This is the second list, and we trust that it is self explanatory. I don’t know
about you, but this list is urging me to go and make disciples!
tentmaking
The Challenges Tentmakers Faced in 2010
Ari Rocklin
One of the priveleges of working with tentmakers, business as mission people, is hearing back from them during their vacations and after their returns to their homelands. We’ve setup a systematic way of gathering their experiences and challenges, and are listing them here. Number 9 is the least of the challenges, but worthy of noting, and of course number 1 being the most critical challenge.
The GO/TENT team looks at this information very seriously and then adapts the real life issues into their training and mentoring. Thus each course they run has new and updated information from active tentmakers which in turn allows them to offer up to date training for those being trained. Indeed, the GO/TENT team feels this is one of the greatest strengths of their intensive program in equipping people for ministry skills in hard places.
For an expanded version of these challenges, you can email us or simply attend one of our courses.
As you read down this list, do know that it is the accumulated experience of literally hundreds of active tentmakers. We hope this gives you good insights and helps you to prepare well.
Tentmaking and national laws
“Should Christians Convert Muslims?” was the headline of a Time Magazine cover story a few years ago. In some sense the article implied that Christians going to Muslim countries are doing something wrong because their activities are causing tensions. But is that true?
Among the politically correct only the religion of tolerance is accepted. Christians settling in other countries in order to lead people to Jesus are under attack. Even among Christians, tentmakers working in sensitive areas may be met with criticism. The conception is that a tentmaker often comes with a hidden agenda and that he
or she are entering the nations through the backdoor.
In this picture it is important to sort out what is right and what is wrong. First of all we should underline that Global Opportunities and Tent are training people to respect the laws of the countries they are going to. When it comes to sharing faith, the laws in most nations are not causing too much trouble. With maybe one or two exceptions, no countries in the world have laws against people talking about their faith in a private setting. In most non-Western cultures religion is an integral part of daily life. So it is common to talk about faith and share thoughts about the big questions of life in day-to day talks. In fact, it is socially expected to talk about your faith when asked. It is inappropriate not to. Getting people to ask questions is key to sharing Christ. This creates many opportunities for sharing about Jesus also in nations that
are regarded as “closed” for the Gospel.
A Christian who had lived in Pakistan for several years, testified that he did not have the gift of evangelism. “But in Pakistan I didn’t need that gift. There people talk about faith all the time,” he concluded.
Many nations have laws that makes it illegal for the citizens to change their religion. So the people the tentmakers are living among, break the law if they accept Jesus as their saviour. Many of those who receive the gift of salvation and eternal life through Jesus, realize that
the suffering they may have to face here on earth is nothing compared to the glory they will receive (Rom 8:18). The tentmaker may of course be considered as a partner in crime to those who break the law by changing their faith. But in this case the authorities who prohibit their citizens from having the freedom of belief are the ones to blame. It should also be mentioned that many of the countries prohibiting religious conversions have signed the declaration on human rights giving everyone the right to “change his religion or belief.”
(UN Declaration on Human Rights, Article 18).
No missionary, nor any tentmaker, will force anyone to follow their faith. What these ambassadors of God’s kingdom are doing, is to point towards a man who said he had come to restore our relationship with God. In nations where exchange of ideas and beliefs is prohibited, even the politically correct should aim their criticism at the authorities who are denying their people basic human rights. Those who share their faith with others should not be the target.
Note: Dave English, Executive Director of Global Opportunities was interviewed for the
above mentioned TIME article.
What GO Courses Do to People
Global Opportunities has been running our GO Equipped! tentmaking courses for over 10 years now. They do things for people and they do things to them.
It gets them over the hump.
Those who’ve been considering tentmaking begin to imagine themselves actually doing it. They begin to see themselves actually finding a job overseas, leaving their job here, living and connecting with the people, and opening their hearts and home to them.
R & D attended a course in Victoria, BC, Canada and started seriously searching for teaching jobs. About a year later they began teaching in an international school in Beirut.
Michelle just attended our Pasadena course in October and is heading to Asia later this year to teach.
It gives them understanding of how everyday Christians can do ministry. It provides a new Biblical model of work-faith integration which leads to their saying, “Aha. I could do that!”
MB had been a tentmaker in Uzbekistan. Then an incredible door opened to one of the most oppressive and needy countries on earth. But he was scared he could not share Christ there. Ari and I both urged him on and he accepted the invitation. On his way there, he made time to attend our course in Pasadena. It helped him gain insight into how he could witness even there and he has had remarkable impact.
It refocuses them and opens new windows.
Sergio & Angela were heading to Thailand to serve in a children’s home. They had a great heart to serve even though this required support funds. At a Fort Myers course, they saw a whole new perspective and Sergio ended up using his science and engineering skills to teach in a high school in Thailand.
Chris came to a Pasadena course after serving as a missionary in Thailand. With strong people and teaching gifts, he saw the power of using them in tentmaking, earned a PhD and returned to Thailand to teach English.
It equips them to be effective by focusing on core principles and ministry skills.
Jon & his wife attended the course in Dallas. In late summer they moved to India to start an outsourcing business which employs both believers and non-believers. His leadership has improved employees’ work habits and helped some to Christ. He said that “The course must have been developed out of years of experience in the field. I still draw on it—the importance of jumping right into the culture, living out what I believe during day-to-day business, of opening up the home… I could go on. The course was truly sent by God at just the right time…”
It gets them overseas as tentmakers. Around 50% end up overseas. Coming can be dangerous!