Missional or Merely Monoculturally Relevant?

A friend sent a book to me to review while I am traveling and teaching in India. Chris is one of those guys who is always striving to learn more and so I was more than happy to review and send him my evaluation of Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Be A Missionary In Your Community.  The bottom line, this book is for (a) church planters in the U.S. or (b) churches who are looking for ways to revitalize their congregations. As I waded through the pages it became obvious the authors are hoping to present a new model for church planting that is relevant for today’s post-Christian context.  The writers reviewed past models, from the traditional church of forty years ago to seeker-sensitive services a decade ago, to today’s emerging church.  In this book the new approach is reaching the unchurched which they call the missional congregation.  

In the end, though they touched on it, the book didn’t didn't break any code as it didn't address some issues that, in my opinion, is the true definition of a missional church -- how to reach our cities cross-culturally.  Let me explain.

The city of my home church has many churches, some which are growing, many which are not.  In this community of less than 50,000 people there has been a huge influx of Hispanics and people from the Marshall Islands and other ethnic groups.  If our little city has such a diversity of people groups, I can only imagine what is taking place in Kansas City, Dallas, Baltimore and other major cities.  Our region of the country has its share of mega-congregations, all vying to out-build and out-program other churches.  What my town needs is a book on how to reach across those cultural boundaries, to the people of other ethnic backgrounds who will never come to a culturally middle class WASP body of  believers. 

The principles of how to go cross-culturally are certainly in this book, i.e. building relationships and finding a “safe” place for non-believers to meet.  The writers even use good missiological terms like contextualization and indigenous forms of worship.  In the book they cite many examples of starting contextually sound congregations among the white middle-class, but they never give one example of how those churches started or partnered with the Asian, Black or Hispanic communities.  While the authors note the shifting demographics of our country they did not, in my opinion, capitalize on that reality in their church planting models.

For many of today’s church growth experts, including this book, contextualization is defined as a different style of music, using the latest media technology and casual dress.  In some ways their arguments are no different than what we talked about 30 years ago.  The term “cutting edge,” no longer seems to be in vogue, but when people talk about reaching their generation with the Gospel they are merely repeating the older arguments for today’s culture. 

So, my final analysis of the book is that it extremely helpful as far as it goes.  For those who are starting WASP churches or for established congregations looking for ideas for revitalization, it’s worth the read.  They give good insights and principles that can be built on and I appreciate their emphasis on church planting multiplication.  However, from a missiological perspective, until the church begins to become Kingdom centric rather than Ecclesia centric we will remain focused on church growth rather than fulfilling the command to go to every panta ta ethne.

Noah's Ark in South India

I am forever intrigued with visionaries. I have worked with a few down through the years and what fascinates me about them is how impractical they seem to be.  My bent is to critique everything ad nauseam and view things in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness and practical application.  Most visionaries think about these things, but after the fact.  They have a propensity to operate on “Ready, fire, aim,” where I am inclined to “Ready, aim, aim, aim…” and never pull the trigger.

I am in the presence of a full-blown visionary this week.  I’ve written about Dr. Vijayam before, but let me briefly tell his story again.  Dr. V is in his ‘70’s.  He retired early as a geology professor from a university to establish TENT (Training in Evangelism Needs and Technology).  Fifteen years ago he purchased about 12 acres of land 22 miles outside the city of Hyderabad.  The property was virtually in the middle of nowhere…still is, but the city is moving his way.  His vision is to use every inch of Carmel Campus for the equipping of bi-vocational missionaries and church workers.  Committed to experiential farming in arid environments the campus is dotted with flora and small animal husbandry.  From pigeons to rabbits to chickens to vermiculture (earthworm  production) anything that can be of use for supporting national pastors in their ministry is tried and taught here.  In addition to plants and animals are classes on how to make candles, book covering and even welding.  The original missionary tentmaker, the Apostle Paul, would be impressed with the activities of TENT. 

A few years back the professor had a vision (not dream or revelation, but an idea) to build a replica the Tabernacle of the Old Testament.  Who would actually travel  to the outback of the country to visit such a reproduction?  Evidently a lot of people as nearly every Sunday and school holidays there are groups of people wanting a tour of the Tabernacle.  Christians and non-Christians alike find the Tabernacle a site worth seeing.

When I arrived on campus last week, for my annual teaching cultural anthropology to the students of JVI and IWILL (go to THIS LINK for description of these programs), Dr. Vijayam shared with me his latest venture…building Noah’s Ark.  “Our campus is not big enough for an exact replica,” he stated, “but it will be about a third the size of the original.”  (It will also be made of cement and steel).  You’re kidding me right?  NOAH’S ARK!

What is interesting about visionaries, like Uncle, is that they are driven by passion for what they endeavor to do.  They are not fool-hearty and they pay for their project as they go (at least some of them do) and they certainly pray about everything before they launch out.  Not driven by market analysis (Who is my customer? Is the site of this campus the best location for those seeking training?), the vision is the bottom line for them, not necessarily the process.

I have some projects of my own I want to launch.  Perhaps its taken the building of Noah’s Ark in the south of India for me to stop thinking about it and just get on with it…quit aiming…pull the trigger.

EXPECTATIONS AND REALITY: THE RUDE AWAKENING OF CULTURE CONFLICT

A hand went up in the back of the room.

“Dr. Lewis, thank you for coming and telling us about India and things we should be aware of as we prepare for our [ten day] trip.  I found the things you shared with us about Hinduism and the Indian culture very interesting.  But….”

Ah, the dreaded ‘but.”  By the tone in her voice I could see this shoe fall the minute she started to speak. 

“…I was expecting you to help us with how we can share the gospel with the people.”

