Challenges to Christian Challenges to Christian Community Development Community Development (CCD) in the Philippines(CCD) in the Philippines

By Robert MunsonBy Robert Munson

This presentation briefly summarizes a This presentation briefly summarizes a paper written based on interviews paper written based on interviews with church and mission leaders in with church and mission leaders in the Philippines in 2007, supported the Philippines in 2007, supported additionally by literary sources.additionally by literary sources.

Three Categories of ChallengesThree Categories of Challenges

Within the Philippine Church Within the Philippine Church ContextContext

Within the Philippine ContextWithin the Philippine Context Non-contextual ChallengesNon-contextual Challenges

Within the Philippine Within the Philippine Church ContextChurch Context

Bad TheologyBad TheologyLack of ResourcesLack of ResourcesDifferent FocusDifferent FocusLack of ExampleLack of Example

Bad TheologyBad Theology

Sacred versus the SecularSacred versus the Secular

(Church should only do (Church should only do “sacred things”)“sacred things”)

““Separatism” (The church Separatism” (The church should not stain itself with the should not stain itself with the concerns of this world.) concerns of this world.)

Theology: 3. ContextualizationTheology: 3. Contextualization Wholism is a Western creation Wholism is a Western creation

leading toward standard Western leading toward standard Western methodologies.methodologies.

No good Filipino books describing No good Filipino books describing what wholistic ministry should be in what wholistic ministry should be in the Filipino church.the Filipino church.

Result? Little actual Filipino-based Result? Little actual Filipino-based wholistic community development. wholistic community development. Most comes from outside.Most comes from outside.

Theology: 4. IndividualismTheology: 4. Individualism

Evangelical churches tend to Evangelical churches tend to focus on individual change. focus on individual change. They tend to ignore other social They tend to ignore other social units. units.

The community is either The community is either considered unimportant, or evil. considered unimportant, or evil.

Theology: 5. ApocalypticismTheology: 5. Apocalypticism

Many evangelical churches assume that Many evangelical churches assume that Jesus will return very soon. Because of this Jesus will return very soon. Because of this they tend to do short-term ministries.they tend to do short-term ministries.

Now, if Jesus was returning next week, we Now, if Jesus was returning next week, we probably should be doing mass crusades.probably should be doing mass crusades.

However, if Jesus is returning in 200 years, However, if Jesus is returning in 200 years, we should be creating communities we should be creating communities conformed to God’s kingdom that conforms conformed to God’s kingdom that conforms people to Christ for generations.people to Christ for generations.

Lack of ResourcesLack of ResourcesFinancial and Material. Financial and Material.

(Perception)(Perception)Lack of Trained Human Lack of Trained Human

Resources.Resources.

Focus on ReliefFocus on Relief

Churches focus on doing relief, Churches focus on doing relief, not development. not development.

Tied to poor theology and to Tied to poor theology and to lack of resources.lack of resources.

Rhodora Mendoza, Head of HCDIRhodora Mendoza, Head of HCDI

““Community Development work in the Community Development work in the Philippines is done by GOs and NGOs. Philippines is done by GOs and NGOs. Churches and aid organizations are mostly Churches and aid organizations are mostly relief-oriented. Seldom can you find them relief-oriented. Seldom can you find them doing ‘real’ community development work… doing ‘real’ community development work… One challenge is to instill in the people One challenge is to instill in the people ownership of the program and to do ownership of the program and to do something to improve their lives since most something to improve their lives since most people, especially in poor communities, are people, especially in poor communities, are relief-oriented and the church, or most relief-oriented and the church, or most church-initiated projects, are doing just that.”church-initiated projects, are doing just that.”

Lack of ExampleLack of Example

Most community development is Most community development is either:either:

Loosely partnered with a churchLoosely partnered with a church Disconnected from the churchDisconnected from the church

Rey Abellera, Head of One Hope Rey Abellera, Head of One Hope MinistryMinistry

““When we talk to the students or go to When we talk to the students or go to the churches and talk about doing the churches and talk about doing community development, they want to community development, they want to see where this has been done before. see where this has been done before. I don’t have an answer for them. I don’t have an answer for them. Therefore, we have to be the Therefore, we have to be the example.”example.”

Within the Philippine Within the Philippine ContextContext

Cultural FactorsCultural FactorsHistorical FactorsHistorical Factors

Cultural Factor: “Utang na Loob”Cultural Factor: “Utang na Loob”

Community development needs to create Community development needs to create interdependency within a community. interdependency within a community.

Utang na Loob works against this. Utang na Loob works against this. It prevents growthIt prevents growth Promotes dependencyPromotes dependency Creates “Rice Christians”.Creates “Rice Christians”.

