Short-term missions have done a lot of damage.
By merging international development principles with missions, the church can move from charity that harms to justice that unites.
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FREE DOWNLOAD of Chapter 1
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A Smoldering Wick, published in June 2016, aims to teach three things:
a theology of biblical
justice rather than American charity (chapters 1-2)
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a theory of humility
learned from past mistakes (chapters 3-7)
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a practice of development principles adapted
for STMs (chapters 8-10)
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Book Trailer
"That is my heart here, it is all about understanding how can the kingdom come now, how can we live that present reality of His Kingdom coming on this earth through short term missions. ... I certainly don't have all the answers, but I want to ask the questions that help us find the answers."
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Video Transcript
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A Smoldering Wick: (#ASmolderingWick)
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Click here to preview the book in a downloadable PDF that describes
some of the chapters.
some of the chapters.
What People are Saying about A Smoldering Wick
"A Smoldering Wick should be required reading for anyone participating in a short-term mission trip whether it's across the street or to the other side of the world. As an African, I have seen first-hand the damaging consequences of ill-conceived trips on receiving communities, and we must do better than this. Gena Thomas makes a comprehensive and insightful contribution to this effort and does so with grace and humility." |
"The book has encouraged me to take a big step back and examine everything in terms of our work in Nicaragua: my motives, my god-complex, my savior complex, my definition of poverty, and especially how I talk to others about the work we'll do and how we 'market' it for financial supporters." |
"For those of us who know that the crisis facing Western missions is every bit as much a matter of theology as it is sustainability, this book is a true gift. As only a careful and seasoned practitioner could, Gena Thomas has written a book that belongs to a small but growing collection of resources that are vital for helping us develop a new vision and practice for participating in God's global mission." |
Short-term missions projects are currently justified by the concept of charity. But only justice can justify, and Biblical justice should be the root of all missions work. When churches become communities that seek justice, they take part in their divine role as the bride of Christ. The author of this book desires to see the American Church be a community that seeks justice as God sees it, especially in what the world calls its “charitable deeds.” She wants to see the Church bring God’s justice to Jerusalem: its own neighborhood, Judea: its own nation, and to the ends of the earth: wherever its feet may go in the world. Current short-term missions are frequently done with a charity mindset. A Smoldering Wick brings awareness to the pitfalls of charity work and the Biblical call to a justice mindset, without arguing that short-term missions are a lost cause. In Isaiah 42, God speaks of Jesus and how he will neither break a bruised reed nor snuff out a smoldering wick, but in faithfulness, he will establish justice on earth. Being equipped through theology, theory, and practice, the Church will be encouraged, admonished, and won’t grow faint so that God can establish justice on the earth. Through development principles, personal experiences, and an honest desire to see true unity in the international body of Christ, the author offers a new framework for short-term missions.
PART ONE: LINGUISTIC THEOLOGY
Chapter 1 WHAT IS JUSTICE?
Four Brothers Who Ruin Justice | Faith. Reason. Justice | Defining Justice | Is Justice the Opposite of Love? | Justice & Dignity | Dehumanization | Contextual Justice | Justice as a Component of Shalom
Chapter 2 WHAT IS CHARITY?
Learned vs. Reactionary Compassion | Definitions Reveal Worldviews | Charity & Dignity | Relief. Rehabilitation. Development | Charity & Relationships | The Potential Arrogance of Charity | Charity Trap #1: Guise | Charity Trap #2: Guilt | Charity Trap #3: Abusing God’s Grace
PART TWO: THEOLOGY TO THEORY
Chapter 3 WHAT A SHORT-TERM MISSIONS TRIP SHOULDN’T BE
Salvation Trips | Come-One-Come-All Expeditions | Repetitive Failures Excused with Good Intentions | Mere Poverty Tourism | Number Lust | Wide Not Deep | One-Sided | Hand-Outs Without the Backing of the Local Church
Chapter 4 INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN CHRISTIANS
You are Rich and Poor | You are Biased | You are Ignorant | You are Not Superior | You are Not the Savior
Chapter 5 ACCOUNTABILITY IN SHORT & LONG-TERM MISSIONS
What is Accountability Within the Framework of Justice? | What Does it Look Like in Short-term Missions | What Does it Look Like in Long-term Missions | My Accountability Wish List
Chapter 6 FOSTERING COMMUNITY & FOSTERING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Is Community Just Another Buzz Word? | Shalom Revisited | Be the Community You Wish to See in the World | Fostering | Finding Your Communal Niche
PART THREE: THEORY TO PRACTICE
Chapter 7 HOW INTEGRITIZING OUR MARKETING STRATEGIES LEADS TO JUSTICE
Rejecting Manipulation | Communicating the Whole Truth | Authenticating Emotionalism | Demanding More Than the Thousand-word Picture | Redefining Successful Marketing
Chapter 8 WHY PROGRAM CYCLES ARE SMART — AND HOW TO USE THEM
The Necessity of a Structural Framework | Following-Through: a Mission Project Cycle | Phase 1: Identification | Phase 2: Spiritual & Physical Preparation & Plan Formulation | Phase 3: Review & Approval by Both Communities | Phase 4: Project Implementation with Supervision & Full Participation of Receiving Community | Phase 5: Evaluation
Chapter 9 WHY PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT MATTERS FOR THE CHURCH
A Lesson from Mexico | Partnering in Development | Typology of Participation | Some Tools and Approaches | The Challenge for Church-led Missions
Chapter 10 HOW THE CHURCH CAN ADAPT THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH
Two Things | Problem Tree | Objective Tree | Stakeholder Analysis | SWOT Analysis | LogFrame Matrix | Action Plan | Gantt Chart | Budget
APPENDICES
A. Pre-Trip Planning Form (English)
B. Completion Survey (English and Spanish)
C. Post-Trip Evaluation Form (English and Spanish)
D. Partnership Evaluation Form (English and Spanish)
E. Long-term Accountability Form
F. What To Do If …
G. Extra Resources
Chapter 1 WHAT IS JUSTICE?
