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Contemporary challenges in missions
John H. Redekop
I. The Overseas Recipients
1. Support levels
“Please, brothers, my wife is very sick. I hold in my hand a prescription which will help her, but I have no money to buy medicine. Will you help me?” I shall not forget that passionate plea. It was spoken by an Asian Mennonite Brethren evangelist to myself as secretary of MBMS International and to two senior
Elijah, a travelling evangelist from India.
Source: John H. Redekop |
MBMSI staff members during our trip to some of our Asian mission areas in January 1999. That same day, another Asian evangelist earnestly appealed for funds so that at least one of his children could go to school and become literate. There were other urgent requests.
Later, in discussing the matter, we three faced the fundamental question: How much support should our Mennonite Brethren mission board give to our ministry partners in Third World countries? For example, at present our 75 or so bicycle evangelists in India get about US $50 a month plus the bicycle. We could double that amount. But what would happen if these MB evangelists earned much more than most other church members, especially in the poorer regions? Would large numbers of young men want to become evangelists for the wrong reasons? Moreover, might it become difficult for these evangelists to relate to the truly poor folk? On the other hand, if we don’t pay enough, many of these financially strapped preachers might transfer to other foreign agencies which pay more.
In serving as facilitators for the delivery of the gospel overseas, this problem is but one of many which the MBMSI Board and staff face. In dealing with this matter, MBMSI has taken the position, as have many other mission agencies, that indigenous workers should be paid according to local norms. Because this policy perpetuates the great poverty many of these people and their families experience, it has come in for some criticism. Having personally talked to some of these workers and having heard their stories of desperate financial straits, my heart goes out to them. My heart says that they should be paid more; my mind acknowledges that this might create other problems.
2. North Americans or nationals?
A related issue concerns the growing number of overseas nationals who serve as front line staff. Right now, in India, Congo and elsewhere, MBMSI employs hundreds. On January 9, 1999, the three of us met with the 75 Indian evangelists.
John H. Redekop with bicycle evangelists in India.
Source: John H. Redekop |
It became evident that the MBMSI Board’s decision, years ago, to employ such servants of God was a wise one. This has been a very successful initiative. These dedicated, hard-working men do not have to contend with language training, culture shock, expensive furloughs or sending their children to a distant boarding school. Perhaps most importantly, with the funds one North American family would require, we can employ at least 20 of these local ambassadors for Christ.
Unfortunately, there is also a downside when we shift reliance to overseas nationals. These scores of soul-winners never report to our North American “sending” churches. This fact weakens our churches’ connection to missions. It also means that the very few North American missionaries still serving overseas – only two or three in India – carry a heavy load when they return to North America. Many of our congregations, for years on end, don’t see a missionary to India.
In the main, MBMSI has chosen to base its decisions on what will produce the most effective ministry. It supports many more national workers than North American missionaries (see “Geographic Perspectives” chart, below). But that approach has made it more difficult to raise support in North America.
3. Priorities
The MBMSI Board and staff also have to make difficult decisions in allocating limited resources between countries overseas. For instance, is it appropriate to spend $50,000 US per year to place a North American couple in a very difficult Muslim country to learn the language and start a new work? Even though the government of that country officially prohibits Christian proselytizing and even though some other mission agencies have given up and left that land, the fact remains that these people desperately need the gospel. On the other hand, those $50,000 could be sent to India, Congo or some other country where, in partnership with sister MB Conferences, we could greatly expand the Christian witness. This money could help to construct much needed church buildings, sponsor young people for biblical studies and maybe even hire another 75 bicycle evangelists.
It should come as no surprise that MBMSI Board members have not always been in agreement concerning such matters. Nevertheless, MBMSI has chosen to shift some resources away from Latin America (leaving established MB Conferences there to carry on most of the work of evangelizing their own people) to the “10-40 window”. This “window”, from 10 degrees latitude north to 40 degrees latitude south, contains most of the world’s unreached (and hardest to reach) peoples, including most of the world’s Muslims. Specifically, MBMSI intends to increase its spending in Asia to about 30% of its program budget and reduce its spending in Latin America to a similar amount.
4. Partnership
Another challenge is how best to partner with overseas MB Conferences. Several of these are considerably larger than the US and Canadian MB Conferences. Understandably, they no longer want to be treated as subordinates accountable to MBMSI. They want to be treated as equal Conferences, as partners. But can they be equals if they still depend, perhaps even heavily, on North American financial help? This problem becomes much more difficult if there are serious divisions in the receiving Conference or if there is a suggestion of any misuse of funds.
