globalization & multi-cultural teaming

Globalization & Multi-cultural TeamingDon Parsons – SEND International

Praise the Lord for the unprecedented growth of the church in last 35 years. The evangelical church world

wide has experienced a 300% growth in that time. However the world is growing by 1 billion every 7 years.

The Unfinished Task

There are more unbelievers now than at any time in history.

There are more unreached people now than ever before,

even though we have made great progress in identifying and entering unreached people groups.

The Unfinished Task

44

Countries with highest % of Unreached peoples

Matthew 24:14

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

GlobalizationFrom all nations…To all nationsFinishing the Task

Dates to Remember:• 1905 – 95% of all Christians in Western World

• 1977 – As many Christians in Africa, Asia and Latina America as in West.

• 2000 – Change of momentum in missions – no longer “From the West to the Rest.”

• 2010 – Most Christian missionaries coming from the Majority World.

Source: Howard Brant, SIM

What used to be the harvest field

Has now become the harvest force.

Christopher Wright:The whole centre of gravity of world Christianity has moved south and east. The old peripheries are now the centre. The old centers are now on the periphery.

The fact is that {more than} 50% of all Protestant missionaries in the world come from non-western countries, and the proportion is increasing annually.

You are as likely to meet a Brazilian missionary in North Africa, as a British missionary in Brazil. There are more Christians worshipping in Anglican churches in Nigeria each week than in all the Episcopal and Anglican churches of Britain, Europe and North America combined. More Baptists in Congo than in Britain. More people in church every Sunday in communist China than all western Europe.Ten times more Assemblies of God members in Latin America than in the USA.

Global Trends - Nigeria 1986 -- 2006

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Latino America

• 1900 – 250,000 believers• 1990 – 40,000,000 believers• 2010 – 55,000,000 believers

• 1997 – 3,500 sent missionaries

• 2013 – 15,000+ sent missionaries

Eastern Europe• Moldova – over 200 missionaries sent to

Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East and beyond

• Romania – Launched a new cross-denominational sending organization this fall

• Ukraine – Short Term missions explosion, Global Missions Forum with over 2000 leaders in attendance.

The Philippines

• A trace of evangelicals in 1945• 10-12% evangelical today – 9-

10 million believers.• Over 20,000 churches planted

in 20 years.

OC Global Alliance (Formally OC International)

• A 307% increase of internationally sent missionaries in the last 7 years (2011)

• Over 50% of OC Missionaries are sent from countries other than the US

0100200300400

International US Sent

Indonesia Philippines

Philippines Poland

Canada Russia

Japanese Russia

Guatemala -- > Romania

Ecuador IndiaNigeria USA

Iceland Bulgaria

Philippines SpainGermany Slovenia

Ethiopia Sudan

Ethiopia Pakistan

Taiwan Japan

Malaysia Bolivia Ukraine Kazakhstan

Romania Niger

Poland Canada

China Pakistan

Paraguay China

Costa Rica India

North East India SudanHong Kong China

USA IndiaKenya Sudan

Philippines Kazakhstan

Jamaica Bolivia China Japan

Revelation 7:9-10After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation

and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne

and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm

branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice,

saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Should not our missiology reflect our

ecclesiology? If we will worship together forever

around the throne, can we work together here

on earth?

“World missions must be multicultural because the gospel is for everyone and the Great Commission is for all believers.”

James Plueddemann “Leading Across Cultures” (22)

The Bayanihan Principle

• We incorporate missionaries of many nationalities in the task of discipling the nations. Our desire is to have a multinational membership working together in harmony towards the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

SEND Value - Unity in Diversity

SEND & Globalization (1)• 1948 - FEGC’s first missionaries to Japan were ethnic

Japanese. FEGC was one of few missions to send Asians to Asia (Central Alaskan Mission began 1937).

• 1950’s – first Canadians sent to Asia.• 1970’s – Germans began working with FEGC as full

members of FEGC coming from partner missions. Today, SEND works with 4 European partners. European missionaries make up the largest non-North American contingent in SEND.

