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Christians who avoid holistic ministry do so at their own peril
In a recent and very relevant post, John Robb (author, “Brave New War” and blogger, “Global Guerrillas”) discusses how insurgent groups within countries are increasingly putting ideology last and economics first. They are “integrating their military capability with production centers and supply routes that power the multi-trillion dollar flows of Black Globalization [the black market].” They are becoming competitive with nation states in the ability to generate wealth, economic advantage and security for their supporters in a competition for legitimacy that nation-states are increasingly losing.
This is an absolutely critical trend for Christian cross-cultural worldchangers to consider and respond to. Christians cannot ignore the economic field while solely focusing on the spiritual. Believers, churches and missionaries will find themselves opposed by superempowered non-governmental groups who are both opposed to the government of the country in which they are operating, as well as being ideologically opposed to the Christians themselves. If hostile groups have an economic advantage they will be able to make life very difficult for Christian missionaries—far more so than right now. They can operate with impunity because the government cannot easily crack down on them (due to the grassroots support engendered by economic advantage) and because the rules of the government would not necessarily apply to them.
Now is the time to seek out what it means to be part of the Abrahamic covenant (‘you shall be a blessing’) and how believers can live this out not only in terms of spiritual blessings, but also in terms of health, economics and freedom from oppression.
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I find this little piece incredible. The church now has to fight its way with its own economic might? Is the church called to compete with political and economic powers on their own turf? Was this Christ’s, or Paul’s, approach to the Roman empire? Seems we are back to the days of David - who seemed to have the role of prophet and king in one. Rare. I am not sure this piece is serious?
I can see where a lack of clarity in my post might be construed to mean this, but it was certainly not what I intended! My point was this: many people around the world live in absolute poverty (I have written about this before and at length). If the church refuses to engage the issue of poverty, it faces several dangers. The first danger is that, since the church is failing to bless others, it will no longer be blessed by God (Genesis 12). The second danger is that others with competing and hostile ideologies will step into the gap to engage poverty themselves, and gain an economic advantage over believers. This economic advantage will then tend to provide political and social “cover” for any actions they wish to undertake. I am not suggesting that the church needs to “fight” with economic might. But it *should* work on these issues, as part of wrestling with powers of darkness that hold mankind in chains of bondage.
Trust my language was not too strong! It seems to me it is a question of ‘how’ to ‘work on these issues’?