5. Here or there?
A further major challenge involves shifting significant sums to MBMSI endeavours in North America, often in partnership with local MB agencies. For example, for about a decade, MBMSI has helped finance pioneer efforts to witness to ethnic minorities, especially immigrant groups in our larger cities; this support is expected to increase to about 5% of the MBMSI program budget by the year 2005 (see “Geographic Perspectives” chart, above). Should such ventures increase, or should MBMSI focus only on foreign lands? There are good arguments on both sides. The situation sometimes becomes additionally complicated when church members conclude that district and provincial MB Conferences are solely responsible for these church plants and cut back on MBMSI support in order to give towards these more local and more visible ventures.
II. The Supporting Constituency
Some of the major challenges which MBMSI has faced in recent years deal not with the recipients of our mission endeavours but with the supporting constituency, Mennonite Brethren congregations in the US and Canada.
1. Prayer
Evidence strongly indicates that many of our faithful prayer warriors are seniors. They have a long history of giving unconditional support to MB missions, of assuming a deep sense of ownership and of praying much. Will the next generation rise to the challenge and pray just as much? What can the MBMSI Board and staff do to make that happen?
2. Declining denominational loyalty
It is no secret that, in general, we now have considerably less loyalty to our denomination than in times past. Of course, various other denominations are experiencing the same loosening of ties. One crucial consequence is that MBMSI is increasingly seen as only one of several mission agencies competing for visibility, personnel, prayer and finances. It is only one of many options. Support is no longer automatic. MBMSI now has to work very hard to be accepted and supported by its own constituency.
Presently more MB missionaries serve under other agencies than under MBMSI. It is therefore not surprising that some congregations have shifted considerable attention as well as funding to other agencies. It would be marvellous if this funding were given in addition to meeting the suggested MBMSI donation, but in most situations that does not happen. (To meet its budget, MBMSI needs to receive donations of about $100 US or $125 Canadian per member – MBMSI does not receive any share of the “norms” which MB churches are asked to give to their district/provincial or US/Canadian Conferences.) In recent years, MBMSI has also taken steps to assist MB missionaries serving under other agencies.
Another denominational issue is how to report effectively to our MB members in North America. I clearly remember when reports by Mennonite Brethren missionaries had top priority in the church calendar. Missionaries showed their informative and exciting “lantern slides” not only on Sunday evening but on virtually any other evening, even in harvest time, and, if they were available for Sunday morning, missionaries would invariably replace our unpaid preachers in the pulpit. Times have changed. Access to congregations has become a big challenge. Few churches still have services on Sunday evening, and it is almost impossible to have a well-attended missions service during the week (although where retirees are numerous, such ventures may still succeed). In fact, in many churches, especially the larger ones, it is extremely difficult to get any time at all for MBMSI senior staff or missionaries to speak to the congregation. Fortunately, some churches still have major missions conferences with extensive MBMSI participation.
3. Local church involvement
Some of our congregations, especially some large ones, wish to send out their own missionaries and to have more control over where their money goes. Such desires are understandable because as congregational involvement increases, mission awareness rises, the sense of ownership is strengthened, and financial support increases. Such arrangements, however, can also complicate the administration of the overall missions program. MBMSI has worked diligently with many congregations to partner in mutually advantageous ways. In many cases, missionaries have been assigned to congregations. In some instances, churches have directed their funds to their own MBMSI missionaries. Some have actually assumed most of the responsibility for MBMSI work in a certain country.
4. Recruitment
In certain years, it has been difficult to find adequate numbers of qualified applicants for career missions postings. In response, MBMSI has developed various opportunities for short-term service. There are programs for retirees, for young people, for people who can fund their own way and for people with special ability in supportive roles. MBMSI has served us very well in this respect.
5. Training
In an era when denominational loyalty is weakening and church members increasingly move readily across denominational lines, MBMSI has sought to maintain a theologically sound program which encompasses denominational distinctives. It has instituted excellent short-term training programs. MBMSI has also partnered with MB Biblical Seminary in making joint faculty/missions staff appointments and in developing excellent missionary training programs. Perhaps MBMSI also needs to partner with our Bible colleges in similar joint endeavours.
