The number of Christians participating in short-term missions has increased dramatically in recent years. Just like long-term missions, short-term missions are essential in world evangelization. As Leon Greene puts it, “every Christian is called to missions” (159).
“How can we sing the Lord’s Song in a strange land?” This plaintive question was asked by Israel in exile. Gone were the familiar rites and temple, chants and incense, offerings and sacrifices. Where is the “strange land”?
“Expectations, expectations, expectations,” we tell our short-, medium- and long-term missionary candidates. Realistic expectations facilitate smoother transitions and generally make for happier missionary life.
Missionaries’ relationships with their home churches have changed over the past few decades.
The Lord called us to Africa in the 1950s. Extensive cross-cultural ministry training served us well when we arrived in Kenya in 1966. But when we were set to furlough in the United States, no one suggested that we would suffer culture shock. After all, we were just returning home.
Just as WWII and the Holocaust brought about changes in intellectual paradigms, today the tumult in the Middle East challenges us to rethink our theologies in many ways.
Back in September-October, 2004, I was fortunate to be among the delegates to the Lausanne Forum 2004 held in Pattaya, Thailand. This event, the 30th anniversary conference of the first Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization organized by Billy Graham, called together 1,530 men and women from 130 countries.
The Great Commission calls us “to make disciples of all nations.” The central focus is on making mature followers of Christ, not simply converts. This requires godly models lived out in humility and grace for long periods of time.
Today’s population growth is driving change in unprecedented ways. The challenges and opportunities for all aspects of life are at a critical level. No generation has ever faced these issues; there are no ready-made answers. In the last 150 years the world’s population has grown from five hundred million to six billion.
Please, tell us your stories, the villagers said to the newcomers. The villagers were all silent and smiled as the Enlightened began telling the truth. But they did not tell stories.
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