The Extension of Christward Movement The Anotoc Story, Continued The Role of Group Dynamics in Insider Movements by John Kim

ne of the essentials we need to grasp when we aim to see a people movement to Christ is group dynamics. (A people movement can O also be an insider movement when it takes place within a religion.) In this article I attempt to describe some features of group dynamics that are relevant to such movements.

Also, there are hindrances and areas of concern that we need to overcome in order to promote insider movements on a wider scale. Among these are socio-religious hierarchies, team dynamics between insiders and “inbetweeners,” 1 disharmony among expatriate workers, and issues of discipling insider believers (IBs).

So, in this article, a continuation of my previous article,2 we will analyze the Anotoc case for lessons that apply to insider ministry development and to the issues mentioned above. The Story of Anotoc and Nearby Villages, Continued More than fi ve years have passed since I described the group dynamics involved in a people movement to Christ that occurred in a Muslim village called This article was prepared as a continu- ation of the previous work described “Anotoc.” I would like to begin this article by sharing what I experienced in the in David Greenlee’s book: From the areas near Anotoc, where movements in which new believers retain their old Straight Path to the Narrow Way, religious identity have continued. Authentic, 2005, 239-253. Two group baptisms occurred in the years 2004 and 2005,3 following the fi rst John Kim (Ph.D. in Physics) has been baptism in 2003. The fi rst baptism was performed at the inbetweener’s initia- working among a major unreached tive, but in 2004 the baptism was partly initiated by insiders, and in 2005 it people group in SEA since 1994 with his wife Yoon and their three children. was fully initiated by insiders. Also, local leaders performed other, unreported, He now directs an international fi eld baptisms in their own areas. The movement had begun to fl ow down to the mission and is involved in mobilizing lowland areas from the mountainous Anotoc village where it began. and training Asians for the remaining task. This paper was originally In one of these villages was an Islamic witchdoctor who had been working with presented at the 2nd “Coming to Faith some villagers in Anotoc village as he was also working as a farmer beside his Consultation” held near London, England, February 2010. John can be role as a shaman. This man, named Naya, came from a lowland town at some reached at [email protected]. distance from Anotoc. He participated in the baptism of 2004 and simply

International Journal of Frontier Missiology 27:2 Summer 2010•97 98 The Anotoc Story, Continued: The Role of Group Dynamics in Insider Movements from having seen what happened in who were concerned that they were We—the inbetweeners and expatri- Anotoc, he began, on his own, to promoting Christianity. ate workers—were excited to see perform baptisms in and around his the movement develop. We also saw A leadership training program was own village. At fi rst his fellow villag- similar movements starting among launched at an inbetweener’s home ers considered him a betrayer who had the Bangunda people. To help, we at the initiative of some inbetween- become a Christian. They persecuted decided to prepare a video showing ers and expatriate workers. While him and even ordered him to leave IB worship and fellowship so people the training was happening, many of the village. However, he continued in different areas would know how Naya’s neighbors came and listened to to insist that he had never betrayed to have fellowship as followers of Isa what we read and shared. The meeting them and had not converted from Al-Masih. And from this, we hoped began with the Islamic prayer ritual Islam to Christianity, but just accepted those groups would be networked to called “Sholat” and was followed by the Isa Al-Masih (“Jesus the Messiah” form a bigger community. reading of Bible chapters. The insider in Arabic) as his Lord and Savior. leaders freely shared whatever they had However, serious turmoil was about to He boldly said that they should also learned with others. hit one of the insider ministry areas, believe in Isa as “Ruh Allah (the Spirit a place where we expected to see a of God).” People got angry at what movement similar to that occurring he told them and regarded it as proof in Anotoc. Some local leaders dis- that he had become a Christian. But agreed with the approach adopted by as a result of this harsh situation, all Even without any an inbetweener leader, an expatriate his family members and other relatives knowledge of Isa worker and some local Christians came to the Lord. who had been involved in an NGO- Interestingly, as a witchdoctor, Naya Al-Masih, Naya had type