Scattering Seeds: A Glimpse into Our Past, Present, and Future
Scatter is evolving. We are leaning into the changes in our world, challenging existing assumptions, and holding fast to our deeply held convictions. Whether you've been with us for years or are brand new to this collective, we believe it's time to share Scatter's journey. We invite you to join us in reflecting on where we've been, where we're going, and the key motivations behind Scatter's existence.
The Journey
I will never forget the day and the conversation that marked the beginning of my journey with Scatter. I was sitting in my office on the upper floor of the US headquarters of the Missions agency I was leading, chatting with a senior leader in our organization. He had spent most of his adult life in the Arabian Peninsula. His statement that day changed everything for me; it revealed my lack of understanding of God's mission in the world and the framework we had created to fulfill that understanding.
In addressing some of the changes we needed to consider regarding how we engaged from the West, he remarked,
“The Filipina maids have done more for the spread of the Gospel in the Arabian Peninsula than all the traditional missionaries combined. ”
As the words settled in, I felt frustration and curiosity rising inside me. This fascinating and potent mixture of emotions continues to fuel our journey at Scatter.
I was frustrated by how I had overlooked something so significant. God was using a group of people that did not fit my image of a "missionary"—people who lacked special training or a specific calling, weren't raising support, and weren't part of a mission agency. They didn't fit in the journey I had known and had devoted much of my life trying to replicate. God was dismantling my assumptions right before my eyes. My curiosity grew about what else I might be mistaken about.
Reflecting on this experience, I realized that I had no idea of the journey that lay ahead of me. And maybe that was a good thing. As I continued my journey, challenging more of my assumptions, I recognized three fundamental paradigms at work in the world that needed to shift.
Paradigm Shift #1 : The Bigger WHO
The first significant shift in perspective was moving from a diminished view of WHO God wanted to use in His Kingdom work to a much BIGGER WHO. We needed to shift from merely seeing only a few "specially called" missionaries or pastors as God's instruments in the world to recognizing that every follower plays a crucial role in God's plan. In fact, in Genesis 1, we see God's original intent was for every human to image Him in the world. This mandate established our identity as His children and defined our purpose as representatives of Him on the earth. Although Satan attempted to corrupt the image of God in humanity, Jesus came to restore it to its original intent. We now have the opportunity to live in that restoration. In Christ, our identity and purpose have been reinstated. Every Jesus-follower has a role as a Kingdom representative through how we live and work. Consequently, we began sharing this message through my book, Scatter, as a primary channel.
Weeks after the publication of Scatter, a second conversation took place, pushing us even further. This time, it was a phone call from a businessman in Australia. He had read Scatter and expressed how deeply it resonated with him. However, that was not the main reason for his call. His primary message struck me deeply, and it accelerated our pursuit of an idea we had been considering—starting a recruiting company. He stated,
“You are an irresponsible leader to write a book like this, knowing that the agency you lead is not built to facilitate what you are calling people to.”
Not long after that conversation, we launched a for-profit recruiting firm focused on placing qualified individuals in jobs in regions of the world where Jesus is less known. Shortly into this venture, we successfully placed more Jesus-followers in those regions than in the previous five years through the traditional pathways of the missions agency I led.
Since then, Scatter has aimed to connect our thoughts to actions. We strive to build pathways and tools that allow us to live out our convictions. We don't expose gaps; we step into them to reduce or fill them. Our emphasis isn't on what's not working, but on creating what we believe can succeed.
Upon reflection, this first paradigm shift proved to be the easiest to implement. I found undeniable evidence that God wanted and had intended to include a much bigger WHO in His plans. As I explored this idea, I became aware of many more stories than that of the maids. More importantly, as I studied the Word, I began to see this concept clearly reflected in the pages of Scripture. Today, I encounter more and more people, churches, and mission agencies discussing the idea of a bigger WHO.
Paradigm Shift #2 : The Greater WHAT
The second significant paradigm shift occurred not long after. Honestly, it took us a few years to grasp the magnitude of the GREATER WHAT. Equally important as the bigger WHO, this shift has proven to be much more difficult to navigate, as it challenges some deeply held assumptions and beliefs. The complexities of the sacred-secular divide and a modern version of what some of my friends call “the skinny Gospel” are tightly intertwined.
I once heard a leader say of a business man in his region,
“They don’t have time to do ministry!”
In this context, ministry was defined and limited to a specific program or project—essentially a scheduled time during the week when someone would participate in a planned activity or event deemed as “ministry”.
However, the person he was referencing showed up to work daily, building relationships with local staff and engaging with those who interacted with his company. His spouse was forming deep relationships with their neighbors and acquaintances. Their kids were playing sports with their school friends over the weekend. Their family's lives were becoming intertwined in natural and authentic ways, unscripted and unprogrammed, as they navigated daily life in the community. How they conducted their work, treated others, reacted, interacted, cared for people, and showed love was evident to everyone around them. Curiosity was growing, and people began asking questions about the “why” behind this way of living. Jesus was being seen, felt, and heard through their actions.
Yet, somehow, this was not recognized as “ministry” or showing up and sharing the gospel.
This way of thinking is not new; it is part of the enemy's strategy to prevent us from living a fully integrated life. We have accepted the misconception that some aspects of life are sacred while most are secular. As a result, significant aspects of our lives are excused or excluded from God's mission in the world. We relegate our efforts for God to programs and projects. Discipleship is often reduced to an hour of Bible study on a Wednesday night, rather than being an invitation to live and discuss life together at work, at home, and at play.
For this leader, and many others like him, their work was merely a means to obtain a visa or create a platform to do the more important “work” they would call “ministry.”
