"Sink" Yourself for God overseas? "Staying Power" ?

"Are we becoming short of missionary perseverance today? By all means let us acknowledge the value of short-term missionary assignments and see the divine purpose in many of them. But where are those who are ready to `sink' themselves for God overseas? Under the Lord's direction, let us look full in the face at such problems as missionary children's education and changing missionary strategy; but if men are to be won, believers truly nourished, and churches encouraged into the fullness of life in Christ, a great deal of `missionary staying power' of the right sort is going to be needed."

(Europe's Moravians. Colin Grant. Perspectives 4th edition, 2009, Ralph Winter, William Carey Library. pg293)

Becoming a Missionary Doesn't Make One a Hero -Just Obedient?

" A.C. Thompson, one of the main 19th century recorders of the early history of the Moravian missions, wrote:

• `So fully is the duty of evangelizing the heathen lodged in current thought that the fact of anyone entering personally upon that work never creates surprise...It is not regarded as a thing that calls for widespread heralding, as if something marvelous or even unusual were in hand.'

...Rev, Ignatius Latrobe, a former secretary of the Moravian missions in the United Kingdom during the 19th century, wrote:

• `We think it is a great mistake when, after their appointment, missionaries are held up to public notice and admiration and much praise is bestowed upon their devotedness to their Lord, presenting them to the congregations as martyrs and confessors before they have even entered upon their labours, We rather advise them quietly to set out, recommended to the fervent prayers of the congregation....'

No Clamor, no platform heroics, no publicity, but rather an ardent, unostentatious desire to make Christ known wherever his name had not been named."

(Europe's Moravians. Colin Grant. Perspectives 4th edition, 2009, Ralph Winter, William Carey Library. pg292

Mission is Trully "WORLD" Mission!

"Every human being who has a physical or spiritual need is a valid mission field for those who desire to incarnate the love of Jesus regardless of were they live."

(The State of the Gospel. Jason Mandryk. Perspectives 4thed 2009, Ralph D. Winter, William Carey Library, pg 366)

Which country has the most efficient missionary-sending church?

"One might guess Korea (16,000), the Philippines or Norway...But the surprising fact is that Mongolia tops the list as the most efficient missionary sending country. One out of every 222 Mongolian believers serves with a mission organization. In fact, of the entire global Protestant community, the most efficient missionary-sending countries are not wealthy ones....If Mongolia can send one missionary for every 222 believers, other countries are without excuse."

("The state of the Gospel" Jason Mandryk, 2006 speech -Perspectives, 4th ed 2009 Winter, William Carey Library, pg 365)

Hudson Taylor's Missionary Training Method!

"My Beloved parents neither discouraged nor encouraged my desire to engage in missionary work. They advised me, with such convictions, to use all the means in my power to develop the resources of body, mind, heart, and soul, and to wait prayerfully on God..... I Began to take more exercise in the open air to strengthen my physique. My feather bed I had taken away, and sought to dispense with as many other home comforts as I could in order to prepare myself for rougher lines of life. I began also to do what Christian work was in my power, in the way of tract distribution, Sunday-school teaching, and visiting the poor and sick, as opportunity afforded."

(The Call to Service in "Retrospect" Hudson Taylor 1865, Perspectives, R.D Winter. pg320, 2009, 4th Ed. William Carey Library.)

Enough Mission to Do At Home! Why Bother with other nations?

"That there are thousands in our own land as far from God as possible, I readily grant, and that this ought to excite us to ten-fold diligence to our work, and in attempts to spread divine knowledge amongst them is certain fact; but that it ought supersede all attempts to spread the Gospel in foreign parts seems to want proof."

(William Carey, 1792. An Enquiry Into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens. Perspectives,Ralph Winter, 4th edition 2009, William Cary Library pg314)

Mission Helps "Disentangle the Irrelevant" ?

