The impact of Jonathan J. Bonk on my perception of missions and money and lessons for life

My first encounter with Professor Jonathan J. Bonk was some time in the late 1990s when he visited the Department of Religious Studies, Kenyatta University, Nairobi. His main mission was to introduce the Dictionary of African Christian Biography (DACB). Needless to say, since that day, the DACB has grown in leaps and bounds. During that visit, Bonk also distributed copies of his book Missions and Money (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1996). The DACB project and the publication had a very positive impact on me because I had personal interaction with the person behind those great ideas. Bonk came across as humble, visionary, focused, and Christ centered. This positive encounter proved the truth of the adage that states that there is never a second chance to create a first impression. I would like to share a few insights from and on the book Missions and Money, which has influenced my teaching and indeed has also challenged my approach to issues surrounding mission and money, and life in general.