MISSIONS IN THE THIRD MILLENIUM: 21 KEY TRENDS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY[1]

Theology is meaningless without missions for the very subject of theo-logy is a missionary God.

Here is a summary of an interplay between the Missionary God and the Ministry of Missions.

Guthrie's book is written to describe the major trends about missions and to prescribe effective Christian witnesses among non-Western ministers (xx). The scope of the book is theological but practical; precise but not lofty; wide but not comprehensive. Guthrie’s goal is “to examine current trends that will have continuing significance well into the next century in the light of biblical principles” (xxi). Controversial concerns will be addressed, but it will be for the advancement of the truth. Hence, going back to the Book serves his basic instruction before leaving for missions.

Missions is primarily God’s initiative. It is done both in the presence and authority of Christ as stated in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18b-20). Despite the church’s temptation to be silent, missions, by God’s grace, has always succeeded in overcoming almost all of the known hurdles placed before it. Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ means overcoming all hostilities and indifferences. “The fruit of the worldwide evangelistic task,” Guthrie says, “is unmistakably impressive. A third of the world’s people call themselves Christians. Christianity, in all its forms, has become the world’s most global faith. Followers of Jesus Christ are present in every country. Countless lives have been transformed by the risen and reigning Christ, especially in the 21^st century”(xvii).

In terms of growth conversion, evangelical Christianity is the world’s fastest growing major religion. This is evident within Muslim countries, Latin America, Europe, china, former Soviet Union, and Africa. However, there are still 1,595 “unreached people groups” globally and “viable Christian witness” is not available to 4,000 people groups (xix). While there’s a drastic growth of global evangelism, an estimated 1.556 Billion people never heard the Gospel. Coupled with the present population explosion, the completion of the Great Commission is far from over (xx).

THE HOME ARENA

1) New Paradigms for Churches and Agencies

There are many ways of doing missions—as well as many wrong ways. Local churches today are more creative in mobilizing for missions through “short term trips by members” cross culturally. This “can-do spirit” provides training, filed experience, assistance, and cheaper budget in doing missions. While there is a risk of committing the longtime mistakes of veteran mission agencies, this is—to some extent—advantageous to the local churches. The fortitude of like-mindedness, financial control, personnel check up, and cheaper costs of missions ministry is in view. There are churches, however, who work with mission agencies, requiring high demands of financial accountability, integrity, and transparency on the agencies part (3-5).

The weakness, however, of the local churches sending missionaries is the risk involved when the church changed it focus in the ministry. But the strength is clear: there is no long time fund raising; the support is above minimum; there is personal contact with supporters; and the church mission is in line with the church vision and strategy. And for this trend to move forward, Guthrie suggests that mutual respect between churches and agencies must exist, as well as trust and appreciation. The church can be more creative and learn to avoid the excess of missionaries (6-8).

2) Supporting National Workers

This missions trend is designed in helping “nationals” for cheaper costs in ministry expenses, travel, pension plan, insurance, missionary kids’ schooling, and financial aid. It is favorable to the local and culturally attuned mission workers as Western churches supports indigenous church planting ministries, theological training, local leadership, evangelism, and the like. However, there is a risk of lack of world vision and global awareness with this trend on the local’s part. Agencies’ reputation will be questioned and there will be lack of initiative on the local churches’ part to depend on the sending agency. Support may become a source of living for the missioner and no life commitment and personal involvement among senders. Hence, cross-cultural western missionaries are still needed; the more missionaries, the better. Technical know-how are needed, not just money. The Western missionaries can be partners, but less as leaders (10-16).

3) Missionary Malaise

Money is the “most daunting” hurdle to overseas missions. The problems of under-supported missioners, unmet goal in fund raising, and decline of mission support from local churches and denominations, people and individuals investing on stock rather than on missions, and consumerism that breeds materialism are all related to the missionary malaise. In fact, money and materialism are the main sources of missions depression. While there is a fair advantage to short term missions, there are obvious problems that may arise. Senders may become indifferent to the missioners and ministers. Among local ministers, misperceptions may creep in as they will think of America as their focus of destiny. The foreign mission field suffers. The temptation to think of one’s self-centeredness and the obsession with family matters will force any sender or minister to shrink, instead of grow. Often, because of family concerns, the missioner is hindered to explore the mission field. Why should the missioner deprive his family of the rich and experience of doing the will of God in the mission field? Guthrie prescribes—just like William Carey—the refocusing on the vision of God is a must, not just personal needs. When God is at the center, he suggests, lifestyle, prayers, and methods will change. Any missionaries and sending churches must go back to the Scripture, especially on the book of Acts, to see the emphasis of missions to the end of the world (25-28).

