1. South
East
Asian
Theological
Schools,
Inc.
Schools
of
Mission
SOM-­109
Structural
Evil
1.
Introduction
to
Structural
Evil
7
BASIC
ASSUMPTIONS
1. God
is
sovereign
and
He
created
all
things
both
in
heaven
and
on
earth,
visible
and
invisible.
2. There
are
invisible
realities
and
spiritual
forces
that
influence
historical
events.
3. These
spiritual
forces
are
either
good
or
bad.
4. There
were
two
Falls:
the
fall
of
Satan
and
his
demons
and
the
fall
of
man
and
woman.
5. Satan
and
devils
(powers
and
principalities)
are
personal
evil
spirits
who
attack
the
Church
and
hinder
the
spread
of
the
Gospel.
6. There
are
structures
of
existence
in
our
world
and
they
are
not
evil
by
themselves
but
can
be
influenced
by
Satan
to
carry
out
his
devious
work
–
hence
structural
evil.
7. The
transformation
of
nations
requires
that
the
Church
deal
with
these
visible
and
invisible
forces.

2. Structure
–
the
arrangement
or
interrelation
of
all
the
parts
of
a
whole
…
forming
an
organism
or
organization.
Structural
evil
includes
attitudes
or
beliefs
or
culture
–
social;
a
system
that
creates
lack
of
economic
opportunities
or
alternatives
–
economic;
unjust
laws
or
law-­‐
enforcement
system
–
political.
It
can
also
be
religious.
Stephen
V.
Monsma
[Pursuing
Justice
in
a
Sinful
World]
gives
helpful
definition
by
examples
of
structural
evil:
“The
pattern
underlying
structural
evil
may
be
formed
by
certain
attitudes
or
beliefs,
as
is
the
case
with
racism.
When
this
is
the
case,
the
evil
becomes
part
of
the
society’s
culture,
supported
by
deeply
ingrained
beliefs
and
taboos.
Or
the
pattern
may
be
economic
in
nature.
In
this
case
the
evil
flows
from
the
lack
of
certain
economic
opportunities
or
alternatives,
a
lack
that
forces
people
into
poverty
or
unwanted
occupations
despite
their
desires,
abilities,
and
efforts.
Or
the
pattern
may
be
political
in
nature,
with
the
evil
flowing
from
unjust
laws
or
unjust
law-­‐enforcement
systems.
Bias
and
capricious
rule,
resulting
in
the
loss
of
freedom
and
opportunity.
Often
structural
evils
are
cultural,
economic,
and
political
all
at
once,
with
society’s
values
and
biases
and
its
economic
and
political
systems
all
working
together
to
hold
down
a
certain
region
or
group.”
Understanding
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
There
are
structured
evils
rooted
in
society’s
prevailing
religious,
social,
economic
or
political
systems.
The
key
element
of
structural
evil
is
that
it
is
organizational,
a
pattern
or
network
that
opposes
the
Kingdom.
Structural
evil
is
a
system
or
pattern
of
beliefs
or
activities
in
an
organization
or
culture
that
hinders
or
opposes
the
advance
of
God’s
kingdom
in
this
world.
Examples
of
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
1. Tax
evasion
2. Caste
system
3. Dowry
4. Sexual
mutilation
5. Slavery
6. Racism
–
apartheid
7. Colonialism
8. Bribery/governmental
corruption
9. Structures
of
sin

