Adopt-A-People. It Is Difficult to Sustain A
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Agricultural Missions Adopt-a-People. It is difficult to sustain a mis- cated and wild species), provision of creative em- sion focus on the billions of people in the world ployment for people, sustenance of strategic or even on the multitudes of languages and cul- stocks of food against poor harvests, and the in- tures in a given country. Adopt-a-people is a mis- tegration with other uses of land for human wel- sion mobilization strategy that helps Christians fare. get connected with a specific group of people Aims of Agricultural Mission. Agricultural who are in spiritual need. It focuses on the goal missionary work aims to present the good news of discipling a particular people group (see PEO- of Jesus Christ in rural areas so that this gospel PLES, PEOPLE GROUPS), and sees the sending of transforms not only individuals and their social missionaries as one of the important means to relationships, but also the way they farm. In fulfill that goal. short, agricultural missions seek to promote liv- Adopt-a-people was conceptualized to help ing and farming to the glory of God. In effect, congregations focus on a specific aspect of the God has provided two means of conveying how GREAT COMMISSION. It facilitates the visualization this should be done—creation and the Bible— of the real needs of other people groups, enables which are perceived through the senses and con- the realization of tangible accomplishments, de- science, and which require the motivation of the velops and sustains involvement, and encourages Holy Spirit to enable us to farm accordingly. The more meaningful and focused prayer. A people creation mandate given to humankind is ex- group focus helps Christians to maintain an em- pressed in Genesis 1:26–31, notably the assign- phasis on the goal of reaching a people group ment of “dominion” (meaning in Hebrew, “com- and then discipling Christians from within that plete authority”) and the subsequent description people. Churches in the people group are also of plants “pleasant to the eyes and good for food” helped to evangelize their own people and even- (Gen. 2:8). Wisdom and discernment are needed tually to send out their own missionaries. to pursue a course of development that is not Adopt-a-people does not mean that a church only economic, but also social, and which ad- or mission organization is adopting a group into dresses the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. their own organization or that no other churches The right pursuit of agriculture, specific to or groups can work with that particular people. each locality, has a crucial part to play in manag- Rather, the goal of adopt-a-people is to be used ing change and increasing well-being of the local by God to see a people adopted into his heavenly people. The local principle is extremely import- family. Thus, the implementation of the adopt-a- ant: experience is the treasure of years, and gen- people concept requires maintaining a commit- erations of local farmers have accumulated ment until the Great Commission is fulfilled in much wealth of this kind. It is the task of the ag- the targeted group. In pragmatic terms, the min- ricultural missionary to learn, respect, and oper- imal involvement for a church (or fellowship) ate within this fund of local experience, knowl- using the adopt-a-people idea is to provide in- edge, and wisdom, introducing new ideas from formed, dedicated prayer for the targeted people elsewhere only if technically, economically, and group. Other levels of involvement range from socioculturally appropriate. It may also be the logistical or research help to financial support to missionary’s task to help people discern local be- short-term projects among the targeted people liefs and practices that may run counter to the group and even the commissioning and support will and purposes of God. While some non-Chris- of long-term missionaries from the adopting or- tian beliefs may leave people in undeveloped ganization. bon dage, uncontrolled materialism leads to over- TERRY J. RILEY exploitation of land, plants, animals, and people. Agricultural missionaries need not only technical Bibliography. IJFM 12:1 (January–March 1995). agricultural competence and wholistic biblical understanding, but also humility to learn from Agricultural Missions. Agriculture is the main local farmers and cultural sensitivity to facilitate means of livelihood for 65 percent to 90 percent beneficial changes. of the population in most African, Asian, and Activities. Agricultural missions comprise a Latin American countries. Even for industrial- wide variety of activities. In Latin America mis- ized countries such as the United Kingdom, sions have developed demonstration farms man- where farmers represent less than 2 percent of aged at orphanages, and engage in land right the workforce, agricultural mission is vitally work for justice and reconciliation. In many needed. countries of Africa, farmers’ savings clubs and co- The practice of agriculture involves caring operatives assist farmers financially and