Meeting Of The Waters [Paperback] [Jan 01, 2009] Kling Fritz

by Kling Fritz

A young Christian from Ireland moves to India?not to evangelize but to help girls escape prostitution. A retiring missionary in Brazil who long ago left all remnants of home encounters a thirty-year-old, laptop-carrying family man who rarely stops texting friends in the States. A Kenyan pastor struggles to connect with a congregation that watches a mega church pastor on the Internet every Sunday morning. The community of Christians around the world?also known as the Global Church?is stunning in its scope and spiritual impact. But what is happening to the Church as technology, generational transitions, and cultural shifts make their mark? In The Meeting of the Waters, Fritz Kling identifies seven trends?such as migration, machines, and the growing Mercy Generation?having an impact on today's Global Church. Equal parts travelogue, character study, and global documentary, this breakthrough bookis for anyone eager to make a difference in a changing world. object width="640" height="360"param name="movie" value=""/paramparam name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/paramparam name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/paramembed src="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"/embed/object

Genres: Christian, Spirituality, Religion, Ebooks, Nonfiction, Church, Amazon

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read, very easy and relatable, not stuffy and inaccessible. Which makes sense for a book that came out of a multi-year listening tour around the world to get insights into the various streams and currents that are flowing.

The 7 currents the author talks about are:
Mercy
Mutuality
Migration
Monoculture
Machines
Mediation
Memory

I think Kling generally does a good job of painting the picture of each current and describing how they are already intermingling.
I also appreciated that he spotlights a few organizations/groups at the end of each chapter, for diving deeper or getting more actively involved.

In his conclusion Fritz reminds us that it's important to be grateful for the generations that went before and did their part, whilst also having an appreciation for how the world is changing and new generations need to adapt to new ways.

[Daniel Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting looking into 7 global currents that will propel the future church. The authors shares a unique, well-traveled perspective of how different generations affect the global church. I didn’t glean as much from this book, but I believe it may be due to the fact that my father and grandparents were pioneer missionaries to South Korea themselves, and many things that were presented in this book have been lifelong conversations in my home

[Tommy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ for the Church. What the author noted as trends 10 + years ago have become fact. Adapt or become irrelevant.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Meeting of the Waters is a book packed with challenges and ideas for evangelizing through the global Church. Fritz lays out what he sees as seven ‘currents’ that are changing the ways of evangelizing around the globe. It has definitely opened my eyes to the every-changing world we live in, and how we need to make changes to order to evangelize.

1. Mercy-an increasing emphasis on meeting physical need in addition to evangelism.

2. Mutuality-leaders from traditionally poor countries having greater access to education, technology and growing economies, and thus demanding to be heard; church leaders need to account for these new perspectives and voices.

3. Migration-the increasing relocation of peoples among he nations, especially the cities; how the Church needs to adapt to these diverse audiences.

4. Monoculture-the cultures of all countries becoming more and more similar due to the spread of worldwide images, ideals, celebrities, and ad campaigns, thus reshaping their deepest values. A challenge for the Church to zero in on.

5. Machines-transforming of lifestyles worldwide via cell phones, GPS, television, and Internet, thus changing individual lives and values. Again, a challenge for the Church to zero in on.

6. Mediation-partisan rifts are proliferating due to communication avenues, inciting discord and attracting sympathizers; the global Church may need to utilize a mediating role.

7. Memory-distinct histories (albeit, violent or devastating) that profoundly shape their society; how their ‘yesterday’ affects their thinking today. The Church needs to take this into account when ministering/evangelizing.

Fritz goes on saying that these currents are sometimes invisible, thus doubly potent. They cannot be overlooked. The Church needs to quickly and wisely act on these currents to be effective.

The analogy of the ‘Meeting of the Waters’ is a good view of the past methods of evangelizing and today’s new ways. They need to converge together, but it may take time.

My perspective is that these are real ‘currents,’ but God is aware of all of them. A praying church will take these ‘currents’ to the Lord for wisdom in how to accommodate them. None is too big for Him.

This book is great information for global evangelizing, but it is just as important in our local day-to-day lives.

I think Mr. Kling did an excellent job pulling these together for the Church to glean from. A definite good read for any and all churches evangelizing in today’s fast-paced world. I don’t necessarily agree with all the information, but this book has accomplished its goal of alerting/informing the Church.

I received this book from Audra at The B & B Media Group, Inc., for my honest review. I’m blogging to pass this information out to others to inform their churches and leaders.

