The Contextual Dynamics of Trump’s MAGA Movement

“This is a movement like nobody's ever seen before and, frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time.”

– President Elect Donald Trump, November 6, 2024

Donald Trump is a movement catalyst, and he knows it. In fact, the MAGA phenomenon offers valuable insights into the contextual nature of movements.

All movements, whether they are religious, social, political, etc., share common characteristics and require certain preconditions. But in explaining a specific movement, the starting point of the narrative is important. There is a reason why the MAGA movement would not have been possible in 1980s America but appealed to many in the 2010s. Let me explain.

Historically, religion played a central role in creating a sense of belonging for Americans. By becoming an active member of an organized group, most likely a church, people learned how to relate to others and become citizens in the process. Imperfectly, attendance in these groups built social capital and contributed towards a sense of cohesion in society.

Because trust between peoples was relatively high, democracy could work reasonably well. Nearly every American President has identified as Christian, with the vast majority specifying their denomination. In “Christian” America, faith was idealized as “love God and love your neighbor,” at least in the public sphere. Character and humility were important and valued for most Americans.

But that was then. MAGA is now. What changed?

The “Great Recession” of 2007-2009 and the related sub-prime mortgage rate scandal created significant societal distrust in America’s governing institutions, especially among the working class. It was an entirely avoidable problem precipitated by corporate greed and poor governmental oversight. The rich were getting richer, but the working class had more reasons to resent being ruled by so-called “elites.” This resentment has continued to fester.

By 2012, social media became ubiquitous. Intended to monetize clicks and likes, the algorithms actually manipulated our sociology which led to the increase in misinformation/disinformation and conspiracy theories. As we are all too aware, social media has normalized vulgarity, slander, and collective bullying. Not to mention, also an epidemic of mental illness.

In truth, a decline in civic engagement has been decreasing since the 1950s: social media simply accelerated it.

Foundational to this decrease in community participation, the Church in America lost 40 million members in the last 25 years, and those claiming no religious affiliation have increased from 14% of US adults in 2000 to 28% in 2024. “Nones” are now the largest religious cohort in the U.S.

These shifts have ushered us into an era referred to as “post-Christian America.” Today, a sense of belonging is felt, not through religious affiliation, but through expressing personal identity. One needs to discover who they truly are in their authentic self, and then communicate that via social media or other similar means. As societal trust once provided by religious affiliation declined and face-to-face interactions diminished, polarization, distrust, and resentment inevitably grew.

With this context in mind, we can now examine the specific dynamics of Trump’s MAGA movement. In her book, The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) (HT: Berkowitz) political philosopher Hannah Arendt described three key mechanics of authoritarian movements (which she distinguished from totalitarianism):

1. Hatred of the State. This highlights the paradoxical nature of authoritarian movements: there can be no movement without animosity towards the current incarnation of the State. Foster discontent in order to control.
2. A Mood of Disruption. Authoritarians are not interested in policy (it’s too complex to motivate the working class) but in what Arendt calls the “mood” of the movement. By tapping into this collective emotional atmosphere, authoritarians use a rhetoric of disruption, resentment, and a desire for unity against perceived threats.
3. A Group to Blame. Authoritarian movements often consolidate power by identifying a scapegoat—a group to blame for societal problems—which helps unify supporters through a shared adversary. They create propaganda to spread this narrative, manipulating information to reinforce the perceived threat and justify actions against the targeted group.

With a good grasp on how religion works in politics, Trump’s 2015 prepower alignment with evangelical leaders emphasized carefully selected “Christian values,” tapping into collective identity and emotions to reinforce loyalty among the “nones” and the nominally Christian working class. The economic hardship following the Great Recession fueled resentment, which Trump capitalized on through his repeated promises to “drain the swamp.”

By framing scapegoats as threats to religious and national values (“they’re eating the pets”), he uses propaganda to create a common enemy (“enemies from within”), uniting his base through shared fears and advancing an authoritarian movement centered on his celebrity status (“I alone can fix it”).

Similar to other successful movements, MAGA operates like an open social network. Importantly, anyone can opt in, as long as they bend the knee to Trump, even if they were once against him. The fall and rise of Marco Rubio within the Trump orbit is evidence, as is V.P. Elect J.D. Vance, who previously referred to Trump as “America’s Hitler.”

