Mongolia (MNN) — Mongolia’s Church is younger than most. Many pastors have only been ministering for just over 20 years, but they’re already facing challenges on a national scale.
“In our country, materialism is kicking in so people are more interested [in] having status in society. They want to have all the privileges that mainstream people would like to have,” says Chinzorig Jigjidsuren, the National Director for Asian Access in Mongolia. He’s worried that more interest in earthly treasures means less interest in spiritual ones, and he wants Mongolia’s pastors to unite to reignite hunger for the Gospel.
Chinzorig Jigjidsuren (Photo courtesy of Asian Access)
Because so many pastors are young and spread out, it’s easy for believers to feel alone or abandoned. ”The DNA of Asian Access keeps that from happening,” Jigjidsuren says. “A lot of lonely pastors would be burdened with all of their personal and ministry issues, but they have a community where they can openly share their struggles.”
But that doesn’t mean Mongolia’s Christian leaders don’t face challenges. “Sometimes you depend on people, you open your heart and invest into people, and you do not see the fruit you were envisioning,” Jigjidsuren says. “There can be a lot of disappointment when you don’t see what we would call ‘success’.”
That’s why it’s important to remember that “God has a different definition of success. If we are in the right place doing the right thing with the right character in a right relationship with God, that’s what matters.”
Jigjidsuren says it will take more than just the national union of the Mongolian Church to change hearts and souls for Christ; it will take the global Church. “The West has great traditions and great churches, but I think it’s time to redefine the way we’re preaching the Gospel, redefine discipleship, redefine the concept and definition of church and really be relevant to the time we’re facing now.
(Photo courtesy of Asian Access)
“This is a different time than it was hundreds of years ago. The same tactics don’t work the same ways” Jigjidsuren says. He’s hoping for a more international partnership with the Mongolian Church in a two-way relationship of giving and receiving from both sides.
“My passion is to see the global Church becoming fuller and accepting each other. All the nations on all the continents have something to offer, something on the table.” Find out what you can offer right here.
Redefine the Gospel? Really? The Gospel is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. Methods and approaches to preaching and evangelism may and at times should change. But the Gospel? No!
The false gospel of health and wealth is the most common gospel that is preached here. Of course people go to the Shaman or the Buddhist Lama for the same reasons as they go to the Christian churches. When Jesus fails them they just start coming less and then stop coming. I couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by, “all nations have some thing to offer,” and ” he’s hoping for a more international partnership with the Mongolian church”? There is a great tradition of Mongolian church leaders and evangelical fellowship leaders lining their pockets with foreign money. Get yourself into position to control that pipeline of money and you’ve got it made.