World renowned missiologist Dr. Ralph D. Winter shared 12 past mistakes made by Western mission agencies that Asian missiologists should avoid when he spoke Friday at the Asian Society of Missiology conference in Bangkok.
Winter, the founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission and named by Time magazine as one of America’s top 25 evangelicals, was giving the closing speech at the first-ever ASM international conference.
In his address, the American missiologist acknowledged that the list of 12 mistakes is “merely” to his “best understanding” and Asian missiologists would have the final say on their validity. Winter hopes, however, that Asian mission leaders learn from what Western agencies did wrong and avoid the same pitfalls.
Winter’s first criticism was that Western missions are starting Bible schools rather than universities. Winter gave examples of successful past mission leaders and movements which were notable for the number of universities they established. Yet later when evangelicals who never went to college did missions they built Bible schools, Bible Institutes or theological schools that “replaced” or “ignored” the university tradition.
“In the last 50 years, the majority of American mission agencies have not founded a single university,” Winter emphasized.
The mission expert pointed out that in the last 100 years in the United States 157 Bible Institutes eventually converted to colleges and universities after 60-70 years. He also pointed out national leaders who are the product of Western mission agencies recognized the “great influence of the university pattern” and have themselves founded over 40 universities in the last 40 years.
“Why is it that missionaries have not realized that Bible Schools, no matter how high the quality of instruction and curricula, simply do not represent the global mainstream of the university pattern?” questioned Winter.
Furthermore, 90 percent of the money spent on maintaining about 4,000 Bible institutes and seminaries around the world is focused on “untried youth” looking for a place to stay, food, and perhaps English, rather than the “real leaders” in the churches.
“Often their students have already failed to get into several other schools. Meanwhile, the gifted leaders of many growing church movements cannot get help from these schools,” Winter noted.
The U.S. missiologist said he disapproves of church movements that restrict their choice of pastors to people selected by schools not congregations and noted the movements are not growing or in decline.
Another mistake is that some congregations are bypassing mission agencies when sending church members as missionaries. Winter criticizes this practice because churches lack the insights of missiology and the vast experience of mission agencies.
“It may be true that some mission agencies are more experienced and wiser than others, but to my knowledge there is no example of a local congregation bypassing mission agencies with any great success,” he stated.
Other similar criticisms fell upon congregations which send every family in its church overseas for a two-week project. Winter called it a “marvelous idea” to educate people about foreign lands, but “incredibly expensive” and “very questionable” in its contribution to the cause of missions.
The phenomenon of short-term mission was also another mistake that Winter said Asian missions should avoid. Nearly 2 million short-termers leave the United States each year compared to 35,000 long-term missionaries. It costs at least five time more overall to send a short-timer than a long-term missionary – financial support that Winter suggested would be better invested in a long-term missionary.
He resisted, however, from calling short-term mission a bad thing, but rather urged balance.
Missiologists are also confronted with the thorny issue of science. Winter argues that science is not an enemy but helps Christians recognize God more fully.
“Every missionary must take with him to the mission field both a microscope and a telescope if we are to properly glorify God,” Winter advised. “Even more important is the need to take to the field a true reverence for the glory of God in Creation.”
In order to help bring educated people to Christ, the church should be aware and integrate discovery in nature into its worship and not lead young people “astray” by “superficial” theories that the world is only 6,000 years old.
Comments
pastorchuck,
Well said my brother, well said!
Hi zeodaddy,
Thanks for your response. I think that if you had been more specific in your concern for:
I am mainly referring to Word-Faith, Pentecostal, and Charismatic Bible Colleges. With these, they tend to learn to memorize scripture and preach, but rarely understand what they are actually teaching.
Then your point would have been clearer... and in all reality I may have not responded at all.
We experience the same problem here where pupils go for “course”, which is in reality a few weeks or months course and then they get a “certificate” and suddenly think they are a pastor. The Bible College cannot ordain a pastor, the church does that anyways. But, I do agree that the training is crucial and we believe the Bible College, however big or small, should teach the full counsel of God and this minimally will take 4 years. This is the type of Bible College we offer here, although we do offer 2 & 3 year certificate program so encourage people.
The qualification of the teacher is crucial in Bibel College, even more so than in secular school. Because we are dealing with peoples hearts and minds, not just their minds. So, I agree whole heartily with your statement that ” The quality of the education is far more important then the quickness of the education. Too many people want to immediately jumpstart their ministries.”
We always say they “the need does not constitute the call” so surely a missionary or leader needs to be called by God first before he/she can serve.
I agree that we are responsible for training before we enter into ministering from a pulpit, but on the other hand any new believer can share their testimony and that may help to convert a person. However feeble their education or knowledge of the Bible is, people see their hearts and love for God and that can be very impact.
Let’s continue to pray for leaders who will continue to be trained and taught.
My offense was mostly to Ralph Winters statement about having to establish universities and down playing the crucial imprtance of Bible Colleges. In our ministry (www.ggwo.org), we have over 1000 student in our nearly 150 churches that have Bible College which are based on and affiliation with Maryland Bible College and Seminary (www.mbcs.edu) and it is a real blessing by association. We have used this philosophy of having local Bible Colleges (or institutes as some cal them) associated and within the local church and this has helped us to establish churches in 19 African Countries and we are forever greatefull to God for that.
