EMQ » July–September 2021 » Volume 57 Issue 3
By John Edward White
Evangelical Missiological Society Monograph Series
Pickwick Publications, 2020
285 pages
US$36.00
Reviewed by Gene Wilson who served as a church planter in Quebec and a church planting coach in Latin America and is currently leading a global team of church planting catalysts for ReachGlobal, the mission of the Evangelical Free Church of America.
What forces are at play in missionary surges? John E. White offers a well-researched study of the factors behind the great wave of missionaries that went out from Ukraine after perestroika (restructuring) shook up the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian missionary force grew from a handful of scattered workers in 1986 to over 5,600 from 561 organizations by 1997 (1–2). White is well qualified to write this, having served in Ukraine as missionary and professor, and later as Director of Missiology at the Ukrainian Theological Seminary in Kyiv.
Space will not allow me to outline all the factors that White discovered, but I will share some personal gleanings: Several authors point out that missionary movements usually arise on the fringe of the organized church and often trace their origin back to revival (194). But those interviewed could not point to revival as a first cause in this case. Rather, a combination of factors coalesced, under divine providence, to give birth to this surge. White describes the sources of the missionaries, the vision and motivation that propelled them, and the key leaders that fueled the surge. To these ecclesial and spiritual factors, he adds historical, social, and political factors – the soil from which the movement took root.
This book is not an easy read, but it should be well worth the effort for several categories of people. Those serving in the Ukraine will gain valuable perspective on the current state of the Evangelical Movement and the sacrifices made to get there. Missions leaders and educators can glean important insights into missionary motivation which should help with mobilization efforts. Students doing research will benefit from White’s methodology and explanation of the reasons behind it. Those interested in the emergence of gospel movements generally should consider the broad array of categories that White used for his interviews and analysis of the surge. History enthusiasts will especially enjoy Appendix A, “The History of Missionary Surges,” where White describes missionary surges that produced one hundred or more missionaries in twenty years or less.
Others have written on the impact of western missionary organizations such as Co-Mission, but White’s conclusion is that their greatest offering was the example they provided to young emerging leaders who had no status and limited opportunity within their traditional churches. The loosening of the grip of communism and atheism upset the status quo and provided opportunities for adaptive leaders to travel to unreached towns and regions drawing dedicated young believers in their wake. My hope is that the story of the Ukrainian missionary surge will inspire and empower waves of missionaries globally.
