Opportunities and Challenges of Bi- vocational Missionaries 帶職宣教士的挑戰和机遇 CMC South 2015 – Houston TX
Opportunities and Challenges of Bi-
vocational Missionaries
帶職宣教士的挑戰和机遇
CMC South 2015 – Houston TX
And who knows but that you have come
to royal position for such a time as this?
(Esther 4:14)
焉知你得了王后的位分、不是為現今的機會麼?
(以斯帖記 4:14)
Today’s Unprecedented Opportunities
And who knows but that you have come to be
a professional for such a time as this?
焉知你得了「專業」的位分、不是為現今「宣教」的機會麼?
Today’s Unprecedented Opportunities
1 - World evangelism cannot be accomplished by
traditional missionaries alone
傳統宣教士不能完成普世宣教的目標
• Increase in world population 世界人口的增長
• Ratio of unreached people to traditional missionaries 未得之民與傳统宣教士的比率
• Need to increase number of missionaries by an order of
magnitude 宣教士的人數需要倍增
World’s non-Christian
population = 4.6 billion
Total number of
Protestant missionaries=
201,000*
Ratio of non-Christian
pop/missionary = 23,000
World’s non-Christian population and Protestant missionary
workface
世界的非基督徒人口和基督徒宣教士的比率
Ratio of Population to Missionary
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
M uslim Buddhist Hindu Chinese
religions
Non-
religious
* Excludes Mainland China
• To reduce the ratio of Non-Christian to Protestant
missionary from 23,000 to 5,000 we need 700,000 more
missionaries.
我們需要徵召七十萬的新宣教士,才能將非基督徒對宣教士的比率從二萬降到五千。
• This goal can be reached if there are three bi-vocational
missionaries for every one traditional missionary.
要達到這個目標,宣教士的徵召是三個帶職宣教士對一個全職宣教士。
•This is a very achievable goal.
這個目標是可以達到。
Raising bi-vocational missionaries is the most effective way to
drastically increase the missionary workforce
要倍增宣教士的人數,徵召帶職宣教士是最有效的途徑
Practically all Muslim and 10/40 window countries
welcome Christians who help them in nation building
絕大多數的回教和 10/40 窗户國家都歡迎專業的基督徒幫
助他們建設國家
Practically all Muslim countries are closed to traditional
missionaries
絕大多數的回教國家不歡迎傳统宣教士
• This puts most of 1.3 billion Muslims outside of reach of traditional
missionaries. 十三億的回教徒都在傳统宣教士的接觸之外。
• Furthermore, most Muslims countries have Syriah Law which prohibits the
sharing of the gospel to Muslims by locals or foreigners. 回教法律禁止基督徒向
回教徒傳福音。
• Syriah Law also prohibits a Muslims from changing his religion. 回教法律禁止
回教徒脫離回教。
• Most churches in Muslim countries are persecuted and ineffective in reaching
their Muslim countrymen for Christ. 在回教國家的教會被迫害,無法向當地回教
徒傳福音。
• Therefore, bi-vocational missionaries from outside are needed to evangelize
the Muslims in these countries. 這些國家需要外來的帶職宣教士向回教徒作見
証。
• According to U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, there are over
320,000 Americans living in 10/40 Window. 據美國外交部領事局的調查,現今有三十二萬的美國人在10/40窗户工作。
• According to US News and World Report, evangelical
Christians make up nearly one-quarter of the US population.
據美國新聞和世界雜誌調查,福音派基督徒佔美國人口的四份之一。
• Therefore there is a potential of 80,000 more Christian
workers among the American already working in the 10/40
window. 故此在10/40窗户工作的八萬美國基督徒,是帶職宣教士的徵召對象。
American Christians working in the 10/40 window
在10/40窗户工作的美國基督徒
•The Philippine Mission Association estimates there are
over one million evangelical Filipinos working in the Middle
East. They are also potential bi-vocational missionaries to
be mobilized. 菲律賓差傳會估計有超過一百萬的菲律賓基督徒在中東國家工作。他們亦可成為帶職宣教士。
Filipino Christians working in the Middle East
在中東工作的菲律賓基督徒
2 - Many countries are closed to traditional missionaries
很多國家不歡迎傳统宣教士
• Communist and Muslim countries do not grant missionary visas.