Without popular resentment of the ruling “elites,” normalized social vulgarity, and Christian faith on the decline, the MAGA phenomenon would not have the social space necessary to develop into a movement. Trump is an iconic President for a post-Christian America in our post-truth world. He is also the undisputed GOAT of reality/news TV, which has been MAGA’s limitless resource for mass mobilization.

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Exit polls and election analysis reveal two consistent issues explaining Trump’s landslide victory: inflation and immigration. American voters decided that Trump’s impeachments, indictments, and his antics did not matter as much as their personal bank accounts. To a degree, I can relate.

Yet this election is not unique. Every incumbent governing party facing election in a developed country this year lost the vote, which is the first time this has ever happened. This is mainly due to the effects of global inflation (not solely in America), which were as much as Trump’s fault as Biden’s, and also beyond both of their control. Trump however did a masterful job of placing the blame entirely at the feet of the Biden/Harris administration.

Republicans often spoke this year of a mythical migrant crime wave. Trump was able to successfully perpetuate the zero-sum-thinking myth that more immigrants are bad for a country of immigrants. Ironically, the U.S. has a strong economy but actually needs more immigration for our economy to stay that way.

And thus, MAGA’s 2024 election dominance has been called a “triumph of misinformation.” This is not to say that Democrats are simply losers in the battle for reality. They have their own disfunctions and their own policies to blame. For instance, Trump was also able to leverage working class dismay of the progressive Left’s LGBTQ+ ideologies. And then there is Biden’s arrogance in deciding that he was indispensable to the Democratic party after signaling that he was going to be a one-term, transitional president… We could go on about Democrats, but this article is about the MAGA movement.

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Yet more irony – MAGA Republicans are celebrating and Democrats are catastrophizing for the same reason: propaganda. As an authoritarian, Trump expertly plays the game of perception and illusion. And as a showman, he peddles both impossible promises and contrived fears.

Yet Trump has no ideological anchor. We might be grateful that he cares most about his own fame and not a specific ideology. Since the MAGA movement is likely to continue to be loyal to Trump himself, he will be unable to “make America great again” but also unable to take us down into some ideological abyss. Trump is no fascist and no totalitarian. While authoritarian regimes seek to consolidate political power and suppress opposition, totalitarian regimes aim to dominate every aspect of life. This is not something Trump is seeking, nor would it be possible in a “don’t tread on me” individualistic society like the U.S.

Trump’s reelection is not the end of democracy in America. Remember, he was deeply unpopular after his first term. The sky is not falling. Has the MAGA movement peaked? Probably, but it will likely hang around for a while too. Everyone just needs to stop freaking out.

But more to my point, as followers of Christ, we reject the politicization of our faith on both sides of the ideological aisle, and we care about all nations, not simply whatever country we find our temporary citizenship. In Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies, N.T. Wright and Michael Bird bring us back to first principles:

The gospel calls us to believe in Jesus Christ, to belong to the Church and to build for the kingdom. If we perform that role properly, we will walk in the way of the cross, and build – right under Caesar’s nose! – things that challenge the edifices of totalitarian regimes, that show forth the beauty of God’s new creation, that demonstrate that there is a different way to be human, liberated from the lusts of pleasure and power, attaining a genuine human life by conforming to the image of the Son of God. (pg. 99)

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Around 4/5 American Evangelicals who voted cast their ballots for Trump. In my view, it is perfectly acceptable to vote Republican or Democrat. Because I am not a fan of either, I can understand why someone is more disillusioned with the Democratic Party than the Republican.

What I personally find most troubling is, specifically, unfettered support for a man with Trump’s pernicious behavior. This cult-like loyalty to Trump is a crisis of discipleship in the Church, but also a crisis of citizenship in America (HT: Jethani).

Finally, not to sound triumphalistic or dismissive, but the greatest movement of all time is not MAGA (sorry, Mr. President), but the Church participating in the motus Dei. Lessons gleaned from reflecting on the MAGA movement are not for our edification, but for our admonition.

On the Side Effects of Polemics

In attending conferences recently, I’ve noticed a trend gaining traction among some ministries to Muslims. I sometimes meet individuals who are part of Muslim Background Believer (MBB) networks claiming to have access to ancient Qur'anic manuscripts that, they argue, differ significantly from the standardized Qur'an.

When I inquire further, it becomes clear that the hope behind these efforts is that new scholarship will expose the Qur'an’s flaws, ultimately undermining the foundation of Islam itself.