4) Missionary Care

Of course, doing missions does not mean negligence to the family. There are many questions that as been asked before concerning the welfare of the missioner’s family. Dealing with missions drop-outs and quitting for good were longtime concerns already. There is more sending, but less keeping and longevity in mission field. It has been studied that the reasons of those who went out from missions were preventable. Since there is no care provided for missionaries, losses were inevitable. Hence, one trend in missions today is dedicated to cater to the needs of the missionary’s family. Missionary services are offered to assist the needs of the family; it includes educational, psychological, emotional, medical care for members, as well as pension and retirement plans. There is missionary kid care. There is also counseling to enhance the missioners’ effectiveness in their Christian witness. While effectivity carries with it an awareness of vulnerability, weaknesses, and struggles, the missionary is also provided with crisis consultation to handle or negotiate with critical troubles. Some of the drawbacks of this missions trend are the costly expenses involved. It is certainly a healthy and productive ministry; but it is also subject to abuse. There is a tendency to focus more on the family concerns as well as dependence upon the counselor or agency’ ability to respond to the need (29-35).

5) Theological Drift

Several trends have been the driving force to missions. One of these is “theological drift.” There were great missionaries motivated by hell, rather than God. Souls dying to hell became a consuming and extreme passion to give the Gospel to the people. To this, other liberals reacted; they offered another extreme view. Salvation is a possibility for all, according to these universalists. Post-modern theology supports the annihilation view for the un-evangelized and the possibility of salvation through other world religions. This theological drift is prevalent among the future leaders of churches and missions. Feeling of compassion overshadowed the authority of the Scriptures. Compromising with non-Christian religion and pluralism became a popular manifestation of theological drift in practice. Missions have been bombarded with questions, like the exclusive claim of Christ as the sole savior of the world and the traditional view of hell. Explicit Bible claims were questioned because the exclusivism of Christianity has been the source of bigotry and violence from other world religions. But what should be the overall motivating factor in doing missions? Instead with the obsession of hell—never mind the universalists’ claim for there is no hell anyway—the glory of God should be the missions’ sole motivating factor for future missions. Missions exist because there is failure in Christian worship. Missions’ ultimate response must be the worship of one God who alone is sovereign. Theological drift, according to Guthrie, is a major missionary malaise (37-42).

6) Women in Missions

Missions was a male-dominated field and yet women have been the backbone of missions for long—as well as Christian ministries. Today, redefinition of women’s role—and thanks to the Feminist movement—is a common trend in Christian missions. The feminists movement created better working status for women; financially, they have better wages now and there is less discrimination; there are more opportunities to work and more day care, as well as—in negative effect—more divorce and promiscuity. However, in missions, Christian women today have better access to exercise their spiritual gifts and talents. They can respond to God’s call freely even in the midst of a male dominated mission field. In fact, more women are needed in missions. More often, they have better standards and more open to the people groups. Guthrie agrees that women in the ministry are supported by the Scriptures. There are many views, of course, on the issue of women in leadership, acoording to him. But he said, the trend of women in missions will go on because missions attests to the effectiveness of women in all missionary endeavor. Because there is more freedom for women today in mission work, many women are gaining prominence in mission agencies and movements. While there are many women seeking more traditional roles in missions, Guthrie suggests that balance of leadership role in missions is a necessity (45-53).

THE STRATEGIC ARENA

7) The 10/40 Window

Luis and Doris Bush of AD2000 and Beyond Movement popularized the phenomena of 10/40 Window (an imaginary rectangular border between 10 and 40 degrees longitude covering 62 countries of Southern Europe, Africa, and Asia with a population of approximately 3.1B people). 10/40 Window is home to the great non-Christian world religions—Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. 82% of the poorest in the world exist in this vast area. And 10/40 Window movement contributed to global movement of prayer, mission strategies, mission-sending, and international participation among Christians in the world. Guthrie notices, however, the mystical meaning applied to 10/40 window. It is considered by its proponents and millions of adherents as a “Satanic stronghold”—which created violent reactions from those religions inside. Reactions were also expressed among nominal Christians in Europe who were perceived to be re-evangelized. Moreover, there is less focus on missions outside the 10/40 and this “shallow thinking” created a negligence of outside countries other than 10/40 area. Hence, Guthrie warns. This 10/40 movement has the tendency to demean the ministries of other Christians “inside” the 10/40 area, Christians who were there longer than the adherents of 10/40 movement. Not only that, there is a natural reaction when other world religions are branded as “demonic.” Non-Christian extremists resorted to violence affecting the missionaries who were there in that area already. Caution is required also in using the Filipinos to send them in hostile countries to keep Westerners and other non-Filipino from dangerous mission field. In fact, Guthrie responded that 10/40 is not an accurate idea. Christians ought to do missions unto the end of the world, not just 10/40 Window. Re-evangelism of nominal Christian is also a serious accusation that must be reconsidered (57-63).

8) Year 2000 Evangelism Plans

This trend is about global evangelism through shortwave broadcasting by 2000 AD. The original plan was in 1985. Included herein is the CCC project Jesus film, Joshua Project, and AD2000 Movement with the dictum “a church for every people, the Gospel for every person.” The target date to complete the goal was the end of 2000. It was, indeed, a trend and euphoria subject to evaluation. Was the goal completed? It’s far from over. It was not the first attempt but in fact “an old dream.” Between the late 19^th ca and early 20^th ca, John R. Mott dreamed of evangelizing their present generation globally. The dream remained a dream. In 1974 at Lausanne, Ralph Winter articulated another dream (followed up in Lausanne II in Manila 1989), and the deadline? Year 2000. The dream never came into reality. Guthrie believes, instead of making human deadline for globalized evangelism in 2000, the said date must be used as a springboard to outreach for the new millennium. Missions is not an enterprise. Timeframe in missions is God’s concern, not Christians’ (63-68). So far, the attempt was noble and brave. Bible translations were available to 80% of the world’s language (There are 2,233 translations from over 6,800 languages in the world). It is estimated that another century and a half is needed to complete Bible translation of all languages. Another problem though is the literacy rate of 2Billion people who cannot read even in their own language. On the other hand, Christian radio ministry was not able to meet their goal also for people are selective in choosing programs especially in places with poor radio wave reception. The goal of 3M churches planted only reached 1M by 2000. Despite the 2.6B viewers of Jesus film in 547 languages, it tends to “dehumanize” the gospel because of lack of human element in presenting the Good News (68-70).

In Guthrie’s assessment, negative and positive aspects are all needed. Technology and media are means to effective Christian witness. More people have opportunities to hear the Gospel, but multi-media cannot replace the human touch of missionaries living in the mission field with the people groups. There should be caution also in making human deadline in global evangelism. Because of unmet goal, Y2000 movements toned down after the due date (70-73).

9) Prayer as Warfare

The world is evidently showing a massive interest in occultic practices and beliefs. This widespread interest in demons created a Christian movement that basically utilizes prayer to oppose it. Hence, this missions trend—as popularized by Ed Silvoso, C.P. Wagner, Charles Kraft, Carlos Annacondia—deals with demonic powers through prayer movements like prayer march, walks, and vigils. Included herein are deliverance ministries of exorcism, healings, etc. There is one extreme, however, that resulted to this emphasis: obsession with the devil rather than God. The tendency to use prayer directed to the devil and bind territorial spirits at the expense of God can be unhealthy. There is a campaign of spiritual mapping that helps Christians to pray in breaking down strongholds. Primarily, the 10/40 Window is seen as a demonic stronghold of the Queen of heavens to be broken (74-76). The key element to this missions movement is “the idea of territorial spirits, or fallen angels that hold sway over cities, regions, and countries and control people’s spiritual receptiveness to the gospel. Their approach is to identify such ‘strongholds’ and come against them in the name of Christ. Once these demons are removed or neutralized, the theory goes, people will be more open to spiritual truth” (76-77). Guthrie analyzed this trend. It is experience-oriented approach, but there seems to be magical, animist, and pagan elements in its belief system concerning territorial (or tribal) spirits and man’s relation to the world and nature. While Western missions is known for its anti-supernatural tendencies, as Kraft argued, there is also an exclusion of spiritual warfare in missions. Consequently, there is less transformation in the ministry of the West. “Implicit” concerns from the Bible are a necessity for Kraft to recover in missions. However, Guthrie maintains that there should be differentiation between demonic and human-caused activities. It seems that overemphasis on prayer shows that God cannot work without specific concerns from his people. Christian concepts that need re-evaluation are total depravity, extra-biblical experience, and spiritual warfare. Balance between prayer with human ministries and prayer against demonic powers must be clarified (77-83).

