Several years ago, a friend shared an interesting story with me about a community development organization in his area, an area with a great deal of poverty and unemployment, but also an area where many people of means choose as a place to retire. The newcomers saw the needs in the community and organized a program to meet them, but in setting up their board they did not invite any long term local residents as directors. They feared that these indigenous people really did not know what was needed to respond to local needs. Of course, my friend noted, who knew the issues better than those who were forced to live with them each day of their lives? In missions and ministry, Christians have often adopted a paternalistic mindset characterized by a belief that those of us who are the “professionals” and have been doing this longer know what the uninitiated or immature believers need. Fortunately, many mission and ministry strategists are starting to see the ...
Comments from a Christ-follower on things that matter to him