Almost sixty years ago, the Mennonite missionary team working in the Argentine Chaco decided to look for ways to be effective in their ministry while being faithful to Jesus’ lifestyle and teaching. They left behind paternalistic models and “conquering” methods and were liberated from the mindset of forming a denominational church. As a result, they found an alternative missionary style of walking alongside those they worked with, giving priority to the integrity of the local people. ”Mission Without Conquest” is a historical narrative of how the Toba Qom people of the Argentine Chaco followed Jesus’ way from the time of their conversion until the formation of an autochthonous church. This book embodies a new way to approach the church’s missionary task – a way that makes the mission of Jesus Christ the paradigm for Christian mission until his return.
WILLIS (1939-2013) and BYRDALENE HORST served with Mennonite Mission Network from 1971 to 2010, accompanying indigenous churches in the Argentine Chaco. Willis developed the Bible Circle, in which participants explore their spirituality and the values of Jesus within their own culture. Willis cared passionately for creation, and distributed hundreds of tree saplings among congregations they visited. They retired to the USA and their four children and seven grandchildren live in Argentina and the USA.
UTE and FRANK PAUL lived with their children in Buenos Aires and in Resistencia, Chaco from 1990 to 2007. They were part of the Mennonite team, collaborating in the accompaniment of the Toba Qom churches with visits, Bible circles, exegetical counseling in the Bible translation project and bilingual teachers’ training. Frank, a theologian and Ute, a teacher have three adult children and are members of the ecumenical Reichelsheim Fellowship Community (ojc.de) in Germany. Deeply enriched by implementing vulnerable mission in ministry, they advocate this approach to worldwide mission at conferences, seminars and in speeches (vulnerablemission.org).
UTE and FRANK PAUL lived with their children in Buenos Aires and in Resistencia, Chaco from 1990 to 2007. They were part of the Mennonite team, collaborating in the accompaniment of the Toba Qom churches with visits, Bible circles, exegetical counseling in the Bible translation project and bilingual teachers’ training. Frank, a theologian and Ute, a teacher have three adult children and are members of the ecumenical Reichelsheim Fellowship Community (ojc.de) in Germany. Deeply enriched by implementing vulnerable mission in ministry, they advocate this approach to worldwide mission at conferences, seminars and in speeches (vulnerablemission.org).
Endorsements
From a biblical perspective, every disciple of Jesus Christ is called to participate in the mission of God in the world. One of the values of Mission Without Conquest is that it offers an excellent illustration of how to carry out this task.
C. René Padilla President Emeritus of the Kairos Foundation, Argentina
Table of Contents
Foreword
Prologue
Introduction with Ackowledgements
Willis Horst
Maps
Part 1
1 Religious Self-determination and the Autochthonous Church
Toward a Theology of Self-determination in the Growth of the Church
Willis Horst
2 Toba Qom Spirituality
The Remarkable Faith Journey of an Indigenous People in the Argentine Chaco
Willis Horst
3 Serving as Guest-Missionaries in the Argentine Chaco
Stories of Accompaniment
Ute and Frank Paul
Part 2
4 Mission to the Indigenous Communities
Albert and Lois Buckwalter
5 The Inculturation of the Gospel
Albert and Lois Buckwalter
6 Why We Didn’t Plant a "Mennonite" Church in Argentina
How God Changed our Minds
Albert and Lois Buckwalter
7 Important Considerations for Preaching the Gospel to the Toba Indians
Albert Buckwalter
8 “Why Do Doqshi Always Tell Lies?”
Elmer S. Miller
9 Perspectives on Accompaniment Style Mission: Responding to Queries
Keith Kingsley
10 The Bible Circle
Community Bible Study in the Indigenous Setting
Willis Horst and Frank Paul
11 The Mystique of the Earth
Mocoví Movement (Movimiento Moqoit), Chaco
Juan Carlos Martínez
12 Holistic Mission – Toba Qom Style
Willis Horst
Appendices
1. Chronology of the Evangelization of the Toba Qom
2. Visits to Indigenous Communities
3. Comparative List of Cultural Traits
4. Graphic of Chaco Mennonite Mission Transition
Bibliographies
Notes on Contributors
Fraternal Workers on the Mennonite Team (2008)
Scenes from the Life and Context of the Mennonite Team Accompaniment Ministries
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