This approach raises some critical missiological concerns for me.

Firstly, I do not need Islam to be a priori disproven for Jesus to be Lord. My faith rests in the perfect revelation of Christ — there is no one like Him, and no one has done more for me. Whether or not Islam is polemically dismantled has no bearing on Christ’s Lordship, and it shouldn't for any of us, including Muslims.

I am deeply interested in Islamic studies, and understanding Islam’s emergence is essential for missiology. However, recognizing that many elements of Islam’s traditional narrative are mythological should not make us triumphalistic, but empathetic. We can sympathize with Muslims who are navigating their faith in a complex, real-world context. For example, I sometimes reflect on my own identity as an “Evangelical” — a term that carries its own set of contested meanings! Just as Muslims wrestle with internal questions of faith and identity, so do we as Christians.

Secondly, there has been extensive scholarly work in this area already. I am shocked when leaders in these groups are unfamiliar with key scholars like Gabriel Said Reynolds, Martin Accad, or Daniel Brown, whose work extensively explores the complexities of Qur'anic manuscripts (see also various sections in The Religious Other).

This kind of oversight suggests that such MBB-driven research, while earnest, may not be engaging with the broader academic landscape. Any attempt to dismantle “Islam” through textual criticism needs to reckon with this body of existing scholarship.

Finally, a strong focus on polemics reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of what sustains Islam. Biblical faith is grounded ontologically in the person of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. Yet Islam, like all other religious traditions, is a socially constructed reality – without Muslims there would be no Islam. Islam does not rest simply on a textual foundation or a reality outside the realm of experience. Instead, it is Muslims themselves who decide what Islam is, and they continue to shape, evolve, and contest its meaning.

Even if one were to discredit the Qur'an academically, Islam as a lived religion would persist. In fact, polemics often have the unintended consequence of solidifying group identities. Though it’s true that some Muslims convert to Christianity through these debates, such conversions are exceptions rather than the norm. The broader impact of polemics on the Muslim ummah (community) often serves to reinforce, not weaken, religious boundaries.

If a medical treatment has severe side effects that make the patient worse than the illness being treated, one might say the treatment is worse than the disease. Let’s be discerning with our use of polemics in ministry to Muslims.

Lausanne 4 Seoul 2024

From September 22-28, 2024, I had the privilege of attending The Fourth Lausanne Congress in South Korea and blogged my thoughts and summaries each day. To make it easier for you to follow along and revisit the key moments, I’ve compiled all my daily posts below. This way, you can explore the insights, reflections, and highlights from each day at your own pace.

• L4 Seoul: Day 1
• L4: Day 2 Monday
• L4: Day 3 Tuesday
• L4: Day 4 Wednesday
• L4: Day 5 Thursday
• L4 Final Post: Days 6-7 Friday & Saturday

L4 Final Post: Days 6-7 Friday & Saturday

Friday’s theme was “Leadership and Servanthood.” The text was Acts 20:13-38. Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College and a good basketball player (so I hear), was the speaker. “Serving the Way of Jesus” was the title and a much-needed reminder.

A highlight for me was Rula Khoury Mansoura, Palestinian Christian lawyer from Israel, who spoke about living as a second-class citizen in her own land and processed issues of justice and reconciliation though that light. She called the L4 Congress to stand with her for peace-building in Israel-Palestine. Honestly, I don’t think many people even know that Palestinian Christians exist.

Today (Friday) Conference Organizer David Bennett wisely emailed all L4 participants the letter written by Ruth Padilla DeBorst from the controversy of Wednesday. Interestingly, this controversy has really served to highlight the plight of Palestinians and issues surrounding dispensational Zionism within Evangelicalism. Yet there is still a lot of work to do.

After living in the Middle East and working with several Palestinian colleagues and students, this issue has been close to my heart. Even as I write this, the IDF continues their attacks on Lebanon. It is heartbreaking. Pray for the Lebanese Church who is stepping up to serve many internally displaced peoples from the South.

One of my favorite resources for understanding the Israel-Palestinian conflict through a theological lens is Skye Jethani’s interview with Gary Burge on YouTube.

