Top 12 Mistakes Mission Agencies Should Avoid

Comments

• tpique1

  Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:50 pm : 0 : 0 Flag

  Didn't Jesus and the Apostles go to Bible School? No, wait, I must be thinking of someone else.
  
  Jesus and the Apostles were taught directly by the Holy spirit and not by men. That's right, I get the two confused sometimes...

• zenodaddy

  Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:59 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  pastorchuck,
  
  Well said my brother, well said!

• pastorchuck

  Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:53 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  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

• zenodaddy

  Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:22 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  ‘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.

• pastorchuck

  Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:39 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  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.

• zenodaddy

  Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:32 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  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'...

• pastorchuck

  Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:27 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  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

• BOC560

  Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:44 pm : 0 : 3 Flag

  “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

• zenodaddy

  Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:45 am : 1 : 0 Flag

  '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.

• zenodaddy

  Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:42 am : 0 : 0 Flag

  '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!

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