Theory to Practice in Vulnerable Mission: An Academic Appraisal

Synopsis: Missionaries from the West like to hit the ground running to solve as many of other people’s problems as possible in the increasingly short term they have available for service. Hang on, says Jim Harries! After twenty-four years in Africa, observing how poverty, traditional practices, dependency, and misunderstandings continue, Harries asks, what is the point of bringing solutions that local people cannot reproduce? Harries challenges missionaries and development workers to counter dependency on the West by engaging in sustainable ministry that local people can imitate. This requires some Westerners to work on the basis of local languages and resources, a practice known as vulnerable mission. Rooted in personal experience, founded in a postmodern appreciation of language, drawing on anthropology, based in Christian theology, Harries provides a case for the necessity of vulnerable mission in the twenty-first century. Endorsements: ＂Dependency comes in many shapes and sizes. In this provocative work, Jim Harries deals with them all, . . . not only . . . issues of financial dependency but also those that come in linguistic, communicative, translational, and theological forms. Harries writes with both theological and missiological depth but also great personal wisdom . . . Theory to Practice in Vulnerable Mission is a must-read for anyone concerned with empowerment, indigeneity, dependency, and mission.＂ --Christopher Flanders Associate Professor of Missions Abilene Christian University ＂Jim Harries’s analysis of LIFE Outreach International and his prophetic warnings of Christian development work is a voice that the Majority World has been waiting for to emerge. The practical suggestions assist us to open our eyes wide so that in our praxis we do not become unwitting agents of neo-colonialism in the twenty-first century but rather more effective disciples of Christ . . . in our now globalized community.＂ --Tomás Enrique Dozier Founder and Community Director of the Association for Development through Education (ADE) Author Biography: Jim Harries (PhD, University of Birmingham) is the chairman of the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission (vulnerablemission.org). He lives in Siaya County, Kenya.

Jim Harries (b. 1964) has a PhD in theology (Birmingham, UK) and degrees in Biblical interpretation, development and agriculture. Following a call to serve God in Africa, Jim has lived in Zambia then Kenya since 1988. Jim’s ministry to indigenous churches, which includes bible teaching and relationship building, is engaged using the Luo and Swahili languages. Jim has many published articles related to his work in Africa. Jim chairs the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission.