Come and Follow: A Challenge for the Church

February 29, 2008

by Dave Hoffman, Vice President, John Stott Ministries
The pain was evident in their voices as three Langham scholars talked about what partnership with the church around the world really looks like. “Part of our pain is being made to feel dependent,” said Athena Gorospe, as she told of the history of the Philippines and spoke of the U.S. policy of Manifest Destiny. “Generosity can result in humiliation and powerlessness,” she continued, indicating that the message that has been conveyed is, “You need us – we don’t need you.”

These Langham scholars participated in a session titled, “Refining Power; Finding our Place in a Global Church,” as part of the “Critical Concerns” track at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego, Calif. The session brought together Langham scholars David Zac Niringiye of Uganda, Athena Gorospe of the Philippines, and Daniel Salinas of Paraguay to present a challenging message. Over the course of two days, they presented information and led discussions surrounding the use of power in the Church and how this power is being used in relation to global partnerships.

“Where did we get it wrong?” asked Zac. “Is it possible for an entire generation to lose it – to be deceived? This really became clear to me when I read the story of Cleopus on the Emmaus Road,” he said. “Jesus was right there, looking him in the face and he could not see him. Why? Because he had built an incorrect vision of Jesus. He had hoped Jesus would be their liberator, and did not see Jesus because he was not who Cleopus had expected him to be.”

Zac explained how Jesus reminded Cleopus of what the prophets had said about Jesus and commented on his foolishness. “Can’t we talk about our foolishness?” Zac asked. When we think of how the church uses its people, we must address this question.

In turn, each of the three related the problem to their own contexts and to the relationship with the West. They each pointed to examples of how the Church is set up on a patron-client model. This model creates a class of haves and have-nots, and that is not what the Gospel is all about.

But how can we build partnerships across this patron-client chasm? And across our cultural differences? Daniel pointed out that we first need to look to see what God is already doing, asking how we can compliment, supplement or support the work that is already happening. By building relationships first, we can not only see what God is already doing, but can learn to identify what the real problems are and work with the local people to analyze their situations. Zac agreed. “Americans are to quick to go,” he said. “They don’t often take the time to build relationships and wait to be invited.”

The Langham scholars conveyed that true partnership does not come from going and doing. It comes from building relationships and sharing our brokenness. It comes from making ourselves vulnerable and showing that we need the help of others as much, if not more, as they could benefit from what we have to share. When we stop seeing our role and intervening in crisis and begin to pause and realize the value of what God’s culture already has in place, we start to see how we can change our current missions model.

All three of these scholars pointed out that the biggest problem with our current model of global partnership is that it requires an unequal distribution of power. By implying that “we have what you need” (whoever the “we” may be), we show others – even when we don’t realize it – that we are superior, and that we have the answers. And when we give our resources with the expectation that things will be done our way, we set up the patron- client relationship that humiliates and makes our partners feel powerless. Empowering ministry seeks an equitable distribution of power – with all parties participating in the decision-making. Until those who are in the patron roles are in a position of powerlessness or have felt what it is to really be marginalized, it will be hard to relinquish this power and begin to change the model.

Athena spoke about the early church in Corinth and how this patron-client model is not new to the Church. It has existed since the Church began. “The Cross is the place were we level the playing field,” she said. When we start with the knowledge that we are all broken and need the grace that was given to us through the suffering of Jesus, we are able to partner as equals.

Zac commented that most of us focus too much on the command of the Great Commission: “Go and make.” We don’t, however, balance this by spending enough time contemplating Jesus’ other command to “Come and follow.”

These three Christian leaders were not only thought-provoking, but through their presentations, answering of questions and other interactions, they were able to bless the attendees with a new way of thinking. One participant commented, “While it might not always be possible to have our global partners in the room with us, this conference will help me remember that we need to continually put things through the filter of their eyes. A filter we can only create when we get to know them.”

Leave a Reply