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Saturday’s theme was “The Gospel to the Ends of the Earth Under Christ’s Reign.” The sermon was given by Ronaldo Lidório, a Brazilian church planter in the Amazon. Five waves of reaching the unreached in the first century:

• Wave of Spiritual Power (Acts 1-2)
• Wave of Suffering (Acts 5-8)
• Wave of Sending Out Workers (Acts 13)
• Wave of Church Multiplication (Acts 16-21)
• Wave of Reaching the Ends of the Earth (Acts 27-28)

There was further emphasis on Ralph Winter’s Legacy today in in bringing awareness of unreached peoples. One comment was interesting to me: churches who do not send missionaries have little spirituality to offer the world.

Unfortunately, there has been some unnecessary noise concerning the Seoul Statement. I found this article from CT to be helpful and edifying. The Great Commission belongs to the Global Church.

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Some Final Thoughts on L4

There has been a kaleidoscope of topics this week, as L4 is about “collaboration” (not missiology) and very issue-driven. Previous Lausanne events have been criticized for being all talk and no action.

The overall impetus of L4 leads towards the holistic discipling of all peoples for the exaltation of Jesus. In that sense, both the apostolic and indicative aspects of mission have been addressed, although it is indeed impossible to please everyone. For example, sometimes my kids make fun of me for being old – and I’m upset that the Seoul Statement didn’t address ageism! (Hopefully you get my sarcasm.)

Floating around the congress, at least in my circles, have been a couple petitions of the Seoul Statement. But petitions should really be last resorts when dialogue has failed. I considered linking to them here but decided against it. At the least, people care deeply about the direction of Lausanne as it plays a large role in global Evangelicalism.

I’ll just offer a couple more thoughts and then take a break from blogging for a while.

MBBs. I don’t think there has been a single MBB on stage or leading an interest group. Many Arab CBB Arab leaders are here. I believe the situation in L5 will be different. The Muslim background Church will reach the Muslim world – we have much to learn from them. In my “Islam” gap, conversations were still quite basic.

Pastors. Even though the workplace track was highlighted often, with over 1,500 participants, there is still an emphasis on Pastors and pastoral ministry in context of attractional churches. Even missionaries are envisioned in a pastoral role – preaching to unbelievers. For me, the office of Pastor in a local church is a remnant of Christendom. We need more work on the APEST (Eph 4:11) leadership distribution and vision.

Movements. With the incredible explosion of Christianity in the Majority World there is much to celebrate. I wouldn’t say that movements are the only or even the primary way God is working today. With that being said, there is still an over-emphasis on institutional ecclesiology and even big flashy success stories like revivals. These are important, but we must find ways to increase movemental intelligence in the body of Christ.

Furthermore, the old social justice vs evangelism debate is still happening with different tribes feeling marginalized at different times and in different ways (Lausanne is either seen as too evangelistic or too social justice oriented depending on who you ask – maybe this is the sweet spot?). But I believe movements – especially as they manifest in the Majority World – seem to solve this tension.

The Acts of the Apostles and the Holy Spirit. Immersing in Acts reminds us that the early church’s faith should be our guiding blueprint:

Acts 28:30-31: For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance.

L4: Day 5 Thursday

Today’s focus is on Faith in the Workplace. We watched an inspiring video and sermon by Julia Garschagen, which explored this theme throughout the Book of Acts. It reminded me that historically, ‘ordinary’ people living out their faith in their daily lives, especially those in migration, have played a more significant role in spreading the faith than the missionary movement. One interesting point Julia mentioned is that first-century Rabbis were required to have jobs!

The worship music has been fantastic and my table discussions enriching. This truly is a wonderful picture and experience of the global Church.

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I have heard some criticism about The Seoul Statement and what it includes and doesn’t include. For instance, Ted Esler says:

What surprised me was not what it said, but what it did not say. There is no significant emphasis on evangelism.

Similarly, Ed Stetzer says this:

I’m appealing (and have appealed) to the leadership of Lausanne that we state emphatically that evangelism is “central,” “a priority,” and “indispensable” to our mission. History has shown over and over that a mission that doesn’t prioritize evangelism will quickly lose evangelism.

And another one, Tim Tennent:

I do have a few serious questions about Lausanne 4. First, has it become so “issues” driven that the central emphasis on world evangelization has been buried down to just one emphasis among many? Is the driving purpose of Lausanne still the driving purpose?

