1. Introduction

Mission giving is a very foreign concept in many African (Black) churches in South Africa.  I think there are two main reasons for this:

1.  Missions is a foreign concept:  Till very recently in South Africa ‘missions’ has been perceived as done by Caucasians only.  Most missionaries have been people from overseas who seemed to have ‘a lot of money’.  The Black church in South Africa has been on the receiving end of missionaries and the generosity that came with missionaries into the context which was and is still very poor and needy unfortunately created a lot of financial dependency.

2.  Support raising is very individualistic in its approach.  Things are changing in South Africa as in Africa and the rest of the world.  The family culture and its extended family network is unfortunately breaking down.  People are more highly mobile than before, they get educated and move to cities or areas far away from their family context.  This, however, hasn’t taken away (at least not completely) the way African people do things together as the family and or community.  African people do enjoy working together on projects in a collective way.

 

2. Giving in Africa

Arising from the two points above (I am sure there are many other reasons), I would like to make the following proposals as suggestions to mission giving:

1.  The whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world (Lausanne Statement).  The church in Africa should be encouraged through missions education that Africa is no longer a mission field but a mission force.  The Great Commission is for the whole church and for all God’s people (Christians).

2.   Today missions is no longer from the west to the rest or the rest to the west but from anywhere to everywhere.

3.  Support raising should (be an effort to) be done by all in a collective way.  Mission agencies rightly say they are not sending missionaries out to the field, but rather it is the church that sends people to the field. Instead of making it an individual thing to raise support, the church family can be involved in work together to adopt a missionary, raising his/her support and sending out the missionary.  This does not in any way stop or discourage a missionary talking (about finances) to his/her friends individually.

4.   The Africa Diaspora: Africa is losing her best to the rest of the world.  Some of these people are Christians and some become Christians while overseas.  I think that making the need known and attempting to raise support from them is not bad idea.  As Christians, we have the lost and unreached people in our hearts, and if the Lord is opening doors for African Christians to reach out, they can become part of that outreach through their prayers and financial support.

5.  Non-Black (Non-African) Churches:  Whether these churches are in Africa or in other parts of the world – they are part of God’s universal church.  Churches that have resources can be mobilized to partner with churches which do not have resources but who do have people who are ready to take the gospel to the world.

 

3. Conclusion:

I would like to conclude by pointing out other ways through which Christians can be encouraged to get involved with missions from Africa and in Africa:

Tent Making – Christians working in professions and countries where they can receive remuneration while being missionaries right there where they are.

Business as Mission – how can this be contextualized for Africa?  How can this be applied from both sending context and receiving context?  My proposal is that the church back ‘at home’ in the sending country run a business to support its missionaries, and train missionaries who will go as business people.

Mission agencies to fund raise on behalf of missionaries.

 

I know there is no easy answer, but hopefully these thoughts and ideas will trigger a discussion to help the Church in Africa to at least begin thinking about missions as being from God and not just as an addition to the life of the church. Earlier this year SIM appointed a small committee, under the chairmanship of Tim Welch, to look at a similar question (broader than Africa).  If you think that the findings of that committee might be helpful, you may request an electronic copy.  His email address is [email protected].  I am sure he would not mind sharing the document.