Any missiologist worth his or her salt is a student of both God’s Word and God’s world. He keeps his ear to the rail and sometimes hears rumblings others will not hear for years to come (e.g., the recent NPR story noting the value of using “Majority World,” a label used by missiologists for years).
I remember hearing an emotional presentation from a reputable theologian about problems within my denomination. As I listened, I quickly realized missiologists had been addressing those concerns for about a decade. Few paid attention to them.
He, however, spoke as if his address was striking something new. People listened.
I asked the missiologist sitting next to me, “We have been talking about these matters for a decade; how they are just now getting his attention?” My older and wiser friend smiled.
Missiologists do not have all the answers and are unable to predict the future (beyond biblical revelation). They are not superheros. However, by studying Scripture, missions, global realities, and church history, they often hear, smell, and see things others do not.
If you are a missiologist, then keep up the good work for the sanctification of the saints and salvation of the lost. Do it if only a few people are listening to you.
If you do not know any missiologists, then find some.
If you know some, then listen to them. Discern what they say (1 John 4:1). They are often your canaries in the mine.
TRUTH!
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