One of
the debates in contemporary missions is about definitions.
What is a missionary? A few of my colleagues use the criteria of a
being a
“faith mission” as part of the definition.
These
friends of mine define missionary to
be one who raises his personal support through prayer; and networking with
family, friends, and churches. The definition
almost makes sense until one opens
Acts 18, and finds Paul without financial
support making tents in Corinth. Does
Paul take a missionary break then? Acts
says clearly no. He keeps preaching,
making disciples, and developing churches.
I’m
convinced being a missionary is about the function that a missionary provides to
the body of Christ. A missionary is one
sent from his earthly home by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of making
disciples and developing churches.
Yet,
sometimes both economics and local sending church dynamics make this missionary
task difficult for one to make a living.
In
Uganda I traded cars and puppies for cash.
In
Rwanda, I lectured at
Kigali Institute
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| A batch of our puppies. Thank you Lord |
of Science and Technology
(KIST) to first get a visa.
I also was paid
a
retainer some years by Hendrix College to facilitate the Rwanda Presidential
Scholars.
In all nations I’ve been a
missionary I’ve volunteered with many different organizations just to be salt
and light.
(A few assumed I was paid as
they saw my joy, but it was just pure missionary fun.)
Each
month that passes in the USA convinces me more and more of America’s need for
missionaries. Yet, each month our
steady support drops. I’ve been looking
for work.
A
friend called me about a month ago, and suggested I blog about the journey. It has been a great learning curve and
ethical wrestling match. I was worried
if people in the USA knew I was looking for extra work our family’s support
would further decline. My friend felt
just the opposite. I’ve learned to
trust friends’ judgment. Here’s the job
hunting journey:
The
first friends to offer their counsel when they heard that one of our key partners
was unable to continue to support us as missionaries were employees of the
American government. They knew that God
had blessed us with friendships among many diverse leaders in East Africa. They also knew that the Lord had given us
greater insight into Africa’s Great Lake’s region than most who share our skin
color. They suggested we apply for
employment with the American government analyzing dynamics in Africa. They pointed us in an application direction. I took a look and wrestled for two
weeks. A few weeks before the suggestion a Munyrawanda woman adviser told me there was a rumor already I had such a job. I think the Lord led her to prepare me for the discussion. I cannot judge my friends who do
such labor. They keep me and others
safe. Yet, the jobs would require for
me to betray pastoral confidences.
Also, it would require living in a world of shadows. My call is to bring light. At best I only have five to six decades of
life remaining on this earth. My
primary loyalty is to an eternal kingdom.
To pursue this job option was not an ethical option for my missionary
call.
Many
consider me to be a
skilled preacher.
Churches where I have preached have
grown. At times my preaching has created tension,
but time has shown those tense moments were usually ones where the prophetic
nature of preaching confronted sin.
My
heritage is in a cappella Churches of Christ.
A few Churches of Christ in Chicago were in transition. I applied for jobs as an interim
preacher. No one called. All sent gracious letters saying they found
another.
I don’t know the reason that
no one called.
However,
God gave us an
opportunity in Rwanda to fully embrace my heritage’s Restoration ideals. Like those who went before me this came with
a cost. I am rarely called to preach in
a cappella Churches of Christ, but always thankful for an opportunity to serve
my spiritual extended family.
I
became aware of
part-time pastoral jobs with mega-churches in Chicago. I put in some applications and was surprised
at how rapidly I got into the interview process. Then the process just disappeared. In some ways it was a bit puzzling.
Yet, I was
thankful to hear that the
positions were largely filled with volunteers.
The body of Christ had mature servants.
Yet,
another adviser told me something I suspected.
At 46 I’m too old to start in a mega-church
system. The rule of thumb is to only
hire those 35 and under to start in the system.
Other friends knew that I usually
spent an evening or two per week visiting friends and family from churches I shepherded in hospitals. Many times
our simple prayers for healing were heard. Also, sometimes we would be able to
listen to East Africa's bzee (elder statesmen) as they reflected on the substance of their lives. I heard stories from those who started churches and schools, thrived in refugee living, blessed farms and businesses, doctored the sick, and even were alumni with historical figures from Revival leaders to Post-colonial political leaders.
