This is a very sad but humorous look at what is happening in our churches today. We must take seriously that we are teaching and preaching the gospel--the word of God. We must give them the Bible and now what they want.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Leader of Leaders 1
I. Consider the following weaknesses.
a. The weakness of past missionary work was not leaving an indigenous church!
b. The present day weakness is "one church--one term or more missionaries"
c. Many are asking the question if all the missionary is going to accomplish is one church a few dozen people etc in one term wouldn't it be better to support a national who will work for much less and do about the same amount of work.
d. By the term leader of leaders we mean someone who will find and train others to do the work so that in about the same amount of time he will have several doing the work of planting churches and not just himself.
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a. The weakness of past missionary work was not leaving an indigenous church!
b. The present day weakness is "one church--one term or more missionaries"
c. Many are asking the question if all the missionary is going to accomplish is one church a few dozen people etc in one term wouldn't it be better to support a national who will work for much less and do about the same amount of work.
d. By the term leader of leaders we mean someone who will find and train others to do the work so that in about the same amount of time he will have several doing the work of planting churches and not just himself.
Check out the good news about today's service at Vision.
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View blog reactions
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Train or do!
Once upon a time there was a Little Red Hen who owned a wheat field. "Who will help me harvest the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I. " said the pig. - "I don't know how."
"Not I," said the cow. "I'm too Clumsy."
"Not I," said the dog. "I'm busy with some other things."
So the Little Red Hen did it herself.
"Who will help me grind the wheat into flour?" she asked.
"Not I," said the pig. "That is another vocation in which I'm untrained."
"Not I," said the cow. "You could do it much more efficiently."
"Not I," said the dog. "I'd love to, but I'm involved in some matters of greater urgency. Some other time, perhaps."
So she did it herself.
"Who will help me make some bread?" asked the Little Red Hen.
"Not I,"said the pig. "Nobody ever taught me how."
"Not I," said the cow. "You're more experience and could do it in half the time."
"Not I," said the dog. "I've made some other plans for the afternoon. But I'll help you next time."
So she did it herself.
That evening, when guests arrived for her big dinner party, the Little Red Hen had nothing to serve them except bread. She had been so busy doing work that could have been done by others that she had forgotten to plan a main course, prepare a dessert, or even get out the silverware. The evening was a disaster, and she lived unhappily ever after.
MORAL: A good leader will find a way to involve others to the extent of their ability. To do the job yourself is the chicken way out.
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"Not I. " said the pig. - "I don't know how."
"Not I," said the cow. "I'm too Clumsy."
"Not I," said the dog. "I'm busy with some other things."
So the Little Red Hen did it herself.
"Who will help me grind the wheat into flour?" she asked.
"Not I," said the pig. "That is another vocation in which I'm untrained."
"Not I," said the cow. "You could do it much more efficiently."
"Not I," said the dog. "I'd love to, but I'm involved in some matters of greater urgency. Some other time, perhaps."
So she did it herself.
"Who will help me make some bread?" asked the Little Red Hen.
"Not I,"said the pig. "Nobody ever taught me how."
"Not I," said the cow. "You're more experience and could do it in half the time."
"Not I," said the dog. "I've made some other plans for the afternoon. But I'll help you next time."
So she did it herself.
That evening, when guests arrived for her big dinner party, the Little Red Hen had nothing to serve them except bread. She had been so busy doing work that could have been done by others that she had forgotten to plan a main course, prepare a dessert, or even get out the silverware. The evening was a disaster, and she lived unhappily ever after.
MORAL: A good leader will find a way to involve others to the extent of their ability. To do the job yourself is the chicken way out.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
50 ways to help your church grow
David Beer in the first chapter says "the potential of the local church, whatever its size, is enormous and unfulfilled." We need to unleash the potential of the church which "implies that its gifts and power lie dormant."
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Forgive and Forget
Once upon a time in their marriage, my Dad did something really stupid. Mom chewed him out for it. He apologized and they made up. However, from time to time, my mom mentions what he had done.
"Honey," my Dad finally said one day, "why do you keep bringing that up? I thought your policy was 'forgive and forget.'"
"It is," she said. "I just don't want you to forget that I've forgiven and forgotten."
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"Honey," my Dad finally said one day, "why do you keep bringing that up? I thought your policy was 'forgive and forget.'"