3. KEY
ELEMENTS
OF
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
1. Existence
of
wicked
power
or
spirit.
2. Corporate:
Organizational
or
Institutional.
3. Systemic,
patterns,
networks
of
activities
or
parts.
4. Multiple
nature:
laws,
law
enforcements,
culture,
taboos,
attitudes,
beliefs,
lack
of
alternatives,
repressive
rule.
5. Can
be
social,
political,
economic,
religious.
6. Aims
to
create
chaos,
division,
injustice,
human
suffering
or
natural
damage.
7. Opposes
advance
of
Kingdom
of
God.
POWERS
&
PRINCIPALITIES
Ephesians
1:21
“All
rule,
authority,
power,
dominion.”
Ephesians
2:2
“Prince
of
the
power
of
the
air.”
Ephesians
6:11
“Scheme
of
the
devil.”
Ephesians
6:12
“Not
against
flesh
&
blood,
against
the
rulers,
against
the
powers,
against
the
world
forces
of
darkness,
spiritual
forces
of
wickedness
in
the
heavenly
places.”
Works
Of
Satan
&
His
Minions
1. Sin
And
Temptation.
2. Demonization.
3. Division.
4. Illnesses
(Lk
13:16),
Mt
9:32,
Epilepsy
(Lk
9:42),
Muteness
,
Blindness
(Mk
9:25),
Fever
(Lk
4:39).
5. Disruption
Of
Nature
-­‐
Mk
4:39
(Storm),
2
Ki
3:27.
6. Disorder
In
Society
&
The
State
–
World
(Kosmos),
Age
(Aion)
–
Structural
Evil.
7. Occult
&
Astrology
(Humans
Think
They
Can
Manipulate
Powers
Of
Darkness
To
Their
Advantage).
8. Non-­‐Christian
Religions
&
Cults.
9. Opposition
To
God’s
Work
Of
Salvation
And
The
Missions
Of
The
Church.
THE
MISSIONARY
TASKS.
1. Evangelism
&
Church
Planting
PENAL
SUBSTITUTION/JUSTIFIED
BY
FAITH
• All
have
sinned
and
have
come
short
of
the
glory
of
God
(Ro
3:23).
• The
wages
of
sin
is
death
(Ro
6:23;
Eze
3:16FF,
18:4,
14:13ff).
• Christ
died
for
the
sins
of
sinners
and
paid
the
penalty.
He
substituted
for
sinners
(atonement)
–
Ro
5:8;
Jo
3:16.
• Faith
in
Christ
brings
forgiveness
of
sin
(Eph
2:8),
eternal
life
(Jo
1:12,
3:16),
and
freedom
(Eph
2:1ff)
&
power
over
Satan.

4. • Justified
by
faith
(Ro
5:1).
SATURATION
CHURCH
PLANTING
1. Core
group
of
national
leaders
agrees
to
do
a
national
SCP.
2. Do
research:
unreached
people
groups,
unchurched
villages,
analysis
of
existing
church
health,
etc.
3. Call
a
national
SCP
congress
(regional
congresses)
to
share
and
discuss
the
research.
4. Each
participating
group
makes
a
time-­‐bound
Church
Growth
goal.
5. Combine
the
individual
goals
–
as
the
national
goal.
6. Organize
a
movement
or
structure
to
coordinate
the
SCP.
7. Create
Sub-­‐Committees
to
provide
support
on
key
areas
of
ministry
(Coordination,
Finance,
Research,
Strategy,
Policy,
Church
Relations,
etc.).
8. Promote
the
new
Movement
and
invite
others
to
join.
9. Monitor
and
evaluate
progress
through
periodic
consultations.
10. Update
research
and
hold
a
National
Congress
every
five
years.
THE
MISSIONARY
TASKS.
1. Evangelism
&
Church
Planting
2. Social
Concern
Social
Concern
Social
Service
Social
Action
Relieving
human
need
Removing
the
causes
of
human
need
Philanthropic
activity
Political
&
economic
activity
Seeking
to
minister
to
families
Seeking
to
transform
the
individuals,
individuals
&
families
and
structures
of
society
Works
of
mercy
The
quest
for
justice
John
Stott,
1985:
31.
THE
MISSIONARY
TASKS.
1. Evangelism
&
Church
Planting
2. Social
Concern
3. Prayer
And
Fasting
CRISTUS
VICTOR
• At
the
cross
Christ
defeated
sin,
death,
and
Satan
(Jo
16:11;
Mt
12:28).
These
now
have
no
hold
on
believers.
• All
authority
is
given
to
Christ
…
He
is
far
above
all
and
every
other
name
(Mt
28:18).
• The
Church
as
His
Body
shares
this
authority
over
Satan
&
evil
spirits
(Eph
1:22-­‐23;
Col.
2:9-­‐10).
• In
Christ
the
believer
is
given
the
authority
to
disciple
nations
(Mt
28:19,
10:1ff;
Lk
9:1ff;
Eph
6:11,13).

