1. Incarnational Missions
Mission Preparation
Incarnational Missions

2. Preparation for the Mission Field
Three Areas of Personal Preparation
Spiritual Preparation
Interpersonal Relationships
Intellectual Development

3. Preparation for the Mission Field
Spiritual Preparation
On the foreign field, we usually do not have the spiritual supports of a congregation and more mature Christians.
Times of stress call for spiritual strength
Personal devotional and quiet time
Make it a habit as missionary work is very busy
Misunderstanding to think one will increase in spiritual activities and develop. Dealing with daily problems, strange living conditions, and busy work can consume the missionary.

4. Preparation for the Mission Field
Interpersonal Relationships
Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
Dissension between missionaries cause most of the break-ups among teams.
Team retreats
Maintenance time
Refresh time
Selflessness consideration for others is necessary
Host people

5. Preparation for the Mission Field
Interpersonal Relationships
Missionaries voluntarily put themselves under a lot of pressure.
Group dynamics experience in controlled situation with means of continuing on the field.
Know yourself, leader or a follower; highly social vs. non-social.
Personal and family considerations must be examined.
Work verses family time. Responsibilities verses capable of assuming.

6. Preparation for the Mission Field
Intellectual Development
Bible training
Will deal with variety of religions
Deal with new questions not a part of home culture
Missions training

7. Preparation for the Mission Field
Intellectual Development
Training programs
Combination of training and experience
Be prepared for a lifetime of study
Informal study
Formal study
Local evangelistic experience
Special seminars for cross-cultural experience
Identify ethnocentric views and behavior
Apprenticeship (mentioned above)
Advanced training after years of experience

8. Preparation for the Mission Field
Intellectual Development
Significant areas of study
Missiology
Theology
Theology of missions
Church growth
Linguistics
Cultural anthropology
Administration
Para-medical and survival training
Appropriate technology
Leadership training

9. Incarnational Missions
Incarnational Mission – refers to missionaries’ practice of missions as Christ was incarnate as a person by incarnating themselves in the new cultural context by identification with the people through personal interaction by learning the language and culture to better proclaim the gospel.

10. Incarnational Missions
Identification – It is empathy between communicants involving a compassionate, interpersonal, reciprocal sharing of feelings and concepts.
- Compassion
- Interpersonal
- Reciprocal sharing of feelings and concepts
- Purposeful participation in the lives of others

11. Incarnational Missions
Jesus the supreme example of identificational principle through his incarnation.
Types of Identification
Outer identification - Appear to be like the people but inside they are very distant.
Inner identification – (Psychological) envolves the missionary’s attitudes, his understanding of, and empathy with the people to whom he is ministering.

12. Incarnational Missions
Identificational traits
Language learning
Appreciation for cultural values
Understanding felt needs and aspirations
Evaluate cultural traits in context
Willingness to be known
Establish one-on-one relationships
Focus on people instead of programs
Exchange home visits
Adjust standard of living to local conditions

13. Incarnational Missions
Indentificational barriers
Ethnocentrism – belief in one’s own pattern of behavior (or ethnic group) is best, most natural, most correct, or most important.
Withdrawal and isolation
Cultural overhang – use methods for home culture
Ridiculing
Way of life
Beliefs, spiritual phenomena, experiences
Political systems
Impatience
Imported frills

14. Incarnational Missions
Extractionism - Pulling people out of their home cultures and into the missionaries’ surroundings and arena of comfort.

15. Incarnational Missions
Identificational vs. Extractionism
IDENTIFICATIONAL MISSIONS
Learning: Missionary see him/herself as a learner in the culture.
Relationship: The relationship is reciprocal and sharing cultures and lives.
Language: Missionary learns the language.
Thought forms: Use indigenous thought forms.
Ministry: Interpersonal ministry
Living: Interactional, in neighborhoods

16. Incarnational Missions
Identificational vs. Extractionism
EXTRACTIONISM MISSIONS
Learning: Missionary assumes the knowledge he/she possesses is enough and learning is not necessary. Not cultural specific.
Relationship: Want the people to come to and understand one's own culture and distance oneself from their culture.
Language: Don't learn the language and make due with a translator.
Thought forms: Uses Western thought forms.
Ministry: Institutional
Living: Missionary compound, insulated

17. Incarnational Missions
Identificational vs. Extractionism
POSITIVES FOR IDENTIFICATIONAL MISSIONS
Assumes all people are different
Takes into account the elements of society that divide people.
Strive to develop churches and institutions that become independent from the missionary but dependent on God
Do not import Western styles, thought forms, and teaching
Teaches them to learn to interpret scripture and apply it within their culture and daily frame of reference.
Show compassion and empathizes with their daily struggles - rapport.
Spend a great deal of time out among the people.
Show mutual respect, sharing, and giving (Eph. 4:32; Rom. 12:10, 15-16; Col. 3:13)

18. Incarnational Missions
Identificational vs. Extractionism
NEGATIVES FOR EXTRACTIONISM MISSIONS
Assumes all people are the same
Seldom takes into account ethnic, sociological, and economic realities
Often create churches and institutions dependent on outside support and leadership
Secularize the non-Western societies (converted them to the west not God)
Requires a high degree of indoctrination with a long period of dependence on the missionary because the nationals are placed in a foreign frame of reference.
Do not empathize with the people and the problems they face
Spend a minimum of time out among the people
Look down on the people (lack of education, cleanliness different)