ministry helping Bangunda had been using a spell he inherited refugees. Not long after the videos from his father that included the name been using this name to were made, the NGO-background of Isa Al-Masih. One of his father’s heal many people workers approached their ministry last words to him was that he should place with an inbetweener leader and believe in that name as the strongest in his village. saw a crowd and TV reporters wait- power giver. Even without any knowl- ing for them, who asked about their edge of Isa Al-Masih, Naya had been religious identities. When it was the inbetweener’s turn, they asked him to using this name to heal many people in Some of the neighbors who observed repeat the Islamic confession of faith, his village. As a believer he seemed to the meeting joined in a meal and “Shahada,” since he introduced himself be doing similar work using the same asked many questions. One of the as a Muslim. He recited the exact same name, but now with faith and a clear main questions was about the mean- phrases of the Islamic confession of knowledge of who Isa was. As time ing of “siratal mustaqim (the Straight faith, made a short pause, and then went on, people in his village came Way).” Muslims perform a prayer added, “Isa Al Kalimatullah (Isa the to accept him as a strange Muslim, ritual fi ve times a day and memorize Word of God)” and “Isa Ruh’lah (Isa and gave him the name “Tukang Injil the “Show me the Straight Way”4 the Spirit of God).” When he made (The Gospel Technician)” as he was so verses from Al-Fatiah (the fi rst this confession the people mobbed skilled in using Bible passages to help chapter of Al Qur’an). These are him, screaming accusations of blas- people who faced diffi culties. verses for which there are various phemy. Even though some people In 2005, Naya baptized 11 of his interpretations, but in our training, came close to him to attack with family members at one time and he Isa Al-Masih was introduced as the chairs and sickles, he was mysteriously held other baptisms when he had new only one among the 25 well-known protected as their arms were unable believers. Usually his wife baptized prophets who introduced Himself to move. As the situation worsened, the women. A religious leader (ustad), as “The Way.” Many people were policemen arrested the believers and named Zain, was in one baptized amazed to know this and committed took them to the station. group, and began helping Naya. With themselves to The Way, including Zain’s help, there were 70 people one woman who later married the The expatriate worker was deported in the next baptism. They contin- inbetweener’s nephew. The people and the inbetweener was put in jail ued insisting that people do as Isa met together and shared the Gospel for three years. Because he was a key Al-Masih commanded in the Injil, with great excitement. Very positive leader infl uencing many IBs, because even though they were investigated by group dynamics were at work among he worked with expatriate workers in the police and the religion department, families and neighbors. the area around Anotoc in providing training, and because of the tense situ-

International Journal of Frontier Missiology John Kim 99 ation, the expatriate workers decided nbetweeners are playing crucial roles in connecting it was best to leave the area, which must have been a big shock to them. insider followers of Isa with outsiders, such as After this occurred, I could not be contextualized expatriate workers. directly involved in ministry around I Anotoc for at least a year, but I heard arrived at the bus terminal in their traditional method of Christian evan- from time to time that Naya and Zain village after the meeting, they discov- gelism often resulted in the extraction still ministered in their areas with ered that Naya’s neighbor, a supporter of new believers from their families great passion, despite the confrontation of the rival candidate, had been at the and communities, which is ineffective and arrest. meeting as a spy.) More than 15 leaders and jeopardizes the stability of contex- The year of hibernation ended when were arrested and taken to the religious tual ministry. We designed a training some inbetweeners and expatriate authorities and to the police station. program to mobilize local long-term workers decided to restart insider Copies of the Injil they had were workers. These sessions ran inten- leadership training, but in another confi scated as proof that they were sively either for one month or for three town. Beginning in November 2006, involved in Christianization efforts. months. The three-month session three-month training sessions were The village leader candidates, includ- included fi eld practice with the help of held on a regular basis and there was ing Manggo, in addition to Naya and contextualized expatriate workers. great