bits from bob....
bits from bob....
Every church involved in missions operates by some philosophy. In an effort to clarify and sharpen the mission focus and philosophy, more and more churches are writing out their mission philosophy. In other churches that philosophy may or may not be studied, carefully thought out and analyzed, or fervently prayed, but it exists nonetheless. That philosophy may be influenced by both bad and good motivations, by both true and false ideas.
Dan Hardin described three missions philosophies in his book Mission: A Practical Approach. A first approach sees missions primarily as helping meet people's physical needs in this world--feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, liberating the politically oppressed. A second approach believes that as long as Christians exist in a certain location, missions is carried out by their presence and example. A final philosophy, the one that Hardin upheld as biblical and legitimate, is an understanding of missions that "emphasizes winning souls, discipling, baptizing, church planting and nurturing."
The contemporary church will do well to consider afresh these concepts. We have developed "mission works" that do very little to expand the borders of the kingdom and to bring the lost into a saved relationship with God. At best, one might affirm that our covert and indirect approach helps people with basic needs. At worst, one might observe that we are not doing what God sends us out to do, the most important thing we can do--to seek and to save the lost.
The following "indigenous church principles" help identify the main ideas of a missions philosophy that focuses on evangelism and spiritual needs.
An indigenous church is one that is "self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating."