So, I said to myself, “What part of my lecture did she not understand?"  Each person in the room received an outline.  Part of that outline included these seven points:

1. Do not criticize or condemn Hinduism.
2. Avoid all that even hints at triumphalism and pride.
3. Never allow a suggestion that separation from family and/or culture is necessary in becoming a disciple of Christ.
4. Do not speak quickly on Hell, or on the fact that Jesus is the only way for salvation.
5. Learn more about Hinduism and each individual Hindu.
6. Share your testimony, describing your personal experience of lostness and God’s gracious forgiveness and peace.
7. Center on Christ.

Expectations can be a messy thing.  Perhaps this dear lady expected me to give her the formula that is most successful in reaching people for Christ in Asia.  If there was such a formula (a) I would have been more than happy to share it and (b) the country would have a Christian population greater than 2% (c), the national church would be using it and therefore (d) less of a need for outsiders to come and evangelize.

The crux of this woman’s concern was in her statement that, “We are spending a lot of time and money for this trip and I want to make sure we are using these resources wisely.” 

I admire evangelists.  They are bold and sincere in their witness for Christ.  I must admit that I am convicted by my timidity and sometimes wonder if I am more like the faint hearted Peter who denied Jesus three times before a little teen-age girl than I am the bold and rash Peter who lopped off the ear of the man who came to arrest Jesus by night.  Is my timidity cowardice?  Is her boldness just another name for foolish religious zeal?

Expectations are often obstacles in learning.  Having an agenda is grounded in pride. Methods are easier to do than building relationships.  I felt badly that this person deemed I had wasted her Saturday morning, but there is only so much one can do in three hours.

To add to my outline I should state clearly,

1. No one becomes a Christ follower except through the work of the Holy Spirit.
2. Prayer precedes all conversions.
3. Recognize that most people come to Christ, not always but more times than not, through a relationship that spans a long period of time.
4. If being a witness and planting the seed of the Gospel is not enough, stay home.

Even with that addition I suspect there will still be a hand raised in the back of the classroom.

 

Missionaries and Politics

A few years back I attended a major conference designed to discuss ways to advance the Gospel in India. Over 600 Christians from all over the country and around the world attended to talk about how to present Christ through media, helping the poor, women’s fellowships, evangelism, arts, schools and many other topics (I was a part of the cultural anthropology discussion group). I was disappointed with the meeting because of the political overtones of the gathering. The host, and leading figure in India, is heavily invested in fighting for Dalit rights, (Dalits are the lower caste people of India, formerly known as "untouchables"). Though the cause is great and worthy, I didn’t think this was an appropriate venue for the overall theme of how to reach the whole nation with the whole Gospel of Christ.

Down through the years I have observed the church and the on-going battle between faith and political ideology. Whether it is corruption in Africa, oppression in former Soviet countries or ethnic tensions in Asia, the battle between rights, freedom, socialism, democracy is ever with us. The tension for missionaries is how much should we be engaged in such political activity? Should we actively oppose a system that is anti-God? Should we be a defender of the weak, the marginalized and those who are oppressed because of their gender, ethnicity or religious persuasion? The answer is a qualified yes. The greater question is how and how much?

As a missiologist my bent, prejudice or focus, is pretty narrow, though with broad universal implications. I don’t see the world in binary opposites (good/bad, democrat/republican, socialism/capitalism) as much as I see a mosaic of people and systems incarcerated by disobedience to our Creator. I work in an area of over 3 billion people where 87% do not personally know a Christian. Part of the reason for this lack of penetration of the Gospel is due to political obstacles. Should I seek to overthrow the evil human system or should I seek ways of presenting Christ as He gives me (and the church) opportunity? Should I buy the t-shirts that say, “Free The Dalits,” or should I concentrate on contextualizing the Gospel to the Dalits that crosses political and ethnic boundaries even if the nations do not?

As a theologian, I see no biblical precedence for being politically active. Our Lord lived in a country oppressed by a foreign government, He mixed with the poor on a daily basis, broke bread with corrupt officials and, though He helped and challenged in each situation, He was not an activist. Jesus remained focused on the purpose of His mission. In addition to the example of our Lord, the Apostle Paul stated in Romans 13:1-7 that a Christians responsibility was to submit to government authority (and remember he was writing to persecuted Christians living in Rome), to pray for those in authority and pay taxes as required. While I may not agree with the political landscape in the countries I work or reside, Paul reminds us that it is Sovereign One who establishes those in authority. To be salt and light is our daily task, to mandate morality or ideology is clearly not a part of the Great Commission.

Finding balance is key to everything. Missionaries can be informed and pray for the world systems around them, but if politics becomes an obsession where we spend more time trying to right the wrongs of this world than telling those who have never heard about Christ, then perhaps we have lost sight of the heart of our calling.

Discovering Worldview in Calcutta

A regular reader of this blog from Colorado commented recently that reading my stuff was “getting expensive.”  In the past month I have given a few book reviews and today, sorry Bill, I want to share another good read.  Not essential, but inspiring and challenging.

Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work And Service, is a book about self-discovery, but more, about an academic who discovered the faith of Christ through working with a humble woman working among the poor of India.  Mary Poplin’s (PhD professor of education) work has two primary themes.

The first, and primary theme is that of a woman who lived a selfless life and her commitment to Christ.  No matter what you think of Mother Teresa and her theology, she had a singular passion, Jesus.  Though a Nobel Prize Winner, Mother Teresa never sought glory, money or building a large organization, though through her order, Sisters of Charity, she received all of that.  What Poplin learned as a “volunteer” (note that volunteers were not called “missionaries – maybe a better phrase for STM’s) for three months in 1996, and what it meant to serve Christ, not just do social work.  Throughout the book there are vignettes on how Mother Teresa and her Sisters dealt with discouragement, attacks from critics, and their single-minded mission to help others.  It is not hard to find inspiration and even conviction in every chapter of this book.