joy among the 20 to 30 insider other insider leaders, stood before In most cases, those having a strong leaders who gathered for the meet- the authorities in court. When they affi nity with mainline Christian struc- ing. They were encouraged to take the were interrogated, they continued to tures did not fi t in well for long-term initiative in Bible reading and free dis- insist that they were not involved in a work in an insider context, but new cussion. I was so encouraged to know Christianization effort. After a long converts and MBBs more successfully that even while expatriate workers debate and interrogation, they all were adapted and were accepted by insiders were absent, the gospel continued to released, and Manggo’s new role as as being their kind of people. Those penetrate into Bangunda societies and the village leader was made offi cial. In who settled down successfully to live that many new IBs met at the leaders’ court, Naya and his relatives’ strong with local people are called “inbe- homes. I found there were even some social position in the community tweeners.” Inbetweeners are playing third-generation leaders as a result of enabled them to calm the commotion crucial roles in connecting insider the Gospel’s outfl owing. At the third caused by supporters of Manggo’s rival. followers of Isa with outsiders, such as leadership meeting some participants At a recent meeting, Naya expressed contextualized expatriate workers. proposed a special gathering of wives his unchanging desire to see an even Family Dynamics: As I described in so that they could also grow spiritually greater movement. He said that there my previous article,6 family dynam- and encourage one another as followers were about a thousand IBs in areas ics are very important. Even though of Isa. (In the Bangunda community, near his village who wanted to gather male insiders were often responsible wives must not be seen at gatherings as followers of Isa. He is now leading for pushing the movements forward, for men.) We saw this proposal as his own fellowship of about 20 people we encouraged inbetweeners and evidence of a behavioral change on the every Friday and Sunday at his home. insider leaders to take advantage of part of the leaders; they were making family gatherings by interacting with decisions. With such encouraging Some Principles and Basic Tools other families to which the Gospel progress we began to expect that an Our Foundation: We established the might spread. even bigger, and even community- incarnation of Jesus as the foundation Leadership Training: We held insider transforming movement, could become on which to base all our thinking and leadership training sessions on a a reality very soon. ministry approaches in the Bangunda regular basis. These sessions included Also at this time, an inbetweener context. Incarnational ministry is com- a couple of expatriate workers, several named Manggo was elected chief monly related to missionaries’ living inbetweeners and IBs. We encour- administrative leader in his village. But standard in the fi eld, but we applied aged prospective leaders to take what supporters of a rival candidate accused it to every aspect of our fi eld lives, they learned at the gatherings and Manggo of trying to Christianize the including the way we communicate, apply it in their own creative ways. Bangunda people. They brought forth how we build relationships, eating, These sessions gave them role-models several villagers who had participated dressing, teaching, learning, under- of insider leaders and examples of fel- in the leadership training meet- standing and interacting emotionally lowship among followers of Isa. We ings. (We recognized later what had with others, etc. paid great attention to encouraging happened. After the third training Mobilizing: Training to mobilize 11th initiative. Insiders were encouraged meeting, in January 2007, when they hour workers was necessary,5 but the 27:2 Summer 2010 100 The Anotoc Story, Continued: The Role of Group Dynamics in Insider Movements to read Bible verses, meditate on what created a special training program for own initiative and by their own efforts, they read, talk about what they learned expatriate workers so that they would kept the Kingdom advancing. from the Holy Spirit, share how they understand the remaining task and the So, some inbetweeners continued suc- would apply it and ask questions of ministry philosophies needed for it. cessful ministries, but their role as a others at the meetings. There was no It was similar to what we did for local driving force seemed to be reduced due fi xed format, but normally the lead- indigenous people. But after years of to security concerns regarding expatri- ers led sholat before they sat together training expatriate workers, especially ate workers involvement in the minis- to read and meditate