Uganda Part 6 - Final Thoughts
Mon, 04/05/2010 - 18:00 — Sean CarneyThis is final installment in a multi-post series on the week I spent in Uganda doing door to door evangelism. Click here to read all posts in this series.
Uganda was a low point in the program for many people. For the longest time I hated the week I spent going door to door until I realized how much it's helped me.
You know the tired old saying about building character? Well this built no end of character, and also helped shape many views of mine on Christianity and missions work.
In one week I learned vast amounts about myself. I learned just how I react when I am stressed and the situation is going out of control, and I also learned how I can best cope. Looking back that week was truly invaluable. It's never enjoyable to be pushed to the edge, but a lot of good can come from it.
Through first hand experience I developed my views on evangelism, poverty, and aid. The trip raised many questions that I wasn't initially able to answer, but over time I have been able to wrestle with them and find some answers.
Sadly it should be noted that not everyone on the trip has had something positive come out of their experiences. Some people were simply pushed too far and couldn't cope. To my knowledge there is at least one person who left the church and didn't look back, which it truly unfortunate.
This is the chance that was taken when we were sent to Uganda - a week that looking back could be summarized as 'It could make you, or break you.'
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Comments
I am VERY curious a0but your
I am VERY curious a0but your views on missions and evangelism. I still struggle with all of that.
I struggle a lot with
I struggle a lot with missions and evangelism.
As you will notice with how I've left this post, I tend not to talk about my views online. I need to be very careful with the wording so I sometimes rather just leave my views unwritten.
However, going against what I've just said, here are a few thoughts.
1) Always have respect for other people's beliefs. Don't just study world religions with an aim to evangelize to them better, but try to understand were they are coming from, what they are about, and their customs and traditions. Know that their faith is likely stronger than yours.
2) Missions should arise from relationships which connect to community. Simply jumping into an area and doing evangelism does not create long term, sustainable communities.
3) There is no need to travel to do missions. The areas I had traveled to already had churches. I think time spent in my own community with my church would have had a more meaningful and lasting impact compared to time spent in Uganda.
4) Don't steal sheep. There's no need to take congregants from other churches to supplement your churches attendance. If people want to attend your church I'm sure they will, but otherwise assume that they are happy where they are now.
5) Aid shouldn't come with evangelism attached. Helping people should be just that, you can do your evangelism later.
6) Never purposefully manipulate people's emotions in the context of evangelism. If you manage to trigger a strong emotional response in someone, you've lured them into a position of vulnerability they shouldn't be in. At this point the power dynamic between you is very skewed and ripe for abuse.
It sounds like you have
It sounds like you have really thought that through. I love it!
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