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Emerging churches reflect both the good and bad they see modeled by the outsiders who visit, intervene and try to help.
This has certainly been true for one Asian country, where for many years the government has had an official “closed door” policy forbidding foreign missionaries. Yet behind the scenes, an increasing number of mission agencies have been working unofficially, through contacts with the national churches.
When foreign agencies first entered through the “back door,” the national church was quite unified. However, after being inundated by over 200(!) foreign mission agencies, the national church has splintered into 40 different “mini-denominations”. National groups competed for foreign contacts; foreign groups competed for exclusive national supporters. The result was neither pretty nor God honoring. A government hostile to Christianity used and manipulated these divisions for its own destructive ends.
How to reverse this trend? Several years ago Interdev-trained facilitators and others who believe there is a better way, began inviting key international players to discuss the challenges of this situation.
It was not long before this began to have an effect on the churches and groups inside the country. Recently walls between these groups have come down as their leaders recognize the need to focus on relationship building, reconciliation and prayer.
Interdev’s role in calling mission players to thoughtful dialogue, prayer and joint planning is having a wonderful impact in weaving many disjointed and independent efforts into a more coordinated expression of the Church, with a much more powerful witness.
Interdev Regional Advisor, Mainland SE Asia |
