a trend in going
i'm at the mission today. we're sending out summer interns to five different countries (today is uganda, kenya and spain--check out www.whm.org for more info). i love the days when we send people out. i love it because it's a picture of how God is at work, twitching strings, drawing people to himself, weaving together stories and causing the nations to worship. the group here today is no different. i can see that these guys are going to be different at the end of the summer than what they are now. they're going to have a different understanding of who God is.
i was struck with a thought, though, as we were praying for them. it's a thought that was piqued by two comments that i've heard over the last year. the first was with a similar group of people who had just shared their hopes and fears about what they were going to do over the summer. and someone made the observation that they were all expecting some sort of personal growth... but very few expressed anything missional or other-oriented. then, a couple of months ago, i was talking with my aunt about the number of young people who are going into cross-cultural missions. she said it was cool to see the holy spirit at work in my generation... at least... she hoped that's what it was and it wasn't just 'the thing to do.'
so the first thought is: is missions just the thing to do for a generation disillusioned by corporate america, rejecting authority and the confines of a 9-5 job? a generation that tends to like cultural differences and where it's trendy to hate america? or is it that my generation, because of an interest in cultures, because of a freedom from the expectation of making more money than their parents, is bolder in going to see the kingdom advance?
and the second thought: are people expecting personal growth on missions trips because of hundreds of groups returning from short-term trips who give the pat, 'i expected to go there and help the poor, unfortunate [insert people group here], but instead, i learned so much from [said people group]'? and so now people are going expecting to learn. (or at least, saying they are. in my experience, americans still expect to be right.) maybe it's a positive growth in humility. maybe it's just semantics.
thoughts?
posted by michelle @ 1:12 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Heheh, I'd better not answer. :)
As regards your first thought: To be honest, sometimes I quite like corporate America. Some days I'd much prefer a 9-5 job...in a large multinational bank, no less! But here I am, living in London. I think our generation is more aware of the idolatry of corporate America (and the power/money/prestige that come with it) and so maybe we are more free to join Jesus in his kingdom work. But then again we have our own idols that are equally hard to see and equally destructive to kingdom advancement.
And as for the second part, well...it's been quite a while since I last asked myself "What is God teaching me?" I probably need to ask it more than I do. To be honest, I miss that intense heart-searching that often happens on WHM's short-term trips.
thanks for the thoughts, dan. i have to chuckle because you're starting to sound more like a brit.
i'd agree that once on the field, a corporate job starts looking mighty fine. it's regular, it's defined and there is a reliable paycheck every two weeks. highly desirable. but i think when you're stuck in a cube somewhere, nothing sounds more confining. and missions sounds like freedom.
and i guess the second part applies more to short-termers. are summer interns going because they want to see the kingdom advance in the country where they're going (the out-going mission)? or are they going because they want a life-changing experience (inward renewal)? for myself (and i would say this is world harvest's policy as well)i don't think the outgoing mission can happen without inward renewal.
our motives for going are always going to be crappy. so maybe this is a moot point on one level. but i would be a little concerned if the only reason short-termers are going is in order to find themselves.
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