“One keen observer is convinced that 100 million middle-class Hindus await the opportunity to become Christians – but There are no churches for them to join which respect their dietary habits and customs. Is the kingdom of God meat and drink? To go to the special efforts required by E-2 and E-3 evangelism is not to let down the standards and make the gospel easy- it is to disentangle the irrelevant elements and to make the gospel clear. Perhaps everyone is not able to do this special kind of work.”

(The New Macedonia. Ralph D. Winter. Perspectives, 4th edition, 2009, William Carey library pg 356)

Mission Aiding Peoples to Play Their Unique Instrument

I personally have come to believe that unity does not have to require uniformity…healthy diversity in human society and in the Christian world Church. I see the world Church as the gathering together of a great symphony orchestra where we don’t make every new person coming play a violin in order to fit in with the rest. We invite the people to come in to play their won instruments, and in this way there will issue forth a heavenly sound that will grow in the splendour and glory of God as each new instrument is added.

(The New Macedonia. Ralph D. Winter. Perspectives, 4th edition, 2009, William Carey library pg 357)

God is NOT Colorblind. But He is Very Colorful!

"A shift in the epicenter for world mission occurred around 2005. The 3rd world, our mission fields, are now the majority voice in world mission, and the majority voice in world kingdom affairs for the church. The church of Jesus Christ has expanded so globally that ethnocentric westerners, for the first time, must sit down and listen to other nations, and watch what unfolds as our God is glorified, and the Kingdom is expanded, from the roots of other nations, languages, and peoples.

For example. The Unity movement seeking to promote dialogue between all three lines of Restoration Movement tradition (Non-instrument, Disciples, and Christian churches - see World Convention.org) reminds us that all three share a common heritage around the content of "The Declaration and Address". It is still our vision for a united body under Christ. Certainly, there are differences.

However, interestingly, this movement is now reflecting the colorful global reality. The current president of World Convention, B. J. Mpofu, is a native of Zimbabwe Africa. The majority voice of the restoration movement is now rising from the nations, other peoples, languages and ethnic groups of the globe. Exciting times! I praise God for his colorful work!

We should be humbled as we see God raising up a new wave of global "Passion", surprising as it may be to some, among other peoples and languages of the earth. We for too long have though that we are in control of God's purposes of uniting a people in worship of his glory. God is moving on to the nations with us, and is some cases without us. Find Him there, and join him please!
I relish the international flavor of our movement. It's good to see Africa and Asia at OUR Table, only to realize it is now predominantly their table.

Is God Colorblind? God is not colorblind, but He is colorful. He craves the unique worship that only each unique tribe, language, people and culture can give him. God loves, desires, relishes in, and actively seeks out, the colorful variety of worship from the diverse nations. So the next time you see youth "Popppin"worship with some new form of christian music, or some Asian native in colorful dress swaying or dancing as he worships, or some Africans playing drums very enthusiastically in worship, just remember this; maybe "I don't like that", but who cares! Let's both be quite. You and I are not the measure of all things. God is colorful, and He desires to receive the unique kind of worship that only each generation, culture, language, tribe or ethnic group can bring, only they can bring it, to HIM. To God be the Glory!"

(Quote from Writings of A... R... West Africa.)

"Western Christianity? Nothing Western About Christ Anymore!

"It is heartening to see the Majority World missions enthusiastically embracing the Great Commission. Korean churches were among the first to pioneer among the peoples along the old Silk road (They wish to follow it back reaching all unreached peoples and back into Europe). Churches in China have long pursued a vision of doing their part in completing the task if world evangelization in accord with the `Back to Jerusalem' movement, focused on the remaining unreached people groups in Asia and the Middle East. Nigerian mission movements have pledged to meet the Chinese in Jerusalem as they evangelize across Islamic North Africa and the Middle East. Latin Americans are major players in Evangelizing the peoples of North Africa."

(“New Pioneers Leading the Way”, Yvonne Wood Honeycutt. Perspectives On the World Christian Movement. Editors Ralph D. Winter & Stephen Hawthorne. William Carey Library 2009, pg 281)