The Church in Mission

Another map that communicates well, even if dated. See more information HERE.

Thought you might like this map. You can read more about it HERE.

There is so much interest in short term mission trips, at least on the receiving end. I’m not so sure this is generating as much interest on the sending end. I am including one more for those who are interested. It comes from missionary and theological educator, Archibald Woodruff, working in Brazil some 20 years partnership with the Independent Presbyterian Church in Brazil. Here is what he has to say:

These are my reflections on Missiology, 34/4 (2006), a special issue devoted to Short-Term Missions (STM’s). The journal is published in Wilmore, Kentucky, and the guest editor of this issue is Robert J. Priest. I was sent a copy by the PCUSA in Louisville, and reflections were invited. I will share these reflections also with my Brazilian church and with Joe Small, both for reasons that will emerge in this paper.

The strong concerns about the all-too-vigorous STM movement did not exactly come out of the blue. Fairly recently I received, from María Arroyo, an eloquent paper (or grito) on the subject by Dennis Smith (By the way, Dennis has had significant professional contact with Leonildo Silveira Campos, a sociologist of religion who belongs to my Brazilian church). Brazil is blessed by distance and high air fares and has thus been spared the tidal wave of STM’s with which Central America and the Caribbean have had to deal. Nevertheless, we do have experience here with mission visits. Personally, I find these articles painful to read in places, because I was part tourist and part STM myself before, at the age of 45, I became a long-term missionary. This part of my history has made me a bit more patient with mission visitors, perhaps, than some of the other long-term missionaries are. Continue Reading »

Recently Marta and I participated in the Third (annual) Consultation of the Brazilian Diaspora near Frankfurt, Germany, and the Third Iberian American Missionary Conference (COMIBAM) in Granada Spain (the first was held in São Paulo in 1987 and the second in Acapulco in 1997). Both were moving events and encouraging especially to the two of us as we continued to encounter Brazilians from all over the world who, at one time or another, had studied with us or read some of the material we’ve produced. My overall sense was that the Brazilian missionary movement is moving into a new phase, beyond the initial enthusiasm of the 70’s and 80’s and the discoveries of the challenges of ministries in other cultures and often lack of adequate infrastructure and support of the 90’s, to some real contributions that can happen after 20-30 years in cross-cultural ministry, as some of these missionaries now have. Of course, the “former” two phases also continue to accompany the movement and will do so simultaneous to this newest phase. I believe that will require the following responses pertinent to us:

For North American or European based mission organizations, it will require some discernment and selectivity as they seek to partner with increasing numbers of Latin American missionaries. They come to the U.S. and Europe in all stripes and sizes and I think the North Atlantic operations can benefit from careful screening and recommendations from their overseas partners and mission personnel. For some mission personnel involved in this movement, we may contribute to this movement in a number of ways. We basically need to: first, encourage the movement; second, allow room for talented Latin Americans to assume leadership positions; and third facilitate the networks of relationships that the movement needs to further their outreach.

First, we need to encourage the movement itself. When we were at COMIBAM last week, I met a Presbyterian couple with OC International who had worked in Brazil for some 20 years in the area of mission research. They have now moved to Malaga, Spain to be available to train and pastor the 300+ Brazilian missionaries ministering in Northern Africa and the Muslim world! Another couple, also Presbyterian and working with OC International, have left Brazil after 20 years and relocated to England, basically for the same purpose.

The consultation in Frankfurt of the Brazilian Diaspora was illustrative of the great need for continuing education and encouragement that this group of several hundred in Europe need and are inviting. There I connected with two fascinating brothers in this endeavor: Tomé and Fabiano. Their parents are both from India and immigrants to Mozambique where the brothers were raised. Tomé went to Brazil as a young man some 20 years ago for theological education and today is one the Baptist denomination’s top leaders in missiological education. He also coordinates the missionary work of the Brazilian Baptist Convention in Europe and parts of Africa. His brother, Fabiano, just finished his PhD in Sociology at Cambridge University and is currently the director of a Theological School in Portugal which will host the Brazilian Diaspora next year. Together we have a desire to continue a project of continuing theological education for Diaspora Brazilians. We’ll see what develops.

Second, we need to allow room for talented Latin Americans to assume leadership positions. Mission personnel need to move beyond occupying full-time positions in national institutions to one of support in the areas of greater needs.

Third, we need to facilitate the networks of relationships that the Brazilian missionary movement needs in order to further their outreach. Those are some initial thoughts that this experience provoked.

Concerning the events themselves, there were 50-60 Brazilians at the consultation in Frankfurt and over 2,000 persons attending COMIBAM (300 of them were Latin American missionaries).

Yours in Him….Tim

Technorati: Latin American missionary, missionary, missions, mission conference