Byrnesys Blabberings

After some very insightful words regarding missions and finance from Jamie earlier this week, I thought Id try and pick up on some topics he mentioned and hear what he has to say.

Thanks again to Jamie for contributing to this, if you don’t already subscribe to his blog at http://missional.blog.com I certainly recommend it.

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Jamie, You said in one of your answers: "Missionaries are often on the front edge of theological and missiological thinking and practice, growing out of the necessity of their work.  Many Christian donors, on the other hand, often engage theology in a more theoretical context, affording them the luxury of idealism" I thought this was a very interesting idea, do you think that there is a way to overcome this, or is it an inevitability and what areas of missiology/mission/theology do you find the difference between this theoretical vs. practical most apparent?

First, I need to say that this is a generalization.  There are many Christian donors who are actively (or formerly) engaged in missional service and do understand the challenges.  However, we have seen this as a general trend, especially with cross-cultural contexts.  Over coming this comes with a more personal connection between donor and missionary, mobilization of donors into missional service themselves, intentional conversation between contexts, etc.  Short-term missions, done responsibly, can be very helpful in this regard, as donors can participate first hand with the realities, even if just briefly.
On some levels, it is inevitable, as our culture does not (generally) encourage more engagement.  While I am a strong advocate for missionary support, for many it becomes a form of missional indulgences- paying others in exchange for not having to fulfill their own missional responsibility.  To see this change will require a significant shift in the culture- which is possible, but will take time.

You used the term "missional Indulgences" in relation to the practice of motivating giving by guilt, In your Opinion how should missionaries look to raise money whilst steering clear of this manipulative practice?

Ideally, missionaries should build relational networks of support.  Relationship should be primary.  I am hesitant about some fund raising techniques that can be really effective, but define the exchange between donor and missionary as transactional.  I am not a fund raising expert and wonder if my ideals are part of the reason we struggle with this.  While we have very limited financial support (and suffering), I am pleased that those who do support us do so out of genuine relationship and mutual trust.

You mentioned that a major reason for financial difficulties in missions is the consumerist mentality of the Western Church. How do you envisage a shift in this thinking? Do you think a theological shift would encourage this, for example I know you have ties in the Anabaptist church which has historically been very strong on the World/Kingdom distinction?

In his new book "The New Conspirators" Tom Sine lays out a call to lifestyles of radical community and inter-dependence that would not only empower us for genuine relationship and missional engagement, but would free up significant time and resources that would otherwise be spent on high expense of individualism and consumeristic desires. I think this change would take a theological shift, but more of an ecclesiological shift.

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Thanks again Jamie, please feel free to leave your thoughts and responses in the comments below.