America Marcet

Once gained, the position of favor is something to be held for as long as possible and milked for all the material benefits it can give. All efforts are expended to remain in control. But not so in God's economy, especially when it comes to doing what is closest to His heart "winning a lost world to Himself. To its credit, the major part of the American church has not been stingy by selfishly holding on to its supreme position in missions. Rather, a self-imposed kenosis has been the general rule. .
             Most missionaries have been self-emptying and even self-abasing as they have succeeded in establishing mission-sending churches in all parts of the globe. To be sure, some have been slower than others and some have hung on longer than they should have, but generally a spirit of release of control has been true of what I have observed around the world of missions in recent years. Even if this were not the case, current world trends and changing global realities would force us to reposition ourselves in an alternate mission role. .
             As we quickly approach the end of the century and turn a major chapter in mission history, we face several trends while we lose our singular edge as the world leader in missions. .
             The Church Is Now Global .
             Just 30 years ago the world-wide evangelical church was predominately "white, rich and West."" Its center of gravity was in the developed North Atlantic countries which we have come to call the " first world."" But as we enter the 21st century, the church looks much different. It is now composed of peoples who are predominately "of color, poor and South."" What's more, the global church today has no center of gravity at all. Rather than one major center of influence, the church has become polycentric and largely non-western. The majority of its members are found in those under-developed countries which lie south of North America and Europe that have come to be called the "two-thirds world.