help management or stewardship of land and natural train leadership. Services are also operated to en- resources in order to satisfy several objectives, able farmers to combine responsible Christian including food production, maintenance of the principles in their farming practice. Additionally, environment (e.g., the soil and habitat), conser- rural development counseling is provided by vation of genetic resources (of both domesti- RURCON (Rural Development Counselors for 1 Attrition Christian Churches in Africa). In Europe, the heart, inability to sustain cross-cultural ministry, “Farm Crisis Network” was set up to help stressed or death on the field. European farmers, and the Christian Farmers’ Facing the contemporary attrition challenges, Association was established for united action. In the WORLD EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP Missions North America, agricultural communities run by Commission carried out during 1995–97 a Christians have been established, some of which 14-nation study of attrition in 6 Old Sending are designed to provide a place where the needy Countries (OSC) and 8 New Sending Countries such as ex-convicts can rehabilitate and develop (NSC). This study generated significant data on marketable work skills. In countries in Asia, attrition in 454 agencies (and some mission-send- tree-planting services and alternative farming ing churches) with some 23,000 long-term mis- schemes have been established. Around the sionaries (one-sixth of the global missionary world, teaching agriculture in schools, colleges, force, according to Patrick Johnstone). In terms and universities provides the opportunity to de- of the global long-term missions force, one mis- velop appropriate agricultural techniques. sionary in twenty (5.l% of the mission force) Summary. In addition to the development of leaves the field yearly. Of these, 71% depart for appropriate agricultural techniques and land preventable reasons. In other words, if we estab- stewardship, agricultural missions involve at lish a global missionary force of 140,000, 5.1% least three critical thrusts. The first is contextual overall annual attrition would be 7,140 people, evangelism, communicating the gospel to and and 71% of that figure suggests that 5,070 mis- through people who live and work in an agricul- sionaries are returning home for what is called tural context. The second is church growth, seek- “preventable attrition.” ing to help improve and manage agricultural de- There are at least four perspectives regarding velopment as part of the life and witness of local the causes of any specific case of attrition: (1) churches. Finally is pastoral care, which includes the reasons agency and church leaders believe ministry to those engaged in agriculture, and/or they have heard and understood; (2) the re- agricultural ethics and assisting the application corded reasons in agency files; (3) the reasons of biblical principles to farm practice and agri- missionaries hold in private or may share with cultural policy formulation. closest friends; and (4) the reasons one can live JOHN WIBBERLEY with in public knowledge. The true human pic- Bibliography. S. Higginbottom, The Gospel and the ture is always complex and no single perspective Plow, Or, the Old Gospel and Modern Farming in An- will be totally accurate. cient India; B. H. Hunnicutt and W. W. Reid, The Story Recent studies suggest that preventable attri- of Agricultural Missions; I. W. Moomaw, Deep Furrows: tion may be reduced by more and/or better Goals, Methods and Results of Those Who Work Toward (a) initial screening and selection procedures, a Brighter Tomorrow. (b) appropriate pre-field equipping/training for the task, and/or (c) field-based strategizing, shep- Attrition. Departure from field service by mis- herding, and supervising. Inadequate attention sionaries, regardless of the cause. There are two in any of these areas may result in unwanted at- general categories. Unpreventable attrition (un- trition or, worse, the case of missionaries who derstandable or acceptable) includes retirement, should go home, for their own good and the completion of a contract, medical leave, or a le- good of the ministry, but do not. gitimate call to another place or ministry. Pre- Reducing attrition engages seven strategic ventable attrition occurs “when missionaries, missions stakeholders: missionaries (current, because of mismanagement, unrealistic expec- previous, future); missions mobilizers (the tations, systemic abuse, personal failure, or prime motivators); church leaders (pastors and other personal reasons, leave the field before the committees); missionary trainers (regardless of mission or church feels that they should. In so type, size, or level of equipping program); mis- doing, missionaries may reflect negatively on sion sending bodies (churches and agencies); themselves, but of greater concern is the nega- national receiving churches (where they exist); tive impact on the specific mission structure and member care providers (pastors, medical and the cause of world missions” (Taylor, 1997, and mental health personnel). While attrition 18).