Arrogance is a blight in the Field of the Kingdom. Many struggle with it. Some of us privately. Some of us publicly. Unconfessed, it grows and consumes, grieves and quenches, always resulting in death. The individual may accomplish many great things while covered with this blight, gaining the praise of many, but accomplishing nothing for the Kingdom–for the Vine does not tolerate blight no matter the results. 
Knowledge puffs up. And so does missiology. Yet, the Lord calls us to walk humbly with Him, which includes the way we approach Him, His mission, His Church, and His world. We all have a missiology by which we live. But is it a humble one?
Among many things, a biblical missiology is humble, always willing to grow in understanding of God’s truth and the application of means to the real world for the multiplication of disciples, leaders, and churches.
A biblical missiology is humble, clinging tenaciously to a scriptural foundation, holding tightly to principles, but loosely to strategy, methods, traditions, organization and structures.
A biblical missiology is humble, focused and sure before arriving on the field, but allowing the Spirit and context to shape the application of never-changing truth.
A biblical missiology is humble, patiently and graciously bringing brothers and sisters along in the journey who have not been eating and drinking in Kingdom-expanding concepts for as long as you have.
A biblical missiology is humble, knowing with confidence what it knows but open to correction and new directions.
I have observed a great deal of arrogance over the years, in both my life and in the lives of many others. And we evangelicals seem to be okay with it–as long as such people are not doing anything really bad but doing really good stuff. But what would it profit us to make many Great Commission accomplishments in the name of the King, only to have those wins to be rejected by the King? (Remember, people will do great things for the King, but He will deny knowing many of them–Matt 7:21-23)
The Farmer is never okay with blight in His Field.
If we truly recognize that we are “unworthy servants” (Luke 17:10) in this journey, then we must run to the Spirit to enable us to turn from that which so easily entangles us. We must plead for grace to embrace our great salvation, commission, other brothers and sisters, and the world with a contrite and broken spirit and a heart filled with love. We must move forward, wearing a towel instead of acting as if we are sporting a kingly robe.
May the Savior empower us and show the way to live with a humble missiology in light of the 4 billion!
(image credit: Microsoft Office)
Thank you, JD, for your thoughts about a humble missiology.
I needed this. Indeed, we are unworthy servants.
Oh, how we need to keep our eyes on Jesus.
You are welcome, Werner. Yes, you are correct. We need to keep our eyes in the right direction.