EMQ » January–March 2019 » Volume 55 Issue 1
[memberonly folder=”Members, EMQ2YearFolder, EMQ1YearFolder”]Gregory E. Lamb
Even now, we [Christians] are being multiplied, no matter how often we are mown down by you; the blood of Christians is seed.”
— Tertullian, Apol. 50.13[i]
The death of John Allen Chau (12/18/91–11/17/18) at the hands of the Sentinelese peoples of the Andaman archipelago (India) has become the center of a firestorm of debate within and without the church.[ii] The Sentinelese tribe is one of the most isolated, unengaged and unreached people groups (UUPG) in the world, and, essentially, three views have emerged regarding Chau’s mission and death: (1) some praise Chau as a God-called martyr comparable to missionary Jim Elliot;[iii] (2) others compare Chau to Don Quixote—well-meaning, but foolish, quixotic and dead as a result of erroneous missiological methods; (3) still others take a more caustic view toward Chau—claiming his efforts were criminal, suicidal, useless (Chau could not speak the Sentinelese language nor communicate the gospel to them) and selfishly placed the lives of the Sentinelese in jeopardy.[iv] So, what are we to make of these views regarding Chau? Did Chau’s mission and death honor Christ?
John Allen Chau’s Journal
Scanned pages of Chau’s journal have recently surfaced, and below are some salient excerpts, which I feel are important for this discussion. First, Chau’s journal reveals his deep love and sense of calling toward the Sentinelese peoples. It also appears that Chau took seriously the threat of infection amongst the tribe. In an entry dated 11-14-18, Chau writes,
Being stuck in the safe house meant that I hadn’t seen any full sunlight till today and the nice tan I had acquired on Little Andaman started to fade, as well as my thickly calloused feet. The benefit is that I was essentially in quarantine…. God, I thank you for choosing me, before I was even yet formed in my mother’s womb, to be Your messenger of your Good News to the people of Northern Sentinel Island. Even my heritage points to you—me, an American citizen, part Irish, part Native American (Choctaw), part African, and part Chinese and Southeast Asian—thank you, Father, for using me, for shaping me and molding me to be your ambassador.
Second, Chau saw the reality of spiritual warfare, and prepared himself physically and spiritually as a soldier in boot camp. Chau writes,
I stayed fit by doing 2x of: 20 pushups, 50 leg kicks, 20 wide pushups, 50 side-to-sides, and 20 triangle pushups with 20 squats, or varying exercises incorporating burpees and rubber resistance bands. Much time was spent in prayer and reading…. Please continue to keep all of us involved hidden from the physical and spiritual forces who desire to keep the people here in darkness. Holy Spirit, please open the hearts of the tribe to receive me, and, by receiving me, to receive You. May your Kingdom, Your Rule and Reign come now to North Sentinel Island. My life is in Your hands, O Father, so into Your hands I commit my spirit.
In an entry dated 11-15-18, Chau writes of God’s protection from the Indian Coast Guard as if they were on a military mission, “God Himself was shielding us from the coast guard and navy patrols.”
Third, Chau’s faith was unflappable and displayed great courage. Chau’s first contact with the Sentinelese nearly resulted in his being shot by arrows. Yet, Chau felt he must go back a few hours later. This time, Chau was, indeed, shot by an adolescent tribesman, but the arrow struck Chau’s Bible, which he was holding over his chest. Chau was greatly afraid, yet considered the spiritual needs of the Sentinelese above his safety. Chau remarks that “after I got shot by that arrow and it was in my Bible, I gave it BACK!” He contemplated returning home, but committed his life to God’s care. After being shot on 11-15-18, Chau writes these haunting words that echo Paul’s remarks in Philippians 1:22–24,
Lord let Your will be done. If you want me to get actually shot [sic] or even killed with an arrow, then so be it. I think I could be more useful alive though, but to You, God, I give all the glory of whatever happens. I DON’T WANT TO DIE! Would it be wiser to leave and let someone else continue? NO. I don’t think so—I’m stuck here anyway without a passport and having been off the grid. I still could make it back to the US somehow as it almost seems like certain death to stay here—yet there is evidenced change in just two encounters in a single day. Will try again tomorrow…. Watching the sunset and it’s beautiful—crying a bit … wonder if it’ll be the last sunset I see before being in the place where the sun never sets. Tearing up a little. God, I don’t want to die. WHO WILL TAKE MY PLACE IF I DO? …. I’ve never felt this much grief or sorrow before. WHY! Why did a little kid have to shoot me today? His high-pitched voice still lingers in my head. Father, forgive him and any of the people on this island who try to kill me, and especially forgive them if they succeed!
