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Planting Foreign Churches (That Look Just Like Ones in the U.S.A.)

If your ideal of missions is planting a church in the Philippines that looks and sounds like it belongs in Pennsylvania…you might be a fundamentalist


Posted by Darrell

17 comments...What do you think?

  1. Posted by Lizzy F. 1st October, 2009 at 8:24 pm

    My pastor has the exact same habit of standing with one hand in his pocket while the other arm is extendend doing something else. (Observe the gentleman on the way right.)

    It’s not the way they dress and they way they’ve decorated their church that creep me out, it’s all the little mannerisms that are exactly the same.

  2. Posted by Dan 1st October, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Unfortunately, this one isn’t just relegated to the Fundies…I think this has been rampant in Japan too and by many Christian groups. Translate the hymns into Japanese and run with it! So frustrating!

  3. Posted by Dave 1st October, 2009 at 8:44 pm

    No matter what else. The singing was good. It just reminded me of the old evangelical c hurch I used to attend.

  4. Posted by Darrell 1st October, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    I must confess I love that music too, Dave.

  5. Posted by Bill 2nd October, 2009 at 7:19 am

    The first one was pretty good but I couldn’t make it through the quartet. It reminded me too much of Bojo.

    This concept fundies have of converting different cultures into replicas of early 1900 America baffles me. it’s no wonder most fundy churches have very few young people.

  6. Posted by RJW 2nd October, 2009 at 7:21 am

    But, didn’t you know, we’re all supposed to look like replicas of the Cleaver family ;) . . .

  7. Posted by Bo P 2nd October, 2009 at 8:33 am

    please tell me these folks at least speak english and are not just parroting

  8. Posted by Darrell 2nd October, 2009 at 8:39 am

    English is widely spoken in the Philippines.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_English

  9. Posted by Rachel 2nd October, 2009 at 9:20 am

    I just feel sad when I see these videos. A missed chance to make Christianity relevant in that culture, instead of a mirror of American fundie churches.

  10. Posted by Brendt Waters 2nd October, 2009 at 10:55 am

    But, but, but …. isn’t that really what they’re being saved from — not being Americans? The only reason Jesus wasn’t from Texas was because they hadn’t invented it yet. Right?

  11. Posted by Daniel 4th October, 2009 at 1:11 am

    Somehow Christian songs sung by foreign nationals give the feeling of freshness as from a unique perspective. Or maybe that’s just in my head. It’s probably just my American side being in awe at life outside of the U.S.

  12. Posted by Nathan 4th October, 2009 at 9:58 pm

    Shoulda seen the churches the good ol’ Fundevangelist Missionary had on his video today! (Yes, I’m still stuck in an IFB church…) About 5 of the 7 churches had names like you’d see in the States. Such as “Cornerstone Baptist Church” and “Grace Baptist Church.” Talk about uniqueness in the country of Zambia…

  13. Posted by jw 5th October, 2009 at 5:59 pm

    I’m just offended that the quartet is not wearing suit coats!!! Don’t all fundys know that a song cannot, should not, be sung on stage without wearing the proper attire? The Spirit will not move if the clothing is not right.

  14. Posted by Kass 5th October, 2009 at 6:14 pm

    This isn’t a REAL fundie church! They have a powerpoint projector!

  15. Posted by Stephie 8th October, 2009 at 8:39 am

    Lots of fundamental Baptist churches use Power Point. Mine does sometimes.

  16. Posted by Mark 21st October, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    This kind of American missions is completely foreign to the Scriptures. I get so tired of seeing American missionaries going overseas and demanding things look just like they did in America with NO consideration for local culture and customs. Things like: requiring the pastors of tribal churches to wear suits and ties, certain dress standards for members, translation of Arminian songs into local vernacular, etc, etc, etc.

    The worst part is that the locals often see through the duplicity but refuse to do or say anything because they know the American missionary may just pull his money and go somewhere else and help others. And sadly, it does happen! Then the missionary sends a letter back to the States telling his supporters how persecuted he is for the cause of Christ! Colonialism is alive and well in the modern American fundamentalist missionary movement which would prove revolting to their hero – Adoniram Judson and William Carey!

  17. Posted by anonymous 25th October, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    the only thing is – based on the Philippinos I once knew (when they were here in the states for extra training for their jobs back home) – I think there’s been such a culture of this for so long there, that this is now what they think church is – as in that when they plant their own churches there – they will look suspiciously like this.

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