Cultural Factor: “Bahala na”Cultural Factor: “Bahala na”

““Bahala na works against Individual and social Bahala na works against Individual and social progress, … It harnesses one’s behavior to a progress, … It harnesses one’s behavior to a submissiveness that eats up one’s sense of submissiveness that eats up one’s sense of responsibility and personal independence. It responsibility and personal independence. It provides one with a false sense of self-provides one with a false sense of self-confidence to proceed with an unsound action in confidence to proceed with an unsound action in the belief that somehow one will manage to get the belief that somehow one will manage to get by.”by.”

-Tomas D. Andres (quoted by Tereso Casino) -Tomas D. Andres (quoted by Tereso Casino)

Cultural Factor: Bahala naCultural Factor: Bahala na

Has roots in Animism, Hinduism, Islam, Has roots in Animism, Hinduism, Islam, and Catholicism.and Catholicism.

Sounds Christian (“Let Thy will be done”)Sounds Christian (“Let Thy will be done”) It is It is notnot Christian to confuse impersonal Christian to confuse impersonal

fate with personal God. fate with personal God.

Historical Factor: COMDEV HistoryHistorical Factor: COMDEV History

COMDEV began in the Philippines as COMDEV began in the Philippines as government programs. (PACD)government programs. (PACD)

Foreign Governments, NGOs, and Foreign Governments, NGOs, and International Agencies became involved.International Agencies became involved.

The Evangelical Church has only gotten The Evangelical Church has only gotten involved through the parachurch. involved through the parachurch.

Historical Factor: Government Historical Factor: Government CorruptionCorruption

Filipinos believe much of their government Filipinos believe much of their government is corrupt.is corrupt.

It is not the reality of this corruption that It is not the reality of this corruption that matters so much as the perception of this matters so much as the perception of this corruption. corruption.

Churches assume that government is non-Churches assume that government is non-responsive and corrupt. Therefore, they responsive and corrupt. Therefore, they don’t work with them.don’t work with them.

Historical Factor: Private Org Track Historical Factor: Private Org Track RecordRecord

NGOs, Mission Groups, and other groups NGOs, Mission Groups, and other groups have a poor record.have a poor record.

They often act on a flawed theology and a They often act on a flawed theology and a flawed priority. flawed priority.

This track record makes governments and This track record makes governments and communities untrusting.communities untrusting.

Non-Contextual IssuesNon-Contextual Issues

MoneyMoneyUncertain role of Social Uncertain role of Social

MinistryMinistryFragmentationFragmentationLeadershipLeadership

Money: DependencyMoney: Dependency

Glenn Schwarz has pointed out that if rich Glenn Schwarz has pointed out that if rich countries simply giving money to poor countries simply giving money to poor communities worked, “then Haiti should be communities worked, “then Haiti should be a shining example of development in our a shining example of development in our world.”world.”

Dependency looks a lot like development, Dependency looks a lot like development, yet is the opposite.yet is the opposite.

Money: Economic FocusMoney: Economic Focus

Is economic development always a Is economic development always a good thing? good thing?

Can money, businesses, and Can money, businesses, and materials lead to community materials lead to community breakdown?breakdown?

Money: Scarcity of Monetary Money: Scarcity of Monetary ResourcesResources

It is more than perception… it is It is more than perception… it is real.real.

It is a worldwide problem.It is a worldwide problem. But scarcity is not always a bad But scarcity is not always a bad

thing.thing.

Uncertain Role of Social MinistriesUncertain Role of Social Ministries

Spiritualist ViewSpiritualist View ““Social Gospel”Social Gospel” Convenience ViewConvenience View Ulterior Motive ViewUlterior Motive View Wholistic ViewWholistic View

Attitudes regarding CDAttitudes regarding CD

FragmentationFragmentation

Immaturity of PartnersImmaturity of PartnersLack of Shared VisionLack of Shared VisionPowerPower

LeadershipLeadership

True Community Development means that True Community Development means that communities take over ownership. communities take over ownership.

Indigenous leaders must “catch the vision” Indigenous leaders must “catch the vision” and be trained. and be trained.

Leadership from outside of the community Leadership from outside of the community needs to develop an exit strategy.needs to develop an exit strategy.

The “datu” mindset often sabotages The “datu” mindset often sabotages innovation.innovation.

ConclusionsConclusions

Is CCD a waste of time?Is CCD a waste of time?

The church has value in community The church has value in community developmentdevelopment

Provides opportunity for contextualized Provides opportunity for contextualized spiritual message in the community, and spiritual message in the community, and catalyst for spiritual transformation.catalyst for spiritual transformation.

(Should) Provide an example of a (Should) Provide an example of a functional interdependent community.functional interdependent community.

It is incarnational. In the community.It is incarnational. In the community. Provide indigenous leadership for the Provide indigenous leadership for the

community.community.

Is Christian Community Is Christian Community Development harder here than in Development harder here than in

other countries?other countries?

Barangay SystemBarangay SystemCatholicismCatholicismPakikisama/BayanihanPakikisama/Bayanihan

Challenges to Christian Challenges to Christian Community Development Community Development (CCD) in the Philippines(CCD) in the Philippines

By Robert MunsonBy Robert Munson