6. Fading interest
Finally, we need to acknowledge that for more than a few Mennonite Brethren today, overall interest in foreign missions and mission reports has waned. Maybe they have less interest because television has taught them more about foreign lands and cultures than missionary slides and videos ever could. But more knowledge has not necessarily led to more interest. Perhaps this is another consequence of some church members seeing themselves mainly as “consumers” rather than as “supporters” of church programs.
To counteract this trend, MBMSI has produced many excellent publications, displays, videos, films and brochures. MBMSI has employed advanced technology to reach an audience which, at times, seems less receptive. That can be discouraging.
Perhaps the greatest consequence of this weakening of interest in our denominational mission or even in missions generally is some congregations’ sluggish financial support. It is sometimes said that our members are “maxed” out and that there simply isn’t more money available. Of course, there are some members and some congregations with very limited resources but, by and large, I don’t buy that argument – as is obvious from the number of Mennonite Brethren visiting car dealers, real estate agents, cruise ship offices and investment counsellors. I suggest that never before has our constituency as a whole been as well off financially as at present. Inadequate financial support constitutes a major challenge for MBMSI.
Evangelists in India.
Source: John H. Redekop |
III. Administration
1. Internationalization
At present, MBMSI is working diligently to incorporate representatives from some major MB Conferences in other lands into the administration of the entire MBMSI program. For some national Conferences, this will be difficult because they cannot make significant financial contributions. Already three of the four MBMSI “regional directors” (executive staff who direct the MBMSI program) are “nationals” from that particular region (Europe, Africa and Latin America, but not yet Asia). MBMSI is also considering how to add Board members from national Conferences other than Canada and the US.
2. Restructuring
Simultaneously, MB leaders are developing structures and procedures to deal with the demise of the General (North American) MB Conference and the shifting of accountability to the US and Canadian MB Conferences.
3. Strategy
An associated question is who should develop MB missions strategy. Should local congregations? Should assembled Conference delegates? Should Conference leaders? Should the MBMSI Board? Over the years, the MBMSI Board has generally taken the initiative in planning, and assembled Conference delegates have responded. That has, in the main, been a successful formula and should be retained.
4. Partnership agencies
MBMSI has also developed ties to other agencies such as Church Partnership Evangelism (which sends mainly North American volunteers to do door-to-door evangelism paired with believers in other countries), Youth Mission International (which sends youth and young adult teams on short-term mission assignments), Kingdom Ventures International (which helps to set up Christian camps in the former Soviet Union) and Family Life Network/MB Communications (an international radio ministry operated by the Manitoba MB Conference). In fact, Youth Missions International has become a division of MBMSI, Church Partnership Evangelism is in the process of doing so, and mutually advantageous relationships have been negotiated with the other two.
Baptism in Japan, 1984.
Source: Roland and Anna Wiens |
The last few decades have been successful decades for MBMSI. We have good reason to look for even greater effectiveness in the years to come. If we are faithful, God will surely continue to bless our mission endeavours.
John H. Redekop teaches at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C., is a member of Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C. and is a former member of the MBMSI Board.
The MBMSI Missionary Team
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Long-term missionaries (on renewable 3-year terms) supported through the core MBMSI budget:
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57
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Missionaries on 1-to-2-year terms supported through the core MBMSI budget:
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5
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Mission Associates (not funded through the core MBMSI budget)
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Missionaries sent through other agencies (e.g., Wycliffe Bible Translators):
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44
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Missionaries who are part of the MBMSI core team but are sent (and possibly supported) by partner national MB conferences (such as Hiromi Takeda sent by the Japan MB Conference to work in Thailand):
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10
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Tentmakers or missionaries who raise support independently but who are sent out by MBMS International:
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6
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TOTAL:
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60
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Short-term missionaries who raise their own support (with Youth Mission International, Church Partnership Evangelism and Global Volunteer construction teams):
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1029
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Evangelists and church planters from other countries who are partially supported by MBMS International to work within their own country:
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450
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MBMSI in North America
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- In Canada: In the 2000-2001 budget year, MBMSI is contributing $41,460 US to support seven churches of Ethiopian, Slavic, Kosovar, Chinese, Spanish, and Khmer background.
- In the US, MBMSI is currently contributing $31,800 to support Slavic, Ethiopian and Korean churches. MBMSI also supports a program for international students in California.
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Last modified January 5, 2001.
© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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