on the Word Koreans, it seems we are starting to try teams. of God. Then, after eating together, see a similar vision develop to look at they shared an informal time of fel- insider movements from a Kingdom The inbetweener who had been put lowship. We encouraged them to perspective. The expatriate workers into jail was eventually released and follow Paul’s example in the last verse formed a network and decided to hold continues to travel around and share of Acts: “Boldly and without hin- regular conferences and training on how the Gospel with the same passion as drance he preached the kingdom of to recruit local workers. They are now before. The village leader, Manggo, God and taught about the Lord Jesus involved in a cooperative partnership. practices his leadership as an admin- Christ (28:31).” istrative authority in his village, and other inbetweeners continue to play Some IBs were sent to a CBB roles as catalysts fostering insider (Christian Background Believers) movements. Meanwhile, expatriate training event where the Kingdom workers are moving cautiously to see paradigm was promoted rather than Something preceding even greater advances in the Kingdom, the Christendom paradigm. The a volcanic eruption but without jeopardizing the insid- reactions of the trainees depended on ers’ initiative and the viability of the speakers. When the trainers spoke their projects. in Christian terms, the insider train- seems to be building up ees looked unhappy while the CBBs underground. We are not sure what will take place reacted with joy. However, the insider among the Bangunda people in near trainees responded positively to train- future. However, as a pro-insider- ers who used Muslim terminology. movement worker, I sense that some- One time, after a training session, an thing is about to occur; something preceding a volcanic eruption seems to IB came to me quietly and whispered, Self-Supporting: We encouraged inbe- be building up underground. “Now I realize that Isa in whom I tweeners to maintain a self-supporting believe is exactly the same Lord Jesus lifestyle. Some settled down success- Inherent Group Dynamics in whom these Christians believe.” We fully within insider communities and held this joint training session once became self-supporting, though from in the Movements I introduced the cluster model in as a test to discover whether we could time to time some outside help was my previous article. A family unit is invite both CBBs and IBs if the train- necessary. Expatriate workers played an the smallest feasible cluster that can ing was held with a Kingdom perspec- important role in helping inbetweeners cause reorientations in surrounding tive. We thought it good to invite them settle in areas near IB villages so that clusters. Those surrounding clusters both to show our unity as members of the Gospel could bridge to these new can be neighboring families, rela- the Body of Jesus. We wanted to testify communities. that the Kingdom of God is beyond tives or any group of people living in a the typical tradition of religions in The Present state of Kingdom similar context. confl ict. However, the trainers decided Development In the Anotoc case, almost all of those not to do it again as it confused the It appeared that a great insider move- who joined the group baptisms in IBs. Instead, we encouraged them to ment was about to be kindled before 2003, 2004 and 2005 were neighbor- go through a self-theologizing process the NGO setback in the later part of ing family units or extended families within their own context. 2005. Even though the movement (or clans) in the village, relatives living The Expatriate Network: In order to seemed to be in hibernation after that in different areas, and people working foster insider movements, even the happened, the movement kept being in similar professions. expatriate workers’ network was crucial. pushed forward by insider villagers Naya, from a village some distance Many of those who are involved in such as Naya and Zain. When expatri- from Anotoc, shared the same job with Muslim ministry don’t share a similar ate workers couldn’t directly join activi- some of those living in Anotoc. He vision but seem to take their ways from ties with the IBs, these men, on their was baptized in 2004 in Anotoc and the old concept of Christendom. We in 2005 he baptized his own family International Journal of Frontier Missiology John Kim 101 members and relatives at the same he Holy Spirit seems to work for the group so spot. All those baptisms were per- formed in contextually relevant ways, that each individual can react to the work of the not as Christian events but as a neces- Spirit in a spontaneous and cooperative way. sary step for insider followers of Isa to Tso that each individual can react to ing different clusters within a com- take, and the baptisms were done in a