Rees

"The resulting transformation of Latin American nations from missionary-receivers to missionary-senders is also well documented, and the practical effects of this are felt in the growing number of Latin – particularly Brazilian – Protestant missionaries spread across the globe."¹ (1)

o

"The vitality of any Christian movement has to be seen in its long-term durability, the depth of influence it holds within the Christian population it draws on, its theological maturity, and its creative ability to overcome the inevitable obstacles that it encounters. Certainly as far as Latin America is concerned (I am not familiar with how other non-western missionary movements fare in this respect, and thus cannot comment) much is still left to be desired." ²(1)

o

"I have consistently been surprised how American (i.e. North American) the churches in Latin America are...nevertheless, the Americanisation of Latin American Protestant Christianity is a remarkable phenomenon of cultural transformation... certain trends of “successful” North American Christianity – size of congregation, ambitious building programmes, a conservative socio-political agenda – have been transplanted into the heart of Latin American evangelicalism."

Links this with the dominance of the faith missions model³ (1)

o

claims that the faith-mission model has problems in Latin America

(1) Lack of strong economic conditions which make it viable

(2) Lack of a calvinistic work ethic which ensure that pledges will not be easily forgotten or transferred to another cause ⁴(2)

o

"A good number of missionaries have been sent out, albeit with considerable economic difficulties in many cases. The financial insecurity involved has led to a premature return for many – too many – and condemned others to a permanent state of suspense, awaiting the Damocles’ sword of unfulfilled financial pledges to fall. And this is not to mention those who have been unable to go because of lack of finance, the thousands who will want to be sent in years to come, or those in my own mission who have been trained but cannot find even adequate “promises.”"⁵ (3)

o

"At some point, we need to realise that the concept of “supported missionaries” is ultimately a modern and western phenomenon and cannot be made into the mainstay of contemporary non-western mission strategy." ⁶(3)

o

" Latin American missions will only “take off” when initiative for its financing is put back into the hands of its protagonists, the missionaries themselves. Rather than being taught to wait for an elusive handout, successful missionaries will be prepared – through secular training too – to work their way to the nations. To avoid visa difficulties, appropriate career choices will need to be made in accordance with the particular needs of the regions where different ones are destined. And missionary recruitment must present this reality, rather than simply inspiring people with visions of the unreached. All this must become part of Latin American missionary strategy, actively and diligently researched and applied by mission leaders and analysts, rather than simply left to chance or individual prerogative."⁷(4)

o

"Looking at missions to the old world, Europe, it is inconceivable for most Latin American churches to even imagine providing the £10,000 plus a year needed to keep a missionary family in most of Europe today. Yet with nearly half a million Ecuadorians, for example, living in Spain, there surely is another way. If even 5% of these Ecuadorians are evangelical believers, then there are now some 24,000 potential extra witnesses to Christ in Spain." ⁸(4)"

o

"Space does not permit entering into a discussion of the ethics of entering Europe as illegal immigrants – suffice it to say that many ask God’s blessing on their attempts to get here, and those who have to balance the books for Europe’s ageing social security system are heard to mutter a loud “Amen.” History is the story of the flow of peoples across the face of the globe, and more often than not the gospel – not to mention other ideologies – has travelled with these movements of people. Contemporary Latin American missionary strategy will not be complete without entering this arena.

We thus cannot continue to attempt to raise Latin missionaries for Europe with scarcely any reference to the massive immigration that is taking place across the continent. Beyond attempting to harness existing immigrants, there is also a place for raising a new workforce of committed and called missionaries, who will minister in Europe from the role of economic refugees. Adequate pre-field training, prayer support from home churches, preparation and co-ordination of placements, and on-field support and supervision should all be taken into serious consideration, just as much as for “full-time” workers in any other part of the world." ⁹(4)

o

"Pastoral leadership in the sending church still considers the worker to all intents and purposes a member of that church, ultimately under its authority, and the workers themselves will share this perspective."¹⁰ (5)

o

"The results for overseas workers of this dichotomy of identity and points of reference are numerous. I have witnessed its effects in terms of lack of stability for long-term work, confusion over the source of authority for decisions relating to local ministry, the imposition of foreign denominations or liturgical forms, unavailability of adequate member care and culturally sensitive advice, tensions in relationships with existing evangelical expressions (particularly of the same denomination) and in some instances the discrediting of the whole missionary enterprise in the eyes of the church and the abandonment of any ongoing commitment to cross-cultural missions." ¹¹(5)

o

"Whilst not totally absent, theological reflection on the nature of the cross-cultural missionary task before the Latin American evangelical church, and how to equip its agents to fulfil this mandate, has yet to appear with force."¹² (5)

o

"transformation, and dismissing the whole lot as “of the devil,” few missionaries are in fact prepared for dialogue with convinced devotees of other religions. Superficial evangelistic “chat-up” lines, which (perhaps!) suffice in a nominally Christian culture, cannot be transported for use with people of long-standing non-Christian traditions. In order to offer a challenging, relevant and ultimately credible witness, essentially non-biblical notions such as “inviting Jesus into one’s heart” must surrender to a more biblical and culturally intelligible message."¹³ (5-6)

1 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 1 [available redcliffe site]

2 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 1 [available redcliffe site]

3 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 1 [available redcliffe site]

4 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 2 [available redcliffe site]

5 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 3 [available redcliffe site]

6 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 3 [available redcliffe site]

7 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 4 [available redcliffe site]

8 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 4 [available redcliffe site]

9 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 4 [available redcliffe site]

10 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 5 [available redcliffe site]

11 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 5 [available redcliffe site]

12 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 5 [available redcliffe site]

13 N Rees, 'The Search for a Creative Response to Obstacles to the Growth of Mission out of Latin America', Encounters 10 (2006), 5–6 [available redcliffe site]