by Daniel Rickett
The mission of the church is practical, but as Simon Chan, professor of systematic theology at Trinity Theological College in Singapore, reminds us, “communion is the
ultimate end, not mission.”
“Acts of charity can be dangerous,” writes John Perkins, founder of the Christian Community Development Association, “because givers can feel good about actions that actually accomplish very little. The result is that their sense of satisfaction takes away any motivation to seek more creative long-range development strategies. Overcoming an attitude of charity is a difficult task because it requires givers to demand more of themselves than good will.”
While driving in downtown Nairobi with my teenage daughters, street children approached our car, tapping on the window with one hand and holding up an open palm with the other. Ignoring my warnings, the girls opened the window and
began handing out coins. Within seconds, children begging for a little kindness enveloped the car. My daughters realized they had created a dilemma. With teary
eyes they asked, “Daddy, what are we supposed to do?” By now, people on the streets were shooing the children away. I drove a few blocks and found a parking spot where a boy stood guard. I paid the boy to watch my car, and turning to
my daughters I said, “That’s what we’re supposed to do.” The way to avoid the dangers of charity is to practice development instead. Charity is what people do for others. Development is what people do for themselves. If charity is to have any lasting value, it must be the kind that fosters development.
This is an excerpt from an article written for Mission Makers Magazine 2009 issue
www.missionmakersmagazine.org
