Do missionaries have any understanding?

[human_being_]

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[RobinRedbreast]

Please check your inbox, human_being_. An explanation of the first thread's "disappearance" was issued to you. If you have any other questions, please send me a message in private, or any other staff member.

Your current thread is just fine.

Cheers,
Morning~Glory
Ministry Team Moderator

 

[RobinRedbreast]

Do Christian realize that in their attempts to proselytize non-Christians in other countries that do not have a long historical Christian background they should generally take more time to explain every aspect of what the Bible, the Christianity really is? It seems to me they prefer to offer an easy-to-consume Christianity heavily packaged together with Western (middle class) values that have nothing ti di with real Christianity... In other societies and cultures it can be quite dangerous and destructive... I consider it very unfair. Why would they do it? It's not sensible at all...

Your question is very good, actually. I wish I had an answer for you.

I feel that many Christians' take on proselytizing is highly troubled. People seem to believe if you hit someone over the head with a Bible for long enough, they will absorb the contents and simply believe it. I don't subscribe to that I'm afraid. Sharing the Word of God is far more than "This is what is written, in my Bible, believe it or go to Hell".

I am a very logical-minded person, and that kind of approach to -me- has never flown! I have not always been a Christian. I was an atheist, followed by a Pagan, and then a Christian. Many, many people tried the above kind of proselytization on me. Bible-beating, as it were. It did not work.

I think there are many problems with the way people understand their own Christianity, and that may contribute to the problem here. If a person does not understand himself what is written, why it was written, when it was written, what the times were like back then, how it applied then, how it applies now, does it apply now, and the list goes on.. if Christians do not take the time to understand all of these things and a hundred more questions, then they will in turn pass on Christianity in a dry "just add water" format to others.

Problem is, "just add water" approaches barely fly (or shouldn't fly, IMO) in the western world, and it simply CAN'T fly in other countries because we're dealing with people who have no concept of our value system and culture, as you said above. You can't package faith in another culture and issue it to others of a differing culture, it will fail miserably.

Your question is why do they do that! My answer is... I simply do not know, because I tend to agree with you on this one.

I have never been a missionary. I suppose you would have to ask someone of this kind of approach why they do what they do. Perhaps someone else here has some insight that will be useful, though I hope you don't mind my own babbling

 

[tansy]

A thread I created was deleted with no explanation. I was nothing but sincere and honest there.

So I'll try to re-word my discussion topic as neutrally as possible and see if that passes the local censorship.

Do Christian realize that in their attempts to proselytize non-Christians in other countries that do not have a long historical Christian background they should generally take more time to explain every aspect of what the Bible, the Christianity really is? It seems to me they prefer to offer an easy-to-consume Christianity heavily packaged together with Western (middle class) values that have nothing ti di with real Christianity... In other societies and cultures it can be quite dangerous and destructive... I consider it very unfair. Why would they do it? It's not sensible at all...

Well, I don't know a lot about it, but as far as I know, nowadays missionaries do try and understand the culture they are trying to reach, so they can present the Gospel in an understandable form. I don't think it's as bad as it used to be where natives were thought of as "savages" who had to be covered up in "modest" clothing etc. There possibly was a lot of damage done by naive missionaries in the past.
But probably even nowadays with the best will in the world, there are bound to be difficulties. Try talking with someone from one's own culture! It can be hard enough then to get on the same wavelength...apart from anything else, what one person understands by a certain word isn't how another understands it, so one can be talking at cross-purposes straight off.
Take the word "god for example. Different people will have totally different concepts of "god". One can't assume they have the same idea as you, so yes, one does have to understand cultures, philosophy of life usage of language and so on and so on.

 

[the.Sheepdog]

New Tribes Missions in located in my town in Central Florida. They have been reaching out to the world for a long time. They do it by living with a group for a while and leading by example. They learn the language, customs, and history of a peoples before reaching for a Bible. But the people can see what a person is about by the loving way they reach out and help with building and bringing life saving techniques for safe water and medicines and health.

It takes a long time to build trust.

 

[RobinRedbreast]

New Tribes Missions in located in my town in Central Florida. They have been reaching out to the world for a long time. They do it by living with a group for a while and leading by example. They learn the language, customs, and history of a peoples before reaching for a Bible. But the people can see what a person is about by the loving way they reach out and help with building and bringing life saving techniques for safe water and medicines and health.

That's quite amazing

 

[DerSchweik]

A thread I created was deleted with no explanation. I was nothing but sincere and honest there.

So I'll try to re-word my discussion topic as neutrally as possible and see if that passes the local censorship.