5. • References:
Mt
4:8ff;
2Co
4:4;
Jo
12:31,
16:11,33;
Col
2:15;
He
2:14;
1
Jo
3:8;
Re
5:5;
Eph
6:10-­‐18;
Ja
4:7.

6.
VICTORY
OVER
POWERS
&
PRINCIPALITIES
• Mt
28:18ff
-­‐
…
All
authority
has
been
given
to
me
in
Heaven
and
on
earth.
Go
therefore
and
make
disciples…
• Mt
10:1
cf
Lk
9:1
–
He
gave
(twelve
disciples)
authority
over
unclean
spirits,
to
cast
them
out,
and
to
heal
every
kind
of
disease
and
every
kind
of
sickness.
• 1Jo
3:8
–
Christ
came
to
destroy
the
devil’s
work.
• VICTORY
OVER
POWERS
&
PRINCIPALITIES
• Col
2:15
–
Powers
and
authorities
disarmed,
made
a
public
spectacle,
Christ
triumphing
over
them
by
the
cross.
• He
2:14
–
The
devil
who
holds
the
power
of
death
is
destroyed
and
freedom
from
fear
of
death
is
given
to
believers.
• Jo
14:12-­‐14
–
Greater
things
than
this
you
will
do…
You
may
ask
Me
for
anything
in
my
name
and
I
will
do
it.
2.
Reaction
Against
Dealing
With
Structural
Evil
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
1
• Evangelical
reaction
to
some
contemporary
psychological
thought,
which
reduces
human
individual
responsibility
for
sin.

8. Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
2
o DENIAL
OF
EVIL
o Sin
is
the
result
of
socio-­‐political
categories.
o Fallacy
of
false
dilemma,
i.e.,
either
personal
sin
or
structural
evil.
o Poem:
o But
I
am
happy
for
the
lesson
it
(crimes)
had
taught,
that
everything
I
do
that’s
wrong,
is
someone
else’s
fault.
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
3
o DISTANCE
o The
further
from
the
sin,
the
less
responsible
(e.g.
stockholder
of
Tobacco
Company).
o The
fault
lies
with
the
person
who
chose
to
pay
for
his
own
death
and
funeral.
o The
human
depravity.
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
4
o DESIRE
FOR
NEUTRALITY.
o Don’t
rock
the
boat.
o The
primacy
argument
&
the
danger
of
disjunction.
o Non-­‐involvement.
o With
evil,
there
is
no
neutrality.

