In the Name of “Mission Work” book about CAM/Mast

[Josh]

Yet I am supposed to believe that a bunch of CA businessmen are in the best position provide direction and priorities for Haitians? The priorities listed in this book are completely different than the priorities of businessmen in CA communities. CAM wants this scandal to disappear while Haitians would like dignity.

It's been my observation that the less suited and/or equipped a group (CAM or other) is to "provide direction and priorities" for those they posture to serve, the more likely that group is to see those to whom they reach out as "projects." Consequently, the huge power differential is accentuated, widening the gap in which exploitation can occur versus closing it.

So what do you want to see? Nothing is preventing non-CAM people from organising their own organisations and setting up representations.

CAM was simply very good at fundraising. Most people are not.

[TruthSeeker]

So what do you want to see?

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

[Neto]

So what do you want to see?

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

And, I would assert, this requires cultural awareness, which for most people would be greatly enhanced by special educational pursuits (i.e. Bible college courses in missiology). Both cultural self-awareness, and perception of cultural values when observing the "target culture".

[ABC 123]

So what do you want to see?

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

And, I would assert, this requires cultural awareness, which for most people would be greatly enhanced by special educational pursuits (i.e. Bible college courses in missiology). Both cultural self-awareness, and perception of cultural values when observing the "target culture".

You mean like having local ministries where the Anabaptist church people sit there talking PA Dutch in front of the people they came to reach?

[Josh]

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

And, I would assert, this requires cultural awareness, which for most people would be greatly enhanced by special educational pursuits (i.e. Bible college courses in missiology). Both cultural self-awareness, and perception of cultural values when observing the "target culture".

You mean like having local ministries where the Anabaptist church people sit there talking PA Dutch in front of the people they came to reach?

Indeed, a great place for aspiring missionaries to start is in their own back yards.

Perhaps they should figure out how to start a local church with more than 0 or 1 local community people joining before embarking on a mission to one of the poorest and also most corrupt places on earth.

[flyingnorm]

From my perspective it is much easier for missions to continue failed strategies and blame the “target culture” when held accountable for failed strategies than for the missions to step back and admit the need for change. The “target culture” becomes the scapegoat for incompetence.

Humility is the missing element.

[Neto]

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

And, I would assert, this requires cultural awareness, which for most people would be greatly enhanced by special educational pursuits (i.e. Bible college courses in missiology). Both cultural self-awareness, and perception of cultural values when observing the "target culture".

You mean like having local ministries where the Anabaptist church people sit there talking PA Dutch in front of the people they came to reach?

Speaking a language not known to others within their hearing is certainly considered offensive in many cultures of the world. People sometimes apologize to me for speaking PA German when I'm around, or they quickly switch to English. I do know a fair bit of PA German, but I will also say that this tendency to switch to English makes "language immersion" impossible.

On the other side, some cultures are so used to hearing other languages spoken around them that they are not offended at all. (I have never been offended by it myself.) Some might just say that they are "uncultured" or "primitive", but the Banawa commonly speak in their own language when non-speakers are around, even talking about the person in such a way that it is obvious to them. I confess that I have picked up the same habit - not in speaking English around non-English speakers, but speaking Banawa or Portuguese in the presence of English-only speakers. The Banawa didn't do this as much when Brazilians were around in our early years there, because they were accustomed to being told that they "don't have a real language", that they "just speak slang". As we began learning (and speaking) their language more & more, however, they developed more "pride" (self-respect) in their language & culture, and felt more freedom to use it when non-speakers were around. (So it can be a sign of growing cultural health.)

This point you make here brings up one of the biggest disadvantages or limitations of any type of "short-term" missions in any place where the volunteer's language is not the dominant language of the area, or at least one of possible multiple "legal" or official languages. Language learning takes time, and it is essential for effective ministry, unless all you want to do is hand out water, clothing, or candy. (An exception can be visiting an orphanage, specifically one that has infants in their care. An infant mostly just needs human contact, and this can actually mean the difference between life & death.)

[Sliceitup]

So what do you want to see?

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

I’d be interested in a discussion on why mission work always seems to take place in places where the people will be dependent on you for some kind of help. What aren’t there mission fields at colleges, or Wall Street, or Hollywood?

I understand the concept of ‘feeding the hungry’ and I’m a big believer in it. But I wonder how much of mission theology would take a hit if it was directed towards people with more resources than those doing the mission work.

[Josh]

So what do you want to see?

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

I’d be interested in a discussion on why mission work always seems to take place in places where the people will be dependent on you for some kind of help. What aren’t there mission fields at colleges, or Wall Street, or Hollywood?

There are. Ernie on this board is very interested in colleges. To my knowledge, he does not conduct fundraisers for that work.

I understand the concept of ‘feeding the hungry’ and I’m a big believer in it. But I wonder how much of mission theology would take a hit if it was directed towards people with more resources than those doing the mission work.

Rice bowl Christianity has long been a problem. Personally I think relief work and mission work should be sharply separated.

[Sliceitup]

For all of us who attempt to minister (to our next-door neighbor, overseas, or somewhere in between) increased self-awareness and soul-searching as to
1) what drives/motivates our ministry endeavors
2) how we actually view the recipients of our ministry
3) the experiencial impact of our endeavors on the recipient(s) of our ministry

I’d be interested in a discussion on why mission work always seems to take place in places where the people will be dependent on you for some kind of help. What aren’t there mission fields at colleges, or Wall Street, or Hollywood?

There are. Ernie on this board is very interested in colleges. To my knowledge, he does not conduct fundraisers for that work.

I understand the concept of ‘feeding the hungry’ and I’m a big believer in it. But I wonder how much of mission theology would take a hit if it was directed towards people with more resources than those doing the mission work.

Rice bowl Christianity has long been a problem. Personally I think relief work and mission work should be sharply separated.

What kind of changes do you think would take place
if those two were separated?