The wisdom shared in those hospital visits was immense.
Could I make a living as a hospital chaplain in the United States? I sent off a few resumes to hospitals and hospices where a friend knew someone.
I had a few enjoyable interviews. Yet I was not "certified as a chaplain in the State of Illinois." I would have to go back to school, spend a year or so, and go through a chunk of change while still providing for a family.
It did not seem prudent to pursue a hospital chaplain job as a living.
The
Lord was very kind with our media involvement in Africa. Our radio show on Monitor FM (now KFM) in
Uganda was well rated. The column I
wrote for The Rwanda Focus was well read. A few suggested that I
seek employment in the
media.
I found a
Christian radio
station in Chicago that needed an employee.
I read their Statement of Faith.
I don’t share their core beliefs.
To apply for the job would be deceptive. I knew of a few other media houses in
Chicago.
In Africa I’d stop by their
office, meet an editor, have coffee, and see what happens. When I’ve stopped by I can’t even get
through the door.
I can’t find any way
to start the dialogue.
The rumor’s I’ve
heard are consistent.
With the internet
most media houses revenue is down and few are hiring. Also, “you need to know someone.” Those that know me live in East Africa.
I’ve
lectured at various universities for years.
My student reviews have always been
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| 2012 KIST graduation with Ntabgoba Jovani |
excellent. It seemed pertinent to apply for lecturing
jobs.
I had pleasant conversations, but
the
smaller Christian colleges were having financial difficulties and not
hiring.
The
Christian colleges that were
doing well were hiring, but required a Ph.D.
I noticed most of those on their faculty did not have as much ministry
experience as me, but
I only have a master’s degree. I applied anyway, but was not hired.
I found several
community colleges that were
looking for lecturers in
areas such as ethics, religion, diversity, humanities,
and philosophy that would only require a master’s degree. I have applied, but so far not received any
interest. A friend at one community
college told me,
“You won’t get a call unless someone you know is on staff and
recommends you.” He’s trying to move
things along, but I have not been called.
However, 21 months ago, Roni Mugaki (a Kenyan youth pastor and friend studying at Moody
Bible Institute) had an idea. What if
some of us Diaspora tried to do a church plant just targeting ordinary
unchurched people in Chicago? I thought
he was nuts. Then I’ve started reading,
listening, and walking through Chicago neighborhoods. Somewhere between 60 and 90% of Chicago is
unchurched (depending on neighborhood, survey method, etc…) As many as 50 churches close per year in the
Chicago area. Somewhere in the years
between 2040 and 2050 the United States will no longer have a majority of
Caucasians. Ethnic based churches are
losing 80% of their youth. Anglo
churches are also losing 80% of their youth.
Yet, I can quickly find a small but growing number of churches that are
rapidly growing in the USA. The winning
combination beyond the call of the Holy Spirit seems to be working with second
generation immigrants to reach multi-generational and multi-cultural. In a way it is just a recycle of some of the
dynamics that led to the First and Second Great Awakening. Maybe, Roni is not nuts? Maybe this is a good idea to gather a core
of African Diaspora and do a multi-cultural church plant?
I
decided to bounce Roni’s idea off of a couple church planting organizations in
the Chicago area.
They’ve responded,
“Can
you give us an application?”
Hmm? Before I left Rwanda some friends told me
that they thought we would church plant in America. They thought that was what God had created
us to be. Also, they thought our
thought process and pragmatic living would take us to church planting. The last thing I wanted to do was church
plant. Yet, it now is what I see when I
close my eyes and dream. This seems
like a call.
I’m
cautious to church plant alone. Even if
a church planting organization offers some financial resources this would
require fund discovery. Yet, America
needs missionaries. Our exploration of
tent making has taken us back to church planting.
Can you
join us in prayer and support?
We have several missionary disciplines. One is to send out a prayer bulletin each
month. Another is to walk and pray. As we do this we try to meet a few
people. In that process we hope to
listen well to God and humanity. In fact, many times God speaks in our quiet
time most clearly through the advice of new friends and the observations of our
first surroundings.