After a long dinner with one of the authors of the statement, I think I have some clarity. The Cape Town Commitment from L3 was an incredible document, used all around the globe for training, but not so much in the English-speaking world since we already have so many quality resources. What makes L4 unique is the State of the Great Commission Report, a 500+ page document that:

shares insights from more than 150 global mission experts and sheds light on how we as a global church can be obedient to Jesus’ Great Commission today.

So I do think it is clear that Lausanne is keeping the main thing the main thing. But since The State of the GC Report discusses so many aspects of mission, the Seoul Statement is really less missional in focus and intended more as a theological document for important issues of the day.

Therefore, I’m a bit less concerned than the three missiologists quoted above – actually, what I would prefer to hear more of is a focus on disciple-making.

For instance, when we look at the mission of Christ, our paradigmatic example, where can we discern a difference between discipleship and evangelism? That is my point. The world needs more disciples and not simply converts, and L4’s focus on the Great Commission thoroughly covers holistic disciple-making.

To that end, I don’t see a need to protest the Seoul Statement, especially since it should be read alongside the State of the Great Commission Report.

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Honestly, most everyone I spoke with today was tired (many sore throats), and there are two more days to go! I attempted to take a walk but bumped into too many wonderful colleagues, so I didn’t get a rest. Eventually though, I found my way to the prayer room and spent some time meditating and praying.

I found myself grappling with my own sin and shortcomings. It is so easy for me to be cynical and judgmental, especially after yesterday’s controversy. I repented for any part I have played in the mess. It’s really no wonder that the New Testament letters address so many ugly complexities of our relationships within the body of Christ. It is also too easy to give up.

The Church is indeed messy, and we all need Jesus to wash our dirty feet. This is my soul searching in Seoul - I am committed to seeking reconciliation and striving to be more Christlike in my actions and attitudes.

While it is important to acknowledge the historical and cultural complexities that shape our global evangelical events, I also believe that these gatherings can be opportunities for genuine fellowship and mutual edification. It is crucial to listen to diverse voices and perspectives, ensuring that we do not perpetuate any form of dominance or exclusion.

Ultimately, our focus should be engaging in ways that reflect Christ’s love and humility. Let us strive to build bridges of understanding and unity, rather than walls of division, cynicism, and judgment. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:35). The world is watching.

L4: Day 4 Wednesday

Today’s theme is Persecution and Mission. Acts 8:1-4 & 11:19-26 was wonderfully expounded by Patrick Fung. Two key quotes:

• Here is a gospel movement by God’s people, the unknown, unnamed, uncelebrated, ordinary disciples of Christ.
• They lived to be forgotten so that Christ would be remembered.

Many stories this morning of persecution and suffering, from China, India, and Iran primarily. The talk from Iran was particularly engaging and edifying. Although I would nuance the missiology being presented, I appreciate that they are not romanticizing persecution.

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For me, there is not much new information so far. The overall theme of L4 is “collaboration.” In the CP interest group, the theme was “Collaborate to Saturate.” The Lausanne App, which we are all required to use, is being promoted often as a tool for collaboration.

I actually do much collaboration in my ministry, and Motus Dei met today actually where we discussed our upcoming MQ (Movemental Intelligence) Symposium in May 2025.

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I attended an excellent breakout group led well by Cory Hartman of New Generations on Disciple Making Movements. He tried out some unpublished thoughts that were not ready for “prime time.” Here is his definition of DMM:

A DMM is 1) a chain reaction, 2) of ordinary people, 3) multiplying disciples who obey, 4) through their natural social networks, 5) manifesting as generations of gatherings spawning gatherings (gatherings can be DBSs or churches), 6) that maintains its quality without depending on the ones who started it.

A DMM is more specific than a move of God, more specific than a gospel movement, and more specific than a people movement, and is a bit different than a church planting movement.

The meeting was well attended. I find it fascinating that so many people have no idea about movements today. And also that so many people here just continue to operate from within a Protestant micro-Christendom ecclesiology.

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So if you were waiting for some controversy of L4, here is perhaps the first one. At the beginning of the week, Ruth Padilla DeBorst gave a wonderful message on injustice. (Side note: prophets often pay a price for their words.) The point of contention was this statement from her talk:

what makes God’s people such are not superficial expressions of religious piety, ‘Christianese’ jargon, worship jingles, or colonialist theologies that justify and finance oppression under the guise of some dispensational eschatology.

