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07777 November 30, 2007
Partnership means justice, mission pastors told
World Vision leader says get serious or stop using the term
by Jerry L. Van Marter Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE - Presbyterians engaged in mission around the world have to either take the concept of partnership seriously or stop using the term altogether, a World Vision leader told 150 participants in the annual gathering of the Association of Presbyterian Mission Pastors here Nov. 29.
"The biblical message is clear - our resources are not our own," said the Rev. Tim Dearborn, a Presbyterian minister who is associate director for faith and development for the world's largest international relief and development agency.
"The big lie of poverty is that they (the poor) are nothing. The big lie of affluence is that we're everything," Dearborn said. But Paul, in Romans 8 describes all of humanity as adopted children of God and thus, Dearborn said, "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."
That being the case, Dearborn insisted, "our resources are not our own, we don't control them, and the Spirit works to free us of that lie. If we don't realize it and act on it, then we don't have the right to call ourselves 'partner.'"
As he has traveled the world, Dearborn said he's become convinced that "unquestionably the most determinative reality of anyone's life experience is where, when and to whom they were born. We are born with disadvantage built into our lives," he said.
"And the sheer unfairness of it all brings me to tears."
But into that reality "comes through the staggering claim of the gospel," Dearborn added, "something even more determinative - you are no longer a slave or captive but adopted sons and daughters of the Author of creation."
The true mark of "partnership in mission," then is recognizing the identity of all as heirs of God, Dearborn concluded, and serving in that light.
"Donors' 'gifts' aren't that," he said. "They're simply the release of resources that aren't theirs to begin with. Aid is not charity - it's sheer justice."
Dearborn said he'd dispense with term 'benevolence,' as well. "It's not an act of giving what we 'possess' to those who don't. It's an act of justice, the necessity laid on us to restore the balance.
And that restoration of fairness and justice applies to all of creation, Dearborn continued. The biblical texts for Advent speak of creation "groaning in travail" (or more accurately "child birth"), he said. "It's all interdependent - the well-being of the poor is interwoven with the well-being of creation because the poor suffer most from degradation of environment."
But God promises restoration of creation, Dearborn said. "Those prophetic words we read and believe during Advent are clear: "The Messiah is coming to judge the world with justice and equity. God is going to make the balances fair. The kingdom is one of justice, fairness and equity."
The goal of the missional church, Dearborn said, is thus "to work for it now, to participate in the birthing of the new creation."
We certainly cannot do it alone, Dearborn said, but as Paul reminds us in Romans 8, we are "co-heirs with Christ," through whom all is possible.
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