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Prayer Themes:
* Implementation of church planting
movement theology and strategies
* Dynamic of Globalization vs. nationalism
* Urban church planting among the middle and
upper middle classes
* Urban church planting among the poor and outcast
* National pastor / leadership training
* Discipleship movements
About The Area:
MTW's purpose in urban South America is to advance church planting movements that result in mature churches and equipped leaders who will reach out to the unreached world. A major goal before us this is the implementation of this new purpose statement in all of our ministries. [Note: this is a new (2000-2001) focus area for MTW South America which replaces the prior "Southern Cone" focus]
This implementation must take into account the tension between globalization and nationalism in urban South America. These city dwellers tend to assume that the lifestyle attained by the so-called "developed" nations is the goal toward which they should aim. On the other hand, they also value their national identity and cultural priorities. There is a tension between the two because the priority system that produced the lifestyle of the "developed" nations revolves around "doing" and "knowing", while the priority of most Latin cultures has been the development of personal relationships ("presence"). A deep question for South Americans, then, is how to enter the global economy without losing their priorities and identity as Latin-Americans.
The most important human factor in facilitating a church planting movement in this context is our effectiveness in breaking through this unbiblical way of explaining the South American dilemma (globalization vs. nationalism) by pointing people to Christ. Our message must break through to the upper middle classes who feel they are on the verge of "arriving", as well as the poor, the street kids, and the outcasts of society who feel they will never attain the goal. In all cases, we must reach them with words of truth, powerful deeds of the kingdom and loving presence.
We presently are working in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil, with possibilities in Paraguay and Bolivia. In all of these places we are attempting to work in conjunction with existing reformed churches and national leadership, and focusing on the development of a national leadership that is capable of effectively pointing people to Christ. We are also encouraging them to focus on the training in word, deed, and presence of specific individuals so as to facilitate "discipleship movements" within their congregations.
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