Second, as an academician, Poplin bought into the worldview of higher education and philosophy prevalent in western universities.  What she discovered in Calcutta was that those philosophies of secular humanism, naturalism and pantheism have no answers for humanity outside of themselves.  Mother Teresa’s life and labor revealed a life that is neither rational or normal, as viewed by the world, but is nevertheless the way God intended for His creation.  Poplin writes, “In the Christian worldview, a set of moral standards and ways of best being in the world stands outside us...It is not left to us to determine moral values but to obey the principles we have been given.” 

The author is candid about her own failings adhering to the secular humanistic and pantheistic worldview she followed for many years, which resulted in two abortions and declaring she was “spiritual” but not religious.  She exposes the fallacy of that worldview by stating, “One major distinctions in my being ‘spiritual but not religious’ as what I could not or would not deal with - evil, especially evil inside myself.... The rationalizing mind cannot distinguish its thoughts from reason.  I could rationalize having sexual relationships with a married man with any number of ‘human reasons’ -- his marriage was on the rocks, his wife did not really love him, it's not really hurting anyone...the list was endless.  I could use illegal drugs, because, after all, is only hurt me."

Poplin’s time in Mother Teresa’s Calcutta brought her to the real meaning of life.  In the process she found her own Calcutta, challenging the prevailing worldview in the universities and championing the Christian worldview where she works everyday.

Finding Calcutta is worth the time and money to read and be blessed.  

The Power of Influence

Dear Dr. Lewis,

The cardinal aim of this mail is to express my appreciation to you for the positive and profound impact of your teaching- not just on me- but the entire Missions class that you taught last July at Africa Theological, Kitale, Kenya. I realize that the principles and concepts we learnt are applicable (relevant) not just in Mission work, but in all spheres of life. Personally, my life has been transformed greatly. Certainly, the combination of your experiences as a pastor and missionary, coupled with your education has made you such a fine professor. May God give you good health and open doors for you to minister to more people around the globe!

I have started a counseling-oriented ministry for which I need your prayers.

Your student...

I have always believed an in-depth study of culture is not something just for missionaries but equally important for pastors, business professionals, students and just about everyone who regularly cross cultural boundaries; which in reality is most people today who live in a culturally diverse world.  The student who sent the above note (emphasis his) is going into the field of counseling and, even in that field, there is a specific study for cross-cultural counselors and psychologists.  In every culture people have emotional and psychological needs, but how those needs arise and how to counsel those emotional needs are culturally driven.

I begin every new class with this statement. 

“I am here to help you understand culture and teach cultural anthropology.  But I want you to know I have an agenda and that is to influence you to take the Gospel to those who have never heard the message of Christ.  I want to influence you to think outside of your own culture and to think about those of other cultures.”

Another student, who is involved in the music ministry in one of the largest churches in Nairobi (built, bought and run by an American church in the U.S. - but that’s another story), confessed to me one day after class that, “I am now rethinking about my future ministry.  My church is exciting, but they have many people to do the ministry there.  I am now wondering about the many people in Africa who do not have a church.”

I do not expect every student I teach to be anthropologists or cross-cultural church planters, but in the process of teaching worldview, genealogies and cross-cultural communication, it is my goal to influence people to see the world as God does.

Life Changing Experience! Really?

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I were invited to a luncheon to share our ministry.  In highlighting our work among non-western missionaries, one dear lady made the comment that she believed that working with nationals was THE best way to do missions today.  She repeated the mantra that for $1,000 a month they could support 100 nationals (not sure any place in the world people can live on $10 a month), whereas supporting one American missionary family would be four times that amount. 

I tried to reel in the discussion with a reminder that (a) there is still a need for North American missionary involvement, though admittedly not as crucial as 100 years ago and, (b) supporting nationals is not THE only mission strategy, as it has its problems if it hurts the local national church in their supporting mission outreach and if the national missionary is not trained to serve cross-culturally.

On reflection, what interested in me in the discussion was how myopic we are when it comes discussing mission strategy and especially finances.  This congregation was part of sending out about 10 college students for “mission work,” this past summer.  In hearing their report, as far as I could tell, none of them intended to make missions a career.  Though they did good stuff while they were overseas, I don’t think their presence made an eternal impact on the culture, though no doubt they may have had eternal impact on those they met.  And, BTW, how much did they each spend on their six--week excursion?  

In their testimonial report almost each one said, “It was a life-changing experience!”  Though it is said by every short-termer, sometimes through tears, who is confronted with the reality of poverty around the world, I always want to jump up and ask, “How will it change your life?”  Some suggestions.

1. Commit to giving each year to cross-cultural missions at least, if not more, the same amount of dollars that was spent on your six week experience.  After all, where your heart is, and since it has been changed, so will be your treasure.

2. Change your profession.  If the short-term experience was life changing then I am assuming the least one can do is make a commitment to leave home culture, learn language and, like the Apostle Paul, be willing to suffer the consequences of a life transforming experience.

While the lunch discussion was fascinating, what was not discussed was even more crucial.  While supporting nationals was deemed efficient, the effectiveness of short-term work was never mentioned, even though it is a life-changing program.

Resource for Leadership

This past week I started working through organizing my office.  In the process I have been sorting and throwing away past notes of meetings I have attended over the years.  I was surprised how many notes on leadership I have accumulated.  Staff meetings on leadership, seminars on leadership and so many book on the subject of leadership with titles such as Servant Leadership, Good To Great, On Becoming a Leader, Leadership is an Art, and many more.  As I looked at some of the notes of past leadership meetings, I am a bit embarrassed by those of us in "leadership" positions, by our attitude of self-importance and distinct lack of humility.  Americans are obsessed with leadership themes.  I've noticed that one of the most popular subjects pastors teach on short-term mission trips is on leadership, as though the rest of the world can gain insights on how to do things effectively. 

In the midst of my week a book arrives.  As I thumb through the pages I am confronted with ANOTHER leadership book, but it is very different. 

