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8 INTRODUCTION

of the history of the church in an article by Robert Delgadillo,WCIUs Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Overcoming Evil

The second set of articles looks more closely at the evil andsuffering in this world and the implications for faith-basedinternational development. Due to the activity of the evil one inthis world, Gods purposes for humankind and creation havebeen drastically distorted. A short compilation of statements by

WCIU Founder Ralph Winter, about the purposes of theRoberta Winter Institute, is the basis for a critique by WCIUstudent, Willem Zuidema. Although Zuidema agrees thatbelievers are called to combat and correct evils in this world, he isnot optimistic that this will lead to widespread transformation ofsocieties. While Zuidema sees the fall of humans as the origin ofevil in this world, Winters autobiographical article, The

Embarrassingly Delayed Education of Ralph D. Winter,outlines the stages in the development of his unique view of theevil one as the root cause of human suffering and societaldysfunction.

The Difference Made by WorldviewOne of Winters most controversial ideas is hard to

accept because of the worldview inherited by western Christianty

from the Enlightenment philosphers, as David Taylor explains inhis article about angelic corruption.

With the reality in mind that people throughout historyand around the world are entangled in a web of evil, holdingthem back from developing into the person or society that Godintends them to be, the next two articles look at the difference itcan make to follow a worldview that is informed by biblicaltruths. Doctoral student, Chris Ampadu of Ghana, discusses the

negative effect of the worldview of African Traditional Religionson the development of West African societies. His thesis is thatthis animistic worldview causes Africans to live in the past in


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which all natural events have already been ordered by the spirits,gods, and ancestors. As a result of this worldview, he concludes,Africans typically anticipate that grants and aid from the advancedcountries are the only hope for our survival. When a societys

worldview inhibits it from achieving its God-given potential, there isa need for transformation in the way a people looks at reality. The

positive side of the importance of worldview in internationaldevelopment is emphasized in the article by Bruce Graham, WCIUadjunct faculty member. Graham describes how worldview can be

transformed through the biblical story.

Intentional Kingdom Breakthroughs

When the worldview of a person or society is in the process ofbeing changed, what does Kingdom mission look like? How doesKingdom work relate to international development? Grahamcommented in an email conversation with the editor and others

in August, 2008, Weve got to nurture a new generation ofworkers to engage in long term effective cross-cultural efforts topioneer Kingdom mission efforts in the global south. (Theglobal south is paradoxically both where the largest number ofbelievers and potential Kingdom workers are found, and also

where the largest number of unreached peoples are found.)Graham went on to say, Groups that are sealed off because ofculture and language, often in realms of very blatant darkness,

because of lack of knowledge and light, need extra effort frompeople outside breaking in with light. That task does notnaturally happen. It requires intentional [organized] effort.

What are some of the skills associated with pioneeringbreakthrough in various realms of darkness? In the fourth set ofarticles, the authors present a sample of practical ways in whichcommitted Kingdom workers can share biblical worldview and

Kingdom principles that will lead to transformation of peopleand societies. One means of getting organized for sharingkingdom principles is through the biblical model of housechurches, discussed by Don Moon, WCIU doctoral student.


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Dave Williams (a pen name), WCIU alumnus, challenges thosewho wish to be involved in Kingdom mission to allow sendingorganizations to help them find the place where they can bestserve with others to advance the Kingdom. His point is that it isunlikely that an inexperienced new cross-cultural worker willknow better than an experienced sending agency where they canhave the most impact in seeing a society transformed. As FredLewis, WCIUs Vice President for Academic Affairs, said in theemail discussion mentioned above, working towards clean water

or more widespread literacy, or evangelism are all good things inthemselves individually. But I think God instead has in mind acomprehensive agenda for an entire society. The foundationalelement in the transformation of a society is whether or not thatsociety is actually following the true God.

What Is the Goal? Two Views

In the last two articles, the authors attempt to define the goal ofinternational development. A controversial article from JimHarries, WCIU adjunct faculty member, calls on the body ofChrist to consider that the goal of international developmentfrom a biblical perspective is the knowledge of and relationship

with God. In that case, he suggests, perhaps money, the use ofEnglish language in non-western education, and westerndevelopment activities are not necessary and may even be

harmful. Before his death, Ralph Winter, then WCIUChancellor, commented on this article, to get people to knowGod is an ambiguous goal. It should not just mean that poor

people at least go to bed knowing that God loves them. The Bibleclearly means that we know God well enough to work on Hisside and to prepare ourselves to fight effectively against the evilsof the world and all the things that tear down His gloryand

that you can't do by staying in your present fix. Fred Lewisemail comments are also relevant: I think there is a realdifference between knowledge of God and the living out of thatknowledge. It is not the case that simply acknowledging the true


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God as God naturally leads to societal-wide change. There is away to live as a society that must be worked out and followed,using biblical principles. Those biblical principles are not limitedto what Americans call moral issues. I think that a better way totalk about values is to use the concepts of righteousness, justiceand peace. Those biblical principles should be used todeliberately reshape a society's core values and cultural sub-systems so that the whole society in all its parts pleases God.

In the final article, the editor of this volume proposes

that the goal of international development, and of the Kingdomof God, isshalomright relationships with God, with otherhumans, and with Gods creation. According to the biblicalstory, all of these relationships have been corrupted by hideousintentional evil. That means that every believer has a job to do torestore some part of Gods creation to Gods original design forthe world and its inhabitants. Howard Snyder affirms this

perspective in his book,Liberating the Church: The Ecology ofChurch and Kingdom: Gods economy is his plan to bring

justice, harmony and heathhis perfectshalomto his creation.This he accomplishes through Jesus Christ and the church charged with showing forth and helping to bring about Gods

peace in the created world order. (1996, 60)How can every believing Christian be transformed into

a committed Kingdom worker? David Bosch wrote in his book,

Transforming Mission:

Those who know that God will one day wipe away all tearswill not accept with resignation the tears of those who sufferand are oppressed now. Anyone who knows that one day therewill be no more disease can and must actively anticipate theconquest of disease in individuals and societynow. Andanyone who believes that the enemy of God and humans willbe vanquished will already oppose him now in hismachinations in family and society. (1991, 400)

Ralph Winter often spoke of the importance of everybeliever needing to know they have a job to do, a war to fight,


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against the evil ones aggressive attempts to promote the oppositeof Gods will. Our mission is to defeat evil and restore Godsglory. The business of life is to participate meaningfully in thismission and to pray by our actions, Your Kingdom come, Your

will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).Hopefully, this collection of articles will inspire some

serious thinking about specific ways in which individuals canorganize themselves to join the Son of God in his mission todestroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), in this way

demonstrating Gods original intentions for the earth: rightrelationships with God, among humans, and with creation.

The views expressed by the writers contributing to this volume areuniquely theirs, offered here as an opportunity for ongoing dialog

and learning.

ReferencesBosch, David J. 1991. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in

Theology of Mission. Maryknoll: Orbis.

Snyder, Howard A. 1996. Liberating the Church: The Ecology ofChurch and Kingdom. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.

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