Fourth and last, Chau lived with urgency, a sense of divine purpose and saw himself as an active catalyst in God’s mission (missio Dei)—being a bridge-builder, an ambassador between the Sentinelese and God. In his final letter written to his parents and loved ones the day before his murder, Chau writes,
You guys might think I’m crazy in all this but I think it’s worth it to declare Jesus to these people. Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed—rather please live your lives in obedience to whatever He has called you to and I’ll see you again when you pass through the veil. Don’t retrieve my body. This is not a pointless thing—the eternal lives of this tribe is [sic] at hand and I can’t wait to see them around the throne of God worshiping in their own language as Revelation 7:9–10 states. I love you all and I pray none of you love anything in this world more than Jesus Christ.
The Art of Dying Well and “Border Walking”
The art of dying well (ars moriendi), though rather strange to us today, is a concept that pervaded numerous cultures up to the nineteenth century—even launching its own literary genre by Jean Gerson in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Prior to the twentieth century, most deaths occurred at home, in the presence of family and friends. Dying became a visible sermon of the Christian hope as you enter eternity. One of the critiques that has surfaced against Chau was that he died in a senseless, suicidal manner. Given the excerpts from his journal above, this does not appear to be the case. It is easy for us to criticize the desires and motivations of Chau sitting comfortably at our desks or in our easy chair, but Chau likely had more faith and courage than most (perhaps all) reading (and writing!) this essay.
The satirical site, The Babylon Bee, captured this irony in its headline for 11-26-18, which aptly quipped, “Man Who Has Never Shared Jesus with Anyone Criticizes Slain Missionary’s Lack of Wisdom.”[v] Did Chau die usefully? Only time will tell regarding the impact of Chau’s life and death. Did Chau die well? I would say Chau died obediently in following what he thought was God’s calling on his life. Most importantly, it is evident from his journal that Chau lived and died in Christ—and that is dying well, indeed (Philippians 1:21)!
From a missiological standpoint, Chau was a “border-walker”—that is, Chau became a messenger of hope and reconciliation in attempting to care for the souls of the Sentinelese peoples.[vi] While critics doubt that Chau did this effectively, Chau prayed that his life/death might serve as a catalyst to begin the conversation.
The world called Chau a fool for attempting to share the gospel with the Sentinelese. This is nothing new. God delights in using the “foolish” to confound the “wise,” so that our only boast will be in God (1 Cor 1:18–31). In this sense, every born-again Christian is a “fool” to this world. Are we willing, like Chau, to give our lives for Christ if necessary? Do we live so fervently for King Jesus that Satan would use violence to attack us and our ministries? Jim Elliot wrote in contemplating the possibility of his own martyrdom, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”[vii]
What Can the Church Glean from This Discussion?
Despite the arguments for and against Chau, I think the church can glean at least six key points from Chau’s life and death.[viii] First, we should not rush so quickly to judge Chau’s actions. We need to exercise patience, wisdom and discernment when it comes to evaluating something as important as missions and martyrdom. In our contemporary world fueled by social media and instant access to news, we demand immediate answers—often failing to give sufficient time for research and reflection. It will take time for us to learn the details surrounding Chau’s life and death. While some have painted Chau as reckless and foolish, Chau had, apparently, counted the cost and was much better prepared than initial reports suggest.
Second, like Chau, we should seek ways that we can effectively become “border-walkers” in our respective communities. We must become sound “exegetes” of culture (especially your congregation, pastor) as well as the Bible.