In the Presence of the Poor, is the story about a professor of geology, an awarding winning scientist, a former Communist sympathizer who, in his early years was troubled with one question, “Why did God make so many poor people?”  It’s a book about a man who used his profession to rectify the plight of those most in need. The expert of rocks and soil retires from the formal halls of academia to establish a structure for micro-enterprise, which the government endorses as a model to help those 80% of the population living on less than $2 a day.  Quietly fighting injustice, he and his wife empower poor village women and the outcaste with literacy programs and self-help income projects.  Returning to the foundation of his grandfather and father, the professor turns from the ideology politics to the One who understood the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized and the spiritually penniless.  Forever the instructor, he builds a campus that teaches and trains bi-vocational men and women to take the Good News to those who have never heard the Name of Christ, along with the practical occupational skills to help lift people out of poverty.

Though not meant to be a book on leadership, that is exactly what the story of Dr. B.E. Vijayam is all about.  Admittedly, I am biased about this story as I’ve been privileged to work with TENT for the past five years.  As good as the book is, (and Kay Strom is to be commended for her fine work) it still doesn’t quite capture the spirit of one of the most humble and genuinely good people I have met in India (and I have met and worked with many).  “Uncle” Vijayam is one of the most unassuming, godly, truly genuine leaders I’ve met. Prof. Vijayam and his wife, “Auntie” Mary, have instilled in their children and staff the core value of prayer and integrity that is rare in this age of self-promotion and organizational marketing. 

(J. Samuel, Vijayam, Lewis, Sunil)

If you want another good book on leadership, get this one.  You will be glad you did.

Resource for Short-Term Mission

If you’ve been reading my stuff for very long you know that I have a dim view of short-term mission (STM) trips. But, then again, if you’ve been reading my stuff consistently you know that I have a dim view of many things missions, including career missionaries who have no cultural training, those who have no real clue of what it means to have a strategy of missions, nationals who are as clueless about taking the Gospel cross-culturally as those from the west, and people who make a living doing “feel good” ministries among people who already have access to the Gospel while 89% of 3.6 billion people in this world do not personally know a Christian. Part of my negative slant is to counter the glowing hype by people who are either marginally involved in missions, missionaries who merely follow trends and, especially, those who have never lived overseas yet somehow believe STM is God’s Divine plan for American involvement for the 21st century.

But hold on, if you remain committed to this blog you also know that I am not totally against STM, that I do believe there is still a vital role for career American missionaries, that I am committed to training non-Western missionaries in how to cross cultural divides and mobilizing the church to see beyond the four walls of their local congregation to that 89% that doesn’t personally know a Christ-follower.

In my attempt to find “balance,” in matters of missions, I lean heavily on the insights of others. Recently I have been asked to speak to a STM group as part of their pre-STM training. Kudo’s, first of all, to the pastor who makes such an attempt to do STM right. To help temper my bias on STM I read David Livermore’s book, Serving With Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-Term Missions with Cultural Intelligence. Livermore’s book does not address all the issues of STM, but touches many bases on what a STM group should be thinking about.
Some interesting sub-titles in this book include: “Missions Should Be Fun,” “They Don’t Fly Planes in India When It Rains,” “Just Stick to the Bible and You Can’t Go Wrong,” and “Stop Petting the Poor.”

It’s estimated that as many as 4 million Americans are involved in STM annually (one of the reasons I hate to fly overseas May through August). The American church now spends as much on STM as they do on supporting career missionaries and, in many churches, their STM program is their MAIN missionary outreach.

Get a copy of Livermore’s book and I invite you to share other good books you’ve read on STM.

Mormon Missionaries and Missions

I saw them, white shirts, black ties, black nametags and back packs, on my left as I walked through the park for my evening exercise.  I didn’t think much about them until I heard them call after me as I was going down the hill.

“Hi,” the very early 20’s something redhead said to me, sticking out to shake my hand, “I’m Elder Brown and this is Elder Jones.”

“You look awfully young to be an elder,” I replied as I noticed this kid didn’t even have peach fuzz on his face. 

“Yeah, well, that’s just our title,” he admitted.

For the next twenty minutes I indulged them as we exchanged our pedigrees.  One of them was from Utah (big surprise) the other from Washington.  Elder Brown had been in the area for about six months; Elder Jones was new, but was sent to the area to work with the Hispanics in the area as he was given an intensive Spanish class before his assignment. 

I told them that I, too, was a missionary, a Baptist, who worked with evangelical colleges and seminaries around the world.  I asked them if they knew what an evangelical was and they said, no, they never heard the term before.  I also told them that I had a friend in college who use to be a Reformed LDS.  Though the RLDS church broke from the Utah Mormons 150 years ago, these kids have never heard of them. Strange, I thought.

Our meeting was cordial.  I actually liked these young men, but had no desire to engage in a theological discussion.  As I started to leave Elder Brown said that if I had any questions about their church they would be happy to talk with me.  I politely declined and continued on my way.

What struck me about my conversations with these two adolescent “elders,” was how similar they were with most evangelical missionaries I teach around the world.  I knew a whole lot more about the LDS than they knew about me or my faith.  They, like so many zealots, have an agenda to deliver their message, follow their talking points, refute common arguments, but have no clue, or interest, about those they talk to.  

In my class I spend considerable time on epistemology, i.e., the science of knowledge – How do you know what you know and how do you know what you know is right?  If LDS missionaries are successful in gaining converts it’s because they capitalize on the ignorance of cultural Catholics, Baptists or any other person who has a cultural faith.  These two young men are truly cultural Mormons.  They believe what they believe, not because they are convinced, but because it’s all they have ever known. 

As I continued my walk I thought, again, of the words of our Lord, who said that in the last day He will tell many, “I never knew you,” even though they said they worked on His behalf (Matthew 7: 21-23).  God deliver me, and those I teach, from serving Him through my own cultural blindness.  May I be convinced, not because of a cultural bias, but through the constant challenge of knowing what I know through intellectual and spiritual growth.  