manner similar to the Bangunda tra- the work of the Spirit in a spontane- munity. We fi nd that clusters often dition of bathing in a river when they ous and cooperative way. And this, vary in their natures, depending on need to repent of shameful deeds. In in turn, gives us many more oppor- the authority to which they give their the third group baptism in Anotoc, an tunities to make people disciples for allegiance. Among these authorities ustad (Islamic teacher) named Zain Isa Al-Masih. are the dukun (witchdoctor), kyai was baptized with Naya’s help, and Jesus gave us the Great Commission, (Islamic top leader), and regional gov- since then Naya and Zain have gone as is written in Matthew 28:19-20: ernmental administrative authorities. throughout their villages to share the “Therefore go and make disciples Villagers facing the struggles of daily Good News about the Kingdom of of all nations, baptizing them in the living tend to visit the dukun to solve God and Isa Al-Masih, and as a result name of the Father and of the Son their problems. The dukun has many they have baptized about 70 people. and of the Holy Spirit, and teach- formulas based upon pre-Islamic Every gathering resulted in further ing them to obey everything I have beliefs. Even though the kyai, as an momentum. When people gathered commanded you.” The key verbs are Islamic religious leader, usually deals there was an openness so that the “go” and “make.” We have been sent. with Islamic teachings, in the folk Gospel could fl ow freely throughout In other words, we are to go to all Islam context, as in Bangunda, the the group. Usually an inbetweener nations in obedience to that key verb, dukun’s role is often encroached upon from the contextualized ministry “go.” And when we get to the fi eld, by the kyai. In this situation, tensions team gave a message, starting with we should obey the next key verb, and can arise between leaders, and each chanted Qur’anic verses, then telling “make” disciples among the nations. may try to test the other’s power. This stories of key prophets and ending But here, interestingly, Jesus also kind of power encounter often hap- with the unique story of Isa Al-Masih. mentions “baptizing” and “teaching.” pens even among kyais in a village or At the end they asked for repentance I see these things as necessary verbs between them and kyais in a neigh- and called for baptism for those who in making people be disciples of Jesus. boring region. If such a leadership accepted Isa Al-Masih as their Lord With good group dynamics, even power clash happens, even the local and Savior. In the group, those who though we don’t know yet whether governmental leader cannot handle had already been baptized encouraged all of the people in a group situation the problem. Among the Bangunda those who were hesitant and con- are really saved, the fact is that great people this socio-religious hierarchy fused. After the baptism, they usually opportunities become available for needs to be understood when we performed the prayer ritual sholat as a “making disciples” by encouraging attempt to focus on a specifi c cluster. group and shared the Word of God. new believers to obey the teaching of In the case of the NGO team set- baptism. This is what we attempted In doing so, they created a huge space back, there was competition between to do in the Bangunda fi eld, including different kyais during the planned for the Gospel message to fl ow freely. the areas around Anotoc. This is the inherent character of governmental leader election in the group dynamics: when the dynamics Hindrances and Areas district. While one kyai showed great are good the Gospel can fl ow without hospitality to the team and allowed of Concern the team to do their NGO work any obstacles and people are much There are hindrances and some areas publicly, a competing kyai was against more open to hear the Good News. In of concern that we need to overcome the work. He directed the conspiracy the book of Acts, as we studied in the in order to promote insider move- against the movement and succeeded previous article, there are many cases ments on a wider scale. Among them in halting it. of group dynamics at work. People are the socio-religious hierarchy often question whether all those who within the culture, team dynamics In Manggo’s case, some kyais in his participate in group baptism can be between insiders and inbetweeners, village actually came to suggest that regarded as really saved. Who knows disharmony among expatriate work- he be a candidate in the village leader except the Holy Spirit? The matter ers, and discipling IBs. election. He was greatly supported by of salvation is totally the job of the local religious leaders. However, there Holy Spirit. But when this kind of Socio-religious Hierarchy was another cluster around a hajj who group dynamics is at work, the