Every phenomenon emerges and exists in a specific context, which may alter its perception and understanding. The mission is not an exception, as its development has been under a strong influence of the overarching historical and social processes. Tentmaking has been an integral component of the mission since the dawn of Christianity, and it remains relevant today. The 21st century has entailed a competitive atmosphere filled with pressure, which may deter some people from pursuing a more active approach to the mission. Tentmaking provides an effective solution to this issue, allowing people to make a living while working on the noble goal of the ministry of the Gospel. At the same time, a developed business can serve as a key to closed nations and communities, allowing missionaries to promote the Gospel there.
Overall, the concept of Tentmaking dates back to the early stages of the development of Christianity. According to the Biblical Ministries Worldwide, it was Saint Paul who created this notion, giving the idea to the following generations of Christians (Biblical Ministries Worldwide, n.d.). He was a prominent traveling tentmaker, and his mastery opened many doors for his mission. Apostle Paul outlined three major reasons, why he pursued Tentmaking (Biblical Ministries Worldwide, n.d.). First, it allowed him to send the message of the Gospel globally without charge. Second, Tentmaking relieved the financial burden placed upon churches. Finally, Saint Paul and other tentmakers would serve as examples for other Christians. Many missionaries have followed his guidelines across centuries, relying on Tentmaking as the primary enabler of their activities.
One of the leading advantages of Tentmaking consists of a more profound connection with the members of the chosen community. Such missions demonstrate to the local audience the practical usefulness of the Church, confirming its commitment to help and promote the development of the area. At the same time, Lai (2005) refers to his shift toward the Tentmaking model as a rather stressful experience. However, he realized that he would be able to send a more powerful message if he were within the target community (Lai, 2005). In other words, effective promotion of the Gospel requires profound immersion in the social context.
This way, it becomes possible to design the correct outreach methodology while gaining access to enclosed communities. According to Bailey (2007), a large portion of the mission’s potential audience resides in the country, in which the domination of other religions may be secured by legislation and even persecutions. Tentmaking allows missions to approach such communities and engage in a dialogue, although many people question the honesty of such a model (Bailey, 2007). Nevertheless, globalization enables a more active cultural, social, and religious exchange. For example, Dimangondayao (2004) refers to the example of Filipino migrants, who often choose to reside in other countries. Simultaneously, Christian members of their communities continue to maintain and spread the values of the Gospel in new contexts.
The promotion of the Gospel can be a challenging experience, as its effective execution often requires full immersion. Tentmaking is an approach first introduced by Apostle Paul, who used this craft to make a living and gain access to new communities during his mission. In the modern sense, Tentmaking refers to the missionaries who choose to work in the field, offering their skills to communities along with the Word of the Lord. Some of them establish businesses in the areas where the mission faces major impediments. The honesty of such methods is often questioned, although it corresponds to the greater mission of spreading the Gospel. Nevertheless, it still requires a certain degree of integrity and familiarity with the ethics of the mission.
References
Bailey, S. (2007). Is business as a mission honest? MissioNexus. Web.
Biblical Ministries Worldwide. (n.d.). Web.
Dimangondayao, L. T. (2004). All to all people: Samples of diaspora Filipinos making a kingdom impact. In L. L. Pantoja, S. J. B. Tira, & E. Wan (Eds.), Scattered: The Filipino global presence (pp. 291-311). LifeChange Publishing
Lai, P. (2005). Tentmaking: The life and work of business as missions. Authentic