MTh Theses
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14194/2591
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Item Global Christianity: Trends in Mission and the Relationship with Non-Western Missionaries Working Cross-Culturally in Thailand(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Charles, Joseph Paul; Jabini, FranklinThe church in the West, in the modern era of missions, has played the lead role in sending out missionaries and working cross-culturally. At the same time, growth of Christianity in the West has been showing a steady decline, which will have a major impact in the numbers of missionaries coming from the West in the future. The purpose of this study was three-fold. The first purpose was to document the growth of the church in non-western countries compared to the decline of the church in western countries. This includes the reality that more missionaries from non-western regions of the world (and non-traditionally missionary sending countries in the west) are starting to work cross-culturally in missions. The second purpose was to determine how mission organizations were adapting to the changes in global Christianity. The third purpose of this study focused on the growth of the church in Thailand, including the contributions and challenges of non-western missionaries in cross-cultural missions, specifically those working in Thailand. The proposed study attempted to find answers to the new trends in global missions. In the research mission organizations and non-western workers, especially those working in Thailand was contacted and interviewed to determine the situation application. They were encouraged to share their personal experiences in relation to the contributions and challenges that they faced. A biblical and theological perspectives investigation was also undertaken to establish how such have had an influence on the non-western missionaries’ work in Thailand. The changes in global Christianity were found had a limited influence how the majority of mission organizations function, as well as the increase of non-missionaries working cross culturally. Evidence suggested that non-western missionaries working cross culturally had little support from individuals and churches in their sending countries. Most non-western missionaries in Thailand still experienced a rewarding ministry regardless of challenges they experienced. Recommendations at the end of the research were made, to assisted mission organizations and non-western missionaries in identifying the needs created in global Christianity today as well as identifying ways to address these issues.