Third Culture Kids

They are sometimes called TCKs, which means Third Culture Kids. They are children who grow up in a different country than the place of their citizenship…fully, though not complete Americans, but certainly not the place of their residence, though they identify strongly to that cultural environment. Placed in “no-mans-land,” they create a type of third culture, their own, among their peers.

I have been reminded these past two months of this unique group of kids as my grandchildren and daughter from Senegal have been staying with us this summer. It’s been deja vu as I see the 6 and 3-year-old play and my mind goes back in time to our two daughters who grew up in Kenya. TCK’s now raising TCKs. What goes around comes around, as the old saying goes.



Missions is so much more than just unreached people groups, the study of culture, national leadership, raising support – the “X’s” and “O’s” or scorecard of ministry. Missions is also about having a decent place to live, how best to educate your kids, staying in touch with family back home; attached but not obsessed with parents, friends and siblings we leave behind. Living overseas for an extended period of time is not like short-term missions where the most crucial thing in their lives is do they have enough snack food to carry them through their 14 day excursion. Missions is about being uprooted, displaced and forever a “foreigner.” Even twenty years after the kids grow up and no longer under the protection of their parents, TCKs, in some ways, continue to define their identity.

As my TCK and her TCKs get ready to return to Africa I have a better appreciation for my parents who had to go through the emotional rollercoaster of the high’s of seeing your children get off the airplane to the low’s of saying goodbye to them at the gate. What’s unique about missionaries is that, though separation is still difficult, it is a part of our lives – it comes with the territory of serving Christ overseas. And, in the broader sense, aren’t all of God’s kids TCKs? Not really a citizen here, not yet a citizen there. Our existence is merely a pilgrimage until time is no more. Then, finally, we will be home, all His TCKs.

Kenya Missionary Training

Training Kenya missionaries for cross-cultural work was very successful. To review the report and links for more video clips, CLICK HERE.

Ethno-Theology: A Response

In response to a recent blog on “ethno-theology,” one reader suggested I give an example of the difference between theologies born out of a different cultural context than of the West. While I am happy to do so in the limited space of this venue, I start off by saying that I do not consider myself an expert in this field and there are varied opinions on the subject. Nevertheless, I am happy to give a short-overview of the topic.

In 1991 I attended a conference in Riga, Latvia. This conference was for pastors throughout the former Soviet Union, which broke apart just a little over a year earlier. One of the pastors that spoke was a Russian ethnic Hungarian who spoke of the persecution on his people for decades under the brutal hands of the Communist government. His text was 2 Kings 5. This is the story of Naaman the leper and how he was brought to Elisha for healing through a slave girl from Israel. Most sermons I had heard from this passage dealt with how leprosy is a type of sin and that the river of Jordon, where Elisha had told Naaman dip seven times, was a type of salvation (an act of obedience of accepting grace through faith). However, this pastor, whose people suffered not only slavery but also death at the hands of their Russian masters, interpreted this passage differently - much differently than a Westerner might. He said this,

“For many years we were under bondage. We now have freedom. Our former masters are dying, what shall we do? In retribution of how they persecuted us shall we just let them die and say may the God of heaven judge you for your atrocities? Or shall we, like the servant girl tell our former masters about the One who can save them? Shall we, the Church of the former Soviet Union, show grace or revenge?”

As I listened to this pastor’s message, the people gathered were weeping as they, too, had suffered much for their faith under their Communist masters. I thought then that only someone under such a context of oppression could possibly interpret the Scriptures in such fashion.

The principles of Scripture are universal, which transcends borders, ethnicity, time and space. However, it is through the context in which man lives how those principles will be applied, or even realized.

Kenyan theologian John Mbiti writes,

“Theology should strain its neck to see beyond the horizons of our traditional structures, beyond the comforts of our ready-made methodologies of theologizing; it should be with the Church where it is, rubbing shoulders with human beings whose condition, outlook, concerns, and world views are not those with which we are familiar.”

“The African theologian who has experienced the agonies of having a burning appetite but nothing to eat will surely theologize differently on the theme of food from the American theologian who knows the discomfort of having a plate full of steak but no appetite.”

Africa Theological Seminary

I have been in Kitale, Kenya two weeks teaching "Introduction to Missions," and "Cross-Cultural Studies." Some of my students are missionaries working in the Sudan. It's like being home as we lived here 14 years.

Call for Ethno-theologians

The first day of our classes in Kenya this past week produced an interesting discussion and thought. I made the statement that one of the real needs of Kenya, as indeed of every nation and region, is for ethno-theologians. The comment was made in the context that all theology is biased and, because much of the church throughout the world is still dominated by western theologians, much of our theology is produced with a western biased interpretation. My appeal was that Kenya and Christians from other nations be more engaged in developing theology from their own ethnic perspective and worldview.

From the back of the classroom a woman, who is not only a student but also a teacher in the public school, made this statement. “Perhaps one reason Africans do not have more theologians is because of western missionaries.” I conceded, that in the climate of colonialism and post-colonialism and among some missionaries and mission agencies today, the promotion of national theologians has been slow if non-existent. My knowledge of what seminaries are doing throughout the world in promoting national theologians is limited, nevertheless, I am assuming there are noted national theologians from Africa, Latin America and sending countries like Korea and Philippines. But when I asked my class if they knew of any Kenyan theologian the only name that came up was John Mbitii.

On further reflection of the classroom discussion I had an emotional knee-jerk reaction to the comment that “it’s the missionaries fault,” that there are not more Kenyan theologians. One of the easiest things to do is to blame the ills of the world on the western missionary and, in some parts of the world, just about all the evils of the world can be traced to our short-comings. There was a time when it was fashionable in mission classes to beat up on our early missionary fathers, and gathering from the comments in the classroom it’s still a popular past time.

