The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
Author: Dr Grant McClung
Date: 09.02.2012
Category: Diasporas
To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation’s lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.
Following on from Sadiri Joy Tira’s "Regions Beyond"
Imagine diaspora mission leaders around the table for a global conversation. There you find the agencies, the parachurch missions who are leading international diaspora initiatives with resources and assigned staff leaders. Next to them are the academies, actively moving the new, emerging missiological discipline of “diaspora missiology” forward with educators’ consultations, training seminars, and publications. Across the table you see those from the agora, the market-place laity who systematically encounter those “outside the borders” in their global travels and responsibilities. Nearby are the activists – social workers, politicians, the NGOs, and other diaspora advocates and allies who are caring for the scattered and arguing for their basic human rights. Beside them at the table are the missions associations, the regional and international networks and movements that are featuring the diaspora agenda in their leadership meetings, webinars, and publications.
Thankfully, the assemblies (the churches) are also there.
This commentary calls for responses from our colleagues in the local churches, associations of churches, and denominations, and urges them to recruit church leaders to the global conversation on diaspora mission. It asks them to share their diaspora journey and experience for the benefit of the Lausanne world evangelization movement. Their input to the following questions will not only become topics for future consultations, doctoral dissertations, and training resources but will bind and bond the Great Commission community closer together in collaboration for global mission.
Who are some of the principal leaders in denominational diaspora ministries? What are their strategies for the global diaspora and how do they carry out their church’s mission among them? Where are involved in diaspora mission? When have they engaged (their history) or will they launch (their future projections) this vision? Why do (or don’t) churches and denominations embrace diaspora missiology/mission?
The “Seoul Declaration on Diaspora Missiology” affirms, “That the church, which is the body of Christ, is the principal means through which God is at work in different ways around the globe” and “The Cape Town Commitment” encourages, “…Church and mission leaders to recognize and respond to the missional opportunities presented by global migration and diaspora communities, in strategic planning, and in focused training and resourcing of those called to work among them” [italics mine].
It is noteworthy that the processes and personnel involved in those documents included representatives from the assemblies – local churches, church movements, and denominations. Also, the processes toward the Cape Town congress and its far-reaching commitment were in collaboration with the World Evangelical Alliance, whose regional and national movements are effectively embracing the churches and denominations.
For years already, local churches and denominations have reached out to scattered immigrants, refugees, and ethnic newcomers to their lands. Many denominations have model church planting and benevolence initiatives among them. Some even have specialized ministries, divisions, or departments. They are finding fellow-travelers through national and regional networks and interdenominational associations such as the “Ethnic America Network” (www.ethnicamerica.com). Last year, diaspora mission was one of the affinity groups at Orlando 2011 (www.missionamerica.org). The time is ripe for additional local, national, and regional consultations among the churches and denominations in order to learn from their diaspora initiatives.
Dr. Grant McClung, President of Missions Resource Group (www.MissionsResourceGroup.org), is a member of the Global Diaspora Network Advisory Board. He is the Missiological Advisor to the World Missions Commission of the Pentecostal World Fellowship and International Missionary Educator with Church of God World Missions (Cleveland, Tennessee U.S.A.).
Keywords: Diaspora, Grant McClung, mission, Lausanne, church, collaboration
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United States
I have visited many of these local churches that you speak of as having local outreach missions and specialized services for diaspora people. Some of the people who live in the communities of which you speak do not even realize that there is a community of displaced people living among them because they are so focused on their own evey day life to notice. In order to change this, it would take most of the church leaders in a given community working together in order to change the perspective and help people realize that there are diaspora people everywhere, even in their own community.
04.12.2012
United States
One of the new ways to keep churrches in the conversation is Ethnic Embrace USA. An initiative of the Mission America Coalition (U.S. Lausanne Committee) in partnership with the Ethnic Amrrica Network, Ethnic Embrace USA was developed for churches to engage their members in understanding, prayer and effective outreach to diasporas in their cities and communities. As the centerpiece of Ethnic Embrace USA, a 100 page FREE ebook - introduces 40 of the largest diaspora groups in the U.S. while at the same time taking the reader through 40 Scripture to develop the mission of God story. You can download your FREE copy at www.EthnicEmbraceUSA.net.
20.11.2012
United States
It is absolutely essential for the local churches to become more involved in these missions opportunities. For some reason, it seems that the emphasis is often on foreign missions, while neglecting the needs within our own communities of significant influence. Perhaps we expect the local associations or even the state associations to handle this aspect of missions while we give our minimal funds to feel better about ourselves for supporting these activities. The local church must take ownership of this responsibility and see to it that the mission’s opportunities that they are capable of fulfilling are addressed. Some cities have many churches which can band together to reach the diaspora communities. We can no longer sit back and allow others to do the work for us. It is time to answer the call and do all we can to fulfill the Great Commission.
