Missions conferences – a waste of time? (3)

At the Filipino missions’ conference, during the parade of national costumes there was a presentation of demographic facts and missions’ statistics. Obviously, these data was carefully researched from various sources and was informative. However, the data regarding missionaries and other spiritual statistics was grossly inaccurate – though this was not the fault of the young people who presented the statistics.

The demographic data presented that night was accurate because they could be easily sourced from updated sources on the internet. However, the missions’ data was grossly inaccurate, even if they were sourced from the internet, due to several factors.

First, almost all missionaries to RAN’s (restricted access nations) have to enter these countries on a non-missionary visa. Many enter such countries as professionals, eg. English teachers, nurses, engineers, businessmen.

Obviously, these missionaries will not be reflected on any statistic as “missionaries.” Therefore, that night at the missions’ conference I heard inaccurate statements such as “There are no missionaries in such and such country….”

Also, in RAN’s it is very difficult to get accurate statistics from books on missions regarding the number of churches that are being planted.

Firstly, by the time a book is published the data is usually outdated. Secondly, and more importantly, a wise missionary is not going to publicise the fact that he is successfully planting churches on the internet because the local authorities will easily read those reports and take the necessary action. A wise missionary will try to keep these facts from the internet and other easily accessed sources so as to give more time for his churches to be established before they face opposition.

In openly anti-Christian countries (eg. China), the government will also try to minimize the number of Christians or churches because the large number of Christians is an embarrassment to them. Actually, it is impossible to know the real statistics in such countries because there is so much “underground” Christian activity.

In other words, presenting data at a missions’ conference as if we are presenting verifiable economic or demographic data is misleading at worst and a waste of time at best.

The best way to get missions’ information of a RAN is from a missionary who has been on the field in that country. He may not be able to give you national statistics but may be able to give you useful information regarding a particular part of that country – so that you can pray intelligently for God’s leading.