Thai ’09 Journal 1

I’m on my way to Thailand for the annual short-term mission outreach. A couple weeks ago the News and Information Coordinator of Walla Walla University asked me for a quote about the trip. What follows is more than a quote; it is more of a philosophy that I supplied.

“This is the 4^th mission trip to Thailand since 2003 (5 if you count my speaking for Mission College’s “Festival of Faith” [their Week of Prayer] in 2007 – the majority of the student body, and some faculty being Buddhists), and we will continue for the foreseeable future. We have chosen Thailand because it is part of the 10-40 window (that is, the area of the world between latitude 10 and 40 degrees, where the large percentage of the inhabitants are non-Christians). Christian outreach to these inhabitants is much more difficult than our outreach to areas that are predominantly Christian (such as Africa, Latin America, and Philippines). We have to find new models to introduce Christianity to a country that is over 90% Buddhist. The best way for Walla Walla University to be involved in this enterprise is 2-fold, I believe:

First we have to partner with those who are already involved in the enterprise. This we have done with an orphanage organization near the Myanmar (Burma) border, with Chiang Mai Adventist Academy, and now with Mission College.

Second, we have to have a more wholistic missiological method that is not primarily traditionally evangelistic (e.g. “Revelation Seminar”’); but is one that demonstrates true Christianity and Adventism in action. This model is best idealized by utilizing the gifts of varied disciplines of WWU, and being involved in outreach that “scratches where it itches.” Thus in 2005 the School of Education and Psychology held continuing education for teacher at Chiang Mai Academy, while other members of the team conducted a Week of Prayer and assisted in a building project. Last year, the School of Nursing partnered with the nursing school at Mission College in practical outreach to the surrounding villages and communities. They did this in Jamaica in 2006, and will return with us to Thailand in 2010. Last year and this summer we will be conducting English Camps in the Public High School. This year we will expand this to businesses in the town and the market place. We will also team up with the Mission College Church to do culturally sensitive evangelistic outreach. Next summer the plan is for the School of Theology to be more involved in this aspect of the mission trip. Last year, this year, and possibly for the foreseeable future we will continue to do social evangelism by being involved in the assistance of the disabled man with his fruit and vegetable farm.

This missiological philosophy grows out of my post-doctoral work at Fuller Theological Seminary and highlighted in my book Complete Evangelism (Herald Press).”

I’m going ahead of the team in order to build on the work we started at Chiang Mai Adventist Academy in 2005. I’ll speak there this weekend, and make special contacts with the students that we are sponsoring. I’ll be also having special meetings with Rotary of Chiang Mai – the club with which Rotary of Walla is partnering for International Service projects. More on all of this in subsequent blogs.