Posts Tagged ‘mission’

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Discerning God’s Will

August 19, 2015

“You will win the election if it is God’s will,” the lady told a political candidate.

Subsequent conversations with others about God’s will centered on the question of how do you know and what do you mean.

Is it God’s will for whether the politician wins or not? Or, is the issue whether the politician is following God’s will–his calling–for his life? Maybe he sat in contemplation and God whispered that his talents would be best used as a politician. Although I have to say from personal observation (I’ve met him briefly, he’s my representative somewhere) that he probably had a better calling as a Navy SEAL than as a legislator. But, who am I to question God?

Psychologist Henry Cloud spoke the past two weekends at Willow Creek Community Church on that topic. God’s will for your life–not my legislator.

He talked about finding your passion. Getting your passion aligned with your talents. That will be a hint about following God’s will for your life.

But you need discernment. Is this a real passion or a momentary infatuation? Does it match my talents and skills with passion for service? Can you visualize a beneficial outcome?

He talked of two builders. Each made a pile of money developing tracts of land, building houses, and selling them.

One was tired and burned out. He found it boring to do the same old thing over again–even if he did earn millions of dollars.

The other was energized. “I just love what I’m doing. I fly over the undeveloped tract of land and visualize houses and parks and families grilling and kids playing. I just love this.”

One found his passion. His heart was in it, and his heart was in a right relationship. He made a lot of money, but his heart was on helping others.

This one, no doubt, had found God’s will for his life. And many benefited. The other merely found a job he was good at.

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Be Ye Doers of the Word

July 7, 2015

Paul’s work in writing Romans results in his mature thinking assembled into one letter.

He starts with why we need God. He continues with how through Jesus we have access to God’s grace. Then he concludes “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.”

That was in chapter 10. Not satisfied to stop with the basics of spiritual formation, Paul continues with many examples of how we continue our spiritual formation journey through how we live.

I told yesterday how I struggled with Romans 13 in my younger years. But if you read the first several verses of the chapter you can see where Paul was going. Government is instituted by God to create order in society punishing the wicked and upholding the good. Insofar as government does that, it is fulfilling its work as ordained by God.

The 20th Century witnessed the rise to power of the idea that government should take a much more active role in promoting the welfare of the citizens.

It’s kind of like we transferred the idea of God as the “big vending machine in the sky” as when Janis Joplin sang, “Oh, Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz” to the idea of “Oh [insert name of capital city], won’t you give me…”

Before you jump all over me on a liberal or conservative slant, step back and look. From my perspective as merely an observer, I see people of all political stripes in almost all countries with their hands out to their governmental leaders at every level looking for money or favor. Business people want tax breaks or preference for roads and sewers. On the other hand is the dependency we’ve created with the welfare state.

It is a human condition; not a political one.

From God’s point of view, we should obey that government that provides justice and order so that we may go about God’s work in us for our spiritual formation and to teach and to love our neighbor.

I think part of the church’s role in loving our neighbor is not abdicating our role to the government. When a plague hit Rome in the early years of the church, it became a time of great growth in the church. Why? Well, the brave heroes who governed Rome took off for the hills leaving behind women, children, sick, and elderly. Who took care of them? Christ followers left their hiding and cared for the sick and weak.

Should we work to change governments that fail to live up to God’s work for them? Of course we should. Just look to the example of the prophets. Even Jesus tackled the problem of his local government leaders (the Jews, not the Romans).

Should we work to tackle some of the social problems we’ve abdicated to government? Yes! I know the theology that says that all we should do as followers of Christ is to preach. But I cannot find that theology anywhere in the New Testament.

As James instructed, “Be ye also doers.”

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Charity Will Never End Poverty, Opportunity Will

May 27, 2015

She visited Africa. Saw a poor, rural village where women had to walk miles for their daily water. Feeling deep emotions, the woman pulled out her check book and paid for a water well for the village.

It was a great act of kindness. 

However when she returned after several years, she was dismayed to discover that the well was not being used. It had not been used for some time. The people in the village had a well, but it had no “water department.” There was no one trained to maintain the well. Calling in a maintenance crew from the city was far beyond the reach of the local people.

People in another area once lived off the fruits of their farms. Then large corporations entered the area with the idea that the climate was great for growing crops that would be in great demand in North America and Western Europe. 

Colluding with corrupt local and national government, the company bought all the land, threw the farmers off their land, and hired them back at extremely low wages to grow the crops. That happened many years ago in places where pineapples grow. We enjoyed pineapple. The people now had no way to grow their own food and not enough money to buy it. They were modern slaves in effect.