Four Brothers Who Ruin Justice | Faith. Reason. Justice | Defining Justice | Is Justice the Opposite of Love? | Justice & Dignity | Dehumanization | Contextual Justice | Justice as a Component of Shalom
Chapter 2 WHAT IS CHARITY?
Learned vs. Reactionary Compassion | Definitions Reveal Worldviews | Charity & Dignity | Relief. Rehabilitation. Development | Charity & Relationships | The Potential Arrogance of Charity | Charity Trap #1: Guise | Charity Trap #2: Guilt | Charity Trap #3: Abusing God’s Grace
PART TWO: THEOLOGY TO THEORY
Chapter 3 WHAT A SHORT-TERM MISSIONS TRIP SHOULDN’T BE
Salvation Trips | Come-One-Come-All Expeditions | Repetitive Failures Excused with Good Intentions | Mere Poverty Tourism | Number Lust | Wide Not Deep | One-Sided | Hand-Outs Without the Backing of the Local Church
Chapter 4 INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN CHRISTIANS
You are Rich and Poor | You are Biased | You are Ignorant | You are Not Superior | You are Not the Savior
Chapter 5 ACCOUNTABILITY IN SHORT & LONG-TERM MISSIONS
What is Accountability Within the Framework of Justice? | What Does it Look Like in Short-term Missions | What Does it Look Like in Long-term Missions | My Accountability Wish List
Chapter 6 FOSTERING COMMUNITY & FOSTERING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Is Community Just Another Buzz Word? | Shalom Revisited | Be the Community You Wish to See in the World | Fostering | Finding Your Communal Niche
PART THREE: THEORY TO PRACTICE
Chapter 7 HOW INTEGRITIZING OUR MARKETING STRATEGIES LEADS TO JUSTICE
Rejecting Manipulation | Communicating the Whole Truth | Authenticating Emotionalism | Demanding More Than the Thousand-word Picture | Redefining Successful Marketing
Chapter 8 WHY PROGRAM CYCLES ARE SMART — AND HOW TO USE THEM
The Necessity of a Structural Framework | Following-Through: a Mission Project Cycle | Phase 1: Identification | Phase 2: Spiritual & Physical Preparation & Plan Formulation | Phase 3: Review & Approval by Both Communities | Phase 4: Project Implementation with Supervision & Full Participation of Receiving Community | Phase 5: Evaluation
Chapter 9 WHY PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT MATTERS FOR THE CHURCH
A Lesson from Mexico | Partnering in Development | Typology of Participation | Some Tools and Approaches | The Challenge for Church-led Missions
Chapter 10 HOW THE CHURCH CAN ADAPT THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH
Two Things | Problem Tree | Objective Tree | Stakeholder Analysis | SWOT Analysis | LogFrame Matrix | Action Plan | Gantt Chart | Budget
APPENDICES
A. Pre-Trip Planning Form (English)
B. Completion Survey (English and Spanish)
C. Post-Trip Evaluation Form (English and Spanish)
D. Partnership Evaluation Form (English and Spanish)
E. Long-term Accountability Form
F. What To Do If …
G. Extra Resources
In addition to the guide I supply as Appendix A of A Smoldering Wick, you can find many other options of STM guides on the web. Here are three I recommend:
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The above links will take you to different project cycle designs for different organizations. It's helpful in creating your own project cycle to look at several different ones and make sure that you adapt according to your church's needs and goals and the needs and goals of the receiving community.
If the LFA piqued your interest, the following is a list of hyperlinks that can take you to further research about the framework. The EIO's Guide to the Logical Framework Approach is a great place to start. If this is definitely something you plan to integrate into your STMs, be sure to read the Use and Abuse of the LFA.
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SEEP Network (www.seepnetwork.org)
The SEEP network has a free VSLA program guide that is available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. If you are partnered with a receiving church and they are interested in village savings and loans programs, this is a great resource. Be sure that this is something the want local community wants to do and plans to run, not something you, the sending church, wants them to do because you think it is a good idea. |
Sample Budget
| budget.docx |
*If you note any corrections that need to be made, please email me at connect arroba genathomas.com thank you!
on p .149
#4 should say "Participation for Material Incentives" rather than "Passive Participation"
on p .149
#4 should say "Participation for Material Incentives" rather than "Passive Participation"
