 |
| 12 year old Jesus with the teachers |
Have you received a letter by post
or email this season with a photo of an African child in need of
sponsorship? Yet, when you look at the
state of Christianity in America do you feel like we need to do something at
home? Then when you read the news from
Africa does something just not add up?
You are not alone in your hesitancy
and concerns.
 |
| Dambisa Moyo |
A couple of weeks ago, John Uwimana,
a Rwanda Presidential Scholar in a master’s degree program at DePaul University
and I attended a lecture by Dambisa Moyo at the University of Chicago. If you have not read Dambisa’s writing (Dead
Aid; How the West was Lost; and Winner Take All), and the
above questions resonate, you should.
She’s one of the sharpest economic thinkers in the world. She has well documented how the Aid industry
is actually doing more harm than good in Africa. After her lecture she fielded
questions. She discussed a
conversation with Rwanda’s President Kagame in which he told her the greatest
pitfall of Aid as we know it is that it strips the recipient of their
dignity. She then told us she would
write letters of complaint to the nonprofit organizations that send her fund
raising letters with photos of poor African children. She pointed out a principle Jesus repeatedly
stated. We should treat others the way
we want to be treated. If photos of poor
American children were being distributed around the world many of us in America
would write letters of complaint.
Africa should be treated with the same dignity.
 |
| March, 1993 - The last time until now we were USA residents |
It’s been 20 years since our family
has put down roots in the United States.
Many things have changed.
One
thing we are reading and observing is that the evangelical church is losing
influence (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/opinion/sunday/the-decline-of-evangelical-america.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.)
The American church needs a
reboot. I think the American church
needs a new generation of missionaries in her midst. My thoughts have been influenced by old
missionaries.
They defined
missionaries
as those sent by the Holy Spirit to make disciples and develop churches. The definition goes beyond nation, race, and
sending mechanism.
A friend of mine in
Chicago, Emmanuel Tahear with Service in Missions is praying for a new revival
in America.
He thinks it will likely
come from the influence of immigrants to North America. He has a point. America’s historic revivals were frequently
led by first and second generation immigrants (I.e. George Whitefield, and
Thomas and Alexander Campbell.)
Currently, immigrant churches are growing.
Currently, international students are
strengthening the American academic landscape.
Also their presence adds vitality to American churches. A couple of the churches that are now
starting to make very significant inroads in America’s major cities are led by
the children of immigrants.
 |
| Rwanda Presidential Scholar at Milsaps College, Fabio Pie Ntagwabira |
Every culture needs missionaries to
come from the outside with a new found entrepreneurial impulse triggered by the
Holy Spirit. Without these newcomers
who master culture and then find a new possibility our faith becomes both
stagnate to our spirits and irrelevant to our culture.
This Christmas season I ask that
you do something practical that will build both the church in North America and
the church abroad.
If you are near a university meet
some international students. Have them
over for dinner. Ask them some
questions. Listen. Invite them to church. Encourage them to use their spiritual gifts
in your local church. Your church will rediscover
old disciplines like hospitality, vibrant worship, and practical Bible teaching
when these missionaries are in your midst.
Next, consider writing a check to
support a good missionary abroad.
There are many. In fact, I know
many in many different organizations and in many different nations.
 |
| ROC Missionaries - Jamie Boiles, Hixsons, Jenkins, Lindens, and Shrecks |
Yet, God has given me four missionary
families who are my colleagues – Jamie Boiles, Bryan and Holly Hixson, Rusty
and Onawa Linden, and Brett and Kelli Shreck with ROC (Rwanda Outreach and
Community) Partners. Of the many
missionaries I know these are the ones I know best. God’s done the remarkable through them.
 |
| Clarisse Irabagiza |
Just lay the ROC missionaries labor
next to the words of Jesus.
He told His disciples to focus on
the receptive (Matthew 10.) They’ve gone
to a place God is moving, joined God’s activity in Rwanda, and the ministry has
gone boom. Who else do you know who’ve
taken a local church from an idea to 350 to 400 in attendance among a nation’s
thought leaders in such a short time?
Who else has been able to start and get an international school
accredited in such a short time? Who
else has found so many scholarships, taught so many classes and seminars,
equipped so many, and participated in so much national dialogue?
Second, Jesus taught to treat
others as we want to be treated. That
means those we minister with are friends.
They are not photo opportunities, contacts, nor marketing tools. Look at the Facebook photos of ROC
missionaries. They don’t market themselves
as saviors. They tell the stories of
Jesus as the savior of humanity. Yes,
on occasion ROC missionaries do help individuals in desperate situations. Those of you in healthy churches in America
do the same thing. ROC missionaries
simply embrace the teaching of Jesus.
Children belong in families.
All humanity deserves dignity.
When one is in a difficult situation God’s people respond in ways where
joy and hope triumph. Their photos are
stories of God’s triumph and even come with silly laughter.
Third, Jesus’ mission was preceded
by two historical events. One was the
Jews who returned form Babylonian exile as builders. Two, was the Roman Empire which created
peace, shared language, transportation infra-structure, and economic
markets. Jesus’ followers were at times
persecuted, but overall the systems were in place that allowed the Gospel to
quickly spread and put down roots. Our
American predecessors did the same thing.
They built churches, schools, roads, railroads, and businesses on the
American frontier. After the Second World
War they ushered America into a new found place of prosperity and
influence. The best African minds will
point out that the best missionaries in Africa do the same things. My
friend, Andrew Mwenda summarizes this institutional initiative needed for
Africa with the words, “Leaders make things happen. Institutions make them last.” ROC
missionaries are part of this tradition.
They not only care for individuals with the love of Christ, they address
foundational issues that build prosperity.
They preach old Gospel messages of adoption. They teach sound ethics. They strengthen Rwanda’s business
climate. They build schools. They help others build educational systems.
Thus I request that this Christmas
season you give a little extra to a missionary. First, give some extra care to the missionaries
God has brought to the United States.
Second, give a little extra donation to the missionaries God has called
to leave the United States. Both are
building the dignity of man and making lasting changes for generations.
Many compare the journey of church planters to birth (Galatians 1:15; 4:19; Titus 1:4.) We concur. Before a birth happens there is a season of preparation. The physical body stretches. At times it is painful. Preparation for birth is all consuming. Not only does the body change; but finances are adjusted, doctors are visited, rooms are prepared, and a community waits in anticipation. We are in birth preparation again. 