Do Christian realize that in their attempts to proselytize non-Christians in other countries that do not have a long historical Christian background they should generally take more time to explain every aspect of what the Bible, the Christianity really is? It seems to me they prefer to offer an easy-to-consume Christianity heavily packaged together with Western (middle class) values that have nothing ti di with real Christianity... In other societies and cultures it can be quite dangerous and destructive... I consider it very unfair. Why would they do it? It's not sensible at all...

I agree in general that when we seek to share the gospel with others it is important, critical to do so in a manner that addresses their values, acknowledges their culture, their history, their personal situations. In other words, sharing the gospel, particularly one-on-one demands we seek to know and understand the person and where they are coming from spiritually, religiously, historically, culturally.

The apostle Paul said it this way, "I have become all things to all men, so that by all means, I may save some." For some Christians, this is difficult because it requires we build a relationship with people whose values, background, culture we do not share or perhaps understand. It can therefore be much simpler to work from a generic "template" when we share the gospel and overlay that template without considering the situation of those on whom we've overlaid it, making it less personal and probably more "canned" or generic.

To be honest, I don't respond to platitudes, templates, generic exhortations either that don't address me specifically as a person, whether spiritually, religiously, or even in say, the work-place. For example, I've been to umpteen "business seminars" and "motivational seminars" for my various jobs and find them similar to what you are [I believe] lamenting.

We [Christians] believe the gospel is for all men; but we can easily forget that "all men" aren't as we are individually. We can presume too much; we can assume too much; and we can generalize too much.

For their part, I apologize for the effect some of this may have had on you or people you know. We are all humans and make many of the same human mistakes, mistakes even - if it were to be stated - that are made against us as well. So in a sense, we are without excuse to make them on others.

That there is great value in the gospel message I firmly believe. But I also know that nothing of value should be dissemenated trivially, nor accepted cheaply. Its worth and importance demand (imo) thoughtful study with time to digest, query and re-query, and in due time grow if there is sufficient good soil that is properly watered and personally tended.

 

[the.Sheepdog]

That's quite amazing

I just noticed that you are Fresh Married! Happy Honeymoon!

 

[RobinRedbreast]

I just noticed that you are Fresh Married! Happy Honeymoon!

Thanks

About the missionaries who live with the tribes... New Tribes Missions you called them... how long do they stay over there? It must take them years!

 

[the.Sheepdog]

a lifetime! Im not a missionary there but sometimes wish I was so called. It would not be fair to the wife however. They are awesome people!

http://www.ntm.org/png/

 

[Chesterton]

In other societies and cultures it can be quite dangerous and destructive...

Very much so. Missionaries were sometimes placed in a pot of potatoes and eaten.

It's not sensible at all...

Nope, not in the least.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Hello Everyone!

Do Christians realize that in their attempts to proselytize non-Christians in other countries that do not have a long historical Christian background they should generally take more time to explain every aspect of what the Bible, the Christianity really are? It seems to me they prefer to offer an easy-to-consume Christianity heavily packaged together with Western (middle class) values that have nothing to do with real Christianity... In other societies and cultures it can be quite dangerous and destructive... I consider it very unfair. Why would they do it? It's not sensible at all...

Hi You're completely completely right. I'm auditing with a Bible College, specifically to train for the mission field, and have been so upset at how "academic" and "proper" it is...

The problem is, maybe, that to join a mission organisation nowadays, generally speaking you need to be qualified - almost like you're applying for a job. But the qualification will be in hermeneutics, etc, and while that's wonderful in its own right, it doesn't teach us how to shoulder others' burdens and share their pain. Bible College doesn't necessarily teach how to love the poor and the sick - that love is all God-given and we need to have it whether we attend Bible College or not.

I actually got very, very discouraged for a long while, until I realised that His disciples spent 3 years or so learning from Him... they had to be taught, and shown. But you're right: we aren't putting our hands and hearts in enough, and that's what we need to be doing. Have you heard of Jackie Pullinger? She's the real deal, and the Holy Spirit has brought thousands to Christ through her.

In terms of "modern" evangelism and being in the mission field, she's who we need to emulate.

But, I want to say, also: I honestly think missionaries go into it with a pure heart, and wanting to serve God and help people. Mistakes are made, and am so sorry for that and for any damage that's done - but I don't think any missionary ever wants to cause pain or trip people up

 

[human_being_]

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[GreenMunchkin]

If I may ask, was it the behaviour you saw in Christian missionaries that made you question Christianity?

(And, yes, please do read about her... she's what Christian missionaries [and Christians in general!] should be like.)