When missionaries pursue development, what is typically the basis for worldview and value shifts?

• A. Focusing solely on material aid
• B. Importing Western cultural norms
• C. Planting new churches or renewing existing churches
• D. Providing short-term relief

Answer: (C)

Lasting shifts in worldview and values come from people being formed within a local church—through planting new churches or renewing existing ones—so transformation happens as biblical teaching, discipleship, and community life shape daily beliefs and practices. A church-centered approach provides a sustainable framework for character growth, leadership development, and social change rooted in the gospel, rather than relying only on external aid. Material aid or short-term relief can meet immediate needs but often doesn’t change underlying worldviews, and importing Western norms can clash with local culture and miss the context. In contrast, a church-planting or church-renewal strategy centers local believers in a shared faith that gradually reorients values over time.