The Realities of Money & Missions
Jonathan J. Bonk is research professor of mission at Boston University and founding director emeritus of the Dictionary of African Christian Biography (www.dacb.org). He is executive director emeritus of the Overseas Ministries Study Center (www.omsc.org) where he served from 1997 until his retirement in July 2013. He was editor of the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (www.internationalbulletin.org) from July 1997 until June 2013. He has authored five books, has edited nine collaborative volumes, and published more than one hundred scholarly articles and book chapters and numerous reviews and editorials. His best-known book is Missions and Money: Affluence as a Western Missionary Problem. He is president of the Korean Global Mission Leadership Forum and has been actively involved with the KGMLF since it began in 2010. He and his wife are active members of the Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was raised in Ethiopia by missionary parents.
Michel G. Distefano is an independent scholar, KGMLF editor, and former instructor of Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern religions at McGill University.
J. Nelson Jennings (PhD, Edinburgh University) is vice president of the Korean Global Mission Leaders Forum. He is editor of Global Missiology—English (globalmissiology.org) and is involved in several other online mission research projects, including the Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia (dcbasia.org) and the Alliance of Mission Researchers and Institutions (amriconnect.net). He and his family served in Japan for thirteen years (1986-1999), first in church planting, then in teaching at Tokyo Christian University. Jennings taught world mission for twelve years at Covenant Theological Seminary (and again since 2018 in an adjunct capacity), served at the Overseas Ministries Study Center (2011-2015), and was a mission consultant for Onnuri Church (2015-2021). He has published numerous books and articles and has also served as editor of Missiology: An International Review and International Bulletin of Missionary [now Mission] Research. Jennings and his wife, Kathy, are both US-Americans and live in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.
Jae Hoon Lee is Senior Pastor of Onnuri Church and Chair of the Korea Lausanne Committee.
Integrity, Viability, and Accountability
Perhaps there is no greater challenge in missions than money. Paul reminds us, “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man” (2 Cor. 8:21).
Money sufficient to assure the viability of one’s life work carries with it an insidious ethical virus that can easily infect the integrity and accountability of its stewards. The Realities of Money & Missions provides a unique level of credibility and transparency as it calls for evangelicals to reevaluate their relationship with money, both personally and corporately. Global case studies, workshops, and testimonials cover a broad range of topics such as:
- Misalignment between fiscal theology and practice
- Environmental stewardship, community development, and business as mission
- Mobilization, fundraising practices, and “faith financing”
- Short-term missions, patronage, and dependency
- Power dynamics and structural injustice
The Realities of Money & Missions was not written by experts in the fields of investment, money management, or fundraising, but by men and women whose calling as missionaries, pastors, and administrators has brought them face-to-face with the complex, real-life issues involving the intersection of money and ministry. Read on and be challenged to change.
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This book provides unique insights and perspectives into the multifaceted challenges entailed in the use and abuse of money in contexts of missionary service.
Jesse N. K. Mugambi, PhD, FKNAS, EBS, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Nairobi University, Nairobi, Kenya
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Here you will be equipped to address—rather than to avoid—the often-hidden financial element of mission work. May we come away from reading this book with new perspectives and approaches to share within the church and with boldness to change.
