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MentorNet #59 Copyright © by George
Patterson and Galen Currah Wise relief and development
workers avoid helping the poor in ways that build dependency. It is well documented
how careless handouts make the poor lose initiative and self-respect; many begin
to depend on others’ generosity, and greed moves them to lie about their
needs. However, this grave error is not unique to those who serve the poor.
Church and mission history reveals that dependency is just as common, and far
more destructive, among churches and believers who are not poor. The demon of
‘Sophisticated Dependency’ is an invisible member of the advisory board of
many churches, mission agencies and seminaries. Two major problems arise. Problem #1. This
demon always whispers the same lie, ‘There’s not enough money to do that.’ He
blinds believers to the fact that they have needlessly let a lack of material
resources force them to violate God’s commands. For example: ·
Believers believe that fully supported
pastors are the only legitimate ones. This lie stifles many church planting
movements, because finances–as always–are limited. A material barrier
needlessly becomes a spiritual barrier. Leaders can just as easily commission
and mentor self-supported, or partially-supported,
lay pastors, as churches commonly did a hundred years ago as well as in New
Testament times, to keep right on extending Christ’s work without any
slowdown. ·
Bible schools and seminaries sometimes
limit missionary training that would have the strategic effect of reaching thousands for
Christ, because Sophisticated Dependency whispers in educators’ ears, ‘There’s
not enough money to do that’ when they could apply all their brain power to
arrange volunteer mentoring to train missionaries in obedience to Jesus’
Great Commission. Often the same educators find enough money to erect ornate
buildings, not to mention their own comfortable houses. Opulence wins out over
obedience! ·
Every theological school that
becomes accredited must raise its academic standards for those who can be
students. Those standards keep most Christian workers out of the schools. The
demon of ‘Sophisticated Dependency’ whispers into educators’ ears, “You must
maintain the pursuit of excellence!” Since the vast majority of gifted
apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers
cannot afford to earn requisite academic credentials, they cannot attend those schools. Those who have the
credentials, but not enough money to pay fees, become dependent on
scholarships and stipends, or they go deeply in debt to pay school fees with
no guarantee that they will be able to pay their debts. This is a form of
financial enslavement. Solution #1. Thus,
those who train church planters and shepherds in ever-expanding church
planting movements must ensure that “generations” of mentors are set up and
keep extending, wherever new churches get started. Most mentors will be local
leaders and shepherds who train others, in turn, according to the model of
Exodus 18 and 2 Timothy 2:1-2. Where mentoring chains grow, both mentors
and their apprentice learners continue to earn their own living; they do not
go farther away than they and their flocks can
afford to send them. Problem #2. Frank
Viola* has identified several practices of
pagan origin that rich churches and missions have adopted, practices that have
no basis in the New Testament. These include chapels and buildings, paid
clergy and evangelists, special costumes and electronic media. Wherever the
demon of ‘Sophisticated Dependency’ requires such expensive objects and
workers, the workers themselves often seek income and funding from other
organisations and from getting the Christians to pay tithes and make frequent
money offerings. This, in turn, has led to many abuses including fraudulent
reporting about ministry success as well as untrue theology about God and
money. This happens in every country, not only in developing nations. Solution #2. Thus, those
who envision whole countries, regions, languages and tribes becoming
disciples of Jesus must introduce practices, methods, materials and equipment
that local workers and believers can find, afford, imitate and pass on to
others, rapidly. This may require that believers gather in their own homes
and in factories, and that they keep starting many little fellowships. As a
rule of church multiplication, never require new churches and workers to
adopt any practice or method that they cannot afford and cannot perform
without big budgets and lengthy training. Rather, teach all new workers to
help seekers and new believers to experience the real Presence of Jesus
Christ in their midst and to depend mostly on the gifts of the Holy Spirit to
accomplish lasting work. Let Christian leaders form a tight
circle, hold hands, and agree before God in Jesus’ name, to detect and to bypass
blockages imposed by the demon of ‘Sophisticated Dependency.’ Resources for Church Planting and
for Training Christian Leaders Order P.
O’Connor’s Reproducible Pastoral Training, to multiply churches, from
a bookshop or via Download free CP
training software “Come, Let Us Disciple the Nations” from <http://www.Paul-Timothy.net/dn/>. Download free mentoring tools and
materials for new leaders from <http://www.MentorAndMultiply.com>. Obtain Train & Multiply®,
church planting and pastoral training course from <www.TrainAndMultiply.com>. Order Church
Multiplication Guide from a bookshop or at <http://www.WCLbooks.com>. To subscribe to MentorNet
or to download earlier messages, visit: <http://www.MentorNet.ws>. |