Mistakes to learn from:)

The following list was in the church bulletin this morning, and really stuck home in many ways for me (and made me appreciate again the church I go to!).

John writes that the following list was presented by Dr Ralph D Winter, who shares 12 past mistakes made by Western mission agencies that Asian missiologists and churches should avoid. Some had never occurred to me, but others, such as short/long term people going out... that really struck home, as did the last one on partnering sharing the Gospel alongside social action. They need to go hand in hand, and people are needed to take hold of, and carry the vision to see the long term change and growth.

All of it is well worth thinking through and taking hold of, and we can all help in one or more of these areas, no matter where we are at!:)

- The mistake of starting Bible schools, not universities
- The mistake of only "Salvation in Heaven" not "Kingdom on Earth"
- The mistake of congregations sending missionaries, not using mission agencies
- The mistake of whole congregations in direct involvement, not professional missions.
- The mistake of insisting that devout followers of Jesus call themselves "Christians" and identify with the western Church.
- The mistake of sending only money, not missionaries.
- The mistake of sending only money, not missionaries
- The mistake of sending short-termers,, not long termers
- The mistake of not understanding business in mission and mission in business
- The mistake of healing the sick, not eradicating disease germs
- the mistake of thinking "peace" not "war"
- the mistake of assuming science is a for, not a friend
- the mistake of an evangelism that is not validated and empowered by social transformation.