Holding the Rope

Clint Archer

Description

Holding the Rope gives an insightful look into the preparation, philosophy, and application of short term cross-cultural ministry. Archer addresses the issues with candor, humor, and most importantly, grace. He provides viable solutions to common problems, and encourages churches, pastors, and volunteers to adopt a biblical and practical approach for engaging in short term missions. “Holding the rope” is more than a catchphrase. It articulates an entire philosophy of ministry. Christian missions is too daunting an enterprise to attempt alone, but the synergy of combined efforts can accomplish untold advancement for the kingdom of God. This book is a tool for those serving the servants, a guide and celebration of those who hold the ropes.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Philosophie et théologie
• Growth
• Christian Church

Informations

• Publié par: William Carey Publishing
• Date de parution: 24 juin 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781645081166
• Langue: English

Extrait

HOLDING THE ROPE

Holding the Rope: Short-term Missions, Long-term Impact
Copyright 2014 by Clint Archer
No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without prior written permission of the publisher, except in brief quotes used in connection with reviews in magazines or newspapers.
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2011. The ESV text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible , Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Published by William Carey Library
1605 E. Elizabeth Street
Pasadena, CA 91104 | www.missionbooks.org
Melissa Hicks, editor
Brad Koenig, copyeditor
Hugh Pindur, graphic designer
Rose Lee-Norman, indexer
William Carey Library is a ministry of the
U.S. Center for World Mission
Pasadena, CA | www.uscwm.org
Digital Ebook Release BP 2014
ISBN: 978-0-87808-628-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Archer, Clint.
Holding the rope : short-term missions, long-term impact / by Clint Archer.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-87808-535-4
1. Short-term missions. I. Title.
BV2082.S56A73 2014
266-dc23
2014000601
To Rick Holland who taught me how to hold the rope, and to Joel James who showed how to dangle joyfully from the other end.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION: A LEGACY OF HOLDING THE ROPE
1. SHORT-TERM TRIP, LONG-TERM DAMAGE
Kalahari Conundrums
More Harm Than Good?
The Ghost of STM Past
Interview with a Vampire
2. EST. AD 33: THE BRILLIANCE OF THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
Big Bang: The Birth of the Universal Church
One Small Step for Man
Save Our Soul(s)
Medical Missions
Unreached People
Local Believers
Return to Sender
Repeat the Sounding Joy
Quality Time
Support Letters Are Biblical
Gospel to Go
3. READY, AIM, FIRE, AND PREFERABLY IN THAT ORDER: THE PURPOSE OF STM
Taking Aim
The STMers
The Sending Church
The Local Unbelievers
The Receiving Church
4. STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND: THE MISSIONARY IS THE MISSION
A Unique Breed
A Unique Need
Neither Here nor There
Handle with Care
Interrogate Your Missionary
Arrange an Orientation Session
Be a Mule
Make Some Noise
Stay in Touch
5. FIELD OF DREAMS: SELECTING A DESTINATION
Teaching Trips
Evangelism Trips
Service Trips
6. THE DREAM TEAM: SELECTING TRAVELERS
Cream of the Crop vs. Bottom of the Barrel
The Many Faces of Experience
O Captain My Captain: The Team Leader
Lock Down Team Profile and Trip Dates
The Informational Meeting
The Application Form
Pretrip Bonding
7. THE BOTTOM LINE: IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?
Where You Put Your Money Says a Lot to Believers
Where You Put Your Money Says a Lot to Unbelievers
Churches That Support Missions Reluctantly
Churches That Love Long-term Missionaries, but not STM Trips
Churches That Are Too Eager to Fly
Buying a Share in the Company
8. THAT MAKES CENTS: HOW TO RAISE FUNDS FOR STM TRIPS
Step One: Set a Goal Amount
Step Two: Write a Support Letter
Step Three: Choose Your Support Base
Step Four: Monitor Support Level until a Critical Mass Is Reached
Step Five: Buy Tickets or Make Further Appeals and Cut Ballast
Step Six: Buy Tickets or Abort Mission
Step Seven: Hold Fundraisers as a Team to Make Up Any Shortfall
Spending In-country
9. ROUND TRIP: TRAVEL AND CULTURE SHOCK
Spiritual Carbo-loading
The Hazards of Time Travel
Speeka da Engleesh
Cross Your Heart: Don t Make Promises
Bearing Gifts, We Travel So Far
Flirt on the Flight Back
Alien Encounters: Representing Your Country
Food for Thought
The Price You Pay: Bribery
Book of Life
Lost and Found
Love Languages
10. HOMEWARD BOUND: REENTRY AND FOLLOW-THROUGH
The Debrief
Rough Landing
Guilt Trip
Communicating Your Experience
Travel Puffs Up
Expert Syndrome
Follow-through
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
FOREWORD
N ot long ago I read a missions article on why churches should cancel their short-term missions (STM) program. At great length, the author graphically detailed the faux pas of well-meaning Westerners, recounting how houses got painted multiple times or churches and orphanages were built but never used-all in the name of short term missions. His remedy? Just send money, not people. After all, stewardship suggests that locals can do the job for a fraction of the cost!
