Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 1
Merle describes early conservative Mennonite missions as sending workers out with “very little preparation and very little direction” and basically saying, “go try and do good stuff”; what does that reveal about what they assumed God would do for them in the gaps, and how do you discern when that kind of “faith” is actually presumption?
Another way to ask: What does sending missionaries with little training or guidance say about what they expected God to do for them? How can you tell when that kind of “faith” is really just taking chances and calling it faith?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Based on the speaker’s teaching, it reveals an assumption that “it will work out” even without planning, training, or clear objectives—almost expecting God to cover preventable gaps. The transcript doesn’t give a neat test for faith vs. presumption, but it implies that when we neglect wise preparation and then “fumble” through basics, we are being careless rather than faithful.
- He says workers were sent with “very little preparation and very little direction,” basically, “go try and do good stuff.”
- He connects the problems to missing foundations: “we’ve floundered… because we don’t have clear-cut objectives” and “often people aren’t given training.”
- He describes the result as repeated scrambling: “you kind of fumble your way through language learning… now you have to do evangelism, and how do you explain the gospel?”
- The interviewer summarizes the mindset as “going into it thinking everything will work out,” and Merle agrees that better preparation could “alleviate” vulnerabilities.
- Merle concludes, “we need to do a better job of preparing people to go,” including skills and “theological training.”