Third, while the world’s opinions should not dissuade us from sharing the gospel with others, we must admit that methodology matters.[ix] As Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) has passionately stated, “It’s important for Christians to understand it is always right and never wrong to share the Gospel with anyone … whether or not they are believed to be a part of either a reached or an unreached people group. But methodology is important here.”[x]
Keith Eitel, dean of the Roy Fish School of Evangelism and Missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) echoes Mohler’s assessment, and feels that the best method to reach an UUPG is, perhaps, to first gather as much information as possible, then locate someone with a cultural link to the UUPG, and let them introduce the missionary over time.[xi]
Fourth, Chau displayed undeniable courage in obeying the Great Commission of Christ (Matthew 28:18–20). In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands us to be “making disciples of all the nations” (mathēteusate panta ta ethnē)—including those who violently oppose and kill outsiders. Chau felt that God called him to reach the Sentinelese people with the gospel, and Chau paid the ultimate price—his life—in doing so.
Fifth, the church must think deeply and proceed wisely regarding the missio Dei. Numerous important questions surrounding missions have surfaced since Chau’s death including: What training should be required before sending missionaries to an UUPG, especially violent groups like the Sentinelese? Was Chau martyred, or did he effectively commit suicide by rushing headlong into the arrows of the Sentinelese? How broad or narrow is the definition of “martyr”?[xii] Should we broadly see martyrdom as the death of any Christian whose life serves as a witness for the gospel (e.g., missionaries who die from malaria), or is martyrdom more narrowly restricted to those who are specifically targeted by hostile groups and murdered for their Christian beliefs?
Lastly, Christians around the world should rejoice that Chau has brought to the fore a global discussion focused on Christ, Christ’s gospel and the missio Dei. It is my prayer that Chau’s death will have an inspirational impact on countless Christians, even in this secular age, who will carry and pass the baton—taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We must not let our own apathy and fear of man keep us from obeying Christ’s command to reach all nations with the gospel of Christ. In reflection of Tertullian’s epigraph above, perhaps a closing quote from Chau (11-16-18) is apropos in concluding this essay, “Why does this beautiful place have to have so much death here? …. [W]hy are we so afraid of death? …. Perfect LOVE casts out fear. LORD Jesus, fill me with Your perfect love for these people!”
Gregory E. Lamb, is a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he serves as an adjunct professor of NT Greek and as pastor of Mays Chapel Baptist Church in Bear Creek, NC. Lamb’s dissertation investigates competing conceptions amongst ancient and contemporary cultures regarding what it means to live and die well, and how biblical writers, especially, Paul, sought to correct erroneous conceptions of flourishing in consideration of the Christ event.
Notes
[i] Author’s translation of the Latin text: Etiam plures efficimur, quotiens metimur a vobis: semen est sanguis Christianorum derived from CCL 1:171. Unless otherwise noted, all primary sources are author’s original translations.
[ii] For an introduction to Chau’s story, see the CNN article here: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/21/us/
missionary-john-chau/index.html.
[iii] For a comparison between Elliot and Chau, see: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/november-web-only/john-allen-chau-jim-elliot-missionary-martyr-dilemma.html.
[iv] See e.g., https://joshdekeyzer.com/martyrs-madmen-and-marauders-six-ways-christian-missions-needs-to-change/?fbclid=IwAR1R9_OVvr6e9zVWszrY2I2BNV4udlcZxkeJMvFY2HihK2hu_fC839DTpAM; and https://whatwouldjackdo.org/2018/11/24/john-chau-arrogance-ignorance-and-self-righteousness-can-get-you-killed.
[v] See https://babylonbee.com/news/man-who-has-never-shared-jesus-with-anyone-criticizes-slain-missionarys-lack-of-wisdom.
[vi] Makoto Fujimura, Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017), 58.
[vii] Personal Journal of Jim Elliot, October 29, 1949, entry.
[viii] I am grateful for Tim Challies’s well-written response to the events surrounding Chau. My own responses are modifications/additions to Challies’s contribution. See https://www.challies.com/articles/on-the-death-of-john-allen-chau.
[ix] For a critique of Chau’s missionary method, see https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/world/asia/john-chau-andaman-missionary.html. Ed Stetzer will address this in detail in a multi-part series, Stetzer’s first article can be read here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2018/november/john-chau-missions-and-fools-part-1.html.
[x] Mohler’s comments are taken from: http://www.bpnews.net/52019/crazy-or-called–missionarys-death-debated.
[xi] See http://www.bpnews.net/52019/crazy-or-called–missionarys-death-debated.
[xii] I am thankful for Brian Roden’s insightful comments here, taken from the Nerdy Theology Majors Facebook page.