Holy In the Bangunda context, there are was also a village leader candidate. Spirit seems to work for the group different kinds of authorities infl uenc- This hajj was in competition with the 27:2 Summer 2010 102 The Anotoc Story, Continued: The Role of Group Dynamics in Insider Movements kyais who supported Manggo. When broke up with what happened to the because of this they have high expecta- Manggo was elected to be the village NGO team in 2005, most of the tions for an even bigger movement. leader, the cluster following the hajj leaders seemed to lose momentum in accused him of being a Christianizer. spreading the Gospel. In observing Disharmony among Expatriate Workers Socio-religious hierarchy can exist in relations between inbetweeners and Disharmony among expatriate work- any human society. However, when Anotoc leaders, I sensed something ers appears to be a huge issue in the those hierarchically-formed clusters wrong. The leaders didn’t have the post-modern mission era. According collide, the movement can be halted. same authority as the inbetweeners, as to what I have observed during the last This is a big hindrance when a chain coworkers should, but tended to wait 15 years, the primary concern is the reaction is about to happen throughout for the inbetweeners to make deci- “mission paradigm.” Mission paradigm local clusters. This is particularly true sions. This can be understood as a sort is a systematic but unconscious frame especially when political leadership is of dependency or ill-advised directive of mind through which every missional intermingled with religious leadership, leadership. In this situation, the team effort is made and by which the legiti- as happens in Muslim communities. wasn’t working. However, in another case, Naya and Zain really enjoyed macy of every effort is judged. Two Team Dynamics between Insiders macro-paradigms are the Christendom and Inbetweeners perspective and the new Kingdom Inbetweeners are usually trained team perspective. The former maintains a members cooperating with expatriate defi nite Christian identity, and the workers. Inbetweeners and expatriate terms and traditions that have been workers have occasional team meetings They practiced the well-known and understood in world- to sharpen their vision, discuss new kind of teamwork that wide Christianity, while the latter tends issues, struggles and other concerns to fi nd equivalent terms and forms that they might be facing. For long-term exists in an extended can convey the same meanings and be work, they agree to cooperate by shar- readily understood within the non- ing not only vision but also resources, family . . . Christian world. Those contradictory including manpower, fi nances, and paradigms seem to result in different 7 ministry methodologies and tools. mission practices on the fi eld. Problems often arise when new IBs Some key areas of confl ict are shown in the table below. start to appear and the inbetween- working with an inbetweener couple, ers’ role should be transferred to the a couple who wanted to be learners When a team consists of mem- insiders. Inbetweeners are not just as well as team members. They were bers holding such contradic- workers cooperating with expatriate not directive, but patient, even though tory paradigms, it can experience workers according to a contract they they didn’t really understand what was serious disharmony. agreed to for a certain period of time. going on among the insiders. In doing Here is an example. There was a Rather, both serve as servants of God so they practiced the kind of teamwork radio broadcasting project in the who are called at the 11th hour into that exists in an extended family, and Bangunda language that involved God’s vineyard. There are many IBs three different groups: staff mem- who have never had any relationship with Christian workers or believers Table 1: Key areas of confl ict in mission paradigms. within their societies until they meet inbetweeners. Inbetweeners also Issue Area Christendom Perspective Kingdom Perspective model what new life is like in Isa. In Missional Goal Planting/Transplanting Churches Implanting/Sowing the Gospel the initial stage of the movement, Methodology & Identity Extracting to make Christians in Staying within their contexts as we desire to see teamwork between Christendom followers of Jesus inbetweeners and potential IB leaders, Working Epistemology Christian positivism with cultural Pragmatism with culturally so for this purpose we set up a regular absolutism relativistic appropriateness gathering for training through which Religion & Culture Two separable entities / There is Inseparable complexity / There is they can come to share the same Christian culture of the Christian Biblically appropriate culture in the vision and develop into a team. Religion Kingdom of God I worked with two teams, both of Church Should be planted, mostly in the Pre-existing networks shared whose members consisted of a couple form of individuals gathering in by groups of people become of inbetweeners and several IB lead- an artifi cial place or structure. churches. ers. In Anotoc, where the movement Mission Practice Christianization Contextualization