20.11.2012
United States
I agree that the local church specifically here in the US represents a tremendous amount of resources spiritually and economically. As we look at the statement”…Church and mission leaders to recognize and respond to the missional opportunities presented by global migration and Diaspora communities...” The key to church involvement rests in their recognition that Diaspora missionall opportunities are a part of our responsibility to create disciples while meeting needs. Many churches treat mission as an afterthought delegated to a few members for only a few tasks. They do not recognize all mission both urban and global to be the core of worship as Christians. In order to recognize Diaspora mission, churches must change their vision to include those that are different in culture, language, and race, seeing the needs of these people as something that is common to humanity. Sadly too many churches in the US conduct worship separated by race, culture and socioeconomic status. Much of our Christianity is focused on maintaining our own individual salvation never seeing the needs of others because the idea of mission is something that is for others to do but not I. How do you begin to insert the idea that mission is everyone’s responsibility as mandated by Jesus? We have more than enough resources to “respond” but first it must be our Focus.
14.03.2012
United States
Hello Dr. McClung, I wanted to apprise you of a development in the Dallas Fort Worth area. February 7th, 2012, 30 mission mobilizers gathered to launch together the the DFW Diaspora Alliance. This was an introductory meeting to get the conversation started. The document at this link was shared: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0ss_73TnejBOTQ2OTg4NDItYjcwMi00Y2FkLTllZmEtNWQ5YTM1NDgyNzU2
A working meeting to establish a vision statement, core values, and do some strategic thinking together is scheduled for March 13th. We have a growing list of partnering networks, churches and agencies as you can see from the document.
17.02.2012
United States
@ Brian_Considine:
Outstanding! This will be great news to Dr. Tira, our Lausanne Senior Associate for Diasporas. Please keep us posted. By the way, the link to the document isn’t working for me. Try again?
17.02.2012
United States
@ Brian_Considine:
Greetings Brian. I reside in Charlotte NC, and am interested in finding out more about how and why you mobilized. We have a significant community here who can possibly benefit from such a coalition of mission minded folks. I was unable to gain access through the link you posted.
09.03.2012
United States
I agree with Dr. McClung as to the necessity of having the church congregations and denominations actively involved in global missions strategy and discussions. As a staff minister of a medium size, heavily African American Baptist congregation, I have found that we often are so involved with local concerns, that we forget to strategically participate in mission efforts beyond our borders as well. While I am willing to do my own research and resourcing, please let me know of any suggestions as to how we might become more aware of some opportunities to become more mission minded. I know for a fact that there are many congregations who desire to do better, but have not traditionally been focused in the direction of diaspora/global missions priorities.
16.02.2012
United States
@ akarnett:
Thank you for an insightful response. When I read it, my mind went immediately to some comments I heard from urban strategist Ray Bakke. He recalled how, when he first entered urban ministry as a young pastor in a Chicago neighborhood, he needed a strategy for community entry. He made three rounds of visits/conversations: (1) he talked to pastors of other churches, finding out what were some of the common pastoral concerns, issues, and congregational challenges in that place; (2) he visited social agencies, police stations, fire halls, the courts and discovered some of trends and developments in their ongoing engagement with the community; (3) he went around the the local "Mom and Pop" stores and small businesses in the neighborhood in order to observe and get acquainted. He tells the story in his book, "The Urban Christian" (Inter-Varsity Press 1987).
A strategy for glocal missional entry into the global diaspora mission (at home and abroad) is similiar to Bakke’s plan - it involves a lot of listening, perceptive observation, and finding allies who can inform and help.
I tell people interested in "diaspora missions/missiology" to Google search those terms, along with some principal names like "Joy Tira" and "Enoch Wan," colleagues who have written on the topic. Dr. Wan has posted some of these at his online missions journal www.globalmissiology.org. These searches reveal the names and sources of informative articles, books, and consultations.
In my "Globalbeliever.com: Connecting To God’s Work in Your World" (Missions Resource Group 2010) I urge readers to Stay Informed, Interested, and Inquisitive - and also to stay in Intercession about their quest for engagement in diaspora missions (the book is free as an online eBook resource at www.Globalbeliever.com" "Read the Book).
Remember also the websites cited in my post, and review the five journalistic questions I suggested. These get us started in looking for resources: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Until his recent homegoing to be with the Lord, David Mays was a wealth of local church and denominational connectivity to missions involvement. His website www.DavidMays.org still has loads of helpful resources and links. David served as Director of Learning Initiatives for The Mission Exchange, now merged with CrossGlobal Link as the new, unified resource/networking platform for North American missions leaders. The new association is "Missio Nexus" and their website is www.MissionNexus.org They are reaching out with intentionality to serve the entire community of missions leaders, including local churches.
16.02.2012
United States
@ Lloyd_Grant_McClung:
Thanks so much, as your response both affirms and informs my efforts. I am on some level engaging the community through individual contact, community agencies and small businesses. I am sure that the book by Bakke will be a great resource toward better clarifying our purpose and strategy. I hope to continue this dialogue, and am appreciative of any additional comments or information you wish to share.
19.02.2012
United States
Hope this works. Link to document
17.02.2012
United States
@ Brian_Considine:
Not working. Sorry. Try emailing it to me at:
grant.mcclung@gmail.com
17.02.2012
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