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Introduction to AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission)

The AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission) seeks to encourage wider use of mission and development strategies that depend on locally available resources and local languages.

These strategies are “vulnerable” in the sense that they do not have fringe benefits built into them, deliberately or otherwise. They will therefore fail unless or until there is strong local confidence in their spiritual or developmental value. The missionary or development worker will allow them to fail rather than prop them up with outside money.

“Vulnerable mission” may be seen as part of the movement toward contextualization of the Gospel of Jesus, which we regard as the theory of many and the practice of few. We would like to see more people take the risks of contextualization and vulnerability in order to reap the rewards that only come to those who value local resources and invest in local languages.

If local tools seem slow or weak by comparison with foreign money and English (Spanish etc. – European language), then we say with a wise missionary of long ago, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10) While vulnerable mission may not be the only biblical approach to mission, it deserves much more attention than it has been getting. Let’s talk.

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… that there should be some missionaries from the West whose ministries are conducted in the language of the people being reached, without use of outside financial subsidy.

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Contact: jim@vulnerablemission.org

To participate in a list-serve discussion of vulnerable mission issues by email click here (if this link does not work for you, write to jim@vulnerablemission.org): PEARL

To receive the monthly AVM bulletin, send an email to: jim@vulnerablemission.org For back copies of the Bulletin go to http://www.jim-mission.org.uk/avm-bulletins/index.html

For a video presentation of vulnerable mission click here

A series of conferences were arranged to be held in the USA and Europe in 2012 to further these aims. The conferences have now been completed. The rationale for the advocating of these policies is given in many papers collected especially at the following two locations:

-contributions by various authors

- articles by Jim Harries, chairman to the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission

Some of the above articles are already published in Journals including: Missiology: an international review, Exchange: Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research, Evangelical Review of Theology and Lausanne World Pulse. More articles are sought for publishing on the web and/or presenting at the conferences. In brief, vulnerable mission is a means of over-coming widespread problems in mission (and development activities) in the two-thirds world, such as the creation of unhealthy dependency, neo-colonialism, the prosperity gospel, mission as secularisation, corruption and chronic under-development. These issues are avoided because by confining themselves to the use of local languages and resources missionaries ensure that their activities are appropriately contextualised.

The use of local languages in ministry combined with ‘missionary poverty’ (the two key principles of AVM) enforces humility and operation on a ‘level playing field’ with local people. Once these two conditions have been given as foundation, then ‘Vulnerable Mission’ can be extremely wide in its expression and can certainly include: provision of care for the sick, faith healing, theological and other education, church planting, literacy, water projects and so on.

AVM already has partners in many churches, missions and schools including SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics), SIM (Serving in Mission), Church of God (Anderson), WEA (World Evangelical Alliance), WCIU (William Carey International University), WMA (World Mission Associates), GMI (Global Mapping International), TWR, and many more. More partnerships and affiliations are sought. Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox churches, groups and individuals are welcomed. The AVM is led by a small executive board made up of Dr. Stan Nussbaum, (Global Mapping International), Chris Flanders, (Abilene Christian University) and Dr. Jim Harries (Chair, Missionary in Western Kenya). This is supported by an Advisory Board that includes: Alex Araujo (Partners International) and others (see below). Readers are encouraged to peruse the above websites.

Those with limited time for reading, please look at these six short articles: Vulnerable Mission

For discussions already engaged in and recorded by Jim Harries with people over vulnerable mission see: Discussions

See the articles below for insights into ‘Vulnerable Mission’ (posted in 2008 – more up to date articles below)

Race, Language and Traps in African Development

Intercultural Dialogue

Difficult Questions of Giving – A Response

Frontier Missions and Pragmatics

The Effectiveness of Short Term Missionaries to Africa

Language in education, mission and development in Africa: Appeals for local tongues and local contexts

The Immorality of Aid to the Third World

Is there a cure for Dependency among Mission-Established Churches?

A new book on mission ‘dependency’ available over the web

You mean What?!

Seen in a Different Light

My Experience

Vulnerability Inherent in Bible Translation

Fringe Practice?

Poverty and Mission

(See listing and click on ‘Poverty and Mission’)

Witchcraft, Culture and Theology

Sustainability in development in Africa

Ducking Missionary Conflict

The Name of God in Africa

Vulnerable mission as normalisation of mission practice’

For more articles

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Board Members

Jim Harries, Chairman of AVM, missionary in East Africa

Dr. Stan Nussbaum. Executive board member. Staff missiologist for Global Mapping International.

Dr. Chris Flanders. Assistant Professor of Missions in the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. Also Director of the Halbert Institute for Missions at ACU (www.acu.edu/missions). Former missionary to Thailand for 11 years. Executive Board Member.

Wayne Burgess, member of the advisory board, is a medical doctor who, as a result of his diverse mission experience, now wants to promote mission in the 'vulnerable way'.

Frank Paul. Member of the advisory board. Married with Ute, 3 children (age 23, 20 and 18, the last one born in Argentina). Was member of Mennonite Team in northern Argentina, Chaco province, since 1995. The team serves in accompanying and strengthening the independent indigenous churches and their communities (Bible translation, land rights, bilingual education, teachers training, visits to jails, bible circles, visits to churches). Since 2008 re-entry in Germany as a member of the ecumenic "ReichelsheimCommunity" (www.ojc.de).

[Wayne Burgess]

Alex Araujo, advisory board member, director for National Mission Movements for Partners International, consultant for cross-cultural mission partnerships.

Dr. Gord Sawatzky, member of the advisory board, serves as an indigenous mission mentor with AIM Int. in the central African context.

Timothy V Reeves, member of the advisory board, is also a member of Norwich Central Baptist Church one of Jim Harries’ supporting fellowships in England. When Tim saw Harries’ formula: Meaning = Text + Context, he knew he had to get involved; this was different.

Stan Chu Ilo is a catholic priest and assistant professor of religion and education at St Michael's College, Toronto School of Theology, in the University of Toronto. (Details http://www.vulnerablemission.org/stan-chu-ilo/ )

A few more places to look:

Indigenous knowledge research finds that local languages are more effective

Looking at Intercultural Communication

A ‘New Friars’ look at mission and poverty

Thoughts on anticipated outcome of setting up a new theological teaching programme in Africa.

An Article about the Use of English in Africa

The local language – a neglected resource for sustainable development

NEW: video’s of some of Jim Harries’ lectures during his recent trip to the USA:

INTRODUCTION TO VULNERABLE MISSION

SOME LANGUAGE ISSUES IN VULNERABLE MISSION