The Future of Missions and Financial Resources

I was about to move on to other missions related topics when Jim Palmer, a colleague and friend entered our discussion and asked if we might continue with our thinking about the future of missions.  He has asked several insightful questions that warrant further consideration and discussion.  If you would like to read Jim's comment in it's entirety, "CLICK HERE"

Jim recaps some of the statements made in the Ken Camp article, entitled, "The Great Commission: What is the Future of Missions?"  Here are the statements that Jim uses as the basis for his questions.

1)importance of Western Christians working as servants alongside national Christians in developing nations -- not working as outsiders who think they have all the answers.

2)funds could be spent better by helping indigenous, national Christians who already know the language and culture.

3)Those nationals, in turn, can facilitate the work of short-term missions teams mobilized by their own churches, in partnership with ministries that have international connections.

4)Christians overseas should be trusted to have the best understanding of their own culture and its needs, he noted.

5)a lot of models out there that rely on U.S. missionaries to take the message to other people groups have adopted that model because they don’t trust the Christians already there to get the message across. We can.

Let's revisit the implications of the above statements through the lens of Jim's questions . . . .

 

The first question that we want to address is, "Are we 'servants working along side of nationals' if we are paying the bills?" 

The issue of money and missions will always be challenging and volatile one.  There is just something about the infusion of financial resources that changes the entire landscape of any missions endeavor.  Suffice it to say, money can be a blessing or a curse based upon it's use and it's impact.

Many in the secular business world as well as in the world of missions are all too familiar with the "Golden Rule". No, not the biblical teaching, but the position that holds, "he who owns the gold rules."  No matter how hard we may try, there will always be strings attached or conditions that need to be met when it involves financial support of any kind.  If you want to know who makes the finally decision, follow the money. 

In the article the reader may easily get the impression that one of the goals of the suggested changes in missionary presence and financial support on the field is to bring about a greater level of partnership and participate in the work as co-equals.  As noble as this may sound, the person holding the purse strings carries the unspoken position of power.

Partnerships and relationships with our national brothers and sisters in the faith, that are established on a foundation of financial support are doomed to fail. Would not a relationship based upon a common vision provide a stronger bond for partnership?  May we be so bold as to ask that if our greatest contribution to our national partners is money, then we run the risk of practicing a form of spiritual racism?

God has blessed us more than He has blessed you, thus the reality is that you are unable to be obedient to Scripture unless we provide the money for you to do so.  Is this what we really want to communicate?  I fear that we have indeed convinced our brothers and sisters in developing countries that they are too poor to adequately respond to what the Holy Spirit is urging them to do.  Paying the bills does not make us servants walking alongside national partners, instead, our national partners become obsequious, in the hope that nothing they do will stifle the flow of resources.

Comments

[Jim Palmer]

Ken, thanks for continuing the dialogue on the question of resources. It is unusual that I am home several nights in a row, so now that I am a blogger, I will blog when I have a chance. You might not hear from me for weeks. I will check in from time to time.
Our Work and Witness teams do contribute finances for several kinds of projects. However the funds do not go to individuals or even to churches, but to the project predetermined by our Miskito leadership. Our Miskito brothers themselves have been concerned that money is not given to anyone, in fact nothing is given away. We do not allow short term mission teams to give away anything, no candy, no food, no clothes, no toys, no tools, no hats, no anything. For years I had attempt explain to volunteers why we don’t give “things” away. It causes dissention, jealousy, strife, misunderstands. I have good example for all of these. While some team understood this explanation, many didn’t. Finally, several years ago, I changed my perspective. We don’t give things away because of the possible negative consequences, but because of the negative message that it sends. When we focus on giving things away, we are saying to our Miskito brothers and sister, material things are important. Look what we have and what we want you to have. When I asked our volunteers if that was what they wanted to communicate to the Miskito people, they responded with an emphatic no. They wanted to communicate a spiritual messages and help teach the Miskito people to trust the Lord not material things. We now have very little problem with the issue of “things.” When we don’t have “things” to give we can truly become servants working along side of national brothers and sisters. We give ourselves. We will always be outsiders but we don’t always have the answers .

[Guy Muse]

Jim,

Hello from Ecuador if you are reading this! I met you years ago when visiting Keith and Penny Stamps when they were working with the Mam. Glad to hear you are still at it there in Guatemala.

Ken,

Another great post. My only regret in all the good discussion is that there is little participation with those Stateside Partners whom we need to be dialoguing with about these matters. Somehow we have to find ways to engage in the conversation those who are the active participants.

[Deli]

One way is to share the link to this post with the Stateside Partners you know. I know a few who might be interested.
I think this is worth passing on.

"God has blessed us more than He has blessed you, thus the reality is that you are unable to be obedient to Scripture unless we provide the money for you to do so." This statement I've found has been communicated in our area. Some churches feel that they can't do anything without outside help. They've lost the idea of sacrificial giving, everyone chipping in or saving up to help others or build up the church one way or another.
I've seen sad situations where people/pastors have become more dependent on USA Churches than on God.
I'm Glad our Miskito brothers are getting the right idea. I pray that our USA churches catch on as well as our people here.

