A few weeks ago, someone wrote in response to one of our missions newsletters: "I feel frustrated because it seems the entire focus of this mission newsletter is on missions to other places. Yet, we have such a HUGE need right here in our back yard."
Most Western/American missions activities are focused on crossing cultural boundaries in order to EXPAND the global Church. This is indeed part of Christ's mission to the world ("Go into all the world and preach the gospel…").
But we also believe that every local church exists to be a positive TRANSFORMATIONAL force within it's own community. It is difficult for an "outsider" (a short term missions team) to address the deepest core problems in a community. We don't have the history or depth of understanding to treat both the cause and the effect, so we focus more on relief than development - on giving people fish instead of teaching them to fish.
In this tension we begin to see the beauty of God's design for the local church, and His Mission to the world. On one hand, He sends us to carry the Gospel across borders and cultural boundaries ("Go into all the world and preach the gospel…"), and on the other hand He calls His Church to address the unique needs and developmental problems within their own communities ("the essence of true religion is to minister to widows and orphans").
Christ has one Mission to the world - and we are coming to understand that modern, Western Christianity needs to embrace the fullness of that Mission. The bottom line is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, everywhere.
We believe that a single person who has deeply and passionately connected to what Christ wants them to do is much more fruitful in the long term than funneling people into our projects and our programs. We in the local church must be committed to investing in people through discipleship, and releasing them to do the ministry that God has called them to do.
1 comment:
I am one of the people who has expressed this frustration. My name is Debbie and I run Parenting Connections: The R.A.F.T. (The Relative, Adoptive, and Foster Family Team) at East Hill. We provide training, emotional and prayer support, networking with other groups and agencies, clothing exchange, family activities and MUCH MUCH more to those raising children not theirs by birth.
However, as a single working mother, I am frequently running on fumes.
I really need the support of volunteers who would be willing to help me keep up the web site (which used to be my favorite part, but now I just don't have the time), help keep up our mailing list and database, help publish our newsletter, provide child care for meetings which would allow us to meet a need for meetings outside the EHC service times, provide respite care (take a foster child for one day or for a week-end) to give the parents a much needed break, volunteer to help with family activities, and sooo much more!
Our most immediate need is for volunteer support at our picnic August 18 so that the leaders of the RAFT can relax and enjoy the picnic rather than running around like proverbial chickens.
If you can help us help those caring for children the counties most fragile children whom for one reason or another are not able to remain in their parents care please contact me at Debbie@pctheraft.org
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