The Role of Affluence in the Christian Missionary Enterprise from the West1

Abstract

In this article Bonk demonstrates that the very affluence which has been a part and parcel of Western missionary endeavor for 200 years has been by no means an unmixed blessing. The primary benefits associated with affluence have always had to do with the survival of the missionary and the longevity of the missionary's service. The less beneficial side effects of affluence which must be weighed against its benefits include considerations relating to the sociology and psychology of disparity. Human experience shows that economic disparity and its accompanying social distance breed envy and suspicion. People tend to establish friendships with their “own kind” economically and socially. Accordingly, included in the cost of affluence are factors affecting the credibility of the missionary and the comprehensibility of the missionary's message. It is important for both theological and practical reasons to get back to the incarnation as a model for missionary strategy.