The day before the class I was reading a brief biography of a Ghanaian theologian by the name of Carl Christian Reindorf (why he took on such a western name I don’t know). Reindorf lived between 1834 and 1917 and worked with the Basal Mission in Ghana until he died at the age of 83. In relation to my classroom discussion I thought of how that there were some African Christians who did make their mark in mission history, though they are not well known. In the brief account I read on Reindorf’s life I learned that he was sanctioned by the Basal Mission for his radical practices (using a drum in church services) three months before his death; another example of colonial heavy-handedness.

Through the reading and the discussion in the classroom I realize that the history of missions is a mixed bad. The truth is that, while western missionaries were and still are obstacles to growth and national leadership, not all that they/we did was wrong and because of their/our efforts the Gospel has made some remarkable accomplishments. Like all lessons of history, we should continue to take to heart our failings and strive not to repeat the mistakes of the past while at the same time recognize God’s work through history for His honor and glory.

Maintaining Momentum

The other day in reading one of Ravi Zechariah’s books he presented a thought on maintaining spiritual growth. Maintenance and growth almost seems a contradiction of terms. His analogy was that of a person trying to lose weight, a subject I can relate to very well as I’ve been fighting the battle of he bulge since I was a kid.

As a dieter we all have a goal…a weight we hope to attain. The problem with so many dieters’, me included, is that after we reach a certain goal if we are not diligent in maintaining, in a short period of time, we will put back on all the weight we lost. The endless cycle of weight loss and gain is wearisome. It’s truly euphoric to attain a weight loss goal, but it takes constant vigilance to maintain that victory. In fact, in some ways it takes more discipline to maintain that which we have attained and, through diligence, the discipline of maintenance in reality leads to growth, not in terms of pounds or kilos, but growth in discipline and life style habits.

There are many things that fall into this category of maintenance for growth. One example is learning language. I quickly learned the basics of Swahili. It’s a temptation of all cross-cultural workers to learn “just enough” to get by. By attaining basic communication, too many missionaries stop learning new vocabulary and grammar. I have a friend in Kenya whose Swahili is as bad today as it was 30 years ago. Yes, he can communicate, but to listen to him speak is torture. The nationals who know him well can figure out what he’s saying, but even they wonder why he is still butchering the language.

On a spiritual level, we all know that we will never attain complete and total understanding of God or His Word. I’ve been a Christian for over 50 years, but having seniority in the faith doesn’t mean I’m automatically a spiritually mature person. Only through a lifetime habit of prayer and study of His Word will I maintain my spiritual journey and through that maintenance I grow. Conversely, if I don’t maintain my spirituality I will digress into sinful and destructive behavior. Perhaps that is what the Apostle Paul means when he writes, “Work out your own salvation.”

Whether it’s a weight level, our relationship with family and friends, learning a language or striving to live in a way that is Christ honoring, we must realize we never attain, but we can succeed if we actively maintain.

Michael Jackson and Anthropolatry

“Mobs torched buses and cars…stoned police on the streets ahead of the funeral. At least two people were killed before his burial. One was a man who was shot by police after their bus came under attack as people raged about not having a last opportunity to see [his body]...Dozens of mourners and police were hurt.”

No, this is not a headline of a Michael Jackson funeral service, as I write this blog one day before his memorial service. That was a news story about an Indian film star by the name of Rajkumar three years ago. This past week, hearing about MJ’s death and the 24 hour non-stop news obsession about his life and death and the live broadcast of his memorial tomorrow, my mind has turned to that day in Bangalore and Rajkumar’s funeral. I can’t help but wonder what will be the headlines after MJ’s memorial extravaganza?

As an anthropologist I am always intrigued with human values and, in this case, the worship or veneration of another human being. In India, where almost anything and anybody could be a god, people will commit suicide because of the loss of a god-like figure. Some, who perceive their celebrity “idols” as endowed with some type of divine gift, often confuse talent with anointing.

Anthropolatry is as old as humanity itself. The Pharaohs of Egypt, a mystic named Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the “enlightened one,” i.e. Buddha, a cult figure named Jim Jones or David Koresh, or a healer called Sai Baba, people, for one reason or another, want to touch divinity. Groups still visit Graceland just to be near the spirit of the another “king,” one named Elvis.

Why are people drawn to other flesh for veneration? Perhaps because we have a desire to see our gods, not just have faith in them. Though we idolize our hero’s we certainly don’t want to emulate their lifestyle. Neither the King of Rock or Pop were great father figures. Mohammed, God’s last great prophet, according to Muslims, had as many as 20 wives and didn’t exactly live a life of peace. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, was married three times, was abusive and convicted of fraud.

So why do humans become devout followers of other humans? No doubt it is because we see in others traits we wish we had or at least admire. Charisma, self-confidence, beauty, intelligence, wisdom, talent or spirituality, humanity is always in search for that which we cannot find in ourselves but hope for in others. When someone becomes “bigger than life,” it doesn’t seem to matter that they are flawed mortals; their star power is a greater force than the reality of who they are as persons. Princess Diana’s funeral/post-funeral coverage overshadows the death of a little nun in India called Mother Teresa. There is a footnote on Friday November 22, 1963. Besides the assassination of JFK, a man named C.S. Lewis dies that morning of a heart attack, one week before his 65th birthday.

Most of MJ’s fans mourn his passing for his musical talent. For others, their grief will be inconsolable as though one of heaven’s deities has been taken away from us, forcing them to live with the void of his presence.

Ethnocentrism versus National Pride

4th of July is a big day for Americans. Not only is it a summertime holiday, it remains a day of pride for our country as we celebrate the birth of our nation. We remain proud of who we are as Americans and the things accomplished by this great nation we call home.

