Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Cross Cultural Evangelism/Missions





Christians are very confused about these terms. Many, if not most Conservative believers, labor under the delusion that Evangelism and Missions are all outward focused. My friend Steve Sjogren and several authors have strongly contributed to that myth by talks, books and papers about "The Outward Focused Church".

The Lord used Steve mightily to build a great Vineyard congregation in Cincinnati with Servant Evangelism. The idea of SE has spread greatly around the world and it was a needed correction to the "Closed Systems" of many Conservative churches that never focused on anyone outside their group in E0 activities.

Steve's greatest innovation was Servant Evangelism that reached out with simple ways of serving people in their own neighborhoods. It was largely E1 Evangelism. It was and is effective and brought many burned out believe3rs back to faith as well as many unsaved to faith.

The weakness of The Outward Focused Church is a lack of internal Discipleship. The SE and other aggressive outward focused churches tended to attract many new believers and old relapsed believers into the congregation and they brought their addictions, compulsions, multiple marriages, anger, deep heart wounds and lack of scripture with them. An intense focus on ongoing ministries of Growth and Healing were desperately needed.

Some, including the Vineyard Community Church, Cincinnati, responded by hiring Ministers and Counselors to start Recovery Groups, Healing Services, staffed with Peer Helpers. Many others simply taught on healing with a ZAP Prayer or two and sent the newly reborn believers out to serve.  The Evangelical non-charismatic groups failed even to offer a ZAP or two but sent the babes out to be eaten by the wolves described by Jesus in Luke 10.

Worse, they had no discernible theology of Christian growth and no support system to help mentor them and help them cope with the rigors of being an outward focused Minister.  Disasters awaited them at every turn.

We have traveled in many nations and taught Missionaries, Ministers, Elders, and so forth about Christian Growth and Healing. For most it is a first. In Asia, Steve and I had a gathering of Clergy, all who had advanced training in Pastoral Care. Not one had ever heard of setting appropriate boundaries. In fact, one man said they were all taught to take no vacations offered by their church and spend no time with family and friends or recreation. That was selfish and Ministers are called to "Die to self". It is heresy but was followed stringently.

It is rare to meet a Missionary or Minister who has been taught how to live with peace and rest in Christ. It is almost always work, do good, never rest and never listen to God for inner growth. Missionaries are rarely if ever affirmed for being good husbands, fathers and friends. They are never affirmed for resting in Christ and taking a day off or getting exercise and eating well. They are affirmed for being workaholics. and trusting self works not God's work in the Spirit.

Read Power Christian Thinking and Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty to learn how to prepare people to minister overseas. 






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