Issues in Missiology, Volume1, Part 1B

One of the most challenging and difficult situations for missionaries on the field is the question of finances. Missionaries in the USA are not considered wealthy, but when the missionary arrives overseas, he often finds himself cast in the role of the wealthy American in contrast to those around him. Often the missionary does not think that the Bible is talking to him since he considers himself a relatively poor missionary. But in his target country, he is one of the rich, and the Bible is speaking directly to him in his role as a wealthy individual.

Thus, the missionary is confronted with a situation of gross economic inequity. In 1820, the buying power of the missionary compared to the national, was about 3 to 1. However, by 1992, it had increased further to 72 to 1. Half of the world's population exists on a salary of less than $2.00 per day. It seems at this time that the only persons who are willing to live in the slums are usually Catholic priests and nuns. They may have taken vows of poverty and celibacy and are able to adapt to the situation by adopting a very simple lifestyle similar to those around them. What is the protestant missionary, often married and with a family, going to do? Christianity has always especially impacted the poor and marginal individuals, and now the missionary isolates himself from them.

Another major problem is that of dependence of the third world churches on outside funding. This book describes solutions to resolve dependency. A third area is the method of managing resources in a third world country. Financial independence is often a goal off the west, but cooperation, interdependency and partnership are common in other countries, and affect the ways of financing church building, social structures and programs.

With God's help in this book, we will look more closely at answering money matters for the missionary.