In addition, the complexion of my global family is changing (quite literally). It was over 80% White in 1910 but will be over 60% non-White in 2010. Even Lutherans are looking less German and Scandinavian every year! Our Christian family (like the human family) is represented by thousands of ethnic backgrounds and thousands of languages around the world. This positive development brings a new set of challenges. Some advocate the abandoning of all Western forms of Christianity in favor of the dynamic structures of churches of the Global South. Others ponder how to manage the seemingly unorganized and messy spread of Christianity in Africa and Asia. But the truth is that we all belong to Christ and we will have to learn how to interact in ways that strengthen the church in every country.

One thing is for certain—both of these families are global, and they don’t always understand each other or agree on how to treat each other. Members of my Christian family are divided over the many problems that face the whole human family. Some would be glad to leave (a.k.a. ‘be raptured’) as soon as possible. Others want to stick around to tackle global problems as an integral part of their Christian faith. What worries me most, however, is how little interaction there is between the two global families. My own research shows that almost 90% of all Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus have never met a Christian. In addition, most Christian missionaries over the past century have engaged only tribal religionists and other Christians. Yet at the heart of the gospel message is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He came and lived among us so that we could live with grace and humility among our human family. How can we, as his followers, claim to love people we are unwilling to meet?

We can’t be content as Christians if we separate ourselves from either of our global families. I’ve spent the last several months in a Buddhist country and I’m continually amazed at how wonderful it is to be a Christian here. I share communion with Christians from hill tribes in the Golden Triangle. I rent my home from a kind Buddhist professor who is genuinely interested in my research. Every day I interact with people from both global families. It is richly rewarding to love and to be loved by both families.

One advantage of knowing so many people of other religions is that virtually every day is a holiday in someone’s tradition! One day, it’s Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fast; a month later, Khao Phansa, the beginning of Thai Buddhist lent; and after another month, Zarathosht Diso, commemorating the death of the prophet Zoroaster. Today religious people represent over 80% of the world’s population so it is a significant undertaking both to understand and to interact with people of other religious traditions. Of course, the other 20% are agnostics and atheists who also need to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of how vitriolic a small number have been in attacking religion. Christians must not answer polemics with polemics!

As Christians we all belong to these two global families. In North America we are increasingly likely to have daily contact with representatives of both families, from far away as well as from nearby. We will continue to send missionaries to work around the world, most strategically among peoples with no Christian witness. Unlike our great-grandparents, we will do mission in concert with a truly global Christian family to reach a global human family. Whether we are from India, Brazil, Nigeria, or the USA, we have to ask ourselves afresh how to participate in our global fellowship, while, at the same time, incarnating the gospel among our human family. How well we imitate Christ in our relationships with both is at the heart of the missionary task in the 21st century.