10) The Short-Term Missions Explosions

Is this a quest for quick results? While there was small attention given to language and cultural learning, there were questions on the short term results of short term missions. To others, STM is a project oriented trend focusing on building church infrastructures, teaching in schools, leadership training in collaboration with local churches. Operation Mobilization and YWAM were trendsetters of STM and widens the definition of being a “missionary.” STM created broad involvement of career, lay and young people in missions, not just for the elite few. Several concerns, however, arise. The problem of “amateurization”, lack of follow up and cultural-identification, culture shock, decline of financial assistance to long-term agencies, disruption to missionaries and nationals’ ministries, estrangement of locals, costly travel (and shopping spree!) are among the concerns of STM. On the other side, STM provided mass exposure and high giving and prayers from STMers, ethnic awareness that sparks commitment, vision for missions, partnership with missionaries, inspire career missions, as well as expansion of one’s view of God, culture, hardship, faith, and maturity. It is advisable that STM will take 6-18 months tour of duty (85-91).

11) Partnership

Breaking the lone-ranger mentality takes two or more organizations, churches, nationals or movements for one purpose, like care for the poor, children, homeless, refugees, troubled youths, etc. Partnership between Westerners and nationals are making a trend in missions. One reason is money; it’s cheaper. Strategic merging can see several categories for partnership. It can be shared-information, shared-task, shared, leadership, or shared goal. Global mapping also provide strategic cross-cultural evangelism and missions. Some of the pitfalls, however, is the unlikely possibility of lacking doctrinal distinctions, organization, and objectives. There can be no equal task of leadership between Westerners and non-Westerners, and no equal financial distribution. When nationals were given foreign theological training by their partners, the luxury of the west keeps them from coming back to their respective places (93-99).

12) Contextualization

Paul exemplified Christian contextualization (Acts 17:16-19,22-34; 1 Cor 9:20-23). This tried and true approach of finding point of contacts from other people’s context to verbally or non-verbally communicate the Gospel is the trademark of contemporary missions. The diversity of cultures, language, worldviews, religious systems and practices makes contextualization a unique and effective method. “For the cross-cultural contextualizer,” Guthrie says, “witness involves a thorough understanding of one’s own culture, the biblical context in which God’s word was given, and the culture of those one is evangelizing. The message must be tailored or contextualized in such a way as to remain faithful to the biblical text while understandable in an relevant to the receptor’s context” (104). Thus, anthropological value is held as churches try to adjust herself as culturally relevant community. The converts are not “de-culturized;” their conversion becomes more meaningful as their oral traditions, ethnic music, and cultural identity is retained (102-05). While syncretism (unbiblical mixing of true religion with false) is a present risk, it can be avoided by identifying what are the essentials and non-negotiable elements of Christian faith and to discard falsehood. Guthrie was concerned, though, on the arguments of Christians becoming a Muslim because it is dishonesty of identity both to Muslim communities and Christian churches. Islam is basically anti-Christian religion which denies the Bible, the Trinity and Christ’s atoning death. It is unlike Judaism that prepared the coming of Christ the Messiah. Hence, becoming a Muslim is not analogous to becoming a Gentile as it is not necessary to become pagan to reach the pagan. Such dual faithfulness cannot be possible. One has to be faithful to the Qu’ran or the Bible (108-09). From these arguments, contextualization is sometimes unnecessary, at least in Guthrie’s point of view. Contextalizers must rely upon the Holy Spirit (110).

