Self-determination vs. Guidance

Some of the reading for Module 3 has focused on the history of the native churches in the lands where the Gospel spread. Unfortunately, in far too many cases the story is short - an indigenous church (in a non-western form) failed to develop or thrive; the national believers were accused of following a "foreign" religion and discouraged or even persecuted (witness: Japan).

Scripture is clear throughout the New Testament: As the church spread, it didn't have to remain Jewish in form. The Acts 15 Jerusalem Council and Paul's conflict with Peter in Galatians 2 underscore the truth that Gentiles didn't become Christians by adopting Jewish forms. Furthermore, the church depicted in Corinth, Antioch, and other Gentile locales looks quite different from the Jerusalem-oriented church of Acts 2-7. And the throne room scenes in Revelation depict believers with their ethnic distinctions still visible to John the onlooker. Clearly, the unity Christ desires for His church doesn't require uniformity.

Yet the idea proposed by some scholars as a solution raises questions as well. Partially as a reaction to the former attempts to westernize native churches, some propose a radical self-determination, one that is completely devoid of guidance from the missionaries who bring the Gospel. In this model, the Holy Spirit and Scripture are presented as the only guidance needed by new converts.

The example of the New Testament church challenges this concept as well. In Acts 15, 1 Corinthians, Romans 14 - indeed, most of Paul's letters - the apostles give guidance in lots of specifics, but leave room for self-determination in other areas. Jude exhorted his audience to earnestly defend the faith that was "once for all delivered to the saints" - drawing a bold line around certain elements that are to be indisputable (Jude 1:3). Paul's tender care for the churches, extensive times of teaching (for example, in Ephesus), and priority on training leaders and warning about false doctrines underscores the responsibility he felt for the doctrinal development of the churches. Furthermore, Paul wrote in Ephesians 4 that pastors/teachers are God's gift to the church to build them up until they achieve unity of faith and are no longer swayed by strange doctrines.

Can we trust the Holy Spirit and Scripture in the lives of new believers from other cultural backgrounds? Absolutely! Should missionaries make every decision? No! Yet somewhere in between "all or nothing" is a Biblical approach to indigenous churches. Training leadership in specific doctrinal points forms a solid foundation for a church. Fretting over which instruments are allowed is less helpful.

A sound indigenous church will perpetuate the faith "once for all delivered to the saints". But it may do so in a form very different from what you and I are used to - and that's okay. It's just a reflection of our creative God!