Ethical business

That same effect happened with coffee. By the time ground coffee reaches the grocery store, it has gone through so many “middle men” that there is not enough money to pay the farmers.

I have bought whole bean coffee for years “fair trade” from a small roaster in Tennessee–Just Love Coffee. Fair trade coffee cuts through the layers and pays the farmers a fair price for their labors.

The next step is “direct trade.” A local roaster buys beans directly from farmers he met while on a short-term mission trip. 

Is it possible to run an ethical business that benefits the community, employees, suppliers all the way to the grower?

I think so. I’m an angel investor in a coffee shop due to open in 4-6 weeks just down the street from where I live. High Grounds Cafe touts a “quadruple bottom line.” (The Website is under construction, too.) We will buy our beans fromthe roaster I just mentioned.

The quadruple bottom line?

  • Spiritual
  • Economic
  • Social
  • Environmental

The working foundation is to be ethical in all our dealings–whether with the building code people, employees, customers, community. And the farmers who grow our beans.

I’ll have more to say in the future. Next month I’m heading to Colorado Springs for a conference of Christian business people with the same outlook. How can we help plant sustainable businesses in areas of abject poverty? Something that truly changes the lives and outlooks of the people rather than just handing out money.

Money is essential help following a disaster such as we just witnessed in Nepal. But giving money is not a sustainable aid package. Changed lives–that is sustainable.

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Do Not Close Your Ear To The Cry of the Poor

March 18, 2015

I continue to process the experiences of our latest mission trip to Tijuana and the Tijuana Christian Mission. Today’s lesson from the Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community interestingly enough speaks to the reasons for going on a mission trip of service.

From Proverbs 21:13

If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard.

And from James 2:17

So, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

James refers not to the type of works that Paul sometimes addresses in the context of grace, that is, works that you must do to make yourself right with God. James already assumes faith and grace. If you read the entire letter, you see that he is specifically talking about service. 

He follows Jesus’ second command–to love our neighbor as ourself. Jesus continues, when asked who the neighbor is, to tell the story of the Good Samaritan. Our neighbor is someone in need whom we come across in our life.

Jesus said that we will know his followers by their love. James puts additional context. Your faith is revealed in how you act. You say you have faith, but your actions scream selfishness, pride, stubbornness? It’s time for a faith check-up.

Service can be a simple gesture, a smile, a helping hand. It’s not always a life-changing experience. But sometimes that simple reaching out with a smile does change someone’s life for the better. It can show them God is real.

And, as followers of Jesus, that’s a big part of our “job”.

PS–I put a link to TCM. You can click and check it out. You can “adopt” a child for a donation of $50/month. You can support in other ways. If you’re in San Diego with a day to spare, TCM is just a short drive over the border. Although the wait to cross the border back (passport required) can be long. Getting into the US is harder than any other country I’ve travelled to. 

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They Came Over The Hill

March 17, 2015

These posts are usually meditations with a point. However, last week several of us visited Tijuana for a mission trip. In addition to serving at an orphanage with children (from 4 to 20), we also visited an active landfill. The experience was overwhelming. I’ve changed literary styles for this meditation.

The scene was eerie, much like a movie about an apocolypse. 

Our van was stopped by security where we were questioned. Allowed through into the landfill, we parked near some newer cars. Some sort of business was transacted there that I do not wish to know.

We grabbed our two boxes filled with 100 ham and cheese sandwiches and three packages of bottled water. 

We are outside Tijuana, Mexico. It is desert. Hot, even in March. Dusty, with spirits blowing mini-dust storms as if impeding our way.

The dirt and dust dried out our sinuses and became grit in our eyes.

We hurried beyond the cars, across a road and over a rise. The scene below was beyond belief. Hundreds of people. Maybe 500. Maybe more. Sorting through the days droppings from the parade of waste trucks. Hoping for enough valuable material or recyclable stuff to get paid to make it through another day.

They saw us. Over the ridge. I looked up. Men with hoodies and neck cloths protection from the dirt. Coming toward us. At first, admittedly a little fear. But there was no harm.

We offered a sandwich, a bottle of water, a blessing “Dios te bendiga”.

Each one offered a grateful “gracias” in return. I have even witnessed these people sharing during my past trips. They often look out for each other. A spark of humanity and God.

When we had given the last of our offerings, we hurried back to the van. Escaping the sights, the smells, the dirt.

Had we 400 more sandwiches, we would not have had enough. When asked why even bother, I responded, “It’s like the story of the starfish thrower. We can’t help them all, but those we do help appreciate it. And out of their misery and slavery, perhaps they hear the blessing of God.”

