Thoughts Along The Journey

At the 1910 Edinburgh World Missionary Conference, delegates exuded an incredible optimism in regards to missions in light of the trends of the day.  In one conference report, it was stated: “Never before, has there been such a conjunction of crises and of opening of doors in all parts of the world as that which characterizes the present decade.”  A growing “globalization” was “evidence for the feasibility of attaining the goal of world evangelization.”[1]

Those words could have easily been written in our day.  They certainly show the unpredictable nature of global currents or trends.  The delegates at the Edinburgh Conference were sometimes on the right track, and certainly recognized the significance of a number of currents. However, they often misinterpreted the information or the data that they had because of their theological bias, cultural perspective, prevailing attitudes or other issues.

So, does that mean we should not concern ourselves with global currents?  Not at all. We are called to be wise and discerning of our times.  We must prayerfully interpret all that we see, so as to discern how God wants us to live, minister and act in this changing world.

If nothing else, what we should be learning from the rapid change around us is that missions in the 21^st century will need to be even more flexible and responsive, with high degrees of collaboration with others.

More on that as we journey forward together.

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In his book, The Meeting of the Waters, Fritz Kling outlines seven global currents that he believes impact missional work in our world today.  Here’s a brief description of each one:

Mercy:
Younger people of faith around the world increasingly demonstrate their love for Christ and others by serving – by feeding the hungry, addressing AIDS, rescuing girls sold in slavery, saving the earth, and much more.

Mutuality:
While the West was previously the center of worldwide “Christendom,” now Christians from countries all around the world have the education, access, resources, and confidence to take leadership.

Migration:
People everywhere are on the move, to meet economic needs, flee repression or combat, seek freedom or asylum, etc.  Missions used to be from the west to the rest, but now it’s “everywhere to everywhere.”

Monoculture:
Pervasive brands, celebrities, and fads, are spreading around the globe, and values and worldviews are spreading too.  In the global youth culture, kids in Cape Town and Shenyang often have more in common with kids in Nairobi or L.A. than with their own parents.

Machines:
The pace of technological change is stunning, rendering old approaches ineffective or obsolete.  From evangelism to discipleship to disaster relief, technology offers exciting new opportunities for Christian workers.

Mediation:
Some experts say that the world is “flattening” and that differences are lessening.  Actually, the internet and other media are providing more opportunities and tools for division.  Christians will need, more than ever, to be reconciliers in a polarizing world.

Memory:
Even in the face of so many world-changing trends, every country, region and village has its own “backstory.”  Christian workers must be alert to historical events which shape a people’s receptivity or resistance to the gospel today.

It is not my objective to get everyone to agree with what Fritz Kling has written.  However, these global currents should cause us to stop and prayerfully reflect on our world, and the tremendous changes that are occurring.

In light of those reflections, we will need to define broad based solutions or strategies that will allow us to proactively respond to those global currents we perceive impact our work.  These fresh approaches then will frame our ministries as we move into the future.

As we journey forward, this global conversation and our prayers become more and more essential to discerning God’s will together.

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Over the past few months, I’ve asked a number of World Team leaders and workers to read the book, The Meeting of the Waters, by Fritz Kling.  In one of the opening sections, Fritz Kling writes: “I read a report by an international panel of church experts charging that, all too often, global church leaders do long-range planning as if the future is simply going to be an extension of the present. The report questioned whether the Christian church has the ability or desire to recognize a world in flux and figure out how to respond.”

We as believers need to be biblically wise in discerning the times and learning how to hear the voice of the Lord for our journey forward.  We need to be willing and prepared to shift the way in which we think or work in light of changing global realities as the Lord opens our spiritual eyes to those needed changes.

One outworking of this desire to discern the times is learning to listen well to one another. 

In preparation for meetings this week of World Team leaders, several working groups of World Team workers were created to provide input about shifting global realities.  A number of individuals were also asked to provide input.  This input has been insightful and of incredible value.

We will need much more of this kind of interaction as we journey forward.

Pray for us as leaders that we might listen well and discern the needed practical outcomes from all the input we have received and are receiving.

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