Introduction

Have you ever wanted to take a look into the future? Have you ever speculated about how things may develop over the next few years? Well, that's what this book is all about: looking ahead.

Over the last few years, many of us in the missionary community worked hard towards goals that focused on the year 2000. Now that this magic date has come and gone, some of us have wondered what would be next. As we looked around at the shape of the evangelical missionary effort worldwide, and at the sociological developments taking place in our worldwide global community, we realized that massive changes must soon take place within the missionary community if we are to finish the job of evangelizing the remaining unevangelized peoples of the world.

Over the last few decades the situation facing missionary organizations has been changing. The situation on the field is vastly different from what it was in the 1960's and earlier. Missionaries today think, act, live, and work very differently that they did a few years ago. While pockets of traditional methodology still exist, most new missionaries arriving on the field today no longer live in missionary compounds doing traditional missionary service. Many live in bustling modern cities, ministering in multi-cultural, multi-denominational, and increasingly in multi-agency teams. Many new workers arriving on the field are independent (i.e., not under an established missionary agency), and a good number are tentmakers. Some of the others, who follow the more traditional routes, do so reluctantly. Added to this, many modern Christian workers view missionary service as part of their career choice, and thus many are planning two to five year commitments, rather than envisaging becoming life long, die hardened old missionaries.

Added to this, the situation in the sending nations has changed. Churches and supporters want a greater role in life of the missionaries they support. Some churches are bypassing the traditional mission agency altogether and are sending out their own missionaries. On top of this, supporters seem to be interested in knowing how they can get more bang for their buck, or in other words, the best return on the money they invest in the missionary enterprise. They are no longer content to simply send their money to some organization, so that they can do something with it. Supporters today often want accountability and even some form of participation or partnership so that they feel that they personally are doing something significant to impact the world for Christ.

Another concern is that missionaries themselves have changed. Young missionaries today and tomorrow are coming from an emerging global community that has adopted different values than what were common only a few short years ago. They are coming from a society that is struggling with emotional hurts, broken commitments and few absolutes. As a reaction to this, they are much more relational in attitudes and want to have relationships with everyone who is involved.

Now add to this equation, mission sending agencies that were formed between one hundred and two hundred years ago with principles, practices and structure that addressed the needs of missionaries from those eras, and you can see the problems that may arise. Unfortunately, many of the newer mission agencies, which were formed in the last fifty years, have also adopted a great deal from the old traditional perspectives. While some of these agencies have been brave enough to challenge traditional structure and practice, few have managed to completely break from the old mold and be radically relevant to today's youth.

What is the answer? Unfortunately, only time will tell. However, recently I and a small group of young missionaries tried to intelligently work out what needs to change, from a mission agency point of view. We eventually realized that it might be very difficult to change old structures. Rather, a radically new a different type of organization with totally different purpose and techniques may be needed. That is what this book is all about: a new paradigm for a new millennium.

In many ways this book is a sequel to Missionary Leadership, by Motivation and Communication. Since I expect many of my readers to not have read the first book, I have chosen to repeat some material rather than simply refer to it. I trust that this material will be as challenging and stimulating to you as it has been for those of us who have worked at putting it together.

Roland Muller