LOWER MAINLAND ETHNIC MINISTRIES
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ARTICLES #1...
Equipping the Whole Person: A Plea for Cooperation
Equipping the Whole Person: A Plea
for Cooperation
Jonathan Lewis
Around the world, much of what goes under the heading of
"training" misses
the mark. Business and industry spend millions on training and re-training
university graduates who have "studied" to the point of receiving
a degree
in a given discipline but are unable to function adequately in the
workplace. The same is true of the Christian enterprise. Our seminaries and
Bible colleges aspire to produce pastors and Christian leaders but the
record book shows that their programs don't always yield this result. Why?
I
suspect that the academic nature of this training woos them in the pursuit
of lesser gods. Society values education and students want "accredited"
degrees. The market driven quest for meeting accreditation standards-larger
libraries, better-equipped faculty, and good facilities-soon becomes an end
in itself. "Success" is measured in terms of student enrollment
for that is
how financial viability is achieved. But is this an accurate measure of
success? If so, Jesus' training program was a failure. He only recruited
twelve trainees and spent three years with them. Only eleven "graduated"-but
those eleven turned the world upside-down!
The outcome of Christian ministry training should not measured
in degrees
granted or in amounts of acquired knowledge. It must be measured by the
effectiveness of the men and women we equip in their deployment for God's
work.
God's standards
The favorite text to support Bible School training is 2nd Tim. 2:15 "Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need
to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." (NAS) The aim
of
ministry training is to produce men and women "approved by God."
"Diligence"
(which involves "study" among other disciplines) is the means. The
end is
vocationally competent and effective people who will advance the kingdom of
God through their lives and work. When training missionaries, it means that
programs produce godly, cross-cultural servants who effectively communicate
the Gospel and make disciples of Jesus Christ beyond the current frontiers
of the Church.
Numbers are only useful in measuring success if we count
our graduates who
are successfully carrying out their vocational mandate. Student body size
may be important to program viability, but too many of our programs let
financial considerations dictate standards and norms. It is a case of the
tail wagging the dog. If a program that only trains six people a year who
become effective cross-cultural servants, it may actually be more successful
by kingdom standards than one that is much more popular, but simply
entertains an audience seeking knowledge and certification.
Why They Come Home
The Missions Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance
has conducted a
study on why missionaries desert their posts before they have fully
completed their term of service. The results of this study are published in
a book entitled Too Valuable to Lose: Exploring the Causes and Cures of
Missionary Attrition, (William D. Taylor Ed., William Carey Library,
Pasadena, 1997.) The data showed that worldwide, more than 5% of the
missionary task force return from the field each year for reasons that may
have been avoided. The statistical analysis validates the importance of
pre-field training in contributing to missionary retention
Missionary orientation, short term experience and missiological
study of all
kinds were the most helpful. Surprisingly, Bible School training by itself
seems to have little effect one way or another on keeping missionaries on
the field. Bible school's academic emphasis doesn't seem to contribute
greatly to the character qualities or competencies needed to survive and
thrive on the field. Yet most church, denominational and agency leadership
continues to believe that Bible school training, is the only training needed
for missionaries. Training that addresses issues specific to missionary
service is undervalued and largely ignored.
Dedicated Missionary Training
Ephesians 4:13-15 makes it clear that the goal of ministry
training is
growth (maturity). The scope of ministry training is "all aspects"
(the
whole person). Missionary service is particularly demanding and requires
balance and maturity in each area of life. While a degree may give a
candidate necessary academic or social credibility, the development of
character is fundamental to his success as is a practical, working
understanding of the missionary task. Dedicated missionary training programs
do the indispensable work of bridging the gap between the academic world of
the school and the cross-cultural workplace. It addresses the practical
issues related specifically to the missionary's ability to identify with the
target culture, adapt to the field, and successfully contextualize the
message and forms of the Gospel.
Much curriculum research has been done in recent years to determine the
character qualities and ministry competencies needed by today's missionarie.
Dr. David Taiwoong Lee, Chairman of the WEA Missions Commission, has traced
these developments in curriculum research and design and has proposed nine
core subjects for training missionaries1:
1. Spiritual Maturity
2. Integrity of Character
3. Family Life
4. Emotional and Physical Health
5. Relational Skills
6. Biblical and Theological Knowledge
7. Missiological and Cross-cultural Skills
8. Ministry Skills
9. Practical Skills
Only one of these areas is identified primarily as a "knowledge"
component-Biblical and Theological knowledge. All of the others have
knowledge components as well, but to produce growth in these areas, it seems
that knowledge like fertilizer is most effective when applied in small doses
as needed. The "banking" model-where huge amounts of information
are "front
loaded" on students-is fundamentally flawed. Even in the area of Biblical
and theological knowledge, it is an error to believe that the missionary is
best prepared by giving him massive doses of information before going to the
field. Ongoing, distance education may prove to be much more effective in
the development of critical thinking and exegetical skills that lead to
appropriate contextualization of the Gospel message and the emergent church.
Matching outcomes with methods and contexts
Although recent curriculum research has helped us to picture
the desired
outcomes of our training, it seems that it has done little to influence the
overall design of training programs. The problem lies in trying to adapt
schools-institutions designed primarily for academic pursuits-into agencies
that will produce non-academic outcomes. The results can be discouraging.
There seems to be a fairly direct correlation between kinds
of outcomes
desired, and the methods and contexts that are best suited to produce them.