Laura S. Meitzner Yoder, PhD Director and John Stott Chair of Human Needs and Global Resources; Professor of Environmental Studies, Wheaton College
Bible STUDIES by Christopher J. H. Wright
1 The Integrity of Our Funding in the Eyes of God: 1 Chronicles 29:1-19
2 Accountability in Our Stewardship of the Grace of God: 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5
3 The Viability of Our Ministry under the Sovereignty of God: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
SECTION A: Case Studies
4 Faith-Based Organizations and Investments in Mission:
The Case of the All Africa Conference of Churches —Bright G. Mawudor
RESPONSE —Jeffrey J. Lee
5 Fundraising Practices of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church —Zosangliana Colney
RESPONSE —Sung-Chan Kwon
6 Missions and Money: Christian Finance in Global Perspective —Gina A. Zurlo
RESPONSE —Daeshik Jo
7 Jesus Abbey: A Case Study in “Faith Financing” —Ben Torrey
RESPONSE —Insoo Kim
8 The Structure and the Financial Management Policy of GMS from the Perspective of
Credibility, Transparency, and Accountability —Jinbong Kim
RESPONSE —Karen Shaw
9 Missions and Education —Allison Howell
RESPONSE —Hyunchol Hong
10 Registration of Real Estate: A Pivotal Factor in a Collaborative Effort to Establish a Seminary
in Postwar Japan —J. Nelson Jennings
RESPONSE —Jimoon Chung
11 Money and Self-Support: A Challenging Principle of the Nevius Method
for Korean Protestant Churches and Missions —Sung-Deuk Oak
RESPONSE —Lalsangkima Pachuau
SECTION B: Workshops
12 Optimizing Missions through Organizational Financial Accountability —Valentine Gitoho
RESPONSE —Dae Su Jung
13 The Core Elements of the Establishment and Development of United Theological Seminary
in Kyrgyzstan —Joohyung Lee, Emil Osmonaliev, and Sungbin Hong
RESPONSE —Charles Weber
14 Church Missions in the Public Sphere with a Focus on Onnuri Church’s Use of Public Funds
—Hong Joo Kim
RESPONSE —Atola Longkumer
15 Evangelicals and Structural (In)Justice—What Are We Afraid Of? —Justin Thacker
RESPONSE —Minyoung Jung
16 Integrity is Illusive: Intercultural Gospel Work Needs to Be Vulnerable
to Allow Indigenous Free Self-Expression —Jim Harries
RESPONSE —C. S. Caleb Kim
17 Mission, Power, and Money —Paul Bendor-Samuel
RESPONSE —Jongdo Park
18 Global South Mission Is Possible! —Andrew B. Kim
RESPONSE —Wanjiru M. Gitau
19 The COVID-19 Crisis and Opportunities for Increased Community:
A Local Pastor’s Recommendations —Mongsik Lee
RESPONSE —Sun Man Kim
20 COVID-19 and Opportunities in Mission: An Ibero-American Case Analysis —Levi DeCarvalho 162
RESPONSE —Byung Soo Lee
21 Mission, Fiscal Responsibility, and Care for the Environment —Allison Howell
RESPONSE —Bright Myeong-Seok Lee
22 Toward a Money-Missionary Relationship Model: A Grounded Theory Approach Based on the
Empirical Data of Korean Missionaries —Jooyun Eum
RESPONSE —Ruth Maxwell
23 The Role of Patron as Father (Gap) in church planting Efforts in Cambodia —Robert Oh
RESPONSE —Sokreaksa Himm
24 Can Any Good Be Done on a Short-Term Mission Trip?
Opportunities and Pitfalls in Athens, Greece —Darren M. Carlson
RESPONSE —Cheol Kang
25 Paul Mission Training Center and Jeonju Antioch Church Mission Fund—Seung-Il Lee And Dong-Whee Lee
RESPONSE —David S. Lim
SECTION C: Testimonies
26 Have Faith in God —Hak Hyun Cho
27 My Testimony —Sokreaksa Himm
28 Experiencing the Faithfulness of God in Missionary Support —Paul Ogbadu
29 Testimony of Smyrna Church —Hak Gyun Shin
SECTION D: Conclusion
30 Concluding Summary —Timothy Kiho Park
31 Concluding Summary —Jonathan J. Bonk
Appendix: KPM’s Missionary Leadership Structure and Responsibilities for Financial Policy
(Accountability and Reliability) —Young Gee Park
Bibliography
Participants
Contributors
Index
Figures & Tables
Figure 4.1: Partial View of the AACC Rental Offices, Nairobi, Kenya
Figure 4.2: Partial View of the AACC Rental Offices, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Figure 4.3: Partial View of the AACC Hotel
Figure 6.1: Christians by Continent, 2020
Figure 6.2: Largest Missionary Sending and Receiving Countries, 2020
Figure 6.3: Percentage of World Christians vs Income
Figure 6.4: Christian Population/Income, 2020
Figure 6.5: Christian Population, Christian Income, and Christian Giving, 2020
Figure 6.6: Giving to Church Versus Parachurch
Figure 6.7: Missions Giving vs. Ecclesiastical Crime
Figure 9.1: Bediako's Model
Figure 15.1: “Sauda is One Day Old”
Figure 16.1: “Free Expression” in Missionary/African Encounters
Figure 16.2: “Free Expression” in Missionary/African Encounters—As It Should Be?