International Journal of Frontier Missiology John Kim 103 bers at the radio studio, national hen a team consists of members from different fi eld workers, and expatriate work- ers. They agreed to contextualize macro-paradigms, great attention needs to be the program. They all seemed to paid to the danger of disharmony in teamwork. be in agreement in using Muslim- W friendly terms. So, they agreed to tweeners were of Muslim identity, cultural backgrounds. In this case, use Isa Al-Masih instead of Yesus the IBs may have shown the initia- this formulated material cannot be Kristus, the term commonly used tive to defend themselves. The NGO used in the insiders’ contexts because in Christian circles. One day the team practiced networking and coop- it is too foreign to understand, and name Isa Al-Masih was changed to eration among the various parts of those leaders who are trained using Yesus Kristus without any consulta- the body of Jesus, even though some these materials cannot successfully tion. The radio station’s chief of had an apparent Christian identity. use the same materials in the train- staff decided to change the name But the latter team consisted of all ing they lead, so the movement can because he thought the name Isa Muslim-identity followers of Isa. In come to a halt. Al-Masih had been used long enough the NGO team there was harmony for Muslims to fi nally know Yesus There are many well-prepared pack- among team members from different ages that we often use to mobilize Kristus, who gives salvation when spectrums of Christianity, but they they become Christians. national workers. These may be seemed uncertain about their goal; good enough for training to mobilize One of the typical confl icts caused members seemed to have just decided national workers and to encour- by the two paradigms involves the to join a good Christian work. age them to be inbetweeners, but question of where to put the prior- However, the Anotoc team did do problems usually occur when we start ity in our mission practice. Should well in encouraging strong initiative to have new IBs who need disciple- it be unity and fellowship among among insider members. ship or leadership training. When workers from different backgrounds When a team consists of members the inbetweeners are trained using a as a manifestation of the body of from different macro-paradigms, well-formulated program and have Jesus, or should it be agreement on great attention needs to be paid to never experienced un-prescribed situ- the same goal as team members? In the danger of disharmony in team- ations, their leading abilities as coor- the NGO case, the team’s members work, which can surface among dinators decline remarkably. Thus, had different identities; there were members at any time. There may be great care needs to be taken when we national Christians, an inbetweener other critical issues relating to this think about leadership or discipleship of Muslim identity, and a Western subject, but they go beyond the scope training for IBs. expatriate. The inbetweener rec- of this article. It would be good In running training sessions to ognized himself as an insider and for fi eld practitioners and mission understood that the others were not. recruit national workers I have found leaders to sit down and discuss this that some nationals could settle When asked to confess Shahada, issue to achieve some agreement on he did so without hesitation, but down to become inbetweeners and principles to apply to the remaining long-term team members. Then, because of the special intervention missions task.8 of the Spirit, he confessed who Isa when insider believers appeared, we was, too. When he went to court, The Issue of Training could set up training activities for some Christians were willing to Jesus commissioned us to the great them. And this, in turn, reminded help him, but he wanted to make task of making disciples for him (not us of the importance of good group clear his position as an insider who ourselves) among all the nations. dynamics within our own expatri- believed in Isa, so, since the ques- In discipleship training, leadership ate and national team. With good tion of Christianization had sur- issues seem to take central position. dynamics on our team, we as a group faced, he refused any assistance from In order to foster an insider movement could then invite a prospective leader Christians. Unfortunately, many we should bear in mind the impor- group for a group-to-group meeting. insiders he knew well