• 1975 – The Pocklington’s arrive in the Philippines as our first Australian workers.

• IC 81 - General Director lays out a primary agenda of bringing those people groups into the mission who had previously received SEND missionaries.

• IC 84 – Clarified SEND’s mission as not only church planting, but also facilitating the process so that Asians could be full members of SEND. Began actively recruiting Asians.

• 1984 - Philippine Sending Committee was established.

• 1985 - Victor and Joy Lao were sent to Taiwan in where they served until 2011.

• IC 87 – Initiated the International Partner Fund (IPF) in order to assist missionaries from lower GNP countries.

• Early 1990s – SEND began receiving South Americans for ministry, at that time, for Spain and Romania. Today we partner with FAM in Central America and are working to expand more into South America.

SEND & Globalization (2)

• IC 93 – Added a “value” to our guiding values list, “Unity in Diversity” describing who we are as a multi-ethnic organization brought together to accomplish one goal. We also clarified the importance for each missionary to “develop a missionary vision and consciousness among the churches they are planting and developing.” We also changed the SEND structure to state that all Sending Councils have representation on IC by virtue of the number of missionaries sent. German partner missions also were given IC invitations.

• 1990s – Non-North Americans began serving as Area Directors.


• 2000 – Nihon SEND established in Japan.• 2001 – East Asia Sending Committee established.• 2005 – Birth of the Facilitation Model (FM). A

developing program of sending missionaries outside of SEND membership but working on SEND teams.

• 2008 – New mission statement, “Mobilize God’s people and engage the unreached in order to establish reproducing churches.” This vision focuses us on full circle missions. PSC & EASC Constituted.


• 2010 – SEND Philippines being reorganized from a receiving field leaving a sending field (with some exceptions). Ukraine establishes a Ukrainian Missionary Mobilization Council.

• 2011 – Sending Summit held in Thailand, proposed policy changes to help move globalization forward in SEND.


• 2012-2013 – New core member requirements accepted by IC. SEND principles under review. We are exploring a globally friendly financial structure. We are working with three new/potential partners and are part of a pilot program for a global mission alliance. GWI launch approved by IEC. Geddert’s join the team for Latino mobilization & Betsy Wambach begins Hispanic mobilization. The largest non-North American MOP in SEND history takes place in Manila. In the Summer of 2013, SEND hosted members from over 10 countries.


Sending Entities/relationships1. SEND Canadian Office2. SEND East Asia Sending Office – Hong Kong3. SEND Philippine Sending Office4. SEND US Office5. Nihon SEND – Japan*6. SEND Taiwan Sending Office7. Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe e.V (VDM) - Germany 8. Deutsche Missions Gemeinschaft (DMG) – Germany9. Sweizerische Missions-Gemeinschaft (SMG) – Switzerland10. Bund Evangelikaler Gemeinden Österreich (BEG) – Austria11. UFM Worldwide – UK12. FAM Internacional (FAM) – Central America (10 countries)13. Australia Missionary Tidings (AMT)14. Interserve – Australia15. SIM Australia 16. Missions Mobilization Ministry of Ukraine (3M)*17. SIM East Asia – Singapore*18. Mizoram Synod Mission Board – India*19. Alliance for Global Mission – Alliance4Gm.com*

SEND Value - Unity in Diversity

• We incorporate missionaries of many nationalities in the task of discipling the nations. Our desire is to have a multinational membership working together in harmony towards the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

There is a unique contribution every nation has to make in global missions. When one part is missing, it is as if part of a great orchestra is silent. In the divine symphony, the West has played a leading part for several hundred years. Others have had lesser parts or been silent all together. But now in these days, the Divine Conductor is turning to all parts of his orchestra and bringing it all into one grand finale.

The Orchestra

As the last score is played, every part of the orchestra is required to play passionately, at maximum strength. What a huge disappointment if—in the last crescendo—individuals or sections of players are silent or drop out! This is the time for the whole church to be passionately involved in global missions. (Quoted in James E. Plueddemann, Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009), 215).

