The document discusses strategies for transitioning missionary programs and churches to local ownership and sustainability to avoid long-term dependency. It recommends encouraging local creativity and problem-solving, transitioning leadership to nationals, teaching strong financial stewardship from the beginning, and being willing to change structures inherited from foreign groups that do not fit the local context. The goal is for churches and organizations to be self-supporting through local funding rather than relying on outside support.

1. Missions and Money
Partially adapted from Missions and Money
Jonathan Bonk
Dr. Robert Patton
Missionary to Suriname,
South America

2. Part III
Avoiding Dependency
Dr. Robert Patton
Missionary to Suriname,
South America

3. Transition to local ownership
 Encourage local creativity
 Local solutions to local problems
 New music from the hearts of the
people
 Local ways of raising funds
 Expect some insecurity

4. Indigenous Church and
Missionary Sending
 Indigenous church = locally owned
and operated: China
 .Some missionaries had introduced
the ideas of self-supporting and
self-propagating churches
 .When cut off from other countries,
the church became truly
indigenous

5. Indigenous Church and
Missionary Sending
 Indigenous church = locally owned
and operated: China
 They learned how to live in a
hostile political environment
 They decided to take the gospel
west - 10/40 window

6. African independent churches
 Often started by leaders of mission-
established churches with a “low
ceiling” where they could not grow
 They rejected foreign control and
funding

7. African independent churches
 They were usually led by a
charismatic talented leader - a
“prophet”
 Not all would be called evangelical

8. African independent churches
 The second generation is
rethinking the isolationist stance
of the first generation
 Many churches were not involved
in E3 evangelism

9. African independent churches
 They show that churches can exist
in Africa on their own resources.
 They did not have such a huge
superstructure built by foreign
funds

10. Remember
 An indigenous church should seem
indigenous - not standing out from the
culture as a foreign culture institution.
 A church cannot be indigenous in its
own society if it has the identity of the
church from another society
 Some have indigenous leadership but
not indigenous support structure

11. Foundation of an Indigenous
Outreach Movement
 It is born out of a full-heart
experience
 It is the result of WIDESPREAD
church spiritual renewal.
 The congregation is filled with the
Holy Spirit with spiritual energy
left over for others

12. Foundation of an Indigenous
Outreach Movement
 It requires special emphasis and
training.
 Pastoral training is not enough to
answer the questions facing cross-
cultural missionaries

13. Foundation of an Indigenous
Outreach Movement
 It develops a caring sending base -
with healthy mission support for those
willing to serve at a distance
 Faithful reporting back to prayer
supporters and financial supporters
 Keep the vision of the unreached -
especially the 10/40 window

14. Foundation of an Indigenous
Outreach Movement
 Be careful of outside support to
make your vision possible - they
may not believe in the importance
of local funding
 They are not dependent on foreign
funds to start or keep going

15. Alan Tippett’s marks of an
indigenous church
 A healthy self-image - the Body of
Christ in its own community
 Self-functioning
 Self-determining
 Self-supporting
 Self-propagating
 Self-giving - managing its own
service programs

16. Healthy Indigenous churches
 Indigenous theology – which deals
with all the elements affecting the
lives of their people daily
 Indigenous worship - fitting for the
culture

17. Healthy Indigenous churches
 Indigenous church structure - it
should fit the culture.
 Can it support the structure it
inherited without foreign funds?
 Can the structure be reproduced
elsewhere?

18. Healthy Indigenous churches
 Self-image:
 Does the community look to the
church in times of crisis?
 Does it have a healthy reproductive
system?

19. What about a missions
sending program?
 There is no vision for the
unreached
 A poverty mentality exists
 They may have inherited an
expensive structure taking all their
resources to maintain
 There may be no prayer movement

20. What about a missions
sending program?
 Maybe there are no training
institutes to prepare people for
missionary training
 Perhaps the church has no sending
agency - usually a special
department is necessary to
function cross-culturally
 There may be no prayer movement

21. African conversions - especially
marginal conversions
 Often we leave intact the unsaved person’s
basic assumptions of life
 A missionary sending movement requires
many in the church to make that commitment
 Examples:
 Life forever - descendents remember your
name
 Many hold two worldviews simultaneously

22. Marginal commitments show…
 Depth of commitment from
beginning
 .Evidence
 .Behavior
 .Ritual
 .Values
 .Themes
 .Basic life presuppositions

23. Obstacles to genuine
conversion
 Easy believism - don’t count the cost
 Motivation to accepting Jesus Christ -
eg learning English, foreign travel,
schooling & employment, etc
 Conflicting world views

24. Results of marginal Christian
conversions
 Rise of independent churches -
culturally appropriate and filled with
power
 Who is the final authority in their lives
 Unhealthy fatalism - no local decisions
and support

25. Results of marginal Christian
conversions
 Unlikely to be enthusiastic
missionaries
 Unlikely to feel that the church
deserves much of their income
 For a dynamic missionary movement,
the Holy Spirit, not the spirits, must
be in charge

