Stuff That Matters In Life

This book has given me a whole new way of thinking about world missions. K.P. Yahannan, an Indian (from India) writes about the vision God called him to, and the reasons for that vision.

The mission organization he started, Gospel for Asia has the distinctive of supporting national missionaries rather than sending missionaries overseas. He gives many compelling reasons why this is more effective. There are many great insights in this book challenging the way we view missions that has been carried over from the days of colonialism. Yahannan shows how God is evangelizing the world in a different movement now, and how we need to adjust the way we use our finances to support world mission.

There are too many good quotes for me to write here. You’ll have to read the book yourself, which I highly recommend.

Let me quote here the reasons the author gives that it is wiser to support national missionaries in their own lands than to send western missionaries:

1. It is wise stewardship.

In India for only the cost of flying an American from New York to Mumbai (Bombay) a national missionary already on the field can minister for years.

2. In many places the presence of western missionaries perpetuates the myth that Christianity is the religion of the West.

A friend of mine who heads a missionary organization similar to ours recently told me the story of the conversation he had with some African church leaders. “We want to
evangelize our people,” they said, “but we can’t do it so long as the white missionaries remain. Our people won’t listen to us. The Communists and the Muslims tell them all white missionaries are spies sent out by their governments as agents for the capitalistic imperialists. We know it isn’t true, but the newspaper reports tell of how some missionaries are
getting funds from the CIA.  We love the American missionaries in the Lord. We wish they could stay but the only hope for us to evangelize our own country is for all white missionaries to leave.”

There was a time when western missionaries needed to go into these countries in which the gospel was not preached. But now a new era has begun and it is important that we officially acknowledge this. God has raised up indigenous leaders who are more capable than outsiders to finish the job.

3. Western missionaries and the money they bring compromise natural growth and the independence of the national church.

4. Western missionaries cannot easily go to the countries where most so-called “hidden people” live.

Although more than one third of the countries in the world today forbid the Western missionary, now the national missionary can go to the nearest hidden people group. For example a Nepali can go to Malaysia with the Gospel much easier than anyone from the West.

5. Western missionaries seldom are effective today in reaching Asians and establishing local churches in the villages of Asia.

Unlike the western missionary the national missionary can preach, teach, and evangelize without being blocked by most of the barriers that confront Westerners. As a national of the country or region he knows the cultural taboos instinctively. Frequently she already has mastered the language or a related dialect. He moves freely and is accepted in good times and bad as one who belongs. He does not have to be transported thousands of miles nor does he require special training in language schools.

This book is very convicting  in changing my thinking not only about missions but about my biases that are often unbiblical in the Christian life. I only know how to be an American Christian, and I need to understand the power of the gospel in a bigger way.