9.
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
5
o DICHOTOMOUS
VIEW
OF
MAN.
o Man
is
made
up
of
body
(material)
and
soul
(spiritual).
o Matter
is
evil,
soul
(mind)
is
good
(cf.
Gnosticism
&
Nestorianism).
o Deal
only
with
the
soul
(cf.
Primacy
Argument).
o Christian’s
high
view
of
the
body
(resurrection
&
blessed
hope).
o Model
of
Jesus
(valued
both
body
and
soul
in
His
ministry).
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
6
o ADMISSION
OF
HELPLESSNESS
o Church
is
powerless
to
deal
with
the
overwhelming
problem
of
structural
evil
or
“I
am
alone”
or
Elijah
syndrome.
o Not
trained
politically
to
manage
power.
o Profiles
of
Courage:
o Moses,
Elijah,
Jesus.
o William
Wilberforce,
Martin
Luther
King,
Nelson
Mandela,
Cory
Aquino.
o Nisha
Sharma
on
dowry
system.
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
7
o GROUP
CONDITIONING
o Group
culture.
o Seduction
of
the
culture
of
corruption
upon
individuals.
o Members
have
strong
inertia
to
go
against
their
own
structure.
o Frog
in
the
kettle
–
good
simply
dies.
o Anatomy
of
corruption:
Hab.
2:18-­‐19,
15-­‐16,
6-­‐12.
Christian
Apathy
Towards
STRUCTURAL
EVIL
–
8
o ACQUIESCENCE
TO
AUTHORITY
o We
didn’t
do
the
act
or
approve
of
the
government
policy
(cf.
Ro
13:1-­‐
7;
Trial
at
Nuremberg).
o Human
authority
is
derived
from
God
and
is
subject
to
accountability.
o We
have
a
choice:
Christ
or
Caesar;
good
or
evil.
o There
is
no
moral
hiding
place.
o The
Christian
task
is
to
make
what
is
moral
legal
and
to
declare
illegal
what
is
immoral.
3.
Biblical
Concepts
Related
to
Structural
Evil
An
Evangelical
View

10. 1. STRUCTURES
ARE
NOT
EVIL.
2. STRUCTURES
CAN
BE
INFLUENCED
BY
EVIL:
• All
have
sinned
(Ro
3:23).
• Walked
according
to
prince
of
the
air
(Eph
2:2ff.).
• Satan
influences
evil
men
and
women
to
carry
out
his
purposes
of
resisting
the
will
of
God
through
structures
and
systems
(laws,
culture).
• Influenced
by
evil
(from
Ro
13
to
Re
13).
4.
Scope
Of
Holistic
Ministry
5.
Structural
Evil
&
What
Evangelicals
Can
Do
1. Intensify
evangelism
and
church
planting.

11. 2. Participate
in
Biblical
social
concern,
e.g.
concern
for
the
poor.
3. Engage
in
prayer
and
fasting.
4. Model
the
Kingdom
life
in
our
local
churches
–
peace,
justice
and
righteousness.
5. Have
faith
for
change.

12.
Spiritual
Warfare
–
1:
Identificational
Repentance
*
Identify
National
sin
(Lev.
18;
Num.
35:33-­‐34;
Deut.
21:22-­‐23;
Hosea
4:2-­‐
3).
*
Corporate
Confession
of
sin
(Dan.
9:20;
Neh.
1:5-­‐6;
9:2;
Deut.
9:18-­‐20;
Ezek.
22:31-­‐32).
*
Apply
Christ’s
blood
*
Restitution
as
able.
Reconciliation
Walk
*
Tracking
path
of
crusade
(Lyn
Green
–
YWAM)
Spiritual
Warfare
–
2:
Levels
of
Spiritual
Warfare
• Ground-­‐level
SP
–
casting
out
demons
• Occult-­‐level
SP
–
dealing
with
astral
powers
&
world
of
darkness
• Strategic-­‐level
SP
–
confronting
high-­‐ranking
territorial
spirits
assigned
by
Satan
• Prayer
Journeys
o Field
trips
to
practice
prayer
walking
o Aid
to
spiritual
mapping
Spiritual
Warfare
–
3:
Spiritual
Mappings
Identify
the
strong
man:
• Revelation
of
territorial
prince
or
power.
• Natural
person
whom
Satan
is
using.
• Identify
corrupt
social
structures.
• Bind
him.

13. • Divide
his
spoils.
Method
• Historical
or
religious
research
(cf.
Acts
16:18
–
no
name).
• Prayer
(Wagner:
Seek
God’s
gifted
intercessor;
redemptive
gift
of
the
City,
Territorial
spirits
assigned
to
the
City,
Corporate
sin,
God’s
plan
of
attack
and
timing)
6.
What
Salvation
Has
Done!
Equipping
For
Ministry
Against
Structural
Evil

14.
7.
Towards
A
Holistic
Approach
To
Structural
Evil:
Word,
Work,
&
Wonders