[Jim Palmer]

Guy
Yes, good to catch up with you again after number of years. I have visited you blog several time. Thanks for the inspiration and challenges. Great to here about some good models of urban mission ministries.
We are actually still in Nicaragua, working with the Miskito people. Population 260,000 with less than 1.7% evangelical believers. With 27 years on the mission field and the last 8 years working with indigenous people, I feel that I should know something about missions. However, there are times I wonder what in the world are we doing. First, teaching and training as an outsider and hoping to model and communicate the transformational nature of the gospel is daunting task. On the other hand guiding and facilitating short term missionary partners in real mission ministry that results in kingdom growth is overwhelming.
We were reminded at our AGM, by Elbert Smith, “who said it was going to be easy?”
Deli,
You are right, US partners need to be brought into this discussion. I have several I would like to encourage to participate .

[Tim Patterson]

Hey Fellows,

Glad that Jim is joining this discussion. His extensive experience working alongside volunteer short-term missionaries will enrich and bring balance.

Our goal should be God's glory revealed among our focus people group or place so that as many as possible will be around the throne on that day (Rev. 7:9). The mission is to make disciples as we are going, baptizing and teaching to obey (Mt. 28:18-20). We accomplish this as we incarnate Christ among the focus people (Jn. 20:21).

I say the above to say that the issue of resources should not be the main thing... but will always come up as we are on HIS mission. There is no avoiding the use of resources... even for the full-time professional missionary who does not use short-term volunteers. Even this particular missionary will face the issue of how to handle money and other resources. The fact is, no matter what, the mission will require our resources and skills... the question for each situation is what is the balance for appropriate use of these? ...So that we do not harm the mission by causing dependency/lack of initiative with our resources... or on the other hand... withhold our resources so that kingdom expansion is blocked.

The mission is in command form to all Christ followers... make disciples of all peoples. So, everyone must obey... no matter their role in the church, or where their current address happens to be... using resources from every direction, inside and outside of the focus culture... the Holy
Spirit bringing all together and creating a synenergy that will catalyze a Jesus movement for God's glory among the nations.

Resources should come primarily from within the indigenous harvest. But our very presence as outsiders means there are outside resources available to help fulfill the mission among that people group. The professional missionary can do harm just as easily as the short-term missionary. I have personally observed abuses by both types. I have also personally made some mistakes serving in both of those roles.

There will always be someone to fill the role of paying the bills. We are naive to think that if we don't get involved with using our resources, that we will avoid the problems associated with the issue. There are near culture churches or missions ready to pay/control... there are international churches and orgs looking for ways to spend money... there are even leaders within the focus people group ready to start a missionary enterprise (business).

So, what to do? We are proactive about setting up an indigenous structure that will appropriately utilize outside resources... monetary, people, and other (as Jim has done in La Mosquitia). We are aggressively teaching and leading the indigenous churches on stewardship and sacrificial giving.
We have to face the reality of finances on the field and do something about it. If we passively sit back and just complain... someone else will decide how it will be done.

[Jim Palmer]

Tim, You are right about resources. It is not the real issue, discipleship is. However, poor Missiology and poor discipleship tend to show up in poor stewardship. The poor use of money tends to bring out the worst in us all. Maybe that's why Jesus spoke so much about money and resources. One of the keys that we have always used in our ministry is “equal sacrifice not equal gifts.” The parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30) is a great example of this principle. If I sense that my Miskito brothers are not willing to sacrifice, then I am certainly not willing to facilitate outside resources. Jesus did the same thing. He was not willing to continue to place outside resources in the hands of someone who was not willing to sacrifice. I believe He understood how damaging that would be. I hope I will never be called a worthless servant (vs 30). Most of our short term partners are blown away at how our Miskito Brothers and sisters sacrifice, whether for the construction of their worship facility or to travel to evangelized a neighboring village. When our short term partners ask if they can help pay a brother’s way or help a sister cover a need as a result of sacrifice, I ask them why would they want to deprive them of the joy of serving Christ. Our partners are challenged (as I am) by the realization that they really don’t sacrificed anything in comparison to the Miskito believers.

[Ken]

Tim and Jim,

Thank you for contributing to this discussion. Money and missions will always be a point of concern, contention, and personal conscience. I agree that with the presence of a full-time missionary among a people group, the process of outside resources being introduced has already begun. I also agree that both missionaries and short-term volunteers can both help or harm a work. Like you guys, I have seen many examples of both.

In fact, we are dealing with a state convention who has decided move into an area where one of our M's is working and see how much money that they can throw into the community. The advancements that had been made by this M has now all been negated because of money.

I guess for me the issue is not do we invest outside resources into the work of another culture or people group, rather, what will be the impact, both short-term and long-term of that financial investment. Here are a few of the questions I would like to see addressed before funds are provided.

1. Will these funds help to accelerate the Gospel or hinder the movement of the Gospel?

2. Will these funds take the place of local stewardship or will it augment the sacrificial giving of local believers?

3. Will the funds be a one time contribution to the work or will they be part of ongoing support of some kind?

4. If the funds constitute some type of ongoing support, what will happen to the work when these outside funds are not longer available.

5. Will these funds foment a greater dependency on God or on man?

6. What impact will these funds have in terms of discipleship and leadership training in the area of stewardship?

I agree that there is little we can do in terms of stemming the tsunami wave that is now pouring over our work here in Latin America. My fear and disappointment is as others look back, what will they say about what we have done in the name of Christ?