Apparently, that was enough for some to protest to the conference organizers who then offered an apology:

As Congress Director, I would like to offer an apology for a presentation this week which singled out ‘dispensational eschatology’ in a critical tone, implying that it contributed to violence and injustice, and which failed to note that many theologies have been misused and misapplied as justifications for violence. That same presentation referred to the suffering of the Palestinian people, but did not express comparable empathy for the suffering of Israeli people, nor adequately express concern for many other peoples and nations of the world that are currently in the throes of violent conflict.

I have thoughts. The wording of the email apology was quite nuanced. Dispensationalists don't feel their theology is oppressive. Whether we agree or not is beside the point. Lausanne tries hard to be big tent Evangelicalism – not an easy task.

A second thought: is Zionist Dispensational theology inherently oppressive by nature to Palestinians? By way of analogy, is boxing a violent sport? I suppose it depends on your perspective. L4’s ‘apology’ can be seen as silencing Ruth’s prophetic voice. Many here do not feel that an apology was necessary nor consistent because other speakers who have also offered insight which others might find offensive. For example, no one is apologizing for throwing cessationism under the bus on Monday!

Ruth then penned an open letter to L4 (forwarded many times on WhatsApp) that I thought was an important response. The whole controversy has been covered already at the Christian Post where you can read the email from L4 and Ruth’s response in their entirety. (NB: I do not think The Christian Post is a professional or unbiased news source; I only share this link because they are the first to report on this, from what I can tell.)

L4: Day 3 Tuesday

Today is the 50^th birthday of Lausanne(!!!), and the theme for today is “Missional Community.” This morning’s exposition was done by Anne Zaki (a colleague at The Evangelical Seminary of Cairo) who skillfully unpacked a ton of profound insights from Acts 15. A Pakistani woman remarked to me how pleasantly shocked she was to see so many women of color on stage – and preaching at that!

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Yesterday was a very difficult day in Lebanon. Many Lebanese colleagues are here and understandably distracted, as am I.

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From the stage, I do hear the word “revival” a lot in the presentations. By contrast, one highlight for me was Dale Stephenson, a pastor in Australia, gave a simple explanation of DMM without saying DMM: disciple people to faith, look for a person of peace, and discovery bible studies. He hit many of the main points in an engaging way. The fact that he related it to his post-Christian Australian context was perhaps more appropriate for this audience. Yet we do see revivals and awakenings sometimes in the world. Upon reflection, perhaps revivalism is part of the legacy of Billy Graham who was a cofounder of Lausanne. But I am reasonably obsessed about movements.

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I attended a workshop done by Rick Warren entitled, “How to Finish the Task.” He began his talk by claiming that he has never had a scandal and also that Saddleback is the most successful missionary sending church in history. He also said his mentor was Billy Graham. Honestly, Rick gave around 4 sermons in one talk.

Rick wants people to go to places that have no believer, no Bible, and no Body of Christ. (Rick is the king of catchy epithets.) From what I gather, Rick claims if we collaborate and re-evangelize all the nominal Christians in the world, then we can reach the rest of the world if they, in turn, make disciples: the southern hemisphere must re-evangelize the northern hemisphere. (Yes I sensed the disconnect too. Maybe this is what you get when you combine sermons?)

Some quotes from Rick though which I thought were interesting:

The business of Christianity is moving people from “come and see” to “come and die.”

Rabbits don’t have menstrual cycles, they can get pregnant 5 seconds after giving birth. This is the house church. If we are going to finish the Great Commission, we need 10s of millions of rabbit churches. We only need megachurches in megacities.

The moment we start building church buildings, the growth of the church will decline.

The church at its birth is the church at its best. You don’t need a new model; you need the first model.

What God did in the first century, we want him to do it in the 21st century.

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The interest group I attended yesterday was “Church Planting.” They are promoting Saturation Church Planting as a goal (churches everywhere), not a methodology. You can read more about the CP issue network here.

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The “Gap” I attended was Islam. At my table was Keith Swartley, David Garrison, Joshua Lingel, and a couple MBBs. A great question for missiological imagination we discussed:

For significant progress towards fulfilling the Great Commission among Muslims, what needs to happen by 2050?

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Much focus on integrity, spirituality, proclamation evangelism, and reaching the unreached. Michael Oh again mentioned the legacy of Ralph Winter, but not Rene Padilla. I imagine the integral mission crowd is feeling a bit marginalized (I heard a group here wrote a strong negative response to the Seoul Statement). Although I personally have been mostly satisfied with the overall balance. I am trying to learn, listen, and be humble.

