Monday, July 17, 2006

Positive Intruders

When I began this thread my categories were tongue-in-cheek as it related to a sign I saw in a muffler shop (see Cost of Labor). The term, Intruder, is a bit harsh, but it did grab the attention for the discussion, a term for affect, not meant to slander.

Intruders are people who want to help do the work, maybe even take over from the people who are on the field. They are more than just Watchers, who dabble in missions; they take ownership. ItÂ’s my opinion that a committed Watcher eventually become a Doer or an Intruder. Intruders, like Watchers, can have a positive function, if they keep things in balance.

The primary reason for Intruders is two-fold. First, as I have mentioned, they are committed to the task of world evangelization. Secondly they want ownership overseas as feel they can do things better than career Doers. Intruders are people or churches that become their own agents of ministry overseas, while still living in the U.S. I have met pastor/intruders who have led their congregations to adopt people groups, cities and even countries, who by-pass North American missionaries and, sometimes, even national leaders, to reach their goals doing ministry themselves on the field. I know of one congregation who adopted Bosnia a few years back and in the ten years they have been involved they have established schools, sent in medical teams for refugees and nearly sixty percent of their membership has made a least one trip to the country that one time was a part of Yugoslavia.

Those who desire to be involved, more than a ten-day excursion, less than a full commitment to living in a country, see their role as being equal to that of the career Doers. In some cases, Intruders do indeed move things faster, maybe even more effectively than Doers. In the grand scheme of what God is doing all over the world; Intruders have made a positive contribution to world outreach. But, Intruders have a down side. Stay tuned.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi R.G.,
I'll wait for the downside before I comment on the 'Intruders.' I'm interested to read your thoughts on how churches can become more effective in their missions programs; better yet, more effective at supporting Doers...Our church is currently praying for mission opportunities...
Peace as always!
K.Reyes

RG Lewis said...

K. Reyes,

Since we are quoting Scripture, read also Matthew 13:4-8

"A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.”

IF the function of Watchers and Intruders is that of sowing, my point is that unless they do it well, which many do not, there will be a lot of activity, but no or little harvest.

Anonymous said...

ps.
And do you really think that we have anything to do at all with the growth of the seed??? or for that matter our own desire to dive deeper into His Word; or have late-night debates such as these?? our growth comes from the prompting of the Holy Spirit - His urging, His voice within us.

And for all the kind folk who witnessed to me over the years, can I name one who "led me to Christ??" NO! Jesus himself chased me downed; wooed me; cornered me; carved away at my defenses until finally He revealed His hand so completely to me that I just threw up my arms and said, "OK - You win! I'm yours!"

Peace - K