Unity in DiversityBiblical foundations of community…so that the world might know

Divided• Since the time of Babel, we have lived in a

world divided:LinguisticallySociallyCulturallyPoliticallyEconomicallyRaciallyGeographically

Howard Brant 2009

“The Palace of Peace and Accord”(Temple of all Faiths)Astana, Kazakhstan

Unity in the New Testament• Sin separates us not only from each other.• But God in His great wisdom made something

wonderful – THE CHURCH – THE BODY OF CHRIST.

• Through the Gospel – sin is atoned for.• Through the Gospel – GOD countered our

differences by making us one by Jesus’ blood. • More than that, He gave us ONE and the SAME

HOLY SPIRIT uniting us together as one spiritual family.

• The purpose for our oneness…That the world might know!

Unity – Ephesians 2:1-10

• You (Gentiles) were dead in your trespasses and sins (2:1)

• you (Gentiles) walked according to course of world, to prince of power of the air, sons of disobedience (2:2)

• we (Jew) too lived in lusts, indulging flesh & mind, children of wrath (2:3)

• BUT God being rich in mercy loved us (both). (2:4)

• made us alive together with Christ (2:5)

Ephesians 2:11-22Apart/Separate

• V11 – Called “uncircumcision” by so-called “circumcision”

• V12 – separate from Christ; excluded; strangers; no hope

• V13 – far off• V14 – both groups; barrier of the dividing wall.• V15 – enmity• V15 – two (men)• V17 – far and near• V19 – strangers and aliens

Ephesians 2:11-22Together/Unity

• V13 – brought near by Christ blood• V14 – He himself is our peace; both groups into one;

broke down barrier.• V15 – abolishing the enmity; He might make two men

into on new man…peace• V16 –reconcile them in one body; put to death enmity• V17 – preached peace to far and near.• V18 – through Him we BOTH have access in ONE Spirit• V19 – NO LONGER strangers and aliens, but fellow

citizens with the saints; household of God• V20-22- Temple; being fitted

Unity!

Salvation is given to each of us individually, but a key result of our blessings in Christ is…

with God, with fellow believers,for all eternityto declare His Glory!

Unity in Diversity• Jew• Gentile• Greek• Slave• Free• Male• Female

• Circumcised• Uncircumcised• Barbarian• Scythian• Sons• Daughters• Young men• Old men

No Distinction in the body of Christ

No Distinction in the ability to be a Servant of Christ.

John 17:20-23 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also

for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Multi-cultural Teaming

German Video

Multi-cultural Teaming

What are the benefits of Multi-Cultural Teams?

• Our witness is not Filipino, Guatemalan, western or eastern, American or German. The Gospel is for all nations and a multicultural witness declares that loudly.

• Broader perspectives, experiences and ideas for ministry.

• New missionaries who come from growing churches and who are experienced church planters.

• There are things that some nationalities struggle to do, or cannot do, that others can easily.

What are the benefits of Multi-Cultural Teams? (2)

• “The Beauty of cross-cultural intermingling is that differences enrich our experience of God’s Grace” Plueddemann (86)

• A clearer picture of the nature of the body of Christ.• We are stronger when we stand as one!• Future Glory – The mission team demonstrates now

what we will be for all eternity.• When we put all this together we represent the body

of Christ to the nations -- and demonstrate the power of Christian unity. As we show unity, love, forgiveness, common service…walls come down.

A Case Study

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called (Eph 4:1-3)

Diligent to preserve unity

in peace

Ephesians 4:4-5• One body• One Spirit• One hope• One Lord• One faith• One baptism• One God & Father


Diligent to preserve unity in

peace• Humility &

Gentleness• Patience• Tolerance for one

anotherIn Love

Division and Enmity

Pride &Arrogance

ImpatienceIntolerance for

differencesWithout Love


Diligent to preserve unity in

peace• Humility &

Gentleness• Patience• Tolerance for one

anotherIn Love

A Covenant Community takes effort

Put away all pride

Communicate! Understand and

accept differences Die to Self

John 17:20“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be ONE; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may BELIEVE that You sent Me.”

www.send.org

globalization & multi-cultural teaming

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