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June 2002
Feet-on-the-Ground Missiology
Dear Partners in God’s Mission,
What does it mean to be "one body" with "many
members?" All Christians and all churches of Jesus Christ
are connected. As I move about as a PC(USA) mission co-worker,
I continue to be amazed with the exciting connections in the Body
of Christ.
Why does our "connectional" form of government "connect"
Presbyterians in local congregations to presbyteries, synods,
and the General Assembly? Because the Bible teaches that we are
connected to one another in egalitarian partnerships which collectively
discern God’s call to us. We believe in the universal gospel
for all and in "one holy catholic apostolic church."
Therefore, Presbyterians are called to be global Christians connected
to churches in countries around the world.
Mission Connections
Two PC(USA) congregations (one in North Carolina and another
in Virginia) and two friends (a Presbyterian in Richmond and a
Roman Catholic in Austin) made connections with the Worldwide
Ministries Division. Their giving to an Extra Commitment Opportunity
made it possible for me to connect with the Evangelical Theological
Community in Chile.
Flying over the snow-tipped peaks of the magnificent Andes in
the brilliant sunlight and being overwhelmed by their majesty
as we walked the streets of Santiago, my Brazilian co-worker Dirce
Naves and I were poignantly aware of our connections with a mighty
Creator God.
I was invited to participate in a national pastors and elders
conference in Santiago and to make a presentation on "Challenges
for Theological Education in Latin America Today." Afterwards,
when I commented in my halting Spanish on the lovely cross one
of the dynamic young elders was wearing, she answered in perfect
English, "It was a gift from the Presbytery of the Pines,
our partner presbytery." I asked where she learned such good
English, and she said that she had been an exchange student in
North Carolina. It turned out we graduated from the same high
school! Multiple connections for two Presbyterian women! I learned
much more about Rosita Guzman over delicious Chilean barbeque
at lunch. She suggested that a "yoke" is the best image
for partnerships where we "walk together at the same pace."
After lunch, when others questioned the challenge I presented
concerning development of creative self-sustaining programs in
Latin American seminaries, Rosita spoke articulately of the need
to move beyond dependencies to mutual partnerships.
One of the key challenges in doing mission these days is how
to share resources. Doesn’t sound so hard, does it? But it’s
not as simple as writing a check. How do we share so that the
poor are empowered and lifted up, without their becoming dependent
on the wealthy? How do we share without the wealthy treading on
the dignity of those who receive?
The Chilean church has a wonderful ecumenical seminary called
Evangelical Theological Faculty. It’s a collaborative effort
of seven Chilean churches—Methodist, Lutheran, Anglican,
Presbyterian, and three Pentecostal denominations—with campuses
in the two largest Chilean cities, Santiago and Concepción.
They have strong connections with the IEPG, the seminary I visited
in December in São Leopoldo, Brazil, and with ISEDET, an
ecumenical seminary in Argentina. The dean, Dr. Jorge Cardenas,
a Presbyterian pastor and physician who works full-time in clinical
pastoral counseling in a hospital, is also the stated clerk of
the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Chile. He did graduate
studies in CPE at Duke University, ten miles from where I did
graduate studies at UNC! Connections, connections.
My German Lutheran host, Martin Breitenfeldt, accompanied me
on a crowded and noisy city bus to an interview with one of the
persons attending my class on partnerships in holistic mission.
It was a privilege to make closer connections with the Rev. Gloria
Roja, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile and
a D.Min. student at McCormick. Connections, connections.
She shared some painful experiences resulting from serious mistakes
of mission workers and left me reflecting on the complexities
of partnerships. "Let’s keep working at partnerships,"
she urged, "and get beyond money as the main issue. What
we most need is recognition of our full dignity. Don’t bring
us your initiatives, come alongside us and join us in completing
our initiatives."
During the "Partnerships in Holistic Mission" class
I taught for five nights in Concepción, the Evangelical
Theological Community made connections with a Pentecostal Bible
institute. It was my first classroom experience with a Pentecostal
majority, attended also by Presbyterians and Baptists. One of
the brighter lights, Eduardo Ortega, is a tutor in the extension
program of the Evangelical Theological Community. He was a student
of David Maxwell, WMD’s Coordinator for Global Education
and International Leadership Development, when he taught in Concepción.
Connections, connections.
One of the professors in Concepción, Elisabeth Salazar,
a leader in the Evangelical Pentecostal Church, studied at the
IEPG in São Bernardo, which I visited in October, so we
got connected in Portuguese and over Brazilian coffee.
Now I am back in Louisville, Kentucky, for June, July, and August,
re-connecting with WMD as its consultant in missiology and theological
education. The more I study our new policy, "Presbyterians
Do Mission in Partnership," the more I see the need for Presbyterians—in
local congregations, presbyteries, theological seminaries, Worldwide
Ministries Division, throughout the GAC, throughout the PCUSA,
throughout the world—to make more connections, to celebrate
our connections, and to move beyond our differences and divisions.
Celebrate with me our connections with God’s people in Chile
through the Evangelical Theological Community. Reach out and make
connections with Presbyterians and others who are different from
you. Move with us in WMD towards the miracle of mutual partnerships
of giving and receiving.
My e-mail during June, July, and August is: sgeorge@ctr.pcusa.org
and my telephone is: (888) 728-7228 x 5316.
Connected with you in God’s transforming mission,
Sherron
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