[Phil Whittall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fritz Kling is a well-travelled man working with many mission agencies around the world. He's also a thoughtful observer of what he's found. In The Meeting of the Waters: 7 Global currents that will propel the future church Kling articulates those observations.

Kling introduces two characters to illustrate how the world has changed and how that affects the mission of the church both positively and negatively. On the one hand we have 'mission marm' who moved to serve God in the jungle in the 1950s and stayed there until she retired or died and expected almost total disconnection from life in her homeland. On the other hand we have 'Apple Guy' who is short-term and expects to stay entirely connected to friends, family & life back home.

Because the world has changed the future of mission belongs to 'Apple Guy' and not 'Mission Marm' but there are seven trends that the church is capitalizing on that give hope for the future.

Mercy (fairly self-explanatory), mutuality (the world is now a two-way street, we give and receive and learn from each other), migration (the nations are now in the cities of the world), monoculture (a flattening of cultures as globalisation takes hold), machines (the impact of technology), mediation (acting as peacemakers and go betweens) and memory (for example the memory of the genocide in Rwanda is something that will affect mission there for generations to come).

Some of the trends that Kling observes are stronger than others, some more apparent (machines and mercy) and others need a bit more thought (memory and mediation) but each trend is keenly observed and well told with stories from all around the globe. Kling makes his case well that these currents are flowing and that global mission needs to change and is changing as a result. Of course because these trends are global trends they don't just affect mission somewhere else but also mission on my doorstep. Each chapter ends with a brief introduction to some organisations that represent best practices or are pioneering in the seven different areas.

The situation Kling describes is a fluid one and so in one sense this is only half the story, follow ups need to be made. Kling also mostly describes the activities of mission, development and aid agencies but there is little of the significant work of churches and local congregations. As a local church pastor committed to global mission I'd love to know more of how a church can respond to these challenges and opportunities, what that means for a church who hopes to send resources to the global mission field.

On the whole I found this book helpful, hopeful and encouraging and for those thinking and engaging in cross-cultural mission, this is a book worth reading.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Meeting of the Waters by Fritz Kling is a high-level discussion of trends that will affect mission work. Kling and others spent a year (half of 2006, half of 2007) with a group traveling to 19 countries and interviewing church people about the church and their relationship with America. They labeled this effort the Global Church Listening Tour. The result was 7 trends that Kling wraps up as the Seven Ms: Mercy, Mutuality, Migration, Monoculture, Machines, Mediation, Memory.

I think the book does a good job of covering high level trends about globalization and the rise of technology around the world. Trends are not that new, but the book does a good job relating them to the church and providing anecdotes for each. I think it would be a good discussion-starter for a missions committee or other group engaged with the world. I also like the use of “Mission Marm” and “Apple Guy” to put human faces on the trends.

One confusing subject for me was the term “information arbitrage”, which Kling borrowed from Thomas Friedman's The Lexus and The Olive Tree. By this Kling means being aware of world events and trends, such as the ones discussed in the book. I’m probably getting wrapped around the axle for no good reason, but I really found this term confusing. Arbitrage in finance is buying and selling at the same time to profit from two different prices on the same (or similar) item. How exactly is keeping up with world events considered arbitrage? But anyway the term is Friedman’s so Kling can’t be blamed. From what I’ve read about Friedman’s book, The Meeting of the Waters aspires to be a similar wandering travelogue of deep thoughts and anecdotes.

