mrbilliam wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2024 7:14 pm
NEW EXAMPLE as it JUST HAPPENED.
A moderate conservative Anabaptist church just had many members go on a mission trip to Tanzania.
What's wrong with this you ask? Nothing... And everything...
This church is approx 1 hour from a major city area (top 10 in the USA).
Why nothing is wrong with it:
1) Because we are suppose to reach all people globally with the message of Jesus. This is excellent!
Why everything is wrong with it: (note: There is nothing wrong with being poor)
1) The church ignores what is in their own back yard. A massive city. 1 hour drive. Nope. Half a globe away, yep.
2) Cultural similarities
a) English is in our cities. Not Swahili the most common language of Tanzania. Connecting through linguistics is vitally important for relationships. You are more likely to build relationships to people 1 hour away in a culture you understand, than HALF A WORLD away that takes a plane, boats, passports, hotels, and lots of money to see.
b) Here we can communicate and share Jesus in a native tongue in the cities. People actually understand what you are saying.
c) Here we can communicate to people of the city who have similar living standards. I've heard foreign missionaries refer to Africans as "poor little black people" and "poor little black kid'. That sterotype is ruined when somebody lives similar as you do. It places people on even surfaces for relationships.
d) The Tanzanians don't understand the challenges of being an American, our issues, our culture, and our way of life. We don't understand theirs. Being able to understand this and how it applies to Christ is helpful in building lasting relationships and discipleship. Sure you can "learn about it", but you probably haven't LIVED IT FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
e) Don't tap the glass when observing. The people of Tanzania (to a bunch of rich white American Mennonites) are "fascinating", but of course "not like us, and will never be like us".
f) Mennonites know that not one poor black person of Tanzania has a chance at all of coming back and "INFECTING" their rich (mostly white) comfort church. Most Mennonites would "say" they'd love to have them come, but really even if it happened, the Tanzanian would be VERY left out non-menno-background and odd.
g) Massive airline trip with layovers, hotels, food and travel expenses. 1 hour city is a 1/4 tank of gas.
2) Culturally, you have a poor black nation of Tanzania. (note again: There is nothing wrong with being poor)
a) A bunch of rich white people show up. This can create a monetary want over the want of Christ. Many attend services hoping to "get something". This is because a bunch of rich white Mennonites do not know their culture, NOR LIVE LIKE THE PEOPLE OF TANZANIA nor would want to. A real dedicated missionary will buy a home and live like the natives do, not come on a high horse patting them on the head from the observation deck.
b) Culturally they are not the same. Rich white American people and poor black African people have nothing culturally similar. It's an anomaly on each side to figure out. Mennos have a hard enough time dealing with Non-Mennonite background people of American culture.
AGAIN - There is nothing wrong with a foreign mission. Go live like the natives. Adopt their jobs. Adopt their currency. Adopt their standard of living. Speak their language. Don't just go and observe for a short while and have some stories to tell over a huge plate of fellowship meal desserts.
I'm being harsh purposely folks. Why on Earth are Mennos so willing to go on a global trip to some Swahili speaking country when they haven't even touched their own back yard?
CAM Billboards are in that city though..... with no church to send callers to of course.
It's a hard reality.
We Anabaptists have FAILED at Reaching the Masses. We spend tons of money reaching foreign cultures that "don't threaten us", rather than starting churches in our own city back yards.
As an Anabaptist this truth hurts me a lot.