Figure 18.1: The Comfort Zone
Figure 22.1: Paradigm Model of the Impact of Money on Missionary Life and Ministry
Figure 22.2: Money-Missionary Relationship Model
Figure 25.1: JAC’s Mission Expenses
Figure 25.2: Categories of Missionaries in TPMI
Figure 25.3: TPMI-FMHQ’s Partnership Mechanism
Figure 25.4: Missionary Training and Commissioning Process
Figure 25.5: Career Paths of Missionaries after Three Years in Ministry
Figure 25.6: Ministries of Recommissioned Missionaries
TABLES
Table 4.1: Strategic Business Unit Results, Real Estate
Table 4.2: Strategic Business Unit Results, DTCC
Table 4.3: Financial Results Total Income by Category
Table 4.4: Grants from Partners Versus SBU Income at a Glance
Table 4.5: AACC Property Development Strategy, 2009–2025 Flow of Funds Chart
Table 6.1: Christians by Country, 1900 & 2020
Table 6.2: Distribution of Annual Global Income and Wealth, 2020
Table 13.1: UTS Income in $US between 2010 and 2020
Table 13.2: UTS Expenses in $US between 2010 and 2020
Table 14.1: ODA Matching Projects of a Better World and the Korean Government
Table 14.2: Fiscal Structure of Onnuri Welfare Foundation (2019)
Table 14.3: Onnuri M Mission Government Subsidy Receipt Status (2020)
Table 22.1: A Conditional Matrix of The Impact Of Money On Missionary Life And Ministry
Table 25.1: Use of JAC’s Finances
Authors
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Jonathan J. Bonk
Jonathan J. Bonk
Jonathan J. Bonk is research professor of mission at Boston University and founding director emeritus of the Dictionary of African Christian Biography (www.dacb.org). He is executive director emeritus of the Overseas Ministries Study Center (www.omsc.org) where he served from 1997 until his retirement in July 2013. He was editor of the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (www.internationalbulletin.org) from July 1997 until June 2013. He has authored five books, has edited nine collaborative volumes, and published more than one hundred scholarly articles and book chapters and numerous reviews and editorials. His best-known book is Missions and Money: Affluence as a Western Missionary Problem. He is president of the Korean Global Mission Leadership Forum and has been actively involved with the KGMLF since it began in 2010. He and his wife are active members of the Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was raised in Ethiopia by missionary parents.
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Michel G. Distefano
Michel G. Distefano
Michel G. Distefano is an independent scholar, KGMLF editor, and former instructor of Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern religions at McGill University.
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J. Nelson Jennings
J. Nelson Jennings
J. Nelson Jennings (PhD, Edinburgh University) is vice president of the Korean Global Mission Leaders Forum. He is editor of Global Missiology—English (globalmissiology.org) and is involved in several other online mission research projects, including the Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia (dcbasia.org) and the Alliance of Mission Researchers and Institutions (amriconnect.net). He and his family served in Japan for thirteen years (1986-1999), first in church planting, then in teaching at Tokyo Christian University. Jennings taught world mission for twelve years at Covenant Theological Seminary (and again since 2018 in an adjunct capacity), served at the Overseas Ministries Study Center (2011-2015), and was a mission consultant for Onnuri Church (2015-2021). He has published numerous books and articles and has also served as editor of Missiology: An International Review and International Bulletin of Missionary [now Mission] Research. Jennings and his wife, Kathy, are both US-Americans and live in Hamden, Connecticut, USA.
- Jinbong Kim
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Jae Hoon Lee
Jae Hoon Lee
Jae Hoon Lee is Senior Pastor of Onnuri Church and Chair of the Korea Lausanne Committee.
- Pages: 292
- Publisher:
William Carey Publishing
William Carey Publishing
- Binding: Paperback
- Publish Year: 2022
- Vendor: William Carey Publishing
