The speed of change in the global mission landscape continues to increase. In the past five years, the following shifts have been observed and noted: a shift from “the West to the rest” to an “everyone to everywhere” approach; a shift from viewing the cross-cultural worker as the one who does all to establish the church to a more facilitative and collaborative approach between workers from outside and inside the culture; and a shift from several ‘sending’ locations to multiple global partners sharing workers and resources.
These changes alone are enough to make one’s head spin as we consider the implications for day-to-day ministry and work.
But the global mission landscape has changed once again. Two major shifts have arisen in the last few months.
First, an increased global connectivity. Believers from anywhere in the world can connect with others serving, living, and working in another culture. Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime and numerous other platforms allow people to “connect” in real time. Lausanne YLGen 2027 has even created “virtual friendship circles” in preparation for their young leaders gathering in mid-2027. This global connectivity allows believers to build up and be built up by others from various parts of the world. It offers the possibility to expand our vision of what God is doing in the world. It build multicultural awareness.
Second, the arrival of AI (Artificial Intelligence). AI can provide many of the answers to our questions about means and plans to know and reach others in cultures different from our own. In a recent discussion with colleagues, we each shared our amazement at the “speed” and capacity of AI to provide us with tools for church planting research, coaching others, or general life issues. Time that would have been given to preparing for many of these ministry activities can now be allocated directly to that ministry activity.
Both shifts provide new avenues for cross cultural church planting. However, a main disadvantage or difficulty remains. Neither global connectivity nor AI in and of themselves can teach us about the values, subtleties of why people think and why they do they do. I have often heard the phrase in recent days: “The (put whatever people group you work among) just need to do things differently!” And by differently, the speaker often means doing what works in their home culture. We need to remember that culture is much more than what we see at face value in our interactions with others. We must be more self-aware of our own cultural stance in any given conversation.
There is hope in the midst of these new shifts. One of the primary ways we can address these global shifts is to become a person who asks more questions than answers or gives answers. It takes effort and an other-centred focus to grow in this skill.
Look through the New Testament, and like me, you’ll be amazed at how often Jesus and the apostles used questions to discern the hearts of others and to face the challenges of the changes and shifts in the world around them.
Filed under: Change & transition, Global realities, Hope |
Yes, learning to ask culturally appropriate questions. And, may I add “listening”. This could inlcude slowing down to hear the other. Observing. Building a relationship.
I really like that addition of “listening”. Probably assume that asking questions implies listening. But that is not always the case. Better to push one another to be good asking questions and listening & hearing the answers. Culturally appropriate questions is also a great addition. Any resources you might suggest?