TENTMAKING: ANTIDOTE TO PROBLEMS ON THE MISSION FIELD
“You go to church because the foreigners pay you!”
“You’re a pastor because you receive money from America!”
These are common accusations from Muslims against Christian converts and pastors in some Asian countries.
Problems On The Field
The nationals observe that missionaries do not appear to have to work for a living. Yet they live comfortably, have time to visit with people, and fly all over the world to attend conferences. Local pastors and ministry workers, who speak good English and spend time with foreigners also seem to live well. So they conclude that missionaries and local Christian workers alike receive foreign paychecks to spread their religion. This perception poses a significant stumbling block to Christian witness among the Muslims.
Many local believers have also been taught that full-time Christian work is the higher calling. They conclude that “living by faith” is more spiritual than making a living from secular work. As a result, some Christian converts don't take their jobs seriously, and are wanting in work ethics even when serving Christian owned businesses and NGOs.
Paul’s Life And Teaching
In Paul’s letters to the churches, he instructed his converts to earn their living quietly, quit stealing, not be idle, and give to the needy. If they thought they could get paid just for preaching a few hours each week, many might go into ministry for the wrong reasons!
Paul not only taught a strong work ethic, he modeled it. Despite his heavy ministry responsibilities, he continued to make tents. He worked hard to be above reproach when accused of peddling religion (1 Cor. 9:12; 2 Cor. 6:3). He worked to model an integrated, productive life of work and witness.
What A Missionary Has Learned
A missionary who has been serving in Asian Muslim countries for over 20 years shared how he began as a full-time church planter, but had difficulty building relationships with the nationals. Furthermore, he was running into visa problems.
So he created a business “platform”, essentially a cover for his ministry. But the business did not create jobs for the community, never made money and paid minimal taxes. So he was still suspect in the eyes of the locals and the government.
Finally, he saw the need for integrity in doing real business. After all, Paul never pretended to make tents. He worked night and day, making tents and preaching.
So this brother invested his own savings and raised funds to launch a business. He learned state-of-the art technology related to his agricultural business, and worked hard at it.
As the business grew, he was able to hire local Muslims, turn a profit, and start paying taxes. He began to earn the respect of the community and even gained some clout that allowed him to contest the corrupt demands of the local government.
Meantime, the missionary is training local pastors to become distributors for his products. When he brings them together for business training, he also includes several days of ministry training. When these local pastors travel as distributors to the rural areas, they take the opportunity to minister to small enclaves of believers in the villages. The job gives pastors an understandable identity among the villagers, financial independence, and self-respect.
How one works is a very important part of witness in Muslim culture.
Reflection Questions:
What is your theology of work? What about your work ethic? Non-believers on the mission field will be observing you. Work is a tentmaker's witness.
Do you understand the logic behind the Muslims' objections towards Muslim background converts and pastors?
What is your takeaway from this missionary's changing strategies to connect with Muslim people? Why is tentmaking important?