“Often the misconception of Christianity as a foreign religion, a new form of colonialism,
is used to hinder church growth.”

“The motivation arose from Christian obedience
to the Lord’s Great Commission. There are two key strategies: development of godly and
effective indigenous leadership and development of strong parishes.”

The Diocese is part of the Province of South-East
Asia, where all the dioceses help out in church planting
and parish development in the various
countries. Says Bishop John, “One of the major
lessons we are learning is that many hands
make light work!”

South-East Asia has over 400 million people, half
in Indonesia. The work is enormous, needing
more than the resources of the Province, let
alone Diocese. “We are looking for partners to
come and share in the work. ‘Come over and
help us’ is what we are saying to like-minded
brothers and sisters in the Lord,” says the Bishop.
South-East Asia is the confluence of Asian
cultures and religions. All four major religions are
represented – Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and
Islam – plus the ubiquitous and differing
expression of folk-religion. “South-East Asia is
a very religious place!” says Bishop John with a
wry smile. Yet where socialism rules, the churches
are restricted in their expression and outreach.
“Often the misconception of Christianity as a
foreign religion, a new form of colonialism, is
used to hinder church growth.”

Then there is the challenge of materialism and
secularism. Singapore’s extreme wealth makes
materialism a growing problem. “Churches in
Singapore need to learn to properly handle the
wealth that God has given us. Wealth can cause
people to be possessed by it, so that even
Christian people trust what they have rather
than trusting God.”

The Gospel is taking root in many parts of South-
East Asia. Over the past 40 years, Evangelicals
have grown in Indonesia from 1.3m to 11.5m.
According to the Bishop “The main reason for
such a development is the indigenisation of the
‘Gospel-proclaimers.’ Today, there are many
more local people sharing the Gospel compared
to the days when the Gospel was first brought
here by Western missionaries. It is always a great
mission strategy to reach the unreached with
local carriers of the Gospel. No longer is the
Great Commission the responsibility of Western
churches; it is now a shared responsibility with
churches in the South.”

Bishop John welcomes the idea of further
involvement by Crosslinks, from sending people
to be part of the church-planting teams to
helping the Diocese with its work amongst the
Karen people living on the Thai-Myanmar border.
“I think of the new form of partnership in the
Gospel in South-East Asia as a picture of boats,
motorised and then fitted with a wide area
communication system. Our colleagues in South-
East Asia are the boats; the ultimate carriers of
the Gospel to their own people. From the
Singapore end, we offer outboard motors to
enhance these carriers of the Gospel. Western
churches, working in partnership with the
motorised boats, add on the wide area
communication system. Without the motors and
the communication system, the boats will
still function, albeit with less speed and
efficiency. A fully integrated system will serve
better the cause of the Master of the fleet, the
Lord Jesus Christ.”

For details of English language teachers
wanted for church-planting teams in
South-East Asia, click here

Crosslinks magazine January 2004 index