"Ye Shall Receive Power"

Lamenting Spiritual Naïveté in Mission

Welcome to “Global Witness, Globally Reimagined.” You get a glimpse here of the kind of work that I do both at Church Mission Society and Missio Africanus where I help students of all levels (from unaccredited courses to PhD) explore the theological (and missiological) implications of the rise of World Christianity. In the newsletter, I focus on the subject of global witness in the context of the twenty-first century. Every Thursday, I share a thought that has spoken to me in the week, one or two resources that I trust will be helpful to you, and three exciting quotes about mission to give you something to think about as you go through your day. I pray one of these will energise you.

---

1. Thought I Can’t Shake Off

---

One of my American professors blew me away when he once said to me, “There is no power that is not spiritual power.” I did not understand the full force of this statement till much later. When I went back to him a few days later for an elaboration, he did not remember having said it at all. Yet, fifteen years after that conversation, I still wonder what he really meant.

As Africans, my people understand there to be myriads upon myriads of spirits in the cosmos and that these spirits are infinitely more powerful than humans. [The Spirit of God, for them, is only one of the many—thus, it is never lonely—but it is unique because it is holy, and therein lies its power]. They do not doubt at all that spiritual power is real. As a matter of fact, they will go as far as saying spiritual power is the real power. Without spiritual power, there is no power at all, and therefore, the only victory that matters happens when they have defeated spiritual powers (and principalities). Paul makes sense here when he says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). To do this well, we not only need inward spiritual disciplines like meditation, we must also engage in outward communal habits like prayer, fasting, fellowship, and other spiritual practices and rituals.

Yes, Christ won the victory for us, but there are spiritual forces that constantly seek to bring us down. Indeed, all power belongs to him: “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18). Yet, he later told his disciples in Acts 1, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This means we need the power of the Spirit to bear witness for Christ, but there is no power that we have that is not given to us. It is all delegated authority and we will account for it. Yes, the Spirit cannot be controlled, and can be disruptive at times, but without its power, we cannot really do anything of spiritual value. What power do you have and how are you using it?

---

2. Resources I am Enjoying

---

Video: Dr Terry Casiño: Diaspora Missiology

In this 2017 lecture, (delivered at Laidlaw College in New Zealand), Terry Casiño explores some issues surrounding diaspora missiology. He takes some time to explain his preference for the term “diaspora” in diaspora missiology to “migration.” He considers migration a facilitator of the diaspora phenomenon and, therefore, though not having the same meaning, are complementary. Casiño then opens up several missional conversations, including multicultural mission, transformational relationships, mission to and among diasporas, and other related matters. This is certainly one conversation with perspectives that can enhance our understanding of diasporas, how to engage with them, and how they are also instrumental in fulfilling God’s grand mission.

---

3. Quotes I am Pondering

---

• Understandably, for any meaningful cross-cultural ministry initiative, both sides have to deal with their cultural biases. They have to realise that the need for working together as Christ’s people is a call of God. — Johnson Ambrose Afrane-Twum.

• We are called to ‘make disciples of all nations’ (Matt. 28:19); with immigration, the nations show up on our doorstep. — Jenny Hwang Yang

• Mission is a holistic process that invites an incarnational lifestyle for those engaged with it. — S. Hun Kim.

I pray that you will be faithful in whatever God calls you to do this week.