Missiological Exploration | Dependence Vs Self-Reliance

Plenteous Redemption Podcast

Dependency, often thought of in terms of substance abuse, is a much broader phenomenon. Not only so, but it spreads as quickly as a virus from China. Debilitating its host people or country. In our context, dependency refers to an unnatural and unhealthy attachment to others. When strong and capable men find themselves willfully beholden to the sway and influence of outsiders. Thus far, external political forces in Africa have created a continent of perpetual dependency. Maybe even by design, but that is not to say Africa played no role in this state of being. Too often, the oppressed bear as much blame as the oppressor.

But what about Christianity’s role in this matter? By use of the term “Christianity,” I mean in the biblical sense. Not in the world’s overly broad and useless employ of religious terminology. The reference is strict to Bible-believing Christianity; the difference is vast. In what way have we compelled the souls of foreign lands to simply exchange dependencies?

The conflation of temporal self-interests and spiritual interests is easy for foreign missionaries (and political actors) to leverage. Even if the intent is wholly good, the result may be a people dependent, not a people helped. Wishful thinking coupled with ambition tends to overcome objective and even biblical thinking. Christians understand all too well the battle that ensues when biblical truth interferes with emotion-based desires. We arrive at our evangelical destination full of zeal and ideas. Then difficulties arise, we learn that things will not go as planned. We then face choices that potentially produce an atmosphere of compromise.

Human volition plays a significant role in dependency, but throwing money at our ideas, especially when those ideas involve the souls of lost men in deep poverty, only tends to tempt them beyond that which they are able. How do we arrive in the third world ready to save souls, only to find in the end, we have created addicts who are not addicted to the ministry but rather to foreign funds? The moment the source of dependency leaves, the so-called ministry dissipates. We are not accomplishing the lofty spiritual task of the Great Commission by throwing money at souls and situations. We create a dependent people, no more spiritual and no more prosperous.

But what of compassion? We create a false sense thereof when we take this approach to spiritual accomplishment. Just as the politician smiles, knowing the future ends when the funds cease to flow. Much of the third-worlds misfortune is the result of personal mismanagement; how then could they benefit by receiving more funds? Genuine compassion is teaching them, through biblical principles, how to solve their own troubles. That is a biblical means of earning money, biblical principles for managing money, and the blessing that comes when those funds honor and glorify God. In dealing with this topic, we face a complex moral conundrum. How do we manage our spiritual ambition and produce self-sufficient people dedicated to Jesus Christ our Lord?

Dependence vs Self-Reliance - This is the topic of our Missions Monthly Discussion this month:

Missionary Keith Stensaas: Website: https://kstensaasfamily.com/
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Missionary Thomas Irvin Plenteous Redemption Podcast