kris10 says mission trips are a crock

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[Followup: Updates here, two years later.]

“Miss Kris10” here thinks mission trips are a “crock,” while at the same time she claims to be a Christian. (No relation, by the way, to this kris10, who is on hiatus.)

Pardon me, “PassTheDutchie,” but missionaries do not do the backbreaking work they do in third world countries just to “bribe the natives” into accepting Christ, nor are they scared into doing into it with threats of Hell.

Missionaries like the New Tribes Missions, of which Martin and Gracia were a part, do these things because we are called by Christ to go out into the world to love and serve all people, just as He came to this world to love and serve us by His sacrifice. Whether the people come to Christ or not, missions workers will have no regrets about the service they do. Just as Jesus Christ did not revile those who tortured him, insulted him, and ultimately crucified him. Even hanging upon the cross, he called forgiveness upon his executioners, and carried on to death the sacrifice by which he saved us all.

I hope to finish my MA next year, and after that, I plan to go into missions and ministry work, part-time or maybe even full-time, as a graphic designer and web developer for Christian causes in the third world. And I will not be doing this for fear of punishment in Hell, nor out of idiocy, but because it is the command of the God whom I love. Will you, Kris10, then take me to task for my stupid naivete in suffering pointless tedium for the sake of the stupid natives?

Rail away, then. But I prefer to be filled with the love of our Lord Jesus; and I am far happier spreading the overflow of that love to those less fortunate in the world, rather than spewing selfish misanthropy from a blog. Christianity, despite what misconceptions you may cling to, does not consist entirely of WWJD bracelets and “Jesus Saves!” bumper stickers. Perhaps you should open your mind.

[link via Lia]

Update: Well, she remains cocky and outspoken. Let her be cocky and outspoken on her own, then. Myself, I’m going to stick with my horrible evil organized religion. ;)

Comments

  1. dawn says:
    2002-06-10 at 12:30

    While she went about her comments in a completely wrong and un-loving way, there may be some underlying truths about some missions. I think she may be confused between the Burnham’s mission to the Philippines which became their home after 16 years (I think that’s the number I heard today(?)), and the one-two week mission trips that are at least partially vacation oriented.

    IMO, there is validity in wondering how much we help when we spend $700-900 to fly to Honduras (a personal example) to do manual labor – when that money could employ one of the 66% of the unemployed population in that country to do the same work.

    On the other hand, monetary handouts don’t show that we really love the people we’re sending it to – it shows we don’t want to get our hands dirty.

    I think as Christians from the Western/developed countries of the world we must be careful about how we spend our dollars and time when we go on missions trips, and we don’t always do that so well on short trips.

    I don’t have experience with long-term missions, but would pray that resources would be used in an excellent manner befitting our Lord Jesus Christ.

  2. Sarah says:
    2002-06-10 at 13:04

    I’ve gone past contemplating a missions trip to Mexico in December – I’m going. And it’s not because of the money – it’s because of the people.

    When you have services in a church that’s made of cardboard and suddenly some American Christians want to come and bless you with an actual church made of wood and concrete, I’m all for it.

    I know I haven’t been called to be a missionary in some far off country like the Philippines or China. I’ve got a field here at home that needs a willing missionary. But I think a missions trip to Mexico would put principles like faith and belief in the miraculous – principles we American Christians have taken for granted because we’re saturated with so much religion in the States – in a much sharper perspective.

  3. Raffy says:
    2002-06-10 at 17:45

    God*******t! Sorry for the profanity, Pau, but reading that ****** ****** post about missions and third world countries really got on my ***** nerves.

    How old is she, five? She needs to read her Bible more before she can call herself a Christian.