160 likes | 332 Views
Modern Missions 1900-2000 Part 1. The battle for the minds of men. Global paradigm shifts were matured in every sphere of life around the world confusing the basis of a Truth-based message. Major events at 1900 forced changes. Holy Chinese martyrs. Karl Marx.
E N D
Modern Missions 1900-2000Part 1 The battle for the minds of men. Global paradigm shifts were matured in every sphere of life around the world confusing the basis of a Truth-based message
Major events at 1900 forced changes Holy Chinese martyrs Karl Marx • Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) against eight colonial powers in China resulted in 182 Protestant missionaries killed and 500 Chinese Protestants • Communist Manifesto (1848) let to Russian Communist Revolution in 1914; Chinese People’s Revolution 1949; Cuban Revolution, 1959. • By the end of the century Marxism is entrenched in most secular universities in Europe and USA, (US News & World Report 2003) • Darwin (1864) Origin of the Species led to Secular Humanism founders Marx, Freud, Nietzsche, Lenin, Stalin, Russell, Heidegger, Gramsci, John Dewey, and Kinsey, etc • Pentecostal-like experiences (1901) at Azusa Street revival prompt massive quest for supernatural powers in the face of growing skepticism and secularism, that explode after 1960.
Darwin, Social concerns and Liberalism As social issues became critical energy, resources, personnel, and focus was obligated to change (slavery, poverty, alcoholism, health, education, labor abuse, orphans, etc) Eventually Darwin’s explanation explained away a Creator and Schleiermacher’s Documentary Hypothesis explained away Revelation and Inspiration of the Bible, there was no foundation for Christianity. – the worldview had changed As liberals astutely gained control of seminaries and denominations, fundamentalists were shut out Missions became a concern to improve the lifestyle of fellow humans in a passive demonstration of God’s love without offensive F2F or public proclamation
World Mission Conferences and Ecumenical Movement John Mott (1865-1955) Carey proposed the World Missionary Conference in S. Africa in 1810 but not realized until 1910. John Mott, leader of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) presided with theme “Evangelization of the World in this Generation” The notion of a united Christian Church, even with the sacrifice of major doctrinal views, was thought to have greater appeal, especially with humanitarianism emphasis As the movement changed from a missionary focus to a church focus, then denominational focus (to incorporate more 3rd world leaders) liberal theologians took increasing control of committees The doctrine of Separation is adapted by fundamentalist churches and denominations, giving birth to the Independent Baptist Movement The Fundamentalism/modernism controversy led to the World’s Christian Fundamentalist Association (WCFA) in 1919 Within another 10 years scores of independent fundamentalists mission agencies and associations/denominations formed in protest to the liberal ecumenical movement.
World Wars I & II Allied Invasion of Normandy June 6, 1944 Economic chaos of Europe/Germany after WWI demanded dictatorial powers to solve: Hitler volunteered. Hitler’s nationalism and racism rejected Christianity as detriments to his master race and politics – elimination any negative element Only 39 years in the 20th century the US was not embroiled in major wars (not counting smaller national civil or revolutionary wars – difficult times Between 60 and 100 million people killed. Economies devastated making contributions scarce As Colonialism dissolves, new countries, geo-political unites, are drawn on the map with little understanding of people groups Advances in technology (radio, aviation, penicillin, computers) would transform world missions for the remainder of the century Soldiers, many of whom came to Christ in the military, flooded existing Bible Colleges to prepare for the ministry and missions
Ministry to Military: Navigators Dawson Trotman began to teach discipleship principles in local Sunday Schools In 1933 they extended their evangelism/discipleship to sailors in the U.S. Navy A sailor Les Spencer brought a sailor to Trotman and asked him to teach his friend what he had learned. Trotman replied, “You teach him!” Many hours spent in Bible Study, Scripture memorization, prayer and how to teach others in small groups or individually By the end of WWII thousands of sailors had been discipled and a new ministry was born Today the Discipling ministry of the Navigators is a key campus ministry, a church ministry and Small Group training Trotman gave his life to save two campers at Word of Life lake in New York who had fallen off a boat. He rescued them but drowned in the effort.