We needed a new perspective—the greater WHAT—one in which all aspects of life were oriented around participating with God in His mission. Our work should reflect His goodness and contribute to the shalom He intended for the world. This perspective is not a “new strategy”; it reflects what our creator intended for us as His image bearers in the world.
The need for a greater WHAT became evident as we spoke with leaders from various countries, including those in Africa and India. These regions are often ravaged by poverty, corruption, disease, and the exploitation of women and children. From these leaders, the term "skinny Gospel" was introduced—a Gospel that primarily focuses on an individual's decision that affects what happens after death.
These leaders recognized that the Gospel of the Kingdom, as proclaimed and demonstrated by Jesus, addresses this life AND the afterlife. The greater WHAT represents good news for those experiencing poverty and oppression. It emphasizes the importance of justice and poverty alleviation, calling us to act as agents of hope in this life, not merely in the next. The goal is to see shalom emerge, characterized by order, beauty, peace, justice, and righteousness. These are the hallmarks of God's Kingdom here on earth, just as they are in heaven.
Paradigm Shift #3 : A Different HOW
As I explored my own needs and the needs of our sector to grasp the broader scope of God's Kingdom work in the world, another gap became increasingly evident. Through deepening relationships with local leaders from Africa and Asia, I began to hear a troubling yet common message. In a single ten-day period in 2023, four national-level leaders expressed the same sentiment to me on four separate occasions. This message was directed at the Western church and mission agencies, highlighting our insistence on continuing to engage with their nations in the same ways we have for decades. We have approached them as saviors rather than servants, with a paternalistic mindset rather than fostering true partnerships. We have focused on solving problems through charity without considering investments in sustainable solutions.
In summary, the message was as follows.
"We used to say, ‘Please come, but please show up differently.’ Now, we say, ‘You are not welcome until you can show up differently.’”
I had noticed the growing frustration of various leaders from the majority world, but few had been willing to express it so explicitly. Clearly, something has changed, and I celebrated the courage these leaders exhibited.
I would like to clarify something before delving deeper into this concept of “A Different HOW”. These leaders expressed deep gratitude for the sacrifices and commitments the West has made over the past 250 years in ensuring they received the Gospel. This sentiment was clear. The focus now is on recognizing a new day and a new understanding. It involves being honest about some of the Western paradigms that do not fit their local context. There is a pressing need for these local leaders to take the lead and for their local visions to be prioritized.
Scatter aims to help the West engage in a different way. We often say we want to "show up well in the world and help others do the same," but what does it truly mean to show up well?
- Leadership
For too long, Christians have approached the world as saviors instead of servants. We have believed that we must lead and maintain leadership for decades rather than recognizing the local men and women whom God has already raised. What if we focused on amplifying the voices of these local leaders and joined them in their vision to bring God's Kingdom into their communities?
- Roles
Recognizing that leadership must be centered locally shapes our roles as Westerners moving forward. A local leader from the largest network of churches in his country responded to my question about how the role of the West should change by saying,
“Stop sending us Church planters and evangelists, we can do that ourselves… and better because we know the language and culture. Send entrepreneurs to start businesses and employ our church members, or come teach us how to start our own businesses.”
The key lies in listening to local leaders and understanding how they perceive the presence of outsiders.
- Funding
During a wonderful dinner with two local leaders in a Central Asian country, we discussed the need for the West to show up differently. Without pause, they said,
“Stop sending money for local Pastors. You are killing our efforts. Local Imams use the funding from the West to make a case that Christianity is a Western religion.”
They explained that these pastors lacked credibility in their communities while those working everyday jobs were making a significant impact.
A great example of showing up differently is a couple involved in healthcare who managed a local center. They provided pro bono weekend clinics in poorer rural areas and generally sought to do good in that community. Together, they have witnessed dozens of people come to faith, resulting in the formation of local communities of believers. They were workers who contributed to the community's well-being.
Our financial contributions are shaping communities, for better or for worse. Therefore, how we engage with our money is crucial.
A recurring theme emerges in discussions with African leaders: A need to shift from a charity-first mindset to an investment approach. While they appreciate the generosity shown through aid, they emphasize that it has resulted in significant dependency and poverty in many parts of the continent. Remarkably, God has raised outstanding leaders across various sectors, eager and prepared to receive investments to accelerate their vision for holistic flourishing.
How Scatter Is Responding
I've highlighted some powerful statements from local leaders worldwide in this article, showing how our response to these words matters. This reality is the heart behind our changes at Scatter over the last few years.
At Scatter, we center the voice and vision of local leaders globally, driven by the belief that God is already at work everywhere. We don't bring God; we reveal more of him. By adopting a listening posture, we journey with local leaders to understand the skills, strengths, and resources present in their communities, striving to form redemptive partnerships that address the existing gaps. We believe that God is raising leaders in communities worldwide, and we are committed to partnering with them to help realize their vision for Kingdom transformation.
To achieve this and show up well, we must cultivate a people longing to engage with the world in innovative and meaningful ways. We feel a great responsibility to awaken Jesus-followers to a new way of living and being in the world, correcting our distorted views and addressing the key assumptions of our time.
Our goal is to serve as the connective tissue between these cultivated Jesus-followers and local leaders worldwide. We broker globally connected resources and relationships to support local expressions of God's goodness, acting as servants rather than saviors. All for the peace and prosperity of the community. (Jeremiah 29:7)
Shifting paradigms is not easy, quick, or simple. However, as this article has demonstrated, it is IMPORTANT. At Scatter, we are committed to the long haul. We are dedicated to slowing down, decentering ourselves, and pursuing global good together.
Thank you for embarking on this journey with us. This is just the beginning.
More to come,
Andrew Scott
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