Developing a missiology for ministry to nomads

Abstract

Nomads are sometimes referred to as the last to reach. Their remoteness and marginalization make it challenging for missionaries to live with them. Their different mindsets and values require different approaches than those used to reach sedentary peoples. Major advocates for mission to nomads, David Phillips and Malcolm Hunter, have advocated for a different paradigm of mission and church that reflects nomads’ way of life. Relatively little has been written about missionary work among nomads in recent decades. In 2018, 37 national and expatriate missionaries to nomads were interviewed. The interview data were compared with the experience of missionaries recorded in the literature. Alongside making disciples, missionaries to nomads are involved in a wide range of activities, including caring for nomads’ animals. In this article we outline what missionaries to nomads today are doing and the major challenges they face. We affirm the need for a specific missiological focus on ministry to nomadic peoples and suggest some essential areas for its development.