NAMA

WILLYAM

PRODI
NIM

:
:

THEOLOGIA 2012

12111371

MATA KULIAH

ANTROPOLOGI (TUGAS PRIBADI)

CROSS-CULTURAL EVANGELISM & SHORT

MISSIONS: HOW DO WE DO IT WELL?1

TERM

Well, Phil Thornton said in the beginning of his writing, he want to assure his
reader that he is believe in evangelism. He said that it is his strong belief
that evangelism lies at the heart of all missionary activity that causes him to
be so concerned that we should do evangelism rightly. He pose the question
to his readers, can those who go on a short-term mission trip really do
evangelism right? He answered that maybe yes, or maybe no, depending on
upon how one defines evangelism and how well prepared the short-termer is
before he or she goes. But he conclude clearly that evangelism done wrongly
and by the wrong people in the wrong way at the wrong time, even it can be
detrimental no matter how well intentioned.
Phil Thornton give to his readers six questions which must be asked when
considering cross-cultural Evangelism:

Can
Can
Can
Can
Can
Can

we
we
we
we
we
we

do
do
do
do
do
do

evangelism
evangelism
evangelism
evangelism
evangelism
evangelism

without knowing the language?

without understanding the culture?
without relationship?
from a position of power?
for the wrong reasons?
without words?

1 Phil Thornton, Cross-cultural Evangelism & Short-term Missions: How do we do it

well?, http://www.wheaton.edu/BGCE/Equipping-Corner/Personal-EvangelismTools/Longer-Articles/Cross-cultural-Evangelism-and-Short-term-Missions, diakses 15
April 2015, pukul 14.04 WIB.

Phil Thornton said, for the question 1 to 5, he said the answer is no. But for
the question 6, he said yes.
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM WITHOUT KNOWING THE LANGUAGE?
Phil Thornton said that words are symbols which have meaning. Meaning is
assigned to symbols by culture in which one lives. Therefore, he said that
real communication takes place only as the two trying to communicate
assign the same meaning to the symbols being used. He continues that this
presents real problem to the one trying to communicate through an
interpreter or with a limited ability in a particular language.
Phil Thornton also quoted the statement of David Livermore who said,
language is more than just learning words. It includes learning general
strategies for how to communicate in ways that are respectful or get
information. Phil Thornton said that David Livermore also emphasized that
language is central to effective cross-cultural communication
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE
Phil Thornton said that the question on culture presents a similar problem
just like language problem. For example, he said that the logical presentation
of the Gospel presented in the "Four Spiritual Laws may work well for
conceptual, linear thinkers in the West. But it wont work with the intuitional
thinkers in the East, or concrete relational thinkers in Latin America who
communicating through stories, objects, and events rather than propositions.
So, Phil Thorton concluded that the effective evangelism is contextual
evangelism. While the meesage does not change (Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord), the methodology of doing evangelism must change from culture to
culture.
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM WITHOUT RELATIONSHIP
In this part, Phil Thornton quoted Matin Mayerss statement that said about
the prior question about trust. Marvin Mayers said that trust is a precursor to
relationship and relationship opens channel of communication. So Phil
Thornton concluded based on Mayers statement that it is difficult to do
effective evangelism without relationship. Phil Thornton also said that
building cross-cultural relationship take time. This is the reason why he is
leery of short-termers doing evangelism.
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM FROM A POSITION OF POWER

Phil Thornton said that the factor that causes him the greatest pause is this
one. He said that what gives the short-termer from the West any position of
power. Four answers come to his mind, that is, our education, our wealth,
our position in the world as a nation, and our ability to pick up and go home.
Phil Thornton said that education has the power to eradicate ignorance
and poverty and makes individual become independent by giving them
choice while wealth is even more potent factor. He quoted Jonathan Bonks
note that for the most North Americans, possesion of wealth makes western
missionary insulation not only possible, but highly probable.
Phil Thornton also said that their position of power as a nation has
frequently contirubuted to cultural arrogance. He said that they constantly
battle the mentality that west is the best while all people have pride in
their culture. He said sadly that many of them in the west have been
indoctrinated that their way of doing things is the best. He also criticize
about the back door that many short-termers always do, that is, they can
always go home. Short-termers know that at the end of the two weeks, one
years, or four years, they will going home. The nationals with whom they
work are also aware of reality.
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM FOR THE WRONG REASON
Phil Thornton said yes about this question when it is done for the purpose of
self-validation. He said if we are not careful to continually check our motives,
we can fool ourselves. He said that we can be engaged in all kinds of activity
while actually sering our own needs. He also criticize about the agencies that
send short-termers. He said that most agencies have a financial incentive to
keep what they are doing and believing that what they are doing is good.
Why? Simply, because they make their living from the short-term teams.
CAN WE DO EVANGELISM WITHOUT WORDS
Phil Thornton gives us a question that is it simply imposibble for the shorttermer to do evangelism? He said no if we qualify what we means by
evangelism and what methods are appropriate to use in Cross-Cultural
situations. He said that we are familiar with the three methods of
evangelism: proclamation, presence, and persuasion. But, Phil Thornton want
to emphasize that with our presence, when carried out a spirit of
servanthood, can be a genuine means of persuasion through deeds, good
work, and a sincere expression of Christian love servant evangelism. He
also said that preaching the gospel with words can be confrontional.

Sometimes, confrontation is necessary, but that is seldom the case with

short-termers. Servanthood is intentinally evangelistic while not being
coercive. He said when we serve with no expectation of anything in return,
we say to them, I am doing this to show the love of Jesus. Then, the Holy
Spirit will open the door.
So, Phil Thornton said do he believe in evangelism through short-term
mission teams? Absolutely he said, when properly understood and done well.
For the short term-missionary and the agencies which send them, this will
take careful thought, cultural sensivity, and a considerable amount of crosscultural preparation. So this is the end of Phil Thorntons writing about
evangelism.
MY COMMENT
Well, I think Phil Thornton is criticizing about the short-term evangelism. He
criticized many aspect of short-term evangelism which he think that It is the
wrong way in doing evangelism. He give us six point why short-term
evangelism is not effective. There are 4 points that I want to comment:

Can we do evangelism without knowing the language. Yes, I

think this is a true opinion of Phil Thornton. That is very right that
imposibble if someone is able to do cross-cultural evangelism without
knowing the the language of the zone or place that he wish to preach
the gospel. Imposibble that the gospel that will be able to be preached
if we dont know the language of the place that we are preaching.
Moreover, language is more than just a word, but it also a bridge so
that the people can acppet us friendly into their community and they
will fell as if we are one their communities if we learn their language.
So, I think the language is very important thing to us before doing
cross-cultural evangelism.
Can we do evangelism wihout knowing the culture. Culture is
also a very important thing that we should understand before we try to
do short-term evangelism. I agree with Phil Thornton about culture. I
also think that if we learn ones culture, it would be a great benefit for
us before doing evangelism whereby we would be accepted by the
community that we are preaching about Lord Jesus. Culture is very
very important just like language factor.
Can we do evangelism without relationship. Yes, I think Phil
Thornton is right when he said that we cant to do evangelism if we
dont build our relationship with the people that we wish to evangelize.

I agree with him that relationship is importan. When we have a good

relationship with someone, it will be more easier for us preaching them
about Lord Jesus.
Can we do evangelism for the wrong reason. Yes, exactly right,
we cant do evangelism if our motivations are wrong. I agree with Phil
Thornton that there are many evangelists who their motive is not pure
again to do evangelism. I myself also find some people who do
evangelism with wrong motives. For example, with the motive of
scenery, even there some people who are doing evangelism with the
motive of money