When it comes to missions giving, donor dependency may not be the greatest problem.
John Rowell | posted 10/02/2007 08:15AM
5 of 5
ADVERTISEMENT
The Mission of the Trinity | Singaporean theologian Simon Chan says 'missional theology' has not gone far enough. (June 4, 2007)
Christ, My Bodhisattva | Multinational businessman and politician Ram Gidoomal talks about 'translating' the gospel in today's world. (April 27, 2007)
Living with Islamists | A year in Pakistan gave me a glimpse of what Christian witness might look like today. (March 30, 2007)
On a Justice Mission | Thanks to William Wilberforce, we already know the key to defeating slavery. By Gary Haugen (Feb. 22, 2007)
A Community of the Broken | A young organization models what it might mean to be the church in a suffering world. By Christopher L. Heuertz (Feb. 9, 2007)
An Upside-Down World | Distinguishing between home and mission field no longer makes sense. By Christopher J. H. Wright (Jan. 28, 2007)
Christian Vision Project articles on culture are available on the Christian Vision Project website.
Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
Great article. One problem, though, using 2 Cor. 8-9 as supporting evidence. The situation Paul faced was exactly the opposite of the current situation. Paul encouraged his church plants to give to the mother Church in Jerusalem. So, to be consistent to the historical situation, it would be like churches started by American missionaries sending their money to us. In other words, there were other reasons behind the relief offering Paul collected during his third mission trip.
Patrick Beard ioiusa.org
Posted: October 08, 2007 12:00 PM
I have witnessed the same type of generous spirit (as the church in Sarajevho) at work in the Ethiopian missionaries we help to support. I would like to see an article that explores the issue of dependancy deeper in the context of a body. There is no such thing as the "American Church" or the "Ethiopian Church", there is only the Church. Personally I know that I am dependant on my Ethiopian brothers and sisters as much (if not more) than they are on me. Their prayers have helped to sustain our family in the darkest of times, and their faith spills over into our local US congregation. Thank you CT for publishing this article!
Mike Soderling MD
Posted: October 08, 2007 9:36 AM
I have lived and served in Central America these past 6 years and can say without reservation that dependency is one of the most significant factors inhibiting social and spiritual progress in this region of the world. I am familiar with Ralph Winters work and have read Glenn Schwartz's book mentioned by the author of this article. Neither of these wise and very experienced Christian leaders would propose the West stop giving to the needs of the poor. The problem that needs to be addressed is how to give in a healthy way which avoids dependency. Creating partnerships that allow for a healthy interdependency, the biblical model, is the chore we must face. I dare say the authors 18 years of experience pales in comparison to the lengthy amount of time Dr Winters and Mr Schwarz have spent researching this problem. An excellent resource for building true healthy partnerships is Phill Butlers book "Well Connected." Another good read is William Easterly's the White Mans Burden."
RSS Feeds
Audio
Twitter
share this page
E-mail
Print
Post
Subscribe to Christianity Today magazine today!