Another reviewer criticized the research notes, and its heavy use of Wikipedia and other lightweight sources. That’s probably a fair critique, because I think the author have accepted the information from Friedman and other writers without a lot of skepticism. But the author’s extensive personal experience in mission work shines through in most sections of the book.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written, pretty straightforward examination of the cultural forces at work in the world. Fritz Kling is involved with a foundation that sends him all over the globe (presumably to research grants but he never says that). He also grew up in the American evangelical subculture and remains a Christian today. His book is written to help Americans, particularly Christians, understand the cultural forces that they will have to reckon with if they are going to be involved in the wider world. This is not a book about theology though it touches on theological themes. It is not hard core sociology either. It is more a travelogue and a conversation about technique.
Kling cites seven "currents" at work in the world today. And, using the analogy of a river in Manaus Brazil where the currents from two different rivers run alongside each other for miles before mixing and becoming one river, he shows that these currents are all flowing and starting to mix. The result is the "mono-culture" of the world in the 21st century. Adapt or be left in bewilderment. Many books like this are harsh, mocking people who aren't hip enough to see what is happening. Kling is not like that. He appreciates those who have gone before him and admires those in various cultures who are leading now. He invites Christians to see what he has seen and to consider what it means for them. The only thing he condemns is willful ignorance. His seven streams are Mercy (as in the desire among young christians to be involved in mercy and justice ministries), Mutuality, Migration (and pluralism), Monoculture, Machines (technology), Mediation, and Memory. The book has two small weaknesses. One, these chapter titles are alliterative which means they are not as accurate as they should be. And two, Kling is an observer not a practitioner. These are his observations from traveling, talking and listening. He is not in the trenches doing ministry in any one context, so sometimes his conclusion can be obvious or shallow. Still, he has been more places than you have and he has listened to more people than I can imagine. His observations add to an important conversation happening in the world wide church.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fritz Kling's "The Meeting of the Waters" provides a prophetic insight into the seven global currents shaping the future of the church. Written nearly 15 years ago, its predictions resonate strongly with my personal experiences, particularly in the context of Myanmar's rapid technological evolution and cultural shifts. The book's exploration of globalization, urbanization, and technology offers a nuanced understanding of the church's challenges and opportunities in a complex, interconnected world.

Kling's emphasis on the need for a nuanced approach to culture and ministry in urban environments highlights the importance of listening, dialogue, and adaptability. This aligns with my observations of Myanmar's transformation, where technology has unlocked new possibilities for communication, education, and finance, albeit with its share of challenges such as online addiction and misinformation.

The book's optimistic view of technology, especially its role in supporting relief organizations, mirrors the positive changes I've witnessed. However, the evolving landscape of technological skepticism, along with issues like nationalism and international strife, underscores the need for an updated analysis. Kling's insights into the benefits of technology remain relevant, but a new edition addressing the latest trends, including Generative AI and growing technological skepticism, would be invaluable.

"The Meeting of the Waters" stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of global trends and their impact on the church. As we look toward the future, Kling's work serves as a foundational text, urging us to consider how emerging challenges and opportunities will shape the church's mission in the decades to come.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Meeting of the Waters, Fritz Kling
This book does a wonderful job of addressing the current issues facing the church. It brings to light so many of the concerns and struggles that Pastors and laymen are dealing with in trying to bridge the generation gap. As a pastor’s wife I have seen first hand the beauty of a church where the older generation willing passes on the torch and embraces the newness of things and the younger generation listens and learns from the older. I have also been witness to the devastation of the collision of these two generations when neither is willing to give or listen to the other. Scripture instructs us to be of one mind. In this exciting book Frizt Kling does an excellent job of exposing the biblical truths necessary to propel the church successfully forward into the future.
I love the title and theme being applied to the Amazon River, this was such a great visual reference to the new generation and the old. The book is filled with applicable examples from the lives of Pastors and Missionaries and biblical advice.
I recommend this book for leaders and church members alike. Let us strive together toward a common goal, being of one mind, pressing forward for the cause of Christ.
Thank you David C Cook and B&B Media Group for providing this free review copy.

[Mike Becher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in a church culture where it can sometimes feel like forward movement is slow, this was a refreshing look at what's happening around the globe and how neglecting to (1) acknowledge it, and (2) embrace it will be a destructive force pushing the church farther and farther from relevancy.

However, it did a GREAT job of helping modern day "hipster" evangelists (dubbed Apple Guy in the book) celebrate the past while preparing the hearts of "old school" missionaries (dubbed Mission Marm) to embrace the future.

It's a sobering look at the underlying, yet natural, wave of thought, practices, and biblical application that we need to roll with or else Christians will lose their place in the environments around them. This isn't simply another book about "methods change, but the message doesn't," but a "perspectives are changing, but the church isn't."

I would say this is highly recommended for those entering, or currently in, a foreign mission field. Lots of great insights about how the future of Christianity,from a global perspective, will depend more on training and equipping the indigenous people to pastor their communities, rather than swooping in as the evangelistic (seemingly arrogant) American hero's to help "save them from their worldview." Well worth the read as most of the content is driven from interviews from indigenous pastors from around the world.

[Jennifer L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who is interested in missions and the future of the Church in mission. It addresses concerns in sensitive areas of the world such as how technology can track the movements of missionaries. The author compares and contrasts the history of missions with current trends and how those trends will effect the future of sending missionaries. He encourages the use of natives in every part of the world as much as possible, and to see missions as a partnership, not as a one way "We send, you receive our help" but instead working together to meet a common goal. While it seemed to drag slightly in a few places, I was facinated with some of the ideas different churches are doing that he discussed. For instance a church in a traditional "sending" country asked for foreign workers to come from a country where they were getting an influx of immigrants. Not your traditional idea, but certainly a fantastic approach as those missionaries would already know the language and the culture. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a pastor, missionary, or interested in missions!

