questions with his customary lucidity, insight, and imagination.

“… a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures.” Hmm. Sounds like part of the argument for cross-cultural ministry partnerships in the global church. A parallel statement relative to Christian world missions is that … we live in a world in which the Western church will no longer dominate the world Christian movement, be the primary leader of international mission consultations, or overwhelm cultures.

Because of the growth of the world Christian movement, the center of gravity of Christianity has shifted from the west to the “global south”—also referred to as the “majority world.” One of the leading authorities on the history of the church and the world Christian movement is Scottish missiologist Andrew Walls. In 2000, Walls wrote:

andrew_wallsThe twentieth century has been the most remarkable of all the Christian centuries since the first. Within this century, the composition of the Christian church, ethnically and culturally, has changed out of recognition. On the one hand, there has been a great retreat from Christianity. That retreat has been centered in the west, and especially in western Europe, where active Christian profession has dramatically receded. At the same time, there has been a massive accession to Christian faith. One has to go back many centuries for any parallel to the number of new Christians and new Christian communities. This accession has taken place outside the west, in southern continents, including many areas where, before the present century, Christians were few in number.

At the beginning of this century, some 83% of those who professed the Christian faith lived in Europe and North America. Now, some 60% (probably) live in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Pacific Islands, and that proportion is rising every year. The center of gravity of the Christian church has moved sharply southwards. The representative Christianity of the twenty-first century seems set to be that of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific region. These areas look destined to be the launch pad for the mission of the church in the twenty-first century.

(To download the full article by Andrew Walls, click here.)

The implications for global Christian mission could not be more profound. Many mission leaders and mission organizations in the West have recognized the need to shift our approach to world evangelization from leadership to partnership.

Could it be that a “post-American world” is one in which the visible unity in the global church will be demonstrated by millions of examples of healthy cross-cultural partnership? We believe that many within the church are watching—along with many who are outside of the church—to see how well the exceedingly diverse communities of the global church can effectively work together.

Could it be that in the 21st century, God’s people will work in a cooperative rather than antagonistic way—
so Christ’s hope and vision of unity from John 17:21 can be more fully realized? Could it be that “a post-American world” will help create an environment for the global church so that this hope will become a reality?