My passion and calling is evangelism, discipleship, and church planting among the least-reached. I agree that we need to keep this as a priority in missions, and I'm very grateful for how you continue to champion this, Ted.
I sometimes wonder if the problem is that sometimes we view these questions as if there is some kind of competition between disparate, disconnected activities/goals, some of which have higher *priority* than others, as if it is a zero-sum game. I wonder if a better way to think about it is to not frame this as a choice between say, humanitarian aid vs. church planting, or Bible translation vs. evangelism (or whatever vs. whatever), as if we need to choose and rank which is more important. I wonder if a better way to think about it is to work harder to help to integrate all of the above in a comprehensive, interconnected mission of the church?
Many of the church planters among UPGs that I know are active in humanitarian aid. None of them can do their work without Bible translators. A "reached" nation with better theological education will raise up and send more missionaries to other UPGs. Unjust structures and ethnocentrism among missionaries will compromise their witness among UPGs. Should we be advocating for the priority of one of these issues over the other, or perhaps should we be working harder to better integrate them all and intentionally coordinate our efforts within the collective witness of the body?
For example, as a church planter, I'd love it if those in diaspora ministry, and those in humanitarian aid, and justice advocacy, etc., did not see my work as in competition with theirs or vice-versa. I'd love it if all of them saw how their work helps and contributes toward CP among UPGs, and more intentionally integrated it with CP efforts. I'd also love it if my fellow CPers would make use of the best diaspora practices, humanitarian efforts, justice practices, etc., and integrated those into their own CP ministry, and cooperated together and learned from each other. I wonder if this might make our witness among the least-reached more impactful and fruitful.
Brilliantly put! Thank you S. T. Antonio. This integrated, comprehensive, interconnected way of thinking about and participating in the mission of God is what we need more of.
This is very well written. It doesn't deny that there are other valid things to still be done, but explains well the priority of those who have never heard and have no access to the gospel. I don't think it is all either / or. I have seen the good Compassion can do including among the unreached in India. But I do agree that we need to start with the priority of the unreached, however it is defined. Some are just too obviously unreached to quibble over percentages!
My passion and calling is evangelism, discipleship, and church planting among the least-reached. I agree that we need to keep this as a priority in missions, and I'm very grateful for how you continue to champion this, Ted.
I sometimes wonder if the problem is that sometimes we view these questions as if there is some kind of competition between disparate, disconnected activities/goals, some of which have higher *priority* than others, as if it is a zero-sum game. I wonder if a better way to think about it is to not frame this as a choice between say, humanitarian aid vs. church planting, or Bible translation vs. evangelism (or whatever vs. whatever), as if we need to choose and rank which is more important. I wonder if a better way to think about it is to work harder to help to integrate all of the above in a comprehensive, interconnected mission of the church?
Many of the church planters among UPGs that I know are active in humanitarian aid. None of them can do their work without Bible translators. A "reached" nation with better theological education will raise up and send more missionaries to other UPGs. Unjust structures and ethnocentrism among missionaries will compromise their witness among UPGs. Should we be advocating for the priority of one of these issues over the other, or perhaps should we be working harder to better integrate them all and intentionally coordinate our efforts within the collective witness of the body?
For example, as a church planter, I'd love it if those in diaspora ministry, and those in humanitarian aid, and justice advocacy, etc., did not see my work as in competition with theirs or vice-versa. I'd love it if all of them saw how their work helps and contributes toward CP among UPGs, and more intentionally integrated it with CP efforts. I'd also love it if my fellow CPers would make use of the best diaspora practices, humanitarian efforts, justice practices, etc., and integrated those into their own CP ministry, and cooperated together and learned from each other. I wonder if this might make our witness among the least-reached more impactful and fruitful.
Just something I'm wondering...
Brilliantly put! Thank you S. T. Antonio. This integrated, comprehensive, interconnected way of thinking about and participating in the mission of God is what we need more of.
This is very well written. It doesn't deny that there are other valid things to still be done, but explains well the priority of those who have never heard and have no access to the gospel. I don't think it is all either / or. I have seen the good Compassion can do including among the unreached in India. But I do agree that we need to start with the priority of the unreached, however it is defined. Some are just too obviously unreached to quibble over percentages!