WSC Conference on Being Missional and Reformed

I had the opportunity to attend the Westminster Seminary California conference entitled: Missional and Reformed: Reaching the Lost and Teaching the Reached. The conference was held on the WSC campus in Escondido, CA.

The conference consisted of six plenary sessions presented by faculty of WSC and a Q&A session with all of the speakers at the end. Dr. Dennis E. Johnson was the master of ceremonies.

All in all this was a good conference. It was well run and efficient and a great deal of substance was packed in to the six sessions.

I was a little disappointed, however, that the conference did not really stick to the stated theme and explore it in real depth. I was really excited when I first read about the conference because so rarely in Reformed circles do we get a substantive discussion of missions. The title of the conference led me to believe that there would be a robust discussion of a reformed (Biblical) approach to missions.

I have, for some time, struggled with what passes for missions in the mainline churches in America. This struggle has been made deeper by my personal experience with the "good life missions" that I encountered while I lived in Africa for four years. John Piper's writing on missions has helped me a great deal in defining what real missions are, but I have been looking for a discussion on how to correct the wrong concept of missions that is plaguing our churches today.

Going by the title, this conference should have done that. But it didn't.

The sessions were excellent in their own right -- a solid theological series of talks. Dr. W. Robert Godfrey gave an excellent talk on having faith in God's missional promises and how the result of missions is essentially God's work. Dr. R. Scott Clark gave a great summary of the emergent church movement -- what they have right and what they have wrong. Everyone should get ahold of the text of this talk. It will help you think clearly about the emergent movement. Dr. Michael S. Horton discussed our role as ambassadors and the importance of getting the gospel right and getting the gospel out. Just like on almost every episode of The White Horse Inn he focused on the confusion of serving and being served. These are foundational issues that we need to hear and ponder daily. Professor Joel E. Kim talked about Paul the theologian and Paul the missionary. Dr. Hywel R. Jones discussed pluralism and its rampant effects on the culture and the church.

But only one session actually discussed reaching the lost. And that talk, given by Julius J. Kim, was a sermon on Acts 17:16-34. His commentary on the importance of world view in misisons was very helpful, but I expected more from the associate professor of practical theology.

During the Q&A session I submitted a question on whether a trip where a church group goes to a thirld world country for a week and digs a well or builds a house constitutes an authentic mission.

I believe that this is a very important question. Here's why.

There are groups that do this and believe they are doing missions. They think they are missionaries. If this is not authentic missions do we not have a responsiblity to correct or reform this concept and educate them on what Biblical mission are?

There are people in the church who give sacrificially to sponsor these trips because they believe that the work is mission work. Do we not have a responsibility as good stewards to make sure that the gospel is actually preached in these settings?

Do we not have a responsibility to prepare these people to share the gospel Biblically and not just send them on a fun vacation paid for by the pennies of the little old ladies in the church who think they are obeying the Lord?

I would submit to you that most of what is called missions is not authentic. This is an area that needs reforming.

Dr. Johnson read my question to the esteemed group and I was on the edge of my seat....but only to be sorely disappointed. Here's how it went down:

Dr. Clark: "I think the question about short term missions should be answered by Julius."
Julius J. Kim: "What was the question?"
Dr. Johnson: "Are short term missions to go build a house or dig a well authentic?"
Julius J. Kim: "I think they're a great idea."
Dr. Clark: "I'm not sure the person who asked that question is getting his money's worth with that response."

Laughter and they moved on...

No, Dr. Clark, I did not get my money's worth with that response...but more sadly than that....we who claim to be always reforming, continue to sidestep important issues in favor of easier ones.

I don't know why this is such a difficult question for reformed Christians to deal with.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it isn't an important question after all. Maybe I should just stop worrying about it and let the chips fall where they may. I guess not every aspect of church needs to be examined and reformed. If the esteemed professors of WSC did not think it an issue of importance, then who am I to beat my head against this wall of practical theology.

There are books about reforming preaching, reforming worship, and reforming our worldview. But there are no books on reforming missions.

Maybe the reason for that is because missions are just fine the way they are. Perhaps it's no big deal that short term mission groups don't talk to anyone about the gospel. Perhaps it's okay that missionaries in South Africa and Kenya live in big, luxurious houses and drive nice new SUV's and never leave the comforts of the big city. It could be just fine that they all meet in the finest hotels and hold expensive conferences where they talk about everything but preaching the gospel.

Maybe that's exactly what the little old ladies who scrape their pennies together to send money to support these missionaries have in mind.