Mission in World in Conflict
What If God Does Not Take Our Side?
Welcome to “Global Witness, Globally Reimagined,” where we dream about mission in a postcolonial world. Every Thursday, I share one thought that has spoken to me in the week, some resources I trust will be helpful to you, and three exciting quotes about mission. I pray one of these will energise you in the coming week.
1. Thought I Can’t Shake Off
When the war erupted in Ukraine, there was a great (but short-lived) urgency among mission agencies to get together to pray for the country. I helped organise some of those prayers here in the UK, and they were, at the beginning, very well attended. In addition to safety for all Ukrainians, there was also a strong desire to keep the work of mission running with minimal disruption and a hope that God could perform a miracle to bring the war to an end. Watching the same mission agencies’ reaction or non-reaction to the crisis unfolding in the Middle East in the past three weeks has been quite telling. I have not seen any call to prayer since 7 October. Many mission agencies have nothing to say. Others have to be careful because of their workers located in the Middle East. But, as a friend in Glasgow told me, many are secretly happy God is showing strength against the enemy. It is this third group that has concerned me over the weeks. For many of them, the end of all things is not possible without conflict like this. Their (warlike) God of the Old Testament (who is in control of all history) has come back to finish some business. The book of Joshua is the pretext — “our milk and honey will not be shared.”
This thinking is characteristic of mission that is wedded to empires. Their empire’s enemies become their enemies too and, by extension, God’s enemies as well. God, in this narrative, takes sides — and they are happy God is on their side. 20th-century mission history is clear on the involvement of Christians and missionaries in both the First World War and the Second World War. In those wars and many other conflicts, God suffers in conflicts like this, especially with those who are innocent. We have a prophetic duty to be the people of peace. We need to pray for both sides, even when we feel we have a side. Jesus is the good news of peace, especially at a time like this. This is one of the many reasons that mission and imperialism ought not to work together.
2. Resources I am Enjoying
Video: Lloyd Chinn, A Testimony of the African Diaspora
As a bonus to the Mission in Black History, listen to Lloyd Chinn, the global director (Africa) for WorldVenture, in this video resource, talk about people of African descent and how they are partnering with God in God’s mission in the world. Chinn shares various stories of African missionaries engaging in tremendous missionary work around the globe. In fact, he begins by spotlighting a few black people in the Bible and how they were instrumental in expanding the reach of the Gospel. Chinn also explores some key black missionaries in classic and recent mission history, rehashing in the process, how the evangelisation of many parts of Africa had happened through the hands of black people. Finally, Chinn aspires for a better interracial partnership in mission as well as collaboration within racial groups, as with African Americans and Africans, for a more fruitful mission.
3. Quotes I am Pondering
Missio Dei elevates mission from the level of human activities, rightly showing mission as being participation in something that God is already doing. — Johnson Afrane-Twum
To build up the Body of Christ everywhere requires building up human relations, seeing humanity as one family under God who is the source of the life of the human family. Mercy Amba Oduyoye
Christianity is truly an African religion and Africans should be made to feel so. Christian doctrines should be expressed in terms that Africans can understand, where such has not been the case . . . Let Christianity truly find its home in Africa by adopting local hymnology, using native language, idiom and concepts to express the unchanging faith. — Byang Henry Kato
I pray that you will be faithful to the mission God has for you this week.