Mao Zedong as continuing legacy Communism and the Cold War (1945-1990) • To defeat Germany the Allies made an alliance with Russia (to create 2 fronts). • In recompense to Russia given most of E. Europe • Vast anti-communist movement in countries attempted to stem the tide • Between 1978-1983 in Argentina 30,000 suspected communist disappeared; in Chile, 5,000 + disappeared; to a lesser extent rightist military regimes treated dissidents unjustly. • Revolutionary wars broke out in numerous countries in S. America, Africa, SE Asia – many continuing • 1/3 of world’s population under communist state in 1980 (British Empire only ruled 25% of global pop)
Communism in the 20st century 1947 warning of Communist takeover • Vadimir Lenin, Russian revolutionary Bolshevik Party politician was the leader of the October (1917) Revolution and first head of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics • Democratic governments gave way to Socialist Democracies mostly because of social inequities, in transition to communism (proxy wars) • Today Radical communism is only modeled in Cuba, N. Korea, Laos, Vietnam, • China is becoming a blend of communist capitalism • Elected Communist parties in Moldova, Cyprus and Nepal (also 3 Indian states) • Liberal parties have been repressed in many parts of the world until the last few years • The problem of democracy is the majority win • Two elements produce popularity and votes: • Hope for money and improvements • Ideology engendered in communities through education • Hugo Chavez’s victory in Venezuela in 1999 to establish the Bolivarian Revolution an increasing threat to democracy in our hemisphere • Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua
Bible Distribution Missions to the Iron Curtain • Bible Smuggling – Holland’s Brother Andrews (b. 1928)– Open Doors, began in 1957 running vanloads of Russian-language Bibles– works in 60 countries for the Persecuted Church • Carried on by 40 different organizations • Joe Bass – Underground Evangelism • Michael Wurmbrand – Jesus to the Communist World • From 1950-1990 more than 12 million Bibles/NT sent to Eastern Europe along with teaching Bible studies and how to witness • The longest prison term was 3 ½ years in Czechoslovakia • Usually interrogated for a few hours and refused entry • Key to House church movement: Bibles and training
Colonialism to Independence: a period of kingdom building • Colonialism is the extension of one nation’s sovereignty over territory beyond its borders • To establish colonies or administrative dependencies • Indigenous leaders are displaced or made subject • Objective is exploitation of resources, labor & market • Imposition of socio-cultural, religious and linguistic structure on the conquered population • America yielded to colonialism by incorporating the Philippines, Guam, Cuba (1898 to 1902), Puerto Rico and Hawaii as American territories. • All would be liberated to become independent or Trust territories except Hawaii which became a state • At the end of WWI all colonies of losers were distributed among the victors • At the end of WWII decolonization began seriously • Shift from colonialism to interventionist in US policy since 1960 for cause of democracy • 228 cases of American intervention from 1973 to 2005 resulted in • 95 caused no change in country’s democracy • 69 instances the country became less democratic after intervention • 63 cases the country became more democratic • In 2004 the US had 700 military bases in 130 different countries
First (blue), Second (red) and Third (green) World during the Cold War (1946-1990) 1st World, 2nd World, 3rd World • The United Nations first organized in 1945 with 51 member nations; 1980 had 154 nations; 1990, 159 • Most of new countries located in 3rd World (GREEN) or underdeveloped countries – industrialization, globalization, standard of living, etc • Primary location of foreign missions • Anti-colonial struggle bitter and often bloody • Three changes as a result of the fall of colonialism: • Image of Christianity changed • Status of national church changed • Role of the missionary changed • 30 years until missionaries forced to transfer power to nationals in an Indigenous Policy Movement – Paternalism was a carry-over from Colonialism that was hard to break • Partnership ministries in the last few decades of the century broke many of these barriers elevating national leaders
Ministries between 1930-1950 UFM Wycliffe Bible Translators Youth For Christ Child Evangelism Fellowship New Tribes Mission NAE EFMA Before 1980 17,500 distinct Para-Church ministries started
Some Influential Missionaries C.I. Scofield (1843-1921) • Peter Cameron Scott – African Inland Mission (AIM) • Went as a missionary in 1895, but died in 1896 of blackwater fever, along with several others • Charles Hurlburt became the director opened doors • C. I. Scofield – Central American Mission (CAM) • Influenced by Hudson Taylor to start CAM in 1890 • Most famous for his premillennial dispensationalism and his footnoted Reference Bible • Jim Elliot – Gospel Mission Union (GMU) – Aucas • Killed along with 4 other missionaries attempting to reach the Waodoni (Auca) Indians • Most dramatic challenge to missions to which tens of thousands responded to replace their loss • “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot loose.” Jim Elliot (1927-1956)
Evangelistic Campaigns of 20th century D. L. Moody (1837-1899) Billy Sunday Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) • Moody Campaigns of 1890 • Spokesman for YMCA youth ministry and pastor of Illinois St. Church, which burnt in Chicago fire of 1871, then turned to evangelism • Promoted the use of the Wordless Book, invented by Charles Spurgeon in 1866, but he added “gold” for heaven. • Led Hudson Taylor’s dad to Christ, met Hudson on his revivals in England in 1873-1875, then campaigns from New York to Boston with crowds of 12,000 to 20,000, just as in England • Billy Sunday, converted baseball player, from 1900-1920 • More than a million people came forward to receive Christ– preached to more than 100 million F2F w/o amplification • Preached 20,000 sermons (av. 42/mo from 1896-1935) • Campaigns typically lasted 6 weeks w/ 79 meetings • Bob Jones Sr., America’s Second most popular evangelist • By 40 years of age had preached to 15 million F2F • Secularism and friend William Jennings Bryan persuaded Jones to start a Christian College • One of first religious broadcasters in 1927, for 35 years • President of Association of Evangelists (1000 evangelists) • In 1950 led the split between the fundamentalists and neo-evangelicals • In the New York Campaign of Billy Graham ecumenical sponsorship was sought with executive committee who denied major tenets of the faith • Preaching and mass Evangelism became the norm in America by 1950, but would die by the end of the century with Billy Graham’s passing