26. Results of marginal Christian
conversions
 They will not destroy the sacred
objects used in the previous way of life
 The former way of solving problems
will not be replaced
 Christianity will not be seen as a way of
life worth dying or living for
 Answer: evangelism &/or discipleship

27. Conflicting World Views and
the Problem of Dependency
 Societies usually work by
consensus - time consuming
 Man is seen as family, not individuals
 West - project-oriented rather than
people-oriented = broken
relationships if not careful
 We need cross-cultural training

28. Conflicting World Views and
the Problem of Dependency
 God in his providence places us to
do His will and to encourage others
to be all that they can be
 Personal integrity may be
sacrificed to keep the “heavy box”
going

29. Conflicting World Views and
the Problem of Dependency
 Worldview of control?
 Worldview to be controlled as
victims?
 Remember God allows some
things in our lives for His
purposes in our lives

30. Problems with world views
 Power encounter = rendering the
other powers powerless.
 Sometimes a public confrontation
with the old sources of power is
necessary
 People movement - larger groups
turn to Christ, like villages

31. Problems with world views
 Westerners tend to look at
worldviews as either/or
 Non-westerners often look at
Christianity as merely a
supplement of what they already
believe

32. Worldview problems
 When you hold a unified worldview,
this means that you can do some
things, but other things you cannot do
 Medicine - example
 western - what happened and how did it
happen?
 non-western - why did this happen, who
caused it?

33. .Ethnicity and Cross-cultural church
planting: why dependency develops
 A truly indigenous church has deep
roots in the culture.
 In that society, it is seen as a
legitimate wholesome local
institution to which they can
belong.

34. .Ethnicity and Cross-cultural church
planting: why dependency develops
 Often ethnic churches are depen-
dent, and must make decisions
acceptable at the foreign support
base.
 Often the music is not indigenous, or
worship service

35. .Ethnicity and Cross-cultural church
planting: why dependency develops
 Church structure is often too
expensive
 Often the vision comes from outside
 We need to be willing to leave
behind that which is not essential
but determined by the outsider’s
culture.

36. .Ethnicity and Cross-cultural church
planting: why dependency develops
 We need to preserve self-respect and
allow expression of good things in
the target culture.
 We need to be careful not to
undermine the parents and their role

37. Suggestions of cross-cultural
planters
 Inter-ethnic mission societies have
a better chance of starting an
indigenous church
 Train in cross-cultural and inter-
ethnic institutions

38. Role of business people in
self-reliance for churches
 They must be soundly converted
before they will give generously to
the Lord
 They may be willing to live in a
more conservative lifestyle

39. Enhancing the role of the
businessman
 Make the purpose of the church clear -
separate out business parts.
 Church and business need each other
 Both groups should promote spiritual
renewal
 Church leaders must show themselves
as hardworking shepherds

40. Enhancing the role of the
businessman
 Business people must be certain
that there is economic justice in
how they earn their money.
 They can set the example of caring
for employees, giving good quality
service, and generosity to the
church

41. Enhancing the role of the
businessman
 Business people must make the
frame of reference the kingdom of
God
 Help the unemployed by revolving
loan funds. Local funds are
preferred - better monitored

42. What triggers the move to
Self-Reliance?
 Direct revelation from the Lord -
sometimes supernatural
 Divine intervention - God removing
foreign funds.
 It partially depends on the
teaching of faithful stewardship
 Widespread genuine spiritual
revival is needed!

43. What Triggers the move to
Self-Reliance?
 Sound teaching initially with
those sowing the gospel seed
 Sound teaching and practices
promoted by committed and
creative local leaders

44. What Triggers the move to
Self-Reliance?
 Not so effective = one-sided plan
initiated by missionaries.
 The question is one of true
psychological ownership
 Outside funds are arbitrarily cut
off - be careful that this is not an
act of paternalism.

45. What Triggers the move to
Self-Reliance?
 Serious restructuring of
institutions inherited from the past
 Positive shift in the attitude among
the missionaries

46. Avoiding dependency in Cross-
cultural church planting
 When church planting, E2 or E3
congregations should avoid
sending too many persons from the
original congregation to help
 Avoid well-paid outside church
planter beyond the capabilities of
the church

47. Avoiding dependency in Cross-
cultural church planting
 Things to do:
 Encourage the church from the
beginning to use stewardship
 Teach stewardship from salvation
 Without adequate base, finances
will prevent building & sending
missionaries

48. Cross-cultural church planting
 Don’t pity people that they cannot pay
 Don’t surrender leadership to outside
wealthier believers
 Consider self-supporting church leaders
 Consider renting facilities until you can
build
 Spiritual renewal is vital

49. Best ideas for change
 The funders need to be willing to
change
 Spirit of anticipation to change
 Do what you need to do to precipitate
change.
 Ideally the beginning of stopping
dependence will come from those
who are dependent

50. Best ideas for change
 Know the difference between
absolute poverty where help is
necessary, and relative poverty
where change is necessary
 You will find those in relative poverty
can give to God

51. What can outsiders do?
 The biggest thing outsiders can
do is pray. It is a spiritual battle
 Remind dependent people about
the unreached world.
 Ask them to help reach, explain-
ing that resources need to be
channeled there

52. What can outsiders do?
 Help spiritual maturity resulting in
joyful giving.
 Those who fund must look at
how/why they fund. For example,
they be deliberately absent when
funding decisions are made.