Lets labor together to train local leaders and reach the world with Gospel of grace.
Pastor Chuck
www.teamheidenreich.org
‘Hi zeodaddy,’
How are you doing pastorchuck?
‘then what is wrong wiht an American Seminary teaching the same classes in the third world?’
Nothing is wrong with that at all. Southwestern Baptist Seminary is known for their programs to bring third-world pastors over to America to be taught in Seminary.
‘Or should we have these leaders wait until I can rasie money to build them a fancy building with dorms?’
Not at all Pastor. The quality of the education is far more important then the quickness of the education. Too many people want to immediately jumpstart their ministries.
‘I don't discredit the fact of having proper teaching, but please don't assume so quickly that every Bible College in Africa or the htird world does not have theology and doctrinal teaching.’
I am mainly referring to Word-Faith, Pentecostal, and Charismatic Bible Colleges. With these, they tend to learn to memorize scripture and preach, but rarely understand what they are actually teaching.
‘I don;t hink the Apostle Paul had a fancy building’
What we need to remember is that the Apostle Paul was well educated. Hebrew children began their studies at the age of 13 until they became an adult. Their education was the Old Testament. They knew it backward and forward. This goes along with the other Apostles as well. We also need to remember that Jesus taught these men Himself. They knew him directly. Christ Himself chose each of them specifically and personally.
These men studied 6-15 years before they began their ministry on their own (except for John – there are always exceptions). I think this is an important lesson for many Christians. The euphoric feeling that new Christians get can impede their learning instead of helping their learning. Just because someone wants to preach, does not mean they were called to preach. The day we accept Christ is not the day we need to start preaching, that is the day we need to begin learning and growing in Christ. If we run half-cocked into the world without knowing, what we know and why we know it… that person has a better chance of being destroyed by the world.
Hi zeodaddy, then what is wrong wiht an American Seminary teaching the same classes in the third world? Or should we have these leaders wait until I can rasie money to build them a fancy building with dorms? I don't discredit the fact of having proper teaching, but please don't assume so quickly that every Bible College in Africa or the htird world does not have theology and doctrinal teaching. It isj ust the georaphy, culture, and climate are different. I don;t hink the Apostle Paul had a fancy building.... Lets train inhte Word, plant churches, and reach the lost! AMen.
Bible schools generally have an agenda when it comes to 'teaching' about scripture. Universities on the other hand (when it comes to seminaries) teach the pupil theology, scholarship, exegesis, hermeneutics, Greek and Hebrew, Systematic studies etc. This allows the student to not only learn scripture, but to be able to properly put the scripture in the correct context. Along with all of the above, the pupils generally learn the history behind scripture and they also get a regular dose of the early church practices and principles... these things are rarely taught in a 'bible college'...
WOW. I am sure i have made enough of my own mistakes on the mission field, but to down play the importance of local Bible schools is amazing. Can someone come here to Ghana and tell my nearly 30 students form 6 different churches that their 4 year Bible college they are in is not effective! Lets meet people they are at; in the zungo (Muslim neighborhood), village, or city and lets train them to take over our jobs as missionaries! Pastor Chuck, Takoradi, Ghana
“World renowned missiologist Dr. Ralph D. Winter shared 12 past mistakes made by Western mission agencies that Asian missiologists should avoid…”
Only twelve? Then I submit that there are at least thirteen. The thirteenth mistake is to send missionaries into the field who teach contrary to the Word of God.
You can lose your salvation.
You can’t lose your salvation.
You are sealed until the day of redemption, provided your works indicate you were saved in the first place.
If you lose your salvation, you can repent and be saved a second time.
If you lose your salvation, you can never be saved again.
You must speak in tongues, indicating that you have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
God decides who is redeemed and who is damned by His divine pleasure.
You have to be repent and be water baptized to be saved.
You don’t have to be water baptized as it is an outward sign of an inward change.
You can only be saved through the church that has direct lineage to the original apostles.
The lineage of the original church was broken; you have to be saved through the lineage of the modern prophet, Joseph Smith.
This is just a sample of the teachings of the “Western Missionaries of the Christian Religion!” Apparently the “MISSIOLOGISTS” don’t think this is of any concern to God. The fact is, missiologists and their missionaries are of their father, the devil. They won’t take as stand for THE FAITH and have substituted man’s religion in its place.
BOC560
'The Mistake of Starting Bible Schools, Not Universities '
Wow... someone who finally gets it. This article was a welcomed read and exposes the many problems with not only the mission field, but the Americanized church in general... time to take off these rosy colored glasses we have on.
'Winter argues that science is not an enemy but helps Christians recognize God more fully.'
Hear Hear!!
'“Every missionary must take with him to the mission field both a microscope and a telescope if we are to properly glorify God,” Winter advised. “Even more important is the need to take to the field a true reverence for the glory of God in Creation.”'
I am speechless.
'In order to help bring educated people to Christ, the church should be aware and integrate discovery in nature into its worship and not lead young people “astray” by “superficial” theories that the world is only 6,000 years old.'
AMEN! Finally... someone who says it like it is... AMEN!