One little church was built in their little tent city on the other side of the hill. The people who built the church and visited on Saturdays had led one man to salvation by the power of the Gospel. That’s one. It’s a start. Just like our sandwiches. A start.

Just like back home. We can help one. Maybe we can’t help everyone. But one at a time. That’s not unlike what Jesus did. One at a time.

It was the juxtaposition with the bright and happy kids cared for by the orphanage that was most shocking.

Why do we go on these trips? 

We are called to coviction about how great we have it. And how great to burden and calling to share what we have. Not unlike the rich young man in Matthew 19, where he proclaimed that he had followed all the comandments since he was a youth. “Sell all your possessions and give them to the poor, then follow me,” Jesus replied. We gave only a little, but we were reminded about how great the task is that remains.

Our hearts were enlarged by the experience. May we always retain the perspective of life in the spirit.

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Mankind, People, and Love

March 12, 2015

“I love mankind,” proclaimed Linus, the theologian among Charles Schulz’s Peanuts crew. “It’s people I can’t stand.”

Our little crew of five returned yesterday afternoon concluding a week-long mission trip to serve an orphanage in Tijuana. 

We had a variety of experiences from playing with little children and teenagers to ministering with a kind word and sandwiches and water to people scavenging for a living in a dump to achieving the grace to live in love among five totally disparate personality types.

We all were gracious. Although, I felt my grace slipping a couple of times in the exasperation of too many leaders. That was momentary, and I asked God to get me back on track. (That’s a personality trait of mine–getting annoyed in certain situations. We work on correcting our personality traits that prevent us from living totally within God’s grace.)

We learned

  • that it is hard to surrender control to God and to others
  • that Mexican men and older boys can out-work us
  • that God’s grace shines through us as we relate with orphans
  • that many people serve God through their dedication to serving orphans and abused women and children
  • that it is hard to surrender control to God (oh, did I already mention that?)
  • that we can serve in many ways and through many people
  • that the field is immense and we can only serve so many, but that the one we serve is blessed
  • that it’s all worth it

We love manking one person at a time.

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Leadership Lessons From A Recent Mission Trip

July 11, 2014

The church had a leadership void in a ministry area. I accepted a lunch invitation and wound up agreeing to fill that void. The position was leader of our missions ministry. Lunch was just over a year ago.

Last week a team of eleven people returned from a week working at an orphanage and women’s shelter operated by the Tijuana Christian Mission. We have had a longstanding relationship with TCM, but the leadership void had caused a break in the relationship.

We had a similar relationship with a mission in Haiti–also serving youth and orphans in that country. Same situation–but I’m still putting together a team for that trip.

This seemed like a good time to reflect on the past year and share some leadership thoughts. None of these are ground-breaking ideas. Humans have known about doing leadership for thousands of years. We just need reminding and encouraging.

Vision

I had a vision of restarting the relationships and trips to Tijuana and Haiti. Circumstances pointed to Tijuana as the best place to start.

My “reach” vision is to start new relationships leveraging two groups with ties to our church with ministries in Africa–Kenya and Ethiopia.

Obstacles

One of the staff people strongly suggested that the first thing I do is form a committee, hold committee meetings, build a formal organization with all manner of job descriptions–just like the business she had come from.

Then when I told her that I was organizing a trip to Tijuana, I was told no. That was not in my area of responsibility.

Then I found other leadership problems–mostly apathy of senior staff.

Gathering advisors

So I started finding advisors and helpers to tackle the various obstacles so we could get moving. There were internal leadership advisors and advisors who could help me plan and prepare for the trips. Such help was invaluable.

Recruiting a team

Approvals received. Dates for the trip established. It was time to recruit. Once again getting help from other leaders was essential. Circumstances beyond my control dictated a trip with only three months to recruit, plan, fund raise and go.

But a group was recruited and we began to prepare them for the trip.

Planning to smallest detail

Here are some of the planning details. We had to plan around several unknowns, but we do that in business all the time.

  • develop budget
  • agree on projects with TCM
  • budget time and money for the projects
  • plan air travel for a group
  • make sure all had passports
  • plan each day’s activities–when we eat out, when we eat at the orphanage, when we work on projects, when we work with the kids, when we arrive, when we leave

Flexibility

There are many circumstances that cannot be planned. Vans may not be available just when we think we need them. Meals may be later (or earlier) than we planned. The scope of the project may change. We had to be flexible to go with the flow and accept schedule changes.

Reflection

We gathered each day in the morning and the evening to reflect on the trip and our objectives, as well as our personal reactions.

Writing this post is another way of reflecting on the trip–what we did, what we learned. Each team member is expected to also reflect on the trip and feedback thoughts for future trips.

