Missions in the New World
Oct 21st, 2008 | By art rogers | Category: Church, General Christian, Missional, SBCSo, I’m meeting with some pastors this week and we are discussing how to get the message out to the world in ways that work since the world has changed so greatly since the last paradigms were formed.
Just casual discussions so far, but it is clear that we are all in agreement that churches (we are all Southern Baptists) have generally moved to a default position of paying others to do their missions for them. This has been fortified by the party line that “by participating in the Cooperative Program, you participate in the spread of the Gospel to the far reaches of the world by providing for x number of Missionaries in y number of countries touching the lives of z number of people groups.”
Which is true. But. It’s also misleading.
A little bit makes it there, but mostly our CP dollars go everywhere but the field. It’s just that missions is the poster board issue that gets churches to give, but they get only a fraction of the money we designate to the CP. I’m not here to poke at the SBC today (maybe some other time) so take a deep breath fellas. I’m not coming out of retirement to once again publicly expose the faults of my own convention.
I am here, though, to say that simply giving to the CP (or whatever other fund other denominations have) while sitting on our backsides is a tremendous waste of money and spiritual gifts.
I think the most efficient way to spread the good news of salvation is for churches to actually take the process into their own hands. They can do more with the money and their own energy than any bureaucracy could alone.
I’ll probably write more on this later, but I’m going to bed now. I’ll let you know what we come up with, if anything.
Oh. One more thing. We are NOT coming up with a competing denomination, so everyone getting ready to pounce and defend the SBC, relax. I have no inclination to threaten its existence. I think it is doing a fine job of that on its own.
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Did y’all give that old guy a sedative before you went to bed? ;^)
“Competing denomination” That’s possibly the funniest thing you’ve ever written.
Marty Durens last blog post..Global Cooling
You know, I didn’t even think of that, but isn’t it in the DNA of denominations to compete?
Otherwise, we wouldn’t have the IMBOT running Wyman and Michelle D out of Africa for working with a CMA church planter who had signed the Baptist Faith and Message.
Amen!
and Amen!
BTW, I started out on the same team as the D’s, but transferred to a different position in West Africa. I would have stood with Wyman on this one. Those CMA missionaries were (are still) great, Godly people with no difference in missiology or theology.
Rick Boynes last blog post..Oklahoma 45 – Kansas 31
Guess it is laughable to ask if you are going to the state convention in a couple of weeks huh? If you do go I’d love to meet up with you and pick your brain about about a few things.
Rick, thanks for the Amen corner.
Michael, I am going to the state convention. I’ll be glad to see you there.
Hey Art. I ran across your blog. I am an IMB missionary and would like to hear what you guys came up with. You can write me at my e-mail address. We want to involve churches directly in missions.
Unfortunately many churches have their own agenda or misgivings about what is effective over the long haul. i.e. the mega church that had as its goal to plant mega churches on each continent, or the crusade preaching pastor who wants to see thousands come forward.
Please include me in your discussion. Thanks and God bless.
For what it’s worth, the most vibrant and productive missions I’ve seen is the trips our church has organized, sponsored, and paid for, sending people to Jamaica, Nassau, Russia, and Latvia. As well as various places in the USA.
And I don’t think it’s size-related, either.
Bob Clevelands last blog post..Do You Suppose God Really MEANT It?
Rick,
Glad to have you along. Couldn’t agree more about churches being involved directly. More soon.
Bob,
Not size-related? No. For the mission is God’s and He is the same size regardless of the church involved… Wise words from you as always.
Art,
You once talked about where our CP money goes and you used Oklahoma as an example. I remember it being a pretty startling presentation. Not to bash the SBC or anything, but I’d really like to see that chart in print. Could you do a post on that, just for informational purposes?
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Alan,
Sorry, but I am very committed to staying away from SBC stuff. I don’t want anything to do with that stuff anymore.
I doubt I’ll do anything like blog it.
Email would work just as well, if you like. I’m not interested in the SBC angle or in being critical. Really, I am more interested in giving examples of how church based networks and missions can be more efficient than denominational models if you can get people engaged. Of course, that is the trick, but I think that it is doable if people start to get the idea.
If you don’t want to send it, that’s fine. I’ve got the Alabama numbers and they are about the same as Oklahoma.
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Sounds like a job for Art’s Charts.
Marty Durens last blog post..Global Cooling