didn’t want to tance of insiders taking the initiative In doing so, insider leaders could become involved in the court process in training rather than deferring to learn different leadership roles. as they were afraid of being con- inbetweeners or expatriates. At the fi rst meeting, each inbetwener nected to any Christianization effort. Normally we tend to practice a or expatriate worker took different On the other hand, if a similar case prescribed way of leading the train- roles in turn, each leading the group happened in the area of Anotoc ing, and what the expatriate or through sholat, chanting, reading, in which there were no apparent inbetweener leaders often bring is praying, sharing, etc. At the second Christians on the team and the inbe- formulated content from their own meeting, we encouraged the insider leaders to set up their own roles, 27:2 Summer 2010 104 The Anotoc Story, Continued: The Role of Group Dynamics in Insider Movements which they did, and they continued our home countries, churches invite (Asia Frontier Mission Initiative) has been from there. We didn’t encourage non-believers into existing structures holding an annual Asia Mission Lead- any one leader to be dominant and so that they can have the opportunity ers Forum (AMLF) and Asia Society for Frontier Mission (ASFM) in an Asian we practiced the inductive way of to hear the Good News. Similarly, country. The upcoming event will be held interacting: leading, thinking, talk- insider movements create even more on 27-30 Oct 2010. (You may contact John ing and studying the Bible. In order opportunities so even more people Kim at [email protected] or insid- to keep a movement going, we need can hear the Good News. IJFM [email protected] for more information.) as many insider leaders as possible to learn good group dynamics. Endnotes 1 Inbetweeners are those who have Conclusion settled in an insider’s society, originally as I once worked with an international outsiders but striving to become like insid- organization whose members were ers. In the early stage of settling in, they mostly Westerners. I enjoyed the may come from different ethnic and reli- gious backgrounds and thus be regarded as fellowship among people of various outsiders, but in the end, they are accepted nationalities. Enjoying the fellow- ship was a confi rmation of our union in the body of Jesus, and the activi- ties which I was involved in were I realized I could somewhat of a continuation of the Christian experience I had had in my do nothing for the home country, but at the same time a foggy skepticism arose in my mind Bangunda people as about whether this was the best way long as I remained to approach the Bangunda people. It was but a matter of time before a Christian worker I realized that I could do nothing within Christendom. for the Bangunda people as long as I remained a Christian worker within Christendom. by the insiders’ community as being almost This people-group ministry focus like them. drove me through a paradigm shift 2 Kim, John, “Muslim Villagers in understanding what must be done Coming to Faith in Christ: A Case Study among unreached peoples. I was and Model of Group Dynamics,“ in beginning to understand the ideas of Greenlee, David, From the Straight Path to “People Movements to Christ within the Narrow Way, Authentic, 2005, 239-253. 3 Here insiders are local indigenous a Muslim Context” and “Insider people living within their own cultural Movements.” When I started to contexts since birth. observe group dynamics among the 4 The whole passage is as follows: Show Bangunda people, I was convinced us the straight way; The Way of those on whom that God was at work in a special thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose way that was different from the (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray. 5 traditional way and that many fi eld Naja, Ben: Releasing the Workers of the workers focusing on people groups Eleventh Hour: The Global South and the Task Remaining. William Carey Library, 2007. seemed to struggle with mission 6 Kim, John, “Muslim Villagers paradigm issues. Coming to Faith in Christ: A Case Study The case of the Bangunda people and Model of Group Dynamics,“ in Greenlee, David, From the Straight Path to may give us some understanding the Narrow Way, Authentic, 2005, 239-253. into the kind of group dynamics 7 For an example, see IJFM 26:1 & 2, that result in the free fl ow of the 2009, “Fruitful Practices: What Does The Gospel through clusters. The great- Research Suggest? Paradigms and Praxis” est advantage of the insider approach by Leith Gray and Andrea Gray. is the huge space that can be cre- 8 As one of the ways to tackle with ated to make disciples for Jesus. In this critical issue especially among mission practitioners and leaders in Asia, AFMI International Journal of Frontier Missiology