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Published byRafe Adrian Dorsey Modified over 8 years ago
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Migration is the New Missions Internal Changes in Global Christianity Dyron Daughrity Pepperdine University Malibu California
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An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.” --Matthew 2:13
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migrants: the new missionaries The new missionaries – guest workers, students, laborers, asylum seekers, family reunification, political refugees The old missionaries – Europeans fanned out to all corners of the world to preach – This was the Great European Migration
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The great European migration 15 th to 20 th century Why did they go? – Under compulsion, refugees, indentured laborers, conditions of employment, soldiers, officials, attain wealth, or simply seeking a better life. – Many went for religious reasons. – Europe began its consolidation of much of the world, redrawing the world’s maps, enjoying the fruit of vast resources. – In the 20 th century, the great European migration came to a halt and went into reverse.
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Migration in reverse 20 th century: – The Europeans came home – Those in the former colonies began moving to Europe Where does religion fit in? – Christianity began its decline in Europe while many former colonies embraced it enthusiastically.
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Short term missions The idea of a long-term missionary from Europe or North America who goes abroad to preach for the rest of his/her life is basically over. – Many of them carried their belongings in a casket. The new Western approach to missions is short-term: usually 1-2 weeks of service.
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Short term missions USA: about 1.4 million Americans take short term mission trips each year – Teen Missions International: 40,000 annually – Southern Baptists: 150,000 annually – United Methodists: 100,000 annually – YWAM (Youth with a mission) – Since 2000, around 12 percent of American high school students went overseas on a mission trip.
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“God’s New Whiz Kids” Asian Christians, especially South Koreans, have their sites set on the USA in order to missionize. – 80% of Evangelicals at UCLA and UC Berkeley are Asian – 70% of Harvard’s Radcliffe Christian Fellowship are Asian. – Yale’s Campus Crusade for Christ is 90% Asian only 20 years ago it was 100% white – Stanford’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship nearly entirely Asian. – In only 15 years, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship saw its Asian American numbers grow by 267 percent.
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In the year 2000, there were 33,000 foreign missionaries stationed in the United States.
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Fortress Europe Ceuta and Melilla (Spain) receive hundreds who scale their fences. – On 19 March 2014, 500 migrants scaled the fence in order to obtain asylum. Island of Lampedusa, Italy: immigrants were up 300 percent between 2013 and 2014. Africans can gain 30 years of life if they can get to European shores. – For most, it is easily worth the risk.
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What next? Once in the West, the natural point of entry is through ethno-religious community. Churches meet the needs of the immigrant like few others. Reactions against immigrants can be harsh, even in a progressive society like Switzerland, where one in four are immigrants.
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Latinos head to USA The immigrant goes to the USA with faith as his/her “hand baggage.” They go to the USA for life, like the old missionary model. Often illegal, or under a fuzzy umbrella label such as “undocumented worker.”
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dramatic changes in U.S. demography In 1970, one million Mexicans in USA Today: 35 million (11-12% of population) people of Mexican origin live in the USA. In 2014, Latinos surpassed whites as largest racial group in California. Texas—America’s second-most populated state—will be next. Latinos passed Black Americans as largest ethnic minority in 2003.
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Latino missionaries Brazilian “God is Love” denomination (Pentecostal): has planted churches in 136 countries. IURD (Universal Church): 5000 churches in Brazil, and 1000 churches in 96 countries. – “No Christian denomination founded in the Third World has ever been exported so successfully and so rapidly.” (P. Freston)
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Conclusion Over 200 million migrants today (3% of world population) About half of them are Christians Nations that send out the most migrants: – Mexico, India, Russia Nations that receive the most migrants: – USA, Russia, Germany These people bring their faith with them as “hand baggage.”
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today’s missionary Teenager or young college student on spring break, visiting an orphanage. Nigerian on a student visa. Filipino domestic worker. Mexican field worker.
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What about non-Christians migrants? Interesting things happen: – 44% of all Asian Americans are Christians Remarkable because only 10% of Asians are Christian. – When Asians migrate to America, they often become Christian.
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I was an immigrant and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. – Jesus in Mt. 25:35-36
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