共產和回教國家不發宣教士簽証。
• Of the world’s 237 nations, at least 66 or 28% have significant
religious persecution and do not issue missionary visa. 全球最少有六十六個國家不發宣教士簽証。
• Missionaries are “suspect” even in countries which grant
missionary visas. 甚至在公開國家宣教士被人懷疑。
• However, these countries are open to bi-vocational missionaries
who have skills for nation-building. 這些封閉國家都歡迎有專業智識的帶職宣教士。
3 - Globalization has made it possible for most
Christians to be bi-vocational missionaries
全球化帶給基督徒帶職宣教的良機
• Globalization is happening in increased pace in the last 10 years.
在過去十年全球化的步伐越來越快。
• Globalization is happening in almost every profession.
全球化在各行各業都發生。
• Opportunities for working overseas are desirable and
commonplace in many professions.
在很多行業,到國外工作是必需的經驗。
• It is a God-given opportunity to greatly increase the mission
workforce in the 21st century.
這是神在二十一世紀賜給教會宣教良機。
Globalization: Opportunity for world mission
全球化: 基督徒宣教的良機
• How many of you have an opportunity to work and live
overseas in the next five years?
在未來五年當中,在坐有誰有機會到國外工作和生活?
4. Advantages of being a bi-vocational missionary
帶職宣教的好處
• Identity 得身份的好處
• Credibility 得受人信任的好處
• Access 得與人接觸的好處
• Finances 得經濟的好處
5 - Most Christians can be a bi-vocational missionary
for some time in their life.
每一個信徒都可以成為帶職宣教士
• Bi-vocational missions is a natural extension of the life and
ministry of a lay Christian. 帶職宣教是帶職事奉的延續。
• Possible avenues 帶職宣教的途徑:
• Study or teaching as missions 以學生或教學身份宣教
• Business as missions 營商宣教
• Profession as missions 以專業宣教
• Medical services as missions 医療宣教
• Community development as missions 以社區發展和扶貧宣教
• Retiring overseas as missions 以退休在海外為宣教
6. Today’s Bi-vocational Opportunities in East Asia
Studying
Degrees: Master, MBA, PhD, post-doc
Non-degree: English, Chinese art & culture
Teaching
Professor
Professional subjects
English teacher
Taking a professional job
Doctor, engineer, executive, banker, consultant, manager
Starting a business
Consulting, training, service, trading
6. Today’s Bi-vocational Opportunities in East Asia
Meaningful retirement
Retiree helping out local churches
Retiree providing a service
o Volunteer teacher
o High school or university scholarship
7. Challenges Facing Bi-vocational Missionaries in the Field
• Handle and excel in your work in a cross-cultural setting.
• Handle work-life balance in a cross-cultural setting.
• Learn the local culture and language.
• Establish rapport with local churches and believers.
• Identify meaningful ministry opportunities.
• Launch and do you ministry with the locals.
• Stay put (3+ years) as long as possible.
8. Preparation for Bi-vocational Missionaries
• Must have marketable work skills.
• Must be effective marketplace ministers in your home country.
• Must maintain work-life balance.
• Must be supported by your local church.
• Must join a mission agency.
• Must have Bible training
• Must have cross-cultural training.
Summary
• World evangelism cannot be accomplished by career missionaries alone
• Many countries are closed to career missionaries
• Globalization has made it possible for most Christians to become bi-vocational missionaries
• Increasing tension between Islam and the West means Asian Christians hold the key to evangelism among Muslims
• Every Christian can become a bi-vocational missionary during part of his or her life.
• Opportunities are real, so are challenges.
• Bi-vocational mission service must be intentional.
And who knows but that you have come to be
a professional for such a time as this?
焉知你得了「專業」的位分、不是為現今「宣教」的機會麼?