Year: 2010

This is the final post in the Vanuatu 09 reflection series. In the previous post, I suggested that one of the dangers in Vanuatu is that of Christianity becoming a cultural marker rather than personal relationship with Jesus. I suggested that the solution is that the gospel must be the daily for every generation of Christians.

There are lots of countries in a similar position. There was incredible gospel growth through Western missionaries sharing the gospel during the 1800’s and 1900’s. Many countries have become ‘Christian’. The key to guarding the gospel is having strong theological colleges where the gospel continues to be guarded and pastors continue to be equipped to preach it to each successive generation.

Along with Bible translation into indigenous languages, I think establishing and/or bolstering evangelical bible colleges is one of the most strategic missionary endeavours of the 21st Century.

Pastors need to be able to handle the scriptures, discern error and preach Jesus.

The Mormons are growing in the South Pacific. I had a pretty interesting conversation with a number of them in French (that’s another story!) last year. I reckon that the average pastor would know it in their gut that the Mormons were part of some cult, but they wouldn’t necessarily be able to articulate how their errors.

More could be said on this. Not now.

If you’re interested in partnering with evangelical theological colleges in the developing world, check out the fantastic work of Overseas Council.

I’ve noted in this Vanuatu series that it was a country that only 170 years ago was physically hostile to the gospel. While the Ni-Vanuatu people may have once been characterised by ‘savage’ behaviour, now they really are beautiful people.

In my opinion, Vanuatu is now in a potentially dangerous situation. The country is very Christian. The vast majority of people claim to be Christian. The government makes decisions based around a Biblical world view that seeks to promote godliness among its people. These are really cool things. But the danger now is complacency and Christianity merely becoming a cultural thing.

It’s the danger of Christian culture. This has happened throughout history in Christian countries. I think it happens even in smaller communities like Christian schools.

The danger is that being brought up in a Christian cultural context equates to being Christian. No longer do people necessarily see a personal belief in the Risen Saviour and an ongoing growth in godliness as part of what it means to be Christian.

Here’s the slippery slope:

• Generation 1: preaches the gospel
• Generation 2: assumes the gospel
• Generation 3: neglects the gospel
• Generation 4: denies the gospel

To avoid the danger of Christian culture, the preaching of the gospel must become our daily words to one another in EVERY generation. I’ve been praying for Vanuatu this past year that the gospel will continue to be preached to both Christians and non-Christians.

Not familiar with ‘the gospel’? It’s all about the King who SAVES and RULES: check it out!

Last November I went on a Mission trip to Vanuatu. I’ll be going again very very soon! I’ve had 4 almost finished blog posts waiting to be finished since the start of the year. I figured I should finish them before I go again!! READ THE FIRST 8 POSTS HERE.

Prior to gaining independence from Britain and France in 1980, Vanuatu was known as the New Hebrides. On November 20 1839, John Williams and James Harris, were the first Christians missionaries who sought to make Jesus known among the locals in the New Hebrides. Within moments of arriving, they were both killed and eaten by cannibals.

In the decades that followed, other missionaries ventured out to the New Hebrides seeking to proclaim Jesus to those perishing. Many were met with a response like the one that Williams and Harris received. But on some islands, the gospel bore much fruit with, in at least one case, the whole island professing faith in Jesus!

One of the missionaries who accepted the call to take the gospel to the New Hebrides was John G. Paton. He was a successful urban missionary in Glasgow. After hearing the plight of the people in the South Pacific, he was compelled to leave the comforts of his home city to travel to the other side of the world to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection to a people desperate to hear it. All this despite the real threat of being eaten by cannibals.

During 1858, in his first 6 months, Paton’s wife and new born son both died as a result of fever. This was the beginning of a treacherous 4 years on the island of Tanna. He met with opposition on so many fronts. People were violent in their opposition to the gospel. The weather conditions were harsh. And they were at the whim of shifty trade ship captains to move around islands.

Continue reading “You Will Be Eaten by Cannibals!”