In my classes I spend a good amount of time on the subject on the curse of ethnocentrism in working with people of other cultures. Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s own culture is the best while looking down on other people in the process. The attitude that others are dirty, lazy, or stupid, has no place in the life of a Christian, yet it often creeps into our mind-set, especially during times of culture stress. Ethnocentrism has been around since the beginning of time and is a universal behavior with every people group I have worked with. I remind my students that, while it is okay to have national pride, when one begins to evaluate others by their own cultural standard, pride becomes destructive and counter-productive in sharing the Gospel.

In the late ‘70’s I was living in Kenya and being an American was not popular. We had just pulled out of Vietnam, Iran was in revolution, inflation was high, there were long lines for gasoline and we were in the grips of the Cold War. Our president at the time was on an apology tour reinforcing the feeling that everything American was evil and immoral. Thirty years later, history seems to be repeating itself. The question becomes, for me, is it possible to be proud of one’s country without being ethocentristic; can one humbly acknowledge our weaknesses without tearing down who we are as a people?

My favorite word, BALANCE, comes into play here. Recognize, first, that all cultures have their flaws. It’s as easy for me to look at what’s wrong with America as it is for me to see the imperfections of other cultures. Part of the work of Christ is that people and cultures be transformed into His image. It is not a matter of who is better but rather how the Gospel can make us better in our values, behavior and love for others. One does not need to go through a campaign or a forgiveness tour to acknowledge that indeed we, and all cultures, are sinners. I reject, however, the attitude that we can justify our miserable state by merely saying, “That’s just who we are, deal with it.” My culture, and the culture of those reading this post, must see our prison of disobedience through the eyes of our Creator. It’s indefensible to accept our moral failings, corporately as well as individually.

On the other hand, God, in His infinite wisdom, created cultures. It is through culture that He has used the best and worst of us to reveal Himself. Though I do not believe God favors America over other cultures, our history of faith, our Church, the core value that “all men are created equal,” has been used by God to reveal Himself to countless millions around the world. Without being ethnocentistic I can humbly be proud to be an American. That’s not a contradiction of terms…it is a balance approach that is always in tension, always something to work through.

Using Critical Tension for Outreach

This past week I have been reading term papers from students of my doctoral class in Bangalore. I always enjoy reading these papers as it gives me insight on culture and, of course, allows me the opportunity to learn about the different ministries my students are involved with.

Many of the project papers are well researched as I push students to study their people groups in the context of their history, family, socio-economics, networks and religion. A typical paper gives me a lot of “what people are like,” but many times does not tell me “why they do what they do.” Rare is the paper that actually creates a new strategy on how to reach people with the Gospel beyond, what I call, standard program methods (programs that are meant to attract people through film, picnics, seminars, etc.). The church seems to be stuck in the attractional model of ministry rather than using the findings of their research to creatively looking for ways to meet the needs of the people they are working with.

In their research students also do a good job in identifying critical tensions within culture, i.e., alcoholism, poverty, depression, loneliness, materialism, interpersonal problems or family tension with husband/wife, children/parents. However, rather than working with these critical tensions that student/church/church worker can use as a means to develop relationships, they usually ignore them completely and revert back to standard ministry programs.

Many years ago I met a guy in Cleveland who has a campus ministry at a local university. Unlike the big organizational campus ministries, his is kind of a “mom-and-pop” ministry that he and his wife started where they actually interact on a personal level with foreign students, primarily, though not exclusively, with Chinese students studying in the U.S. What Tom has done is not just identifying the critical tension of people who live in a strange land, but seeks ways to befriend those who are lonely, displaced and need a helping hand. Yes, they do have standard method programs like pizza parties and movie nights, but these programs are a part of the relationship building process, not their main outreach. Tom and his wife live in Chinatown, they know the culture, the on-going struggles of family tensions, the feelings of isolation and the barriers of language. Through personal involvement, their ministry deals with critical tension as a bridge to build relationships and, ultimately, sharing the love of Christ.

The key to any effective ministry is not just knowing ABOUT people, but how to apply that knowledge to meet their needs. Christ is often revealed through critical tension. We are not called to solve the tensions but allowing those tensions to reveal the One who has answers to all the questions of humanity.

South of Dafur

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Hierarchy of Trust

Last week one of the regular readers of this blog asked me about working with, in her words, a trustless culture. She went on to describe how that people in which she works does not trust anyone. From a Christian perspective, she argued, it is very difficult to work with such a culture as one of the foundations of Christianity is trust and she wanted to know, from an anthropological point of view, how to deal with a non-trust society.

My first thought is a class of deaf missionaries I worked with several years ago. In learning about their culture I was introduced to a “hierarchy of trust.” Without going into detail, their levels of trust is (1) other people born deaf, (2) CODA’s – children of deaf adults, (3) hearing who learned sign language and (4) hearing. Likewise, in the culture where she works there is a hierarchy of trust; starting with the family, then extended family, caste, others. All cultures have a hierarchy of trust, it’s just manifested in different forms. The key to building trust is to understand the trust structure.

My second thought is from Marvin Mayers (Christianity Confronts Culture) who was the dean of missions when I was at Biola University. He had an axiom he called the PQT, which stands for Prior Question of Trust. The PQT states, “Is what I am saying or doing BUILDING or UNDERMING trust?” Great question and one I tell my students often. Learn the questions of culture and one that is vital is the PQT.

My last thought is that trust and reciprocity are very similar. When dealing with economics and culture I use the levels of reciprocity: general reciprocity, equal and negative reciprocity, as an example of how people interact through exchange. General is favor or money returned about the same level, but not calculated. Some societies see favor as a means of exact exchange and calculate every favor, loan or act of service precisely. Negative reciprocity is trying to get something for nothing, which many of my African friends practice. Perhaps this would be true in the hierarchy of trust as well?

