Letters to the Editor: Responses to The Role of Luck

Vol. 8, No. 2, Spring 2000, Covering the Former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe

Letters to the Editor: Responses to "The Role of Luck"

I think your editorial article in the East-West Church & Ministry Report (Sharyl Corrado, "The Role of Luck," 8 (Winter 2000): 14, 16) is very good. There are really so many missionaries who refuse to get into the culture through a serious study of the language. This might be true generally, but it is definitely true in the case of Russia and Central and Eastern Europe. Modernistic over-emphasis on efficiency, strategic planning, and the illusive ability of showing statistical results is often extremely counter-productive. This might be one of the main reasons for Russian suspicion of Western missionaries.

Juraj Kusnierik
SEN (formerly Central European Fellowship)
Bratislava, Slovakia

I just wanted to say thanks for your article. I have not made language learning the priority it needs to be. The last few months I have studied harder than ever before and, thanks be to God, I have seen progress. But I am realizing more and more that, without language, I'll never be able to do true discipleship and leadership development with a Russian student, no matter how good his English is. Your article was a good kick in the pants.

Brad Wathen
Moscow, Russia

Thank you for adding this voice to the world of Evangelicals interested in Russia. I long for the day when Western missionaries understand that a few hours spent with a student in a Russian dormitory talking about why I believe what I believe, or why Russia captivates me, can be immensely more productive than translated mass evangelism.

Jason Ferenczi
Overseas Council International

Nice going! Good article! Well said! My sentiments exactly! About time somebody said something!

Mary Raber
Mennonite Central Committee
Zaporizhzhe, Ukraine

I found your editorial on being "lucky" to know Russian encouraging. I often think people don't think substantial--even if limited--knowledge of the language is important. Thanks for your part in putting out such a good report.

Steve Hoffman
Professor of Political Science
Taylor University

"Letters to the Editor: Responses to 'The Role of Luck'," East-West Church & Ministry Report 8 (Spring 2000), 14.

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