[Basil Chong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps slightly discouraging to someone who grew up in a church that moves rather slowly, and having consoled myself with the idea that "Things Take Time", The Meeting of the Waters is a thought-provoking, relevant read for someone who wishes to see the church move forward into the 21st century as a relevant, learning organization.

7 currents that are shaping/will shape the growth of the church in the next half-century: Mercy, Mutuality, Migration, Monoculture, Machines, Mediation and Memory. Currents/trends that the secular world has long recognized, adapted to and embraced, but which many in the church steadfastly ignore or dismiss. Kling deftly moves through numerous anecdotal examples from his varied travels around the world, showing how each of these trends are real and relevant to the mission of the church.

Perhaps something else to be considered is the way that interdenominationalism is implicit in this entire book. Time and energy cannot be wasted on building parallel structures divided along doctrinal lines, a lesson that many evangelical groups (certainly my own) would do well to learn.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book, I knew nothing of Fritz Kling nor, frankly, of the book. It was simply another cheap (free/discounted) kindle book that my wife picked up. I suppose it was because of this that I began the book with such skepticism.

Much to my surprise, it was a great book. Kling presents a number of issues that simply must be considered by the Church in today's environment. While written clearly from the perspective of a Christian, I wouldn't call it a book on Theology but rather a practical/realistic view of the state of the Church & world and commentary/thoughts on how we should move forward.

I was rather pleased with Kling's balance throughout the book... He addressed some of the real issues between some of the generations in the church, but did so in such a way that didn't belittle one or glorify another but rather illustrated how they are (or could/should be) complimentary and building rather than combative or mutually dismissive.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like 2 stars might be a little stingy given Kling's work in sorting out these currents (and other readers' responses), but it was a bit of a dry, overlong (even at 200 pages or so) read. What's here felt a little redundant - mostly a series of stories in each chapter making the same point -- and would have been great as a long article or long chapter in a book on the global church.

While Kling's idea is to start a discussion on these ideas and to get others to think through them, it could have used more reflection. The chapter on "machines" (essentially contemporary technology titled that way so that all the currents can start with "m") would have benefited from more reflection on the negative aspects of technology, or at least the way that traditional attitudes need to be adjusted due to technology-based shifts in culture (or the shifts that become represented by specific technological changes).

[Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Meeting of the Waters gives a good wake up of what's happening globally within the church and more interesting to me, how it will affect missions in the next generation.

The writer had gone all over the world on a 'listening tour' talking to ministers, missionaries of numerous countries with questions about current trends in Mercy, Mutuality, Migration, Monoculture, Machines, Mediation, and Memory.

I found the chapter on Monoculture most interesting (how the world is homogenizing and sacrificing their culture in many ways, by the corporations that control entertainment, clothing, internet etc) I remember seeing Marilyn Manson advertisements on my first missions trip to Argentina, and feeling sad and a little guilty maybe, about the trash we export to the world.

I would recommend this book to church leaders and specifically to missionaries.

[Roger Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book on the seven global currents in the global Church. Some of the currents I can remember are mono culture, Mutuality, Technology, generation shifts and immigration. A great book on giving the church a check up on the health and direction to the church. He uses great word picture like Missionary Marm and Apply guy to make he points. Then each chapter is filed with illustrative stories to get his point. A must read if you are iterested in the church, or missions.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relevant and Respectful

Our world is changing, and the church must change with it. However, we often think of change in terms of right and wrong, rather than past and present. Kling does a wonderful job of appreciating the work of the past while making us aware of the needs of the future. May we have the courage to adapt in order to continue to win our world.

[Phil Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trends in Missions

This is a very interesting (though a bit dated) book about globalization's impact on missions. The author has identified seven trends that must be addressed by those desiring to be involved in taking the gospel to the nations.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love where this book is going :)
It's most certainly an important book that any pastor or church leader could benefit from.
I highly recommended it.

[Margaret Boehm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book on how missionary work has been done in the past and what it is evolving into the future.

[Nick Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

As one of the leaders featured in this book, it was interesting to read Fritz Kling's impressions of me and the church I lead.
A very thought provoking book.

[Richelle Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

challenging thoughts ~

[Shantanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

meticulously researched. Yet not heavy reading.