Team Building 8
Holism and an holistic message lead us to the purpose of our team strategy… transformation. It’s not enough to address certain poverty issues. It’s not enough to do some good deeds. It’s not even enough to just transmit Bible facts. Until man is seated in the heavenly realm, he is only a shadow of what he is created to be. Two Indian missiologists, Jayakumar Christian and Vinay Samuel suggest respectively that there are two major tenets to Christian transformation: (1.) the restoration of one’s true identity as children of God, and (2.) the recovery of one’s true vocation… what is my purpose and stewardship?
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:6 & 10 NIV
The picture below shows a group of students with their teacher at a local primary school in the Mumena Chieftaincy. This school had 300 students and 2 teachers when we came. After volunteering to help the educational needs of the school, we noticed that our help was being “taken advantage of for personal gain”. We promptly removed our help sending shock waves through the community, all the way to the Chief’s palace. This led to many public and private meetings with both officials and villagers concerning why we – as Christians - would stop doing good within an environment of “normal” corruption. In other words, why we would attach our “holistic ministry” to “transformational standards”.
The result has been slow but stunning! Over the course of 12 months, the community began clamoring for change; the headmen began meeting with their Chief; the Chief began meeting with government officials. One of the school faculty “found the kitchen too hot” and left. The other (pictured) found Christ! The government has sent new teachers to adequately staff the school. We are now in position to begin “helping” once again. We have begun with the new water well below. Transformation has begun!
Watching in awe,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson
Pictured: Happy students with their “in Christ” teacher stewarding their resources.
Team Building 7
What does “obeying the Gospel” mean to a person who does not even view reality as God created it? For missionaries, this is an ever present danger in cross-cultural communication. At worst, one teaches the Gospel and obedience is offered yet without understanding. Then syncretism, the attributing of pagan meanings to Christian forms, is often the sad result. At best, students cannot “count the cost” concerning a faith choice.
Our team strategy depends on Kingdom theology to help us address this concern. One finds the term “the Kingdom” repeatedly in scripture referring to the “big picture” of how God views reality… God’s worldview so to speak. This encompasses the spiritual and physical realms and their interaction thus providing a message that is holistic. Equipped with this understanding, students are able to address the question of obedience to the gospel with a faith that encompasses their mind, heart, and behavior. A clear choice of allegiance can be made.
“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
Acts 8:12 KJV
Trying to communicate clearly,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson
For further reading on this subject:
Beasley-Murray, “Jesus & the Kingdom of God”
Davis, Wayne “The Kingdom of God”
Dickson, Roger “The Sovereignty of Deity”
Ferguson, Everett “The Everlasting Kingdom”
McGuiggan, Jim “The Reign of God”
Van Rheenan, Gailyn “Communicating Christ in Animistic Contexts” &
“Missions, Biblical Foundations & Contemporary Strategies”