13) Missions as Process vs. Missions as Project

Missions keep on reinventing its strategies as it learns new trends of doing and fulfilling its task. Two major trends arise: Missions as process (traditional churches, agencies, and training institutions) and Missions as project (new outreach of mobilizing missions to unreached people groups). The paradigm shift is clear—long term missions gives way to short term missions. What should be learned from these trends? Both sides must learn from each other. Project mission must remember that there process missions have 2000 years of experience already. Project ministers must consider language and cultural learning, and must learn the danger of superficialities and novice ministries. Openness and vulnerability are also marks of effectiveness. While hands-on experience is good, long term missions must not be discarded. Process missions must learn from project missions also since there are varieties of approach to missions. Flexibility is required (112-16).

14) Tentmaking

Doing ministry while working on secular job is the hallmark of this missions trend. It is increasingly becoming popular and self sufficient as modeled from Paul’s approach (Acts 18:3). Tentmakers have quick entry to restricted areas hostile to traditional missions, not to mention that tiresome fund-raising and agencies are also bypassed. But studies show, tentmaking created double identity among its practitioners. There is lack of cross-cultural training and the inability to balance work and ministry endangers the original objective. Obviously, there is less time for church planting. But there are new progress going on. Tentmaking learn to be more organized and more strategic. There is growing interest in tentmaking among Filipino contract workers (2000 evangelical tentmakers were trained in year 2000). Some prefer to use “kingdom professionals” because tentmaking connotes financial strategy. Professionals wanted to utilize their career and gifts for God, not just for money. Concerns were expressed, however. There is an increase of tentmakers, but there’s decline in long term missions. Tentmaking is quite effective in planting churches and equipping leaders, but more on serving and witness. Hence, it is a supplemental—not entry—strategy; it is a lifestyle (117-22).

15) Holism

Holism deals with an old dilemma: Good works or preaching? Community services or social activity? Indeed, social services made in Christ’s name are a different matter to the community. The temptation of conspiracy of silence is content with doing good works without a message. For Guthrie, having soup kitchens, humanitarian relief, and worthwhile activities on civil rights are means to an end. The extreme of segregating evangelism at the expense of social ministry (or vice versa) is unhealthy. Defining “ministry” must be expanded. It is hard to preach while the people’s stomach is empty. But there were times Jesus refused to give bread because of the people’s different motives. Social acts are missions task and was exemplified by Christ. He preached to the poor, gave freedom to the captive, and healed the physical and spiritual needs of the people (Luke 4:18-19). His was a “holistic” ministry. Holism means ministering to the needs of the whole person. The dichotomy between spiritual and physical is not adhered; both are one (123-26).

Some examples of holistic ministry are socio-economic program that helps people to be financially capable. Christian transformation of worldview helps fight poverty. This health and income generating programs encourages the church to understand the needs of the local community and their members’ needs. The proclamation and demonstration of God’s kingdom goes together. According to Guthrie, this new missions paradigm will not go away in future. The emphasis on the “community and national transformation” is always in view and the quality-of-life of the community will become a measuring indicator for the church’s effectiveness. Caution may be given to the negligence of evangelism, preaching, and church planting, and watering down the gospel. Employment of non-evangelical staff is a risk and conspiracy of silence can be avoided by prioritizing spiritual ministry above all else (126-29).

THE OVERSEAS CHURCH ARENA

16) The Globalization of Christianity

“The globalization of the gospel has been remarkable in the 20^th century, particularly in the later half”(133). By 2000, 1/3 of 6B people were Christians (at least by name). Christians are present nearly in every state and nations mainly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The rise of Third world missions was significant (134). Guthrie surveyed the biblical history of globalization of faith. It was first promised to Abraham in Gen 12:3, a command in Psa 96:3 and Isa 49:6. In the NT, Jesus commanded that globalization in Matt 24:14; 28:19; Acts 1:8; and Rev 7:4. Historically, there was uneven growth of Christianity for 2 centuries. In AD 313, Constantine gave the edict of Milan legalizing Christianity in the Roman Empire. Widespread Christian population explosion was aided by monks and bishops spreading the gospel to Ireland, Britain, Ethiopia, India and Central Africa. During the Muslim invasion of the holy lands, N. Africa, Asia Minor, Persia, recovery of these territories was defeating. Crusaders took little victory in reclaiming these areas and planted the perpetual hatred and distrust between Christians and Muslims. Nestorian Christianity spread across Belgium, Germany, and Netherlands with the Reformation centered upon Germany. Dominicans and Franciscans spread Christianity in Central Asia and China, while the Jesuits to South America.

