عنوان

Implicit theology of mission of Bulgarian field workers with implications for cross cultural collaboration in mission

TLpq742507150

انگلیسی

Implicit theology of mission of Bulgarian field workers with implications for cross cultural collaboration in mission

[Thesis]

Peggy J. MacPhee

A. McMahan

School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University

2010

383

D.Miss.

School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University

2010

In this paper the author explores the national approach to mission in Bulgaria. Forty five Bulgarians, active in sharing their faith in Christ, were interviewed with respect to their theology of mission. Exposure to cross-cultural missionaries over the past 100 years has provided both positive and negative models for ministry. Foreigners are respected for their vision and initiative, and for caring enough to come; at the same time they have been found lacking in cross-cultural awareness, naive with respect to appropriate ways of decision-making and generous but unwise in the way they given funds for use in local ministry. National missionaries are deeply concerned about their isolation (and sometimes sense of competition with) local churches and pastors; an unhealthy situation that hinders care and support of the missionaries as well as the integration of new believers into churches. Nationals are also concerned about the need to deal with the public image of Protestants and the resultant shame of being considered a cult. The wave of conversions that followed the political changes of 1989-90 is clearly over. Mission has entered a phase characterized by individual conversions and slow growth of churches in the midst of a society no longer concerned with faith and freedom but immersed in problems created by the recent economic crisis. National missionaries believe that God is at work (but "slowly, slowly") and that the Holy Spirit is leading them into a closer walk with God and ministry characterized by more spiritual depth. It is proposed that future approaches to mission must take much greater account of Bulgaria's deeply rooted pagan traditions and it's mixed Islamic-Orthodox heritage without neglecting its more recent experience of communism and post-communist materialism. All have played a part in shaping the Bulgarian worldview and hence are relevant to strategic design of future Christian mission.

Bulgaria

Cross-cultural collaboration

Field workers

Islam

Mission

Philosophy, religion and theology

A. McMahan

Peggy J. MacPhee

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y