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Ministering in Patronage Cultures: Biblical Models and Missional Implications is unavailable, but you can change that!

Patronage governs many relationships in Majority World cultures. But regrettably, Western theologians and missionaries rarely notice this prominent cultural reality. Patronage—a reciprocal relationship between social unequals—is a central part of global cultures and the biblical story of God’s mission. Misunderstanding patronage creates problems not only for Westerners ministering in other...

Corrupt patronage is problematic, but so is corrupted clientage. Sinful clients exacerbate unhealthy relationships. Clients who hope in earthly patrons commit idolatry. They trust patrons to solve all their problems. Destitute people cast responsibility upon other people as a way of escape. This may help them survive another day at the patron’s hand but leads to the mentality of a helpless victim. Such clients with an entitlement mentality can demand, complain, gossip, and betray to
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