Immigrant and studying abroad mission is an effective paradigm of professional mission

November 10th - Christian Daily

 
"Immigrant and international student mission will be a new breakthrough in ‘high price low efficiency’ Korea mission system."

During a recent Korean Mission Leader World Forum Jung Kook Han KWMA executive director(UPMA Representative) said, in the report of ‘Korea Mission Future Project, Frontiers Mission 1st a 5-year Development Plan Interim Inspection’ with the theme, "It is emphasizing the importance of professionalism to get out of ‘high price low efficiency’ Korea mission system", "’Immigrant mission’ and ‘International student mission’ are very effective paradigm of professional mission, especially in Creative Access Nations (CAN)."

Director Han pointed out, first of all, the limit of approaching the existing professional mission that shrinks professionalism to ‘professional gifts’ as the means of mission and evangelism and regard it just as one part of mission, and strong asserted "true professional mission is mission and professionalism which complements and independent of each other."

For this reason "’Immigrant mission’ that is connected directly with existence and adaptation of work professionalism and ‘International mission’ that combines mission with studying will become an effective and natural paradigm of professional mission.

"The time that mission developed greatly in the history of the church was done by mass moving mission," and "Even in these day, Koryoin of Central Asia and Chosun Tribe of China, Korean residents in Japan and so forth has became the path of salvation for each nations in Korean immigration history." he said. He also spoke about many Korean mission resources immigrated abroad to developed country including America and Germany after 1950, and immigration of a undeveloped country including Philippine and Malaysia after 1960.

Executive director Han said, "While doing immigrant mission, professionalism will never degenerate only to become a tool of mission, and won’t need to do fund raise for mission." Also spoke about the possibility of making the true meaning of professional mission into a reality.

In the global era international student mission makes it possible to preach the gospel in creative access nations while studying. He suggested, "It is not that international student mission will be used to get a student visa but will need an international student mission for long term stay. Through international student mission it will be possible to learn the native language, culture, and prepare for business."

He once again emphasized, "Through the recent Afghan accident, we came to know that professional mission in creative access nations will never work if the natives regard it as ‘camouflaged mission’”.

Samuel Lee Korea representative of UBF said, “UBF sent many professional missionaries to mission field just like Germany along with immigrant parade since 1969, and at the same time with as the door of studying abroad opened in 1980s, international student missionaries have been sent out," "Now as the natives who are fostered by these missionaries has been sent to third countries. Immigrant mission and international student mission is very hopeful and pertinent mission method."

But some people argue that there needs to be an effort of the Christian and missionary community to enlarge the traditional concept and definition of traditional mission and missionary, and most of all take concern of the identity of missionary in the mission field. Representative Caleb Shin (All Nations Network) said, "Still there are controversies between the traditional concept of missionary and of professionalism missionary. There needs to be an effort to extend the definition of mission and missionary and put it into new mission paradigm."

Representative Chong Kim (US Center for World Mission) said, "No matter how well the missionary can speak the native language and have professionalism, he will always be considered as an outsider in the mission field forever. So it is most big problem how the missionary builds an identity to exercise great influence in the insider and the mainstream."

By Grace Kim
Christian Daily Reporter