Posted by Rachel on: 11.13.2007 /
In the October 2007 issue of Christianity Today, missiologist John Rowell warns North Americans about The Dread Cancer of Stinginess. Rowell critiques the “dependency school” of thought which argues that receiving outside funds is usually harmful to indigenous movements.
In my view, dependency concerns have driven the church to spend too much time and energy explaining why we should give less when we ought to have been exploring how we could give more…
I admit that dependency is a real possibility in any relationship of unequal wealth and power. Historically, one root of unhealthy dependency has grown from the Western presumption that because we are often more wealthy, we are somehow more worthy to hold positions of authority over national leaders. This presumed connection between giving and governing is a uniquely Western contribution to the degrading dynamics of dependency.
To end these dynamics, we must stop expecting undeserved deference from national leaders. More importantly, we must learn greater respect for the considerable leadership capabilities of believers in the majority world.At the same time, we must unlearn the notion that offering outside help always creates dangers for indigenous ministries - dangers we can use as an excuse for not giving. If we do not change our thinking on these points, we will likely continue to relying on misapplied missiological principles to justify Western greed. Accepting the dependency school perspective without challenge, we may also go on denying our duty to share.
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Comment by: Benjamin ady
1 11/15/07 7:01 PM | Comment Link |I’m kind of … gun shy around this topic right now because I just got given a lecture by a really good friend from France about how I am (still, alas) a bit arrogant in the way I think about foreign “victims” of american imperialism. As Claudio put it at OTM Live, better for me to go there first with the idea of *learning* from “them”, rather than first with the idea of “helping” “them”.
I think it’s more of a both and. We *do* need to take a more humble approach, and give more as beggar to beggar than as rich westerner to poor 3rd world. *and* we still need to give. Cause we are the richest. so let us use our wealth and our power to tweak the system in favor of the poor and weak. And it’s *not* that hard to do this in a sensible, effective way on a small scale. Like start buying fair trade. chocolate, coffee, sugar.
Comment by: Helen
2 11/16/07 8:03 AM | Comment Link |Benjamin, I like what you said.
That helps me realize why I wasn’t sure what to say here - I think I also sensed there’s often a sort of arrogance in the way we even discuss this issue. (Not that I’m saying you’re arrogant, Rachel - not at all).
Comment by: Rachel
3 11/16/07 9:29 AM | Comment Link |Benjamin and Helen, I totally hear what you guys are saying. When I was writing the discussion questions for this post (especially the second one), I kept changing the wording and I never felt satisfied with it. I do feel some discomfort discussing this issue, but I don’t want to conclude then that we shouldn’t discuss it at all. Maybe I can never completely get outside my Anglo, North American, privileged, prosperous context. I’m sure there is always some ignorance and arrogance to my perspective (in spite of your kind words, Helen). But I think that if we make certain topics taboo that does more harm than good. I think that the issue of race is a good example. So often we Anglos are afraid to even discuss race because we feel we can’t talk about it without being insensitive in some way (and maybe we can’t). But if we don’t even try, then we won’t get anywhere.
P.S.- Benjamin, I’m so glad that your French friend shared his perspective with you and that you listened and learned. We in the US really need to hear other voices. But I really hope that you didn’t beat yourself up afterwards. Being born in the US to a white, middle class family doesn’t make you a rotten jerk. We need to figure out how in the world we can use our power to benefit others in a way that is both humble and generous. But we don’t need to feel like crap.
Comment by: Matt EHH
4 11/16/07 10:36 AM | Comment Link |I think Mr Rowell has a good point about being aware of the giving excuses. I do think we have an opportunity to be generous, which to squander would be hard to justify for the most excessively wealthy people the earth has ever hosted.
But in regards to this critique of motive (which I am blessed by), that’s important too. I think the example of Jesus is the whole “emmanuel” thing. Our hesitancy to even openly talk about the “others” because of the imense gap between “us” and “them”, be it culturally, economically, languistically, etc, shows how far we are from the idea of Being With anyone besides ourselves.
Which is sad. Its sad because when we stop operating out of the ivory tower complex, and are able to be With Us, besides waking up to the equal value every born child has, regardless of the zip code, I think we, as the priviledged, sheltered, insulated, comforted, can experience a kind of freedom much greater than the gifts we thought we were bringing.
Comment by: benjamin ady
5 11/16/07 1:48 PM | Comment Link |Rachel. Yeah, actually my friend is one of the very *most* encouraging voices in my life–kind of like you, actually. She’s given me that lecture a few times about not being down on myself, believing in myself, and so forth. In fact, I think you and Nathalie must meet some time
Comment by: benjamin ady
6 11/16/07 1:51 PM | Comment Link |Matt
thankyou for your words! I love it that you are talking about freedom in such a way. We the “privileged, sheltered, insulated, comforted” tend to *think* we’ve got the freedom thing going too. Are you saying not so? Tell me more about this freedom to be gained by gaining the ability to be With Us.
Comment by: Helen
7 11/16/07 4:57 PM | Comment Link |Benjamin, please add me to the list of people who would like you to be kind to yourself.
I think it’s ironic that sometimes we treat ourselves in ways we would never intentionally treat anyone else we care about :)
Comment by: benjamin ady
8 11/16/07 5:30 PM | Comment Link |Helen
Done–you’re on the list (already, actually).
So what I’ve found is that I always treated myself and others really badly–the two were correlated. And the process of learning to be kinder to myself has led me to be able to be kinder to others. and vice versa. I mean to say you can’t really have one without the other, IMNSHO. They go together like … light and heat. gravity and black holes (by the way, I’m rather of the opinion that black holes don’t actually exist.)
Comment by: Helen
9 11/16/07 5:40 PM | Comment Link |Benjamin, you’re an a-black-holes-ist?
Wow, this could change everything…I’ll need a while to adjust to that revelation!
:-)
Comment by: Erika T
10 11/18/07 4:19 PM | Comment Link |I feel so completely turned around as to what I believe about the whole idea of giving/receiving, what is too much, what is too little, etc.
I get turned off to churches or organizations who are so focused on their own “mission statements” that they forget (or are incapable) of looking around them and seeing/meeting the need of others.
There has to be a balance here. We most definatly need to “offer outside help” as Mr Rowell puts it, but how do we know when that help is going to the right places? And MUCH more importantly (at least in my oppinion) how do we know that our hearts are in the right place?
I guess that is the crux of it all and by far the most difficult thing for me to get my head around. Benjamin, I’m glad that you put in that bit about what Claudio said at OTM about giving vs helping. That was incredibly encouraging to me to hear. I like the idea that he gave about forming one connection with one person that will last a lifetime. It isn’t about (at least on those short term “mission trips”) going and building houses that someone else could do much better. It is about building those cross cultural relationships and working with others on a level playing field.
That is how we can give generously but not pridefully.
Comment by: Benjamin ady
11 11/18/07 10:13 PM | Comment Link |helen
you made me laugh out loud. but I think “a-black-hole-ist” works even better.
Erika
thankyou for your encouragement. Yeah sometimes I kick myself because I am so much better at the whole relationship thing now than I was back when I was travelling internationally, and I wish I had taken more advantage back then. But now I know Rachel is going to say something like “stop the cycle of self abuse” in reference to my reference to kicking myself. alas.
Comment by: Rachel
12 11/18/07 10:42 PM | Comment Link |Hey Benjamin, stop the cycle of self-abuse. ;-)
Comment by: benjamin ady
13 11/19/07 5:38 PM | Comment Link |I knew you were gonna say that. You christian you. =)