Masthead Logo Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 2-1-2019 Rethinking Foreign Missions: How Churches Can Engage in Global Missionary Work Without Leaving Their ommC unities Stuart Alan Cocanougher [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Cocanougher, Stuart Alan, "Rethinking Foreign Missions: How Churches Can Engage in Global Missionary Work Without Leaving Their ommC unities" (2019). Doctor of Ministry. 289. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/289 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY RETHINKING FOREIGN MISSIONS: HOW CHURCHES CAN ENGAGE IN GLOBAL MISSIONARY WORK WITHOUT LEAVING THEIR COMMUNITIES A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY STUART ALAN COCANOUGHER PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2019 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Stuart Cocanougher has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 18, 2019 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspectives Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Darrell Peregrym, DMin Secondary Advisor: Pablo Morales, DMin Lead Mentor: Jason Clark, PhD, DMin Expert Advisor: Len Hjalmarson, DMin Copyright © 2019 by Stuart Alan Cocanougher All rights reserved ii CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... v GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................. vi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. vii SECTION 1 A NEED FOR A NEW MISSIONS MOVEMENT ..................................... 1 The Rebuke that Launched an Era.............................................................................. 1 A Biblical Foundation for Missions ........................................................................... 2 Mission Work is For a Select Few ............................................................................. 4 When the “Ends of the Earth” Move to “Jerusalem” .................................................. 5 A Changing America ................................................................................................. 6 The World Has Changed, but the Church has Not ...................................................... 9 SECTION 2 TRADITIONAL MINISTRY TO INTERNATIONALS WHO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES .......................................................................................... 11 A Brief History of Immigration in the United States ................................................ 11 Charity Work with Immigrants ................................................................................ 13 Models of Ethnic Church Partnerships ..................................................................... 16 The Unengaged, Monoethnic Church ..................................................................... 16 The Ethnic Church Host ......................................................................................... 19 The Ethnic Partnership Church .............................................................................. 20 The Ethnic Incubator Church ................................................................................. 21 The Multiethnic Church ......................................................................................... 22 The Path of Least Resistance.................................................................................. 23 SECTION 3 A NEW PARADIGM – GLOBAL MISSION WORK IN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ........................................................................................................... 25 Challenges for Missionary Sending Agencies .......................................................... 25 A New Paradigm for Global Missions...................................................................... 27 Prioritizing Diaspora Missions in the United States .................................................. 29 A New Way of Thinking: “Upside Down Missions” ................................................ 31 Benefits of Reaching Internationals in the United States .......................................... 32 Sending Missionaries Overseas is Expensive ......................................................... 32 The Gospel can be Shared Freely in the United States ............................................ 32 Internationals Seem to be More Open to the Gospel when in America ................... 33 Those who Respond to the Gospel Might Return to their Home Country as Christian Leaders .................................................................................................................. 34 This Model Allows for More Christians to Become Involved in Cross-Cultural Ministry ................................................................................................................. 35 Barriers to Reaching Foreigners in the United States................................................ 35 The Church in America is Facing New Challenges with Old Structures ................. 35 Universalism and Political Correctness .................................................................. 36 Fear of Those Who Are Different ........................................................................... 37 A Misunderstanding of Spiritual Gifts .................................................................... 38 Identifying the Foreign Mission Field within the United States ................................ 39 Foreign Tourists ..................................................................................................... 40 iii International Students ............................................................................................ 41 Temporary Workers ............................................................................................... 42 Permanent Resident Workers ................................................................................. 43 Family Members of Immigrants ............................................................................. 43 Diversity Visa Recipients ....................................................................................... 45 Refugees ................................................................................................................ 45 Unauthorized Immigrants....................................................................................... 49 Asylum Seekers ..................................................................................................... 52 Victims of Human Trafficking ............................................................................... 53 Principles for Cross-Cultural Evangelism ................................................................ 55 A Different Understanding of Time ....................................................................... 55 Mixed-Gender Relationships .................................................................................. 56 Individualist Versus Collectivist Cultures .............................................................. 57 Casual Relationships Versus Deep Relationships ................................................... 58 Understanding Honor/Shame Cultures ................................................................... 58 Developing Strategies to Share the Gospel with Newcomers to America.................. 61 The Ministry of Hospitality .................................................................................... 61 Bringing Up Jesus .................................................................................................. 63 Studying the Bible with Internationals ................................................................... 64 The Power of Prayer .............................................................................................. 65 Pitfalls to Avoid when Engaging in Ministry to Internationals ................................. 65 The Danger of Stereotyping ................................................................................... 66 Assuming American Methods will be Effective ..................................................... 67 The White Savior Complex .................................................................................... 67 An Unrealistic Desire for Quick Results................................................................. 68 Ministry to Internationals who Are Already Believers .............................................. 69 Challenges Faced by Immigrant Churches ............................................................... 70 Many Immigrant Churches Have Sparse Resources ............................................... 70 Many Host Churches View Immigrant Churches as Subservient ............................ 71 A Common Language Does Not Ensure a Healthy Church ....................................