While the author s caricature may have been deliberately exaggerated, he did have a point. Sometimes work can be done more reasonably with local help. Some projects undoubtedly are created simply to keep unsolicited STM volunteers busy. But one must be careful not to throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. Just because an instrument is misused doesn t mean one discards it altogether.
Ultimately, the issue is not about painting houses, erecting buildings, or sending financial resources. Rather, it all boils down to what the greatest manual on missions says about STM s.
Did the greatest short-term missionary ever send his disciples on an STM? Is there biblical precedent for STM s? Does the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) endorse STM endeavors?
Clint Archer answers these questions with a resounding, Absolutely Yes! The greatest short-term missionary himself sent his disciples on an STM (Matt 10:1-15; Luke 9:1-6). The Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Saul on an STM (Acts 13). The apostle Paul was ministered to by Timothy and Epaphroditus, an STM team (Phil 2:19-28), and John Mark (2 Tim 4:11). Through these texts and others, Archer argues convincingly that the validity of any STM trip and its on-field activity must be determined by its conformity to the principles of God s Word and driven by its commitment to following the biblical protocols.
Building off the famous quote of William Carey, Archer argues that STM s are designed to hold the ropes for long-term missionaries. In doing so, he underscores the fact that truly biblical ministry is not a solo sport, that even long-term lone rangers need someone to help. Short-term versus long-term need not nor should not be an either-or proposition. STM activity is a support network to long-term missionaries, a side dish to complement that meal; it isn t the whole menu (23). Later, Archer adds, STM takes the soothing balm of fellowship and encouragement to our missionaries. Our missionaries are our mission! (33).
While an STM team may be given opportunities for evangelism, discipleship, and teaching, these opportunities, carried out at the request of the missionary, are nonetheless examples of holding the rope. Long-term soldiers know the lay of the land; STM recruits are there to help them carry out their biblical mandates, to serve them in whatever manner deemed most beneficial to the missionary.
The issue facing STM s is not whether they are right or wrong. Yes, invading some foreign battleground wrongly motivated, ill-prepared, and uninvited is wrong. It is a recipe for disaster. But canceling them altogether could be one of the greatest travesties to the missionary endeavors of the twenty-first century!
That is why I am particularly thankful for this in-depth treatment of short-term missions by Clint Archer. Built on a thoroughly biblical foundation, it lays out the framework for avoiding the criticisms and pitfalls of misled short-term, cross-cultural ministries. It is a wonderful guidebook for pastors, missions-minded laypeople and, yes, even mission executives. It is a crucial reminder to keep the focus in every mission endeavor in its rightful place, at the forefront of the local church s commitment to the Great Commission. And, keeping its foundation biblical will infuse your church with enthusiasm for spreading the Good News and will promote worship and praise to the One who builds his church.
STM can be and should be a key component of every church s mission. Because, as Archer concludes: Holding the ropes is no less vital to the success of the mission than it is to penetrate the dark pit (111).
Irv Busenitz, ThD
academic dean and vice president of The Master s Seminary
chairman of the board of Elder s Council Handling Outreach (ECHO)
at Grace Community Church
INTRODUCTION: A LEGACY OF HOLDING THE ROPE
E xpect great things of God. Attempt great things for God. These immortal words of missionary pioneer William Carey became the manifesto of the modern missionary endeavor. This diametric pair of imperatives formed the simple outline of a sermon Carey preached to a generation of churchmen who had been simmering in apathy toward foreign missions. And how charming that one who mended shoes for a living would be used by God to address the church s state of spiritual disrepair. His pair of points was profound in their simplicity. This quaint coincidence was not lost on his eminent biographer (and descendant) Pearce Carey, who wrote eloquently of the so-called deathless sermon :
For seventeen years he had been making things in his workshop in pairs, and this sermon fell under the unconscious power of the same habit. His pair of biddings -the right- and left-foot shoes for every pilgrim and soldier of the Lord-rang with homely brevity and unorthodox audacity. By contrast with the multi-headed, many-jointed sermons of the period (and in particular Association sermons) he dared to be simple and direct. His words were not for display but for persuasion; not to secure personal pulpit success, but to win a case, a very bat