53. What can outsiders do?
 Cause awareness of local resources
 You can work not only to increase
income, but also to decrease
expenses
 Have sermons & seminars, etc on
stewardship

54. Initiating the process of
change:
 Recognize the role of outsiders in
creating the problem
 Have frank discussions about the
current situation
 Be humble and admit that altruism
of outsiders may be behind the
dependency

55. Initiating the process of
change:
 Seek advice of local people for a
proper solution
 True interdependence is best at
the local level among relative
equals

56. Meaningful Ways to Help the
Poor
 The poor lack margin - financially
or spiritually
 Building in biblical principles will
give you margin against poverty,
sickness, demonic possession, and
depression

57. The good news of God is the best
way to help those who lack margin
 Everyone must pay their debts
 Christians must pay their taxes
 Christians should tithe - start
teaching from day 1. This means
that we recognize that everything
we have comes from God
 Christians should put something
into savings

58. Wrong assumptions
 The poor have nothing to give back
to God
 Change your idea of what can go
into the offering basket

59. Christian demeanor and the
dependency syndrome
 Avoid the mandate to rule syndrome
 Be willing to let the nationals take over,
even to not showing up at meetings
 Defer to the local leadership
 We urgently need extensive cross-
cultural training and sensitivity
 Avoid paternalism

60. Reflections on Bible Societies
 One Bible society was supported
from the outside by more than
99%
 There is a problem of getting funds
to go out of the country “blocked
cash”

61. Reflections on Bible Societies
 We need to work to get the
countries able to print their own
Bibles
 It is a problem to buy and give
away highly subsidized Bibles

62. Reflections on Bible Societies
 We need to use sound business
principles to work with Bibles
 There is a problem when directors
also belong to NPO’s as they are
now in competition to raise funds...

63. Reflections on Bible Societies
 We need business-minded
directors.
 There is need of men who can use
tough-minded “bottom-line”
mentality
 They must be people of integrity

64. Practical suggestions
for Bible Societies
 Reconsider who should be on Bible
society boards.
 Avoid dependency mentality. Put in
church leaders for questions of
translation and interchurch cooperation
 Have the general secretary of the Bible
society get paid directly by the churches

65. Practical suggestions
for Bible Societies
 Create a network of market-minded
business men of integrity
 Experiment with locally printed
editions of Bibles at lower cost
 Get a “can do” mentality at all levels
of Bible Society activity, including
costs related to translation, produc-
tion, storage and distribution.

66. Sustainability in Medical
Mission Institutions
 Dependency in the institutions has its
roots in spiritual issues
 The road to dependency is often
paved with good intentions
 Some of the best examples were from
places without government subsidy
 The key is local ownership with
independent board leadership

67. Sustainability in Medical
Mission Institutions
 Short-termers help when visiting teams
of specialists come.
 Have an atmosphere where doctors can
feel at home

68. Sustainability in Medical
Mission Institutions
 Short-termers help when visiting teams
of specialists come.
 Have an atmosphere where doctors can
feel at home

69. To transfer medical care to
local ownership
 Anticipate a change
 Precipitate the change - work
proactively
 Learn how to get change
 Be prepared to do serious restructuring
if necessary
 Don’t expect someone to hand you a
ready-made solution

70. AIDS and Orphanages in Africa
 Behavior change is the biggest need to
control AIDS - a closed sexual
relationship with spouse/spouses
 Accurate information of HIV carrier vs.
AIDS is important
 What to do about orphans - but
orphanages may bypass the extended
family and the local church

71. AIDS and Orphanages in Africa
 What can outsiders do to
strengthen the extended family?
 .Increase food production
 .Stimulate job creation
 .Give appropriate job training
 .Revolving loan funds
 What are the roles of the nationals
in making decisions???

72. Maximizing the benefit of
short-term missions
 Cultural sensitivity is very important - both
listening and being are important in ministry
 Positive methods:
 Serious training in cross-cultural issues, including
other religions
 Spiritual warfare training
 Awareness of how the rest of the world views
Americans
 Self-examination for areas of personal strengths
and weaknesses.

73. Problems with short term
missions
 More doing than being
 Attitude of superiority
 We think that we can do the job better
than the local people. We must not
undermine local initiative and resources
 Ownership of projects
 Insensitivity to cultural issues

74. A positive civic organization
example
 The group went to learn
 .They were not isolated in western
mission stations or hotels. They lived
with Indian hosts
 They had preparation to be learners

75. Suggestions for short term
missions
 Come to learn
 Remember you are guests, not specialists
 Don’t look for simplistic answers to complex
cultural issues
 Your testimony has value, but share it
discreetly - better to listen to the testimonies
from the people where you go

76. Suggestions for short term
missions
 Who you are is more important that
what you do
 People in absolute poverty need help to
survive. Relative poverty - they are
quite capable of surviving
 Take time to learn about the country
 The course: Perspectives on the World
Christian Movement is helpful