"Without an automobile, computer, high-speed internet, cell phone, printer, radio, TV, video projector, Jesus Film, bicycle, mass mail-outs, tract ministry or the dozen other modern missionary tools, Paul led small ministry teams in three missionary tours over about ten years planting churches in Cyprus, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Cenchrea, Ephesus, Berea as well as aiding and inspiring others to plant churches in Asia, Galatia, and other areas. These churches were formed, taught and established in missionary outreach after as little as one month and rarely as long as one year. Missionary Paul's main tools were the Word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and his tent-making bi-vocational support. He left them without a church bus, church building, multi-purpose building, salaried staff or desire to have them. Could we learn anything from a missionary like Paul?"
[From Without, by Roy Culley, The Baptist Monitor, Vol. 59, No. 11 (Nov 2007) p. 4]
I'd say we have a LOT we can learn from Paul and the methods -- not just the message -- of the New Testament. What are some things we learn?
4 comments:
I guess we learn that we don't have to start at 10 am...or do we?!?
I think we learn that.
I am guessing Brother Culley's main point is that we don't need a lot of the things we think we need. I know he and I disagree on some of the details.
I think this is a mistake both traditionalists and progressives make -- assuming certain things they are used to or like are necessary to do the Lord's work. I know the ABA/MBA traditionalists often answer with a sort of "we've always done it that way kind of attitude." I remember those kinds of responses when I wrote an article (which was printed in the Monitor/Monster) about how the MBAT was spending about 22% of its mission funds in overhead.* But I also see a lot of young progressive ABA/MBA bloggers railing against the "traditionalists". They seem to believe they must have the modern things, methods, etc. in order to reach the modern unbeliever. IMO, both are wrong.
* Anybody with that kind of overhead in mission work ought to be plum ashamed to speak against SBC methods!!
Robert, you said: "But I also see a lot of young progressive ABA/MBA bloggers railing against the "traditionalists". They seem to believe they must have the modern things, methods, etc. in order to reach the modern unbeliever. IMO, both are wrong."
I do agree with that. While you and I may disagree on some of the details, it seems that the "anti-traditionalists" are arguing against the very thing they are doing but in a new format.
Oh well, it seems no one sees this though.
So would you say the "anti-traditionalists" are inventing new traditions, which they will support in their later years as they become the new traditionalists, making the way for the next generation to rail against their traditions?
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