It is generally recognized that when we speak of outcomes, they can be
classified into three primary areas: cognitive, skills, and affective
domains. When speaking of methods, we refer to three classifications:
formal, non-formal, and informal. When speaking of contexts, I'd like to
suggest that there are also three of these: the school, the workplace, and
the community.
Let us assume that existing curriculum research is leading
us to a "core
set" of curricular outcomes (qualities and competencies) that our training
should target. Describing these outcomes is an important first step. Knowing
what the appropriate methodology and context is to achieve each outcome, is
just as important.
There seems to be a definite corollary between certain
kinds of outcomes and
the best methods and contexts in which to achieve them. Cognitive outcomes
seem to be produced most efficiently through formal methods in a school
context. Skill outcomes are produced most often utilizing non-formal
methods in the "workplace" where the skill is to be used. Affective
or
"attitude" outcomes seem to be "caught" through informal
interaction in the
context of community-the people with whom we live and work.
This scheme is simplistic and is intended to describes
primary relationships
for no outcome can ever be totally isolated from other kinds of outcomes.
Neither can we ever truly isolate methodologies and contexts. For example,
a
knowledge outcome like: knows the rules of hermeneutics may most efficiently
be achieved through formal methods in a school context and can be tested for
in an objective exam. Nevertheless, we cannot totally isolate the effect
that a student's actual preparation for a teaching assignment in his church
may have on the achievement of this objective. He may know the rules but
have difficulty applying them due to lack of practice. If his church
community values subjective exposition over strict exegetical interpretation
of Scripture, he may find little motivation to try to apply the rules. Thus,
the non-formal and informal contexts will both weigh in to the achievement
of this cognitive objective which is assumed to be best learned in a formal
context.
Needed skill components will be most effectively transmitted through
non-formal methods in a work context. Skill in witnessing is much better
learned on the street doing it, than in a classroom studying about it. The
non-formal methodology for skill acquisition may be applied where the
trainer goes out with the student and demonstrates how to witness. He then
allows the student to practice and apply what he has learned, but under the
eye of the trainer. Once the candidate begins working on his own, the
trainer continues to help him grow through a mentoring relationship.
The third set of outcomes related to the affective domain
seems to be
"caught" not "taught." We can memorize the command to
love God with all our
heart, soul and mind and its corollary, our neighbor as ourselves-but love
is only learned and assimilated in the practice of community (our network
of
relationships) through "informal" means2. In this case, modeling
of the
outcome (ie. the practical and daily outworking of loving God and our
neighbor) is the key. Likewise, interpersonal skills development and
conflict resolution can be studied theoretically, but an intentional
community can produce the context where these theories are put to the test
in "spontaneous" situations and provide propitious "learning
moments."
The best of both worlds
A way must be found to allow Bible and theological schooling and missionary
training to cooperate. One very good way is for formal theological
institutions to incorporate a year of practical internship into their degree
programs. A solid alternative in this scenario is for missions minded
students to do a year of training with a reputable dedicated missionary
training program. This year of training is applied directly to the student's
degree program. The overwhelming trend in most progressive educational
systems is to give credit towards a degree for life-experience as evidenced
through competence. Unfortunately, many Christian institutions hold
tenaciously to anachronistic attitudes in this regard, and these attitudes
harm all involved.
Who wins if Christian schools negotiate a one-year internship
for their
students at a reputable MTC? The student wins because he can receive
training that is essential to his vocational success. The formal institution
wins because it can now offer a high-quality and well-rounded vocational
program for missionary candidates (B.A. or Licentiate in Missions) and that
should net the institution more students. The dedicated MTC wins because it
receives secondary validation for the training it gives and bolsters its
viability The mission agency wins because candidates will go out better
equipped. God wins too, because we exhibit unity in propagating His kingdom
and in producing approved "workmen."
A cooperative model in action
In Cordoba, Argentina, an established missionary training
center (CCMT) with
reputable leadership initiated contact with several of the most prestigious
and long-standing seminaries in the country. The CCMT offered to supplement
the training their students received in missions though a nine-month
community based training and practical internship. The Cordoba MTC did not
claim to produce "missiologists" but only to train missionaries.
It did
guarantee, however, that the students would continue to grow intellectually,
learn the skills and attitudes needed to adapt to and minister in another
culture, and that character traits and habits would be formed to aid them
in
being successful missionaries. The MTC would also respect each student's
particular theological orientation and mission affiliation.
A well-known seminary, which already required a year's
residency for
graduation, agreed to make the CCMT an option for their missions minded
students since they had no supervised internships in which to channel them.
Several have now taken advantage of this opportunity and everyone is deeply
satisfied with the results. This model can be propagated throughout the
world in multiplied win/win scenarios.
CONCLUSION
In order to be effective, ministry training programs need to focus on the
true objective of training-godly and effective Kingdom workers. Much that
goes on under the name of ministry training is under great pressure to
conform to academic standards and is locked-in to pre-determined methods and
contexts. On the other hand, non-formal missionary training can be guided
by
the objective of vocational competence and has the freedom to utilize the
best methodologies and contexts to achieve desired outcomes. If these two
kinds of programs can work together, they will create a win/win situation
for all involved.
There is a hue and cry today, for partnership and cooperation. Let us take
this Biblical mandate and apply it to our own institutions so that Christ
may be exalted and effective kingdom laborers sent to the ends of the earth.
Maranatha, Lord Jesus.
Dr. Jonathan P. Lewis
Associate Director WEA Missions Commission
International Missionary Training Fellowship
21233 32nd. Ave., Langley B.C., V2Z 2E7, Canada
(604) 530-4283 www.missionarytraining.com
Strengthening National Missions Movements around the globe.
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