Sherwood Lingenfelter, in his new book, LEADING Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationship for Effective Christian Leadership, he reminds us who are in charge of leadership training that trust is the cornerstone of building trust, not the agenda.

“Instead of giving first priority to attaining vision, meeting goals, and productivity, they must rather give highest priority to the formation of a community of trust and then to doing the hard ‘body work” of creating both community and trust.”

Keys to Communication - Lessons from James Carter

“Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?” LAPD James Carter yells at Inspector Lee in the movie Rush Hour. Of course Lee (Jackie Chan) understood Carter (Chris Tucker), but he played coy that he didn’t understand English, as he was amused with Carter’s antics. “Why is this guy screaming at me” he must have wondered? “I’m not deaf.”



James Carter, like so many people, are clueless as to how to communicate effectively and especially when communicating cross-culturally. Some people think if they raise the volume of their voice somehow people will understand!

“Oh, now, I get,” they listener is expected to reply, “Thanks for yelling at me, things are so much clearer now!”

Communication are not mere words, they are symbols of meaning. But it helps to know the right words within context. In Swahili, “nyanya” can refer to either grandmother or tomato. If you said to someone their “nyanya” looks plump and delicious, you’d better be looking at their garden!

Speaking of tomatoes, a friend of mine on Facebook asked how our garden was doing (my wife planted 46 tomato plants) and if we had tomatoes coming out the “wazoo.” A student in India asked me the meaning of “wazoo.” I had to transliterate its meaning rather than give the literal translation.

Want to communicate cross-culturally? Make sure you know the meaning of both your words as well as the words of others.

When The World Moves In Next Door

Last Sunday I taught the first of a four-part series on cross-cultural missions at the Temple Baptist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. I am particularly pleased with this opportunity as, for once, I will be able to speak and explain missions in a broader framework than what is the norm. Most of the time when I am asked to speak in churches it’s usually just for a Sunday morning, a half-hour talk, perhaps one hour if I am speaking to the early morning Bible class. In that limited space of time there is not much one can do in terms of information and the best I can do is to introduce who I am, where I work and a cursory description of what I do. Most of the time people expect inspiration from the missionary speaker, not education. However, with a fifty-minute class for four consecutive Sundays at least people will have a better understanding of the dynamics of cross-cultural communication and how cultural anthropology can be a tool for ministry.

The key to my teaching, and indeed all-good teaching, is relevance for the audience. Springdale is a city of less than 70,000 people. Thirty years ago it was a farming community made up of White Anglo Saxons. Today the Hispanic population is over 20% (locals are convinced they are much more), a large immigrant population from the Marshall Islands as well as people from India, Thailand and other parts of the world. For some locals they see the change in their little town as a threat to their way of life. Understandable. For many more, they accept the reality of change but wonder what they, individually as well as a corporate body of believers, should do about this shift toward ethnic diversity. My illustrations on working with the tribal people of Kenya or pastors in Ukraine aren’t worth the effort for them to sit and listen to a missionary four straight Sundays. However, if I can help them connect the dots on how they can develop friendships with “foreigners” (a term I loathe but referred to when every time I leave the U.S.) and how they can be a bridge in communicating the Gospel through these friendships, it will be time well spent. If I can help some just get over the animosity they feel for those who are now a part of their community I will feel I’ve made a huge contribution in my service to the church.

My only regret is that this format of information is not used more in local churches - not just for the American church, but for every congregation throughout God’s created globe.

Casting The Vision For Ukraine Missions

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Constant Change, Always The Same

This week I am in Ukraine teaching cross-cultural communication to pastors and church leaders with Craig Ludick and Christian Leadership Development International (CLDI.org). Since my initial visit to Riga, Latvia in 1991 I have visited several former Soviet Union countries including an eight-week field course I conducted in Moscow in 1994. In some ways it doesn’t seem possible that eighteen years have passed since I looked over the polluted beaches of the Baltic. In other ways, it seems like another lifetime ago.

No matter how much things change over time, it’s equally amazing to me to observe what hasn’t changed in this part of the world. Polyester tracksuits are still very popular for everyday wear for both men and women. Street vendors, selling everything from vegetables to DVD’s to Vodka, are still a common sight, though now outside major supermarkets. Young slender women in tight mini-skirts and high heels walking on the same streets as old fat babushka’s (grandmothers) wearing flats, long black skirts carrying shopping bags. The tall massive apartment complexes, where most people live, still speak of a bleak existence.

As I take my afternoon walks in Kiev, I’m surprised by the most common practices here; behavior that would be unheard of in my country of America and certainly in India, where I spend a great deal of time. Though I didn’t actually take a survey, it seems that three out every five men I passed on the street were carrying a bottle of beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Beer carrying women bottles was probably one out of five. Apparently drinking beer in Ukraine is a bit like drinking Coke in America - it’s for refreshment, a mere matter of preference and taste. One person told me that beer is not considered drinking alcohol. People who “drink” are those who consume vodka.

In a country where there is high unemployment, a spirit of fatalism, which is a hangover of Soviet Communism and the disillusionment of failed Western capitalism, leaves a culture with little hope. Premarital sex, abortion as a form of birth control and alcoholism is all a by-product of failed human systems. The church in Ukraine, like the church in many parts of the world, struggles for legitimacy in a culture of acedia. The church, for the most part, is irrelevant because their message is not pertinent to a population that is more interested in things they will never have (nice home, car, clothes) rather than the state of their soul existence today. The church compounds their irrelevance, in my opinion, through their own culture of restraint and legalism, which creates barriers for those outside the faith in having an opportunity to hear about the marvelous love of Christ. It is a constant tension among the church leadership…how to create a climate of holiness and spiritual growth, while at the same time be a body of believers that, like Jesus, are a friend of sinners?

Culture, the church, behavior, fatalism, hope, all is a part of the human experience. Dynamic in its present form, yet unchanging in its historical context. No matter how much things change it seems to remain the same.