Post on 27-Dec-2015
John 4:27-42:
27: Astonished disciples28-30: A loser calls the lost31-34: Misunderstood food35-38: Two proverbs turned upside down39-42: Sower and reaper rejoice
together
It’s the Harvest, Stupid!
Profile of the Average Christian
From “progressive” European mainline male
. . . to very conservative Pentecostal Majority World
female
Soon the phrase “a White Christian” may sound like a curious oxymoron, as mildly surprising as “a Swedish Buddhist.” Such people can exist, but a slight eccentricity is implied.
Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom, p. 3.
. . . to more conservative North American evangelical
Over the past century, growth exploded in the world outside of the West.
Majority World Christians as a percentage of all Christians
(1900 to 2020)
Majority World Christians
It is even more dramatic if you consider only evangelical Christians, most of whom are from the
Majority World.
The Geographic Center of Christianity
Rome
Vienna
Madrid
Athens
Niamy
Damascus
El Aaiun
Jerusalem
Budapest
30
700800
600500
900
400300
200 100
1970
2100
2050
2025
2000
19001800
17001600
1500
1400 13001200
1100
1000
Map by Global Mapping International - www.gmi.org/mymapData from World Christian Trends, WCL 2001
The Center Has Shifted Quiz
Which country has the most students involved in campus Christian groups?
Nigeria
From Adrian Stott, “From the West to the Rest”
The Center Has Shifted Quiz
Which country provides the most members of Operation Mobilization?
India
From Adrian Stott, “From the West to the Rest”
The Center Has Shifted Quiz
Which country sends out the most missionaries per Christian?
Singapore
From Adrian Stott, “From the West to the Rest”
Characteristics of the Non-Western Church
PovertyOral liturgy, narrative preachingUninhibited emotionalismMaximum participation in prayer and worship Faith healing, dreams and visionsIntense search for community (move to the city)
Escobar: The New Global Mission, 15
Who is the “Average Christian”?
A poor, conservative, charismatic/Pentecostal woman
living in the slums of a major city in the Majority World.
Profile of Missions, INC Agencies
From powerful denominational agencies
. . . to newer activist agencies founded on the vision of those who served in WWII
. . . to megachurches, Majority World agencies,
and entrepreneurs
Anecdotal evidence of the personal experience of `Xers' shows that we do not find it easy to fit into the culture and structures of much of the contemporary Western church, especially in its organizational forms, such as mission agencies.
Richard Tiplady,2002 Postmission, p. xi.
How does the Western tradition of missions relate to the emerging Third World tradition of missions?
Ted Ward. "Christian Missions-Survival in What Forms?" IBMR 6:1 (1982): 3.
Protestant Missionary Profiles
From full-time long-term professional U.S. missionaries
. . . to mix of full-time and part-time U.S. amateur missionaries
. . . to blended missionary force of mixed longevity
"Missions," it seems, has become any Christian volunteering to be sent anywhere in the world at any expense to do anything for any time period."
Ralph Winter, 1996. "The Most Important Problem in Missions: Re-amateurization?" Mission Frontiers 18:4
Full-Time U.S. Missionaries (> 1 year)
The number of full-time U.S. missionaries grew from 37,749 in 1992 to 41,329 in 2005 (up 9.5%)
Warning: 2001 to 2005 saw a drop of 3.4%
37
,74
9
39
,63
6
39
,88
7
42
,78
7
41
,32
9
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
1992 1996 1998 2001 2005
37,749 39,636 39,887 42,787 41,329
16,43622,249
24,70425,424
39,446
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
1992 1996 1998 2001 2005
Full-time missionaries overseas Non-residential missionaries Staff and associates Tent-makers
U.S. Citizens Working for U.S. Agencies
U.S. citizens working for U.S. agencies in all capacities grew from 55,931 in 1992 to 86,461 in 2005 (up 55%).
U.S. Agency Total Missionary Force
The total full-time missionary force grew from 72,020 in 1996 to 133,277 in 2005 (up 85%)
45,232 46,640 47,015
74,329
64,872
86,262
41,694
30,326
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
1996 1998 2001 2005
U.S. Citizens (> 1 year) Non U.S. Citizens
56.7%
40.2% 39.7%32.4%
43.3%
59.8% 60.3%67.6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1996 1998 2001 2005
U.S. Citizens Non-U.S. Citizens
U.S. Citizens 39,636 56.7% 39,887 40.2% 42,787 39.7% 41,329 32.4%Non-U.S. Citizens 30,326 43.3% 59,393 59.8% 64,872 60.3% 86,262 67.6%
Shares of U.S. FT Residential and Non-U.S. Citizens Working for U.S. Agencies, 1996 to 20051996 1998 2001 2005
Non-U.S. Citizens: Proportionate Growth
Non-U.S. Personnel in U.S. Agencies
The number of non-U.S. citizens working for U.S. agencies grew from 30,326 in 1996 to 86,262 in 2005 (up 184%).
Note: 93.3% are deployed in their home countries.
28,535
56,214 59,843
80,834
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
1996 1998 2001 2005
Serving in their home country Serving in a different country
Implications for Missions
The profile of today’s “Average Christian”To what extent do our missions composition reflect the global average Christian?
The profile of today’s mission agencyWilliam Carey’s “means” are being supplemented by other models of missionHow are partnering—or choosing not to partner—with these newer models of agencies?
The profile of today’s Protestant Missionary How are we responding to the amateurization of missions?How are we responding to the flexibility (and fuzziness) in what a “missionary” in an agency is?