"Youth Worker" made a comment about short term vs. long term goals.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8253453379746089866&postID=6996237956380918299
That reminded me of a discouraged missionary I was talking with one time. He was sent strictly by his local church to minister in a Mayan Indian village in Guatemala. When he first arrived the people would have nothing to do with this "outsider" and his wife. After two years of working to establish relationships, he was finally seeing breakthroughs. The men would not wander off when he showed up but would stay and even include him in their conversations. The women would actually smile at his wife and invite her to join them in some of their household activities. That was great!
But here was his source of discouragement. His church was reading all about the revival going on in Guatemala. Mega churches popping up in the capital, over 35% of the population claiming to be "evangelical", on and on the good reports went. His home church was beginning to put pressure on him. "You have been there two years and not one single person in the village has gotten saved when all around you there is revival. What's up? Maybe we need to channel our support to more effective missionaries."
I know what I told him but what do you think?
Should he realize he is just not called to be an evangelist?
Should he pack it up and go home?
Should he try to explain the need for "long term" goals and the importance of building relationships?
Does the church have a point that they should be able to see some return for their investment or put their money into someone / something that is producing?
Or should the church just trust that this guy is doing the best he can and let it go at that?
Should churches be sending their own missionaries or should that be left to the "professionals" - the parachurch missionary sending agencies.?
What should I have told this missionary to help him?
What should be told to the church leadership to help them decide?
2/20/08
Just to poke a stick in a hornet's nest
Posted by
Rick Malm
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1 comment:
Pastor Rick,
If I was counseling this man, I would encourage him to:
FIRST explain the cultural differences between the people of the Mayan village and the people in the Guatemalan capital.
In many ways, these people groups are very different. Therefore, his sending agency needs to understand that the outreach methods used, and measurements for "success" will be different too.
SECOND encourage him to avoid comparison in his own heart, even if his sending church is making that mistake. Because one person may have rocky ground to work with, and another may have super fertile ground to work with, but God supports and blesses both.
Jesus didn't judge by what he saw or heard, but by what He heard his Father saying. If we start comparing our field to someone else's, and making judgments about "success" just by what we see on the surface, we'll become guilt ridden, jealousy ridden, and ineffective in our labors.
LAST, I would encourage him to fight smart. Since his church wants numbers, get them. Get data on other denominations' church planting success rate with this particular people group. Get quotes from respected Latin leaders about the challenges that exist with this particular people group. Put together a heart -moving slideshow of photos with personal stories about the people with whom he's building relationships. Provide data on practical projects that have been accomplished (like houses built, medical ailments treated, wells dug, etc.)
Churches, especially if they're numbers-driven need something to brag about so that people 'feel good' about giving. That's just the sad reality. So if he can't give them vast numbers of conversions, he's got to be super smart and find something they'll respond to equally well.
Photos, quotes, personal stories, practical service numbers, and detailed "success" data for other missions outreaches in his particular area might do the trick.
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