In Whom do we trust?
In the old days of mission-work, missions used to use our abundant financial resources to fund this and pay for that, and subsidize everything. We thought we were doing good, helping our brothers and sisters, spreading equality and opportunity...
Only what we didn't realize is that, instead, we were creating dependency of the local churches on our resources. Think of the stereotyped "welfare mentality" and multiply it by 100. We created the motto, "In the missionaries we trust" because whenever there was a need, we met it. No one had to pray to God or trust in His provisions--they just had to ask the missionary or the volunteer team! Churches didn't reach their neighbors because that's what the missionaries did. They didn't plant new churches, because they couldn't afford to build them a new building and put a roof on it like the missionaries had done for them. They didn't hold training seminars for church leaders because they couldn't pay for everyone's transportation costs like the missionaries always did. We saw stagnant church growth and a lack of local buy-in because we had made it seem that abundant resources were a necessary part of starting anything new.
We're now trying to slowly fix that problem, to show that communities can raise money on their own, that when God is trusted to provide, God does provide through unique and amazing ways. But in order to teach them that, we have to avoid being the answer to every problem. And that's not easy to do. We're Americans, and Americans like to solve problems, especially when the solution is easily within our means. It's ultimate tough-love, and the churches don't always believe it's best for them. We can appear mean and stingy compared to the missionaries who came before us.
This issue has really been hit home for us the last few weeks, because the Seminary is struggling financially due to lack of support from the Baptist Convention (due to their own lack of funds because the local churches are all so poor there's nothing to give to the Convention!) The Seminary has had to get stricter about students paying their fees--before, students were allowed to attend even if they hadn't paid. No longer! And the students are scrambling to raise funds. Most didn't believe the Seminary was serious, so they arrived on campus without school fees and were shocked to be denied access to their dorm rooms! It was so painful to watch them struggle to raise funds, worry about where the money would come from, knowing that we could easily pay many of their fees and never notice the money was missing. I had only 5 students out of 20 on the first day of class. But slowly they trickled in, and by the 5th day, all 20 students had raised enough of the fees to be admitted back! God provided for them in many and unusual ways, but it was done without us or the mission bailing them out. The lessons learned in that far outweighed the discomfort it gave us to see them struggling, and it far outweighed the discomfort they felt in struggling (whether they believe that or not!).
The issue is far from over, since the second installment of fees is due next week (and many still do not have those fees) and it will continue to be a struggle for the mission and for local believers alike. But I wanted to give you a little picture of some of what we face in fostering healthy dependency on God and preventing unhealthy dependency on Westerners. Please pray that God will continue to show Himself to be Jehovah Jirah--God who Provides. And also that God would break down the spirit of entitlement that makes some students feel they shouldn't have to work to get money for fees, that God should provide them with a 'sponsor' to take care of all costs since they are going to be serving God. And pray for us to wisely discern when we should help and when we should avoid helping to do the most good and least harm, despite our good intentions.
Only what we didn't realize is that, instead, we were creating dependency of the local churches on our resources. Think of the stereotyped "welfare mentality" and multiply it by 100. We created the motto, "In the missionaries we trust" because whenever there was a need, we met it. No one had to pray to God or trust in His provisions--they just had to ask the missionary or the volunteer team! Churches didn't reach their neighbors because that's what the missionaries did. They didn't plant new churches, because they couldn't afford to build them a new building and put a roof on it like the missionaries had done for them. They didn't hold training seminars for church leaders because they couldn't pay for everyone's transportation costs like the missionaries always did. We saw stagnant church growth and a lack of local buy-in because we had made it seem that abundant resources were a necessary part of starting anything new.
We're now trying to slowly fix that problem, to show that communities can raise money on their own, that when God is trusted to provide, God does provide through unique and amazing ways. But in order to teach them that, we have to avoid being the answer to every problem. And that's not easy to do. We're Americans, and Americans like to solve problems, especially when the solution is easily within our means. It's ultimate tough-love, and the churches don't always believe it's best for them. We can appear mean and stingy compared to the missionaries who came before us.
This issue has really been hit home for us the last few weeks, because the Seminary is struggling financially due to lack of support from the Baptist Convention (due to their own lack of funds because the local churches are all so poor there's nothing to give to the Convention!) The Seminary has had to get stricter about students paying their fees--before, students were allowed to attend even if they hadn't paid. No longer! And the students are scrambling to raise funds. Most didn't believe the Seminary was serious, so they arrived on campus without school fees and were shocked to be denied access to their dorm rooms! It was so painful to watch them struggle to raise funds, worry about where the money would come from, knowing that we could easily pay many of their fees and never notice the money was missing. I had only 5 students out of 20 on the first day of class. But slowly they trickled in, and by the 5th day, all 20 students had raised enough of the fees to be admitted back! God provided for them in many and unusual ways, but it was done without us or the mission bailing them out. The lessons learned in that far outweighed the discomfort it gave us to see them struggling, and it far outweighed the discomfort they felt in struggling (whether they believe that or not!).
The issue is far from over, since the second installment of fees is due next week (and many still do not have those fees) and it will continue to be a struggle for the mission and for local believers alike. But I wanted to give you a little picture of some of what we face in fostering healthy dependency on God and preventing unhealthy dependency on Westerners. Please pray that God will continue to show Himself to be Jehovah Jirah--God who Provides. And also that God would break down the spirit of entitlement that makes some students feel they shouldn't have to work to get money for fees, that God should provide them with a 'sponsor' to take care of all costs since they are going to be serving God. And pray for us to wisely discern when we should help and when we should avoid helping to do the most good and least harm, despite our good intentions.
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