L4: Day 2 Monday

In L3 Cape Town 2010 we studied Ephesians – each of the 6 days featured an exposition on one chapter. Here in L4, we have six days though the book of Acts.

There is too much to summarize, but the focus today is the Holy Spirit, and there is a strong Pentecostal flavor. I imagine cessationists would feel a bit awkward at the teaching today.

In three of the talks, there is a focus on revivalism à la Acts 2. Tied to this has been the (unintentional?) featuring of megachurches as a result of revivals. As movements spread primarily through microchurches, I’m personally feeling a bit of a disconnect. And I think Luke’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit is a bit different than revivalism. Yes the HS manifests in sensational ways, and everything in Acts seems to be happening in movements today. Well, except institutional megachurches.

There was also an example from one of the speakers to make sure that by 2033 (2000 years after the resurrection), every person has an opportunity to experience Christ. I think this is laudable, but it also continues the human tendency for goal setting by using prominent dates. I wonder what God thinks of our plans. They seem to motivate and provide a sense of urgency, but…

Today I also had lunch and dinner with Trinity Evangelical Divinity School students, alumni, and faculty. In many ways, the relationship between Trinity and Lausanne is intertwined and the two share a similar ethos.

In the evening session, Vaugh Roberts gave a beautiful defense of traditional views of marriage. Interestingly, the Seoul Statement also includes a strong statement on biblical sexuality as between one man and one woman in marriage. In Cape Town, there was a survey for participants on different theological views, and I remember being shocked at how many American attendees were affirming homosexual practice as normative in God’s design. The American view was in stark contrast with the Majority world view on sexuality which is much more traditional. In many ways, I think the Western promotion same-sex marriage is an example of neocolonialism.

So far, the non-Western flavor of the event has been clear. There is more emphasis on integral mission, reaching the unreached, less cerebral and more experiential faith, and on affirming God’s goodness in human sexuality within traditional marriage. American evangelicalism can sometimes feel a bit odd in the global scene.

L4 Seoul: Day 1

I’m here in Incheon, South Korea for Lausanne 4. The theme this round is is “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together.” I’ve decided to blog about each day (Like I did for Lausanne 3 in Cape Town), just offering some unrefined thoughts through the fog of jetlag. Please evaluate my writing and analysis in that light!

This morning I toured the Korean DMZ and went deep inside Tunnel #3. Pretty amazing stuff.

I had a fun dinner with Emanuel Prinz, Ed Stetzer, and David Garrison. Then walked into the main hall for all 5,000 attendees from over 200 countries. The room is very nice with a huge curved screen (80 meters wide) and digitally very impressive with wonderful Korean worship. Interestingly, I have bumped into dozens of friends and colleagues which is really fun for someone who works for home these days.

Of all the main speakers on this first evening, none were Western. One of the thoughts going through my mind was how Lausanne would deal with the word “mission.” For some, it is reductionistic to claim that mission is about “reaching the unreached.” For others, “Fulfilling the Great Commission” is basically the totality of mission.

CEO and Lausanne Executive Director, Michael Oh, is a Korean American. Wearing a traditional Korean robe, he described Incheon as the first place missionaries landed and established churches on the Korean Peninsula, and his mother still attends the first the church established by said missionaries. Importantly, Oh’s focus was on the importance of workplace ministry, meaning that everyone has a role to play in mission. However, he also said that Christians being faithful in their vocations/settings is simply not enough to fulfill the Great Commission; we need to go to the unreached as well. I thought it was a good balance.

I am curious what tomorrow holds after this opening session. There are “Gaps” and “Issue Networks.” The two I have signed up for are Islam and Church Planting, respectively.

You can also watch LIVE: https://congress.lausanne.org/live/

Today, the Seoul Statement was released. I am curious why it is so long, as I thought the Cape Town Committment was still very much a relevant document. I will be interested and seeing some analysis between the two.

The Graying (and Browning) of Frontier Missiology

Last year I wrote a post that received some attention and I offered it for publication with Mission Frontiers. They asked that I expand on it for an issue on “People Group Theory” which was just published.

So here it is:

The Graying (and Browning) of Frontier Missiology

(Here is the PDF on Academia.)

Be sure to check out the whole issue which is filled with brief, diverse missiological takes on the concept of “people groups.”