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Word Vs Deed

July 7, 2014

The mission trip to Mexico ended less than a week ago. We painted, gave away food staples, played with orphans. Our short-term missionaries seemed to grow a lot from the experience.

I used my early-morning and late-night meditation time to read and ponder “Word Vs Deed: Resetting the Scales to a Biblical Balance” by Duane Litfin.

There are people who believe that to fulfill Jesus’ teachings and commands, we should emphasize preaching (word). Others believe that Jesus’ commands require us to go and do–at various levels from helping individual members of our family or tribe to solving world-wide economic and environmental problems.

Litfin wants us to do both (I think). And he wants us to do it for sound Biblical reasons. “It is a gospel that not only must be preached; it must be lived,” he states at one point.

He includes this quote, “Christians cannot be governed by mere principles. Principles [can] carry one only so far. At some point every person must…know what God is calling him to do.” —Eric Melaxas, Bonhoeffer

And one I particularly like, “Christians need to look like what they are talking about.” — John Poulton

We earn trust from others when our words and our deeds are congruent. Hypocrisy can mean saying one thing and doing another.

But as I read, I pondered his struggle for an “accurate” and strict Biblical interpretation. I suddenly wondered if he had studied the way that Jesus and Paul used Scripture to prove their points or as a jumping off place for presentation of their teachings.

This book is a good read, especially for those who are caught up in one or the other ends of the pendulum swing and are seeking a reasoned argument for balance.

Word or Deed? Yes!

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Doing What God Calls You To Do

April 28, 2014

The city was known for its violence and cruelty. Its treatment of outsiders was known and feared.

It had gotten so bad that God decided to act. It was either that the city, meaning the attitudes and orientation of all the people in the city, change its ways or it would be destroyed.

God called a man to take this message to the city. He went to the city and preached what we would call repentance. That means he called the people to change the attitude of their hearts from one of cruelty and violence to one oriented toward walking with God. This attitude would be reflected in the way that they lived, such that instead of a reputation for cruelty, they would gain a reputation as God-followers.

The man went, he preached, they changed. Great story.

Except.

The man did not want to do that. The city was his people’s archenemy. He wanted it destroyed and all the people who lived there.

So he did what anyone would do in that situation. He fled. He ran away from God. But God cannot be escaped. He caught the man and pretty much forced him to go to the city and preach. And the man was successful. The city and all the inhabitants repented and changed their ways. God did not destroy the city. The man sat outside and pouted. He wanted destruction. God wanted a right life.

The man’s name was Jonah. God caught him with a fish who grabbed him and took him back to the land. The story isn’t about the fish. The story is about repentance. About how God wanted everyone (not just the Hebrews) to repent and follow Him. It’s also a story about call.

Do you feel a call. It weighed on my soul for a long time that I should have a ministry. Didn’t know what it would be. I thought I knew. But then came a call. Actually, I was called for the same ministry many years ago. Said I couldn’t do it. God waited. He struck. I’m stuck.

How about you? What is weighing on your heart? Or maybe it’s a clear voice that you’re trying to ignore. Don’t ignore. In the end, God wins.

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Walking in Faith

January 22, 2014

Do you ever wonder about the people the writers in the Bible were addressing? Especially the New Testament letter writers?

One of my small groups is reading James. A marvelous little letter. But I started thinking–just what was that gathering of people like that caused James to write this letter to them?

His teaching included:

  • treating poor people just like you’d treat rich people
  • act out your faith, don’t just sit back and say you believe
  • watch what you say
  • be careful not to judge people as to their salvation
  • pray powerfully expecting results
  • if you’re rich, don’t hold it over other people

Picture this gathering of people. When they got together, they separated themselves among cultural lines just as if they were out in society. When things got tough, they whined. They were critical of each other, often saying mean things.

How many of these traits do we exhibit?

I remember long ago talking with a woman about coming to my church. She said, “I just wouldn’t fit in there.” What a powerful condemnation. She didn’t think our little Baptist church filled with middle class business people and teachers would accept a working person.

Even today, I can look across the 20 or more protestant churches in our town of 17,000 and see how often they are divided among income, cultural or racial lines. There is only one Catholic church in town, but there are several rural ones close by if people want to stay in the faith (protestants don’t seem to care about denomination very much any more, they just hop from church to church) and attend with people they feel comfortable with.

Wherever you are, do you try to live out some of these words of James?

  • make everyone feel equally welcome
  • speak kindly in the Spirit
  • perform acts of service in humility
  • pray powerfully with great expectation

I need reminding at times. Bet we all do.

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