Three Dynamic Shifts in World Missions

The first of these shifts has been identified by Peter Jenkins in his book, “The
Next Christendom: The Coming Global Christianity” (Oxford University Press. 2002). It is
the sudden emergence of Christianity as a worldwide phenomenon.2
The second major issue is the fact that we now live in a globalized world, meaning
simply that our earth has become one global village. Pg12
The third dynamic is that out of our globalized world is emerging a globalized
church. By this we mean that Christians in Korea know a lot about what is going on in
the church in the United States. Pg13

Down Side of Globalization pg13

There is another element to globalization that we all need to recognize. Globalization
brings its own philosophy of life. The social scientist calls it “post modernity.”

Materialism tends to smother

spirituality and eventually drives out godliness. Pluralism
strikes deep at the foundations of values and erodes faith. In
the Western world, these two giants have birthed a pervasive
secular mindset that is now challenging the “missionary spirit.”pg13

…they have managed to land major body blows that have weakened essential qualities
such as strong faith and the willingness to sacrifice for the gospel. If one doubts this
point, just look at the declining statistics of career missionaries from the Western
nations. What we have all feared can now be statistically demonstrated by comparing
the declining figures for the largest evangelical missions in North America.5
In fact, pluralism has struck so deep that in many sectors basic belief
systems are showing signs of erosion. A growing number of Western missionaries would
now doubt that everyone must hear the Gospel to be saved. They would doubt whether
there is a literal “flames and fire” hell or that lost souls could possibly spend an eternity
there. These ideological shifts are dangerous to world missions. Pg13

Mission attention has shifted from the lost to the needy and that is not to say we should
not care for the needy, but the gospel is in jeopardy when missions come to believe that
delivering the “cup of cold water” is just as important as dispensing “the water of life.”
Pg13

The solution to our mess is to get back to original intent. We have to get back to taking
the whole gospel, from the whole church, to the whole world. To put it in conceptual
terms, the gospel must be redeemed. The whole church must be activated. The whole
world must be engaged. Pg14

Concluding thoughts
The goal of missions should not be limited to evangelism or church planting. (he says
this because he just finished a section on how SIM has needed to make necessary
missionlogical changes in their thinking so that they can become a sending and
receiving agency around the world. He argues for synergy among the church worldwide
to accomplish mission) The ultimate goal is not an independent church, but a church
enabled to become a full participant in propagating the Gospel to the nations of the
world. Once we embrace this larger vision, we will have made a radical shift in our
missiological thinking. If we do, we will find new avenues of engagement in mission will
open before us. Pg24

Dr. Howard Brant

21 May 2004
SIM International
SimHiway@aol.com