CPMs Within and Beyond the Oikos

The latest issue of IJFM is out, titled Homogeneity and Hybridity: Does McGavran’s Homogeneous Unit Principle fit the Realities of a Multiethnic World?

Yep, the debate surrounding the infamous HUP remains as lively as ever.

I contributed an article using the phenomenology of CPMs as a conversation partner. Historically, there have been some passionate one-sided takes on the HUP, but I believe every article in this issue of IJFM offers much needed nuance. 

Here is my contribution: The Homophilous Unit Paradox: Church Planting Movements Within and Beyond the Oikos. Pardon the quirky title—it seemed like a good idea at the time! From the intro:

At a fundamental level, the discipline of frontier missiology is based on “crossing difference:” dissimilarities between peoples are significant enough to require an intentional apostolic effort to engage such peoples. By contrast, much of contemporary missiology is based on “uniting difference:” distinctions between peoples are harmful to the unity of Church and a pastoral response requires the ministry of reconciliation. In this regard, Donald McGavran’s infamous Homogeneous Unit Principle (HUP) serves as an inflection point between frontier missiology and contemporary missiology. The apparent contradiction lies between an apostolic function and a pastoral function, both of which are needed, but at different times and in different ways. Phenomenologically, church planting movements (CPMs) highlight this tension. In this lecture, after presenting three short case studies introducing CPM’s intersection with the HUP, I’ll share what I’ve discovered specifically as it relates to the nature of church multiplication within networked oikos churches. Along the way, I’ll make two proposals: 1) that “homophilous” is a more appropriate term than “homogeneous,” and 2) the HUP is better understood as a “paradox” and not a “principle.”

So what is my proposal? The Homophilous Unit Paradox…

…guards against cultural paternalism to promote polyphonic worship from all ethne and yet can also endorse racism and segregation if left unchallenged.

Read the whole thing. Feedback welcomed.

From Missio Dei to Motus Dei: The Recovery of Movement

We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God.

-A.W. Tozer

I usually feel okay about my appearance when I look in the mirror. But when someone shares a photo of me from a different angle, I realize, “I am clearly an overweight, middle-aged man who needs hair implants.” A slight shift in viewpoint changes a lot. Sometimes painfully so.

Similarly, common ideas we believe to be “okay” can seem very different when we shift our perspective. And some theological concepts become stale over time. Might we be facing that issue now when talking about “mission”?

Keep reading…

Cabbages in the Desert

New book alert: Cabbages in the Desert: How God Transformed a Devout Muslim and Catalyzed Disciple Making Movements among Unreached Peoples by Aila Tasse with Dave Coles:

Are Disciple Making Movements really happening among Muslims? If so, how are they happening? And what do those movements look like? You’ll find answers to these questions and many more in Cabbages in the Desert, where a zealous Muslim teenager meets a kind Christian teacher. Radically transformed then banished from home, Aila receives a vision of unreached peoples coming to Christ. After successfully planting many churches, he hears a challenge to explore a more fruitful approach: Disciple Making Movements. Find out how and why these movements, with many generations of disciples, are spreading in over a dozen countries in East, Horn, and Southern Africa, in a variety of social and religious contexts. Discover the vital role of indigenous leaders, and how movements can take root and grow, even among nomadic peoples and oral learners.

Cabbages in the Desert provides inspiration and insight about the dynamics of Disciple Making Movements. It also goes beyond that, encouraging practical application for all who want to see the Lord do similar work in their life and context. The same God who does amazing things in East, Horn, and Southern Africa, also desires to work in and through you!

I was happy to endorse the book. Here is what I said:

Dr. Aila Tasse, an African follower of Christ from a Muslim background, has witnessed significant success in his decades of ministry. Yet only after undergoing a transformative paradigm shift did he discover a path to even greater fruitfulness among least-reached peoples—an uncommon vision symbolized by "cabbages in the desert." Through compelling stories, Aila and his colleagues urge us to recalibrate mission back to the matchless standards for sprouting disciple-making movements: Jesus Christ and the Bible.

Get it on both paperback and Kindle.

Ramadan 2024: Pray 4 Movement

Ramadan is just around the corner, and if you're interested in interceding for Muslims, you can sign up at https://pray4movement.org/ramadan-2024

As a reminder, you might read “Why We Must Pray for Muslims Around the World” by David Garrison.