(e)mergent Voyageurs

This past weekend I represented our local YWAM ministry at a large missions event called MissionFest Manitoba. Missions Fest happens at many other location across Canada (and now the US), with the largest being in Vancouver, with 200 missions agencies and more than 33,000 visitors. The Vancouver event page states the following:

Let me begin by saying, having been involved in these events across Canada over several years, I think that these are important and impactful events to bring desperately needed awareness and opportunity to a vast number of Christians who would otherwise be largely unaware. Through events like this, people have discovered their callings, needed support is provided, reallignment to the missional core of our faith happens- and so many other excellent outcomes. We should be thankful that something like these events happen.

For those who have never experienced it, missions agencies, both local and global, set up displays to present their mission and the opportunities to be involved. Throughout the weekend event, keynote speakers with different emphasis share their own stories and challenges, including speakers/events for children and young adults. Workshops are also made available to those who are interested. The environment resembles a trade show.

Event like these require a great deal of funding. Local churches make annual contributions, special events are held to raise funds and individual donations are also received. However, a fair portion of the funds come from the “rental fees” paid by the missions organizations for their booth space. The reality is that if they charged an admission fee to visitors, significantly fewer people would show up. It is a challenging event to run successfully. Again reiterating my affirmation of these events, I do have some serious concerns about how they are currently being done.

First, when the percentage of church funds given to missions is still unforgivably low, requiring the agencies to pay for the “privilege” of seeking Christians willing to pray for, support or join their mission seem unexcusable to me. This inevitably takes time, money and people away from the missional cause they are there to represent. Certainly this is a challenge worth overcoming.

Also, by framing the missional call in the context of a market setting has potentially counter-productive results. While most of the agencies share a very amiable relationship with each other at these events, inevitably there is a competitive element in promoting their own “product”, strengthened by desire to get their “moneys worth” for the costs involved in participating (i.e. rental fee, travel expenses, hotels, etc.). Further, presenting missions as marketplace of opportunities where the options are presented in their flashiest best can undermine the sacrificial nature of a calling that is not optional for Christians. This says nothing of how the choice of speakers and topics is driven by donors or popular theological “comfort zones”.

With its missional emphasis, the emerging church presents some potential of re-imagining a new approach to missions mobilization. However, with its strong emphasis on being missional communities being locally active (which I highly affirm), combined with a distaste or lack of resonance with traditional evangelical missions, I have not seen enough active interest and involvement in global missions. These events needs those of us in the emerging church conversation to volunteer on the board for such events, as volunteers, exhibitors, speakers, etc.

In the end, what I truly hope to start seeing is an emerging global missiology- missional missions, if you will. Interestingly, as noted by Ryan Bolg in his post “Missionaries Get The Emerging Church”, I think we will find some of greatest praxis-centered theologians and missiologist amoung those serving as missionaries around the world. As I continue to try and re-imagine what this might look like, I ask you to add your thoughts here too.

Missions Emerging Church Missions Fest

In a book by noted Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, there was a picture published on Hitler, in the midst of a heated and animated speech.  Beneath the photo was the caption:

Few of us, on reading such a quote, would argue with its dark prognostication.  Obviously, much of Europe was set ablaze in the path of Hitler’s pursuit of an empire.  However, it might surprise you that these words were not spoken to describe Hitler, but rather spoken by Hitler himself about then Prime Minister of Great Britian, Sir Winston Churchill.  Suddenly, the quote is cast in an entirely new light.

Whether it is an actual increase of conflict or simply my awareness of it, I have been struck by the increasing intensity of the emerging church conversation.  As many have described it as the end of the theological cold war, with the first shots fired from either side.  While this might be a tad dramatic of an interpretation, we cannot ignore the impact that this kind of discourse can have.

I know that, whether it was on this site or in the comment section of other, I have been guilty of this myself.  Whether it was out of righteous indignation, personal offense or combative wit, I know that I have often forgotten that dialogue, discussion and debate, be it about eschatology or sexuality, cannot be seperated from the real people involved.  If anyone was either on the receiving end or even an observer of this kind of conduct, I ask for your forgiveness, wanting you to know that I genuinely desire to walkin greater integrity in this regards.

I am not suggesting that we cannot or should not have strong convictions, beliefs or over-reactions.  Neither am I advocating a watered down, politically correct “kindness” or tolerance.  Rather, I am asking that all of us consider that we are One Body, One Church, therefore, unless we are willing to denounce the salvation of a brother or sister, we must treat each other with the respect and honour due to a Creation made in the image of God.  So, as we engage in the exciting, but dangerous journey of faith together, let us not forget this deep truth:

emerging church