Protestants reached India and Moravians went to missions (135-36). The epoch making of missions was in 1792 with William Carey, the father of modern missions. 1800s is deemed “great century of missions” aided by English colonization to India, China, and Africa. Selfless zeal of missionaries became a hallmark of missionaries. But globalization of faith made a significant move after World War 2 when soldiers went to missions. “Their efforts, and the works of the churches and agencies they planted, laid the foundation for making Christianity the truly global faith it is today”(136). Included in that mission force were the responsible and committed senders. Now, there is a decline among Western missionaries sent and the rise of Indian, African, and Korean missionaries, indicating that Westerners are not the only ones who can do missions (136-38).

17) The Charismatic Boom

Known for their Spirit-filled worship, singing, shouting, speaking in tongues, slaying in the Spirit, signs and wonders, spontaneous services, and surging growth in number, Charismatic movement is supernatural. 2/3 of 60M Latin American evangelicals are Pentecostals and Charismatic (139). Annually, Pentecostals grow 8.1% which is 50% higher than evangelical growth. By 2000 AD, there are approximately 523M Charismatic. Hence, world missions cannot ignore the significant contribution of Charismatic on global missions and evangelism. There are several views concerning their origin: 1) way back to the book of Acts; 2) Jan 1, 1901 in Topeka, Kansas through Agnes Ozman; 3) 1906-09 in Azuza Street, LA; or 4) 1896 at the schoolhouse in Murphy, N. Carolina. Nonetheless, charismatic movement is presently permeating almost all major branch Christianity of which the biggest population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. By AD2000, the largest churches are charismatic, the Yoido Full Gospel Church with 25,000 cells groups and 255,000 worshipers, while the International Charismatic Mission in Bogota, Colombia have 24,000 cells and 45,000 worshipers (140-41).

Charismatic are known for their power witness and apostolic capacity to perform mighty deeds. Tongue speaking is the manifestation of the Spirit’s baptism that they might bear witness globally; it is not just for personal gratification. They focus on felt needs—e.g. farming, health care, jobless, alcoholics, education, etc. They seek alleviation of the economically poor; they are known as the “religion of the poor” because they are appealing and not glorifying poverty; their faith tends to change quality of living. They encourage hard work, women leadership, social concerns, and reconciliation of ethnics. The problem, though, according to Guthrie, is that socioeconomic development were hindered by Pentecostalism in Latin America due to their sacred/secular dichotomy, rejecting reason in favor of emotions, and over emphasis of call for foreign missions. There is elevation of strong leader to a demi-god status, and risk of superstition and syncretistic animism. Neglect of theological training for Spirit-led ministry is prevalent and there is an unhealthy interest in demons and obsession with end-times (141-45).

18) The Maturing of International Missionary Movements

The curse of nominalism—empty claims without message—created an “inch deep” Christian spirituality. It is superficial growth in quantity without depth in quality. The need is proper discipleship that will lead to transformed lives, impacting the community. Making wholistic disciples is not cheap conversion, but commitment that will shape cultures and nations towards the completion of the Great Commission. Today, missions trend matures. Some of the marks are the ability to accept honest criticisms on the Westerner’s part and sense of responsibility over mistakes of entrepreneurial ministries, bigotry, indifference, reliance on statistics, and obsession with success. They also listen to the voices of the nationals and learned to recruit wisely by analyzing the weakness of unmarried and young missionaries for ancient people groups, ill-equipped groundbreakers, and ill-suited long termers. There are about 2M pastors in Asia, Africa, South Pacific, Latin America, and Caribbean, but only 5% have formal training; there are only 100 programs of higher theological education in these areas. Training of poor pastors have become priority, though some of the nationals preferred to stay in the West after their foreign education and those who came back, sometimes, cannot identify with the poor anymore; there is a change of lifestyle with indulgence. Even so, non-western awareness for global missions has taken place (146-53).

