DeBorst urged American Christians to admit their churches have sometimes been wrong in treating immigration as a political issue, rather than showing mercy toward migrant peoples in need.

Christians eager to make disciples and witness to the love of Christ had better be ready to apologize for the church’s sins. Otherwise, they won’t get a hearing from a skeptical and wary world.

That message came through clearly this month (Nov. 4-7) as mission-minded Christians, students and scholars gathered in Boston for the centennial anniversary of the 1910 World Missionary Conference. The 2010 Boston conference, which drew attendees from as far away as Australia, was the fourth international gathering to mark the historic anniversary and to chart a course for missions in the century ahead.

An estimated 300 attendees heard speaker after speaker tell how mission workers of all stripes need to rise to meet this century’s emerging challenges. They’re expected to witness to truth while respecting other religions, which can mean walking a delicate and volatile line. They’re called to speak and act with moral authority, yet they bear the taint of one church scandal after scandal, which have bred deep suspicion of churches and Christians.

How then might mission-focused Christians be effective in the coming century? By taking the costly road of discipleship, participants said during sessions at Boston College, and by humbly confessing how the church has sinned and needs forgiveness.

“The greatest stumbling block to God’s work in God’s world … is the unfaithfulness of the church,” said Ruth Padilla DeBorst, general secretary of the Latin American Theological Fellowship in San Jose, Costa Rica

Read More: http://www.layman.org/News.aspx?article=27783

[Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced in this article is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]