Building a Kingdom

There is a critique of missions that says that missions is simply flowing from colonization efforts. Those viewing missions from a secular standpoint draw attention to the early missionary efforts that seemed to be closely linked to the colonization movements of countries such as Europe, France and Spain. Though it may seem as though today we are too far separated from time of colonization to associate missionary endeavors with colonization, this stereotype stands, and is one with which missionaries must wrestle. Today we must analyze missionary work and ask ourselves, does this appear to be linked with colonization? This is a hard question to answer. However, while reading the January 1954 edition of The Other Sheep, I believe I discovered my answer.
In this edition there is an article entitled, "A Bible Training School in the Mountains." This article read much differently than most. The majority of it was regarding the area in which the Bible school was built. The writer opened by saying that finding a good location for a Bible school is key. I thought this statement would lead to a discussion of how it is important to place a Bible school where many people would be able to access it. Instead I found myself reading detailed descriptions of the natural resources found on this mountain in Trinidad. It read very much like a colonization report. There was plenty of fruit for them to grow, so much so that they were able to sell it and make a profit. As I read this, I began to grow disheartened, realizing why many may believe missionary efforts to simply be colonization in disguise. However, the article quickly shifted in tone and topic, revealing that though it may at first glance appear that missions and colonization are synonymous, when one takes a closer look it becomes clear that that is not at all the case. Though the missionary was excited about the resources they had, he was even more enthusiastic about the amount of converts they were winning and the impact the Bible school was having on the community. This was there motivation for being there. They were there to bring people to the Lord, not take advantage of their resources.
I found it interesting how the writer chose to end this article. He did so by saying that they were "busy building the Kingdom of God." These missionaries have no desire to expand the kingdoms of any earthly king, they are there to expand the Kingdom of God.