THE GLOBAL ARENA

19) Global Culture

Globalization is here to stay with its obsession on growth and free-market. It is the overarching system and shaper of political and international relations. It’s more than business per se. The “consumer-driven revolution”, freedom of speech, human rights, and materialism promotes selfish interests and lack of love. Modernization tends to neglect tradition and roots 157-59). Missions, however, have to face the phenomena of modernization. One world and one Western secular culture has contributed, in one way or another, to materialism, the destruction of environment, and crumbling of morality. There is advantage to the flow of money, multi-media, transportation, communication and global information as technology can be a means towards an end of effective witness. But modernity—as the “ultimate fundamentalism”—is also dogmatic, superficial and exclusivist, tolerating nothing but itself. The US secular system is impersonal, shallow, and materialistic. Professionalization, Managerial missions, and institutionalization are reflections of secularism in missions. Instead of surfing with the global culture current, some are drowned. Postmodernism’s peril—the rejection of absolute truth, cultural relativism, pessimism, and disillusionment with materialism—is a challenge to Great Commission Christians. “Christianity without truth is mere wishful thinking”(163). There is an opportunity for missions, however, to meet the spiritual void left by postmodernism through creative ministries and radical discipleship (164).

20) Radical Reactions

Modernity sparked angry reactions. Since Christianity is identified with modernity, it is blamed for the breakdown of family system, morality, and rise of pornography. Non-Christian extremists, due to the collapse of their ideologies, became hostile to missionaries and violent to Christians and some tortured, raped, and killed Christians. The response of Christians was direct witness to Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews (170-76). Conversion is growing among them as Christian witnesses applied the power of prayer, spiritual encounter, contextualization, and the acknowledgement of territorial spirits (167-70).

21) Persecution and Liberty

There was a growing global movement of praying for the persecuted Christians. The result of which is the international interference from USA and International Freedom Act (1998) under Clinton administration (178-81). Though some questioned dependence upon the state, persecuted Christians benefited from it because Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world (182). There were speculations of 165,000 Christian martyrs but no explicit evidence was made. 1.9M African Christians died, but it cannot be classified as martyrdom for they fought as combatants. Globally, Christians were persecuted because they themselves were unconcerned with the community (182-84). And yet, most persecutions are not marks of defeat, but of triumph due to growth and power of prayer. The church expanded in hostile countries. An estimated 8-80M (or 90M) house-church movement is in China (187). Millions of Christians carried the cross towards the pathway of glory, even if it means death, for after all, death produces life (John 12:24).

Conclusion

What’s Next? “At the beginning of the 21^st century,” Guthrie concludes, “certainty has been replaced with uncertainty. Can Christ’s Great Commission still be accomplished? And, if so, when?”(192. He prescribes that the year 2000 ought to be the new “launch point” for missions, not an end. It means more work, more prayers, and more generations of missionaries. Christianity ought to be aware and discerning about the millennium minefields embedded in Internet, modern technology, post modern worldview, and postmodern theology (194-95).

Hence, strategic issues on Western financial assistance in missions and the avoidance of their mistakes can be cultivated. One thing that the local churches and mission agencies cannot do away: they ought to have continues and mutual cooperation in fulfilling the task of the Great Commission. Both are needed; apart from the other, the work is crippled. Entering into the new millennium of missions requires a return to the proper use of authority of the Scriptures, focus on the essentials of faith—not on modus operandi and superficial campaign. The key to the completion of the Great Commission is the power of the Holy Spirit. And Christian’s obedient faith will contribute much.

There is danger in pessimistic apocalypticism, and yet Christians can be biblically eschatological in their perspective (195-98). Missions is not wishful thinking. It is God’s idea—an idea fulfilled by the Son of God, but prepared through the hands of Christians. Trends may come and go, yet God’s plan prevails. It is because, missions is in the heart of God, the author and “perfecter” of missions.

Book Review: Stan Guthrie, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends in the 21^st Century (Waynesboro, CA: Paternoster Press, 2000).