"It is," she said. "I just don't want you to forget that I've forgiven and forgotten."
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Leader of Leaders
World Evangelism faces a definite challenge. The purpose of this study is to show the need for life on life leadership training. Why is this need considered to be so urgent? I ask you to consider the following weaknesses in mission work today.
At best most of our missionaries are able to produce one church in one term. Usually it takes much longer than that. Many are asking the question if all the missionary is going to accomplish is one church a few dozen people etc in one term wouldn't it be better to support a national who will work for much less and do about the same amount of work. By the term leader of leaders we mean someone who will find and train others to do the work so that in about the same amount of time he will have several doing the work of planting churches and not just himself.
Most missionaries are able to start and leave very few indigenous churches during their missionary career. The majority will have to leave their work with a North American missionary when they return to the states on furlough. They can get the people together and have everything that looks like a church but be unable to have trained leadership to carry on the work. It is completely essential to consider the contrast between training leaders and being a regular church planter. Most missionaries go with a pastor mentality instead of a missionary mentality. They want to reproduce what they had in the states but do not know how to go from there to having a national pastor to take the work.
Consider a Church Planter that can plant a church every year. That means knocking on doors, winning enough souls, getting a place to meet, training the people to be faithful, tithe, pray, preach, and all the other things that make up a church, plus find a pastor and leave in 365 days or one year. He would be doing a better job than most any living missionary today. If he could consistently continue this ministry and take care of his family at the same time he would be able to start and leave a total of only 32 churches in a typical missionary lifetime. That means he started planting churches at the age of 25 and continued until 65 taking a furlough every 5 years (4 years on the field and then one on furlough). Consider that--32 churches. If they really become self supporting, self governing, and self propagating he will have been used far beyond what most modern missionaries do. Almost anyone that has any experience on the mission field will realize that this is near to impossible if not totally impossible. For those of you that live in the states show me any church planter in North America that has ever been able to accomplish a similar feat in the States with all the advantages that the North American church has.
Now consider something far more within the realm of reason. What if a missionary could start a church doing all of the above mentioned and leave it with a national pastor every 4 years just before going on furlough. That would mean that he could start 8 churches in the same time period. In a short period of investigation you will find that few men have been able to consistently carry forth this ministry either.
Finally consider the missionary who approaches the ministry with the mentality of training leaders as mentioned in the article above. He too will begin to plant a church but instead of getting bogged down in the day to day operation of pastoring a church he will search out and prayerfully train leaders. What he can accomplish will be unlimited because the difficult part of planting churches is not the getting people together etc but leaving a trained leader that can carry the ministry forward. It only makes sense to train leaders. II Timothy 2:2.
Before leaving this subject consider the greatest missionary who ever lived. Most consider Paul the greatest missionary and without a doubt he was the second greatest but Jesus Christ obviously has to be rated as the greatest. He spent 3.5 years preaching, healing, teaching, ministering, and doing the work and yet when he left his ministry there were only 120 members in His church and that was the first time they had to count the women to get a good attendance. He failed in the big church planting ministry if numbers are your goal but he certainly won out when you consider that he gave his time to the training of 11 men who would shake the entire world in their lifetime. What was his goal--to rapidly plant churches or to train men who could train others to plant churches.
You decide 32 churches, 8 churches, 1 church or train 11 men or as many as you can to reach the greatest unlimited number of churches and souls possible.
To reach the world with the gospel and to change the current problem we face on the mission field we must change our opinions. So many Christian leaders feel without saying tht “no one else can do it as well as I can!” Or maybe they will think that it takes longer to train someone than it does to just do it yourself. Our pride leads us to believe that they will never be able to do it as well as we can.
Another perhaps much more alarming opinion that must be changed is that there are no good nationals or I can’t find any! That will come across as an extremely hard statement but is often heard in some form or the other. Even in America the pastor will be heard to say that the young people of today just aren’t like they used to be. It is so difficult to find any young people that love God or desire to serve Him today.
Opinions must change. God still has thousands who have not bowed the knee to Baal. You are not the only one, the last one, or even one of a few. God has hundreds and thousands of people who desire to do His work. What they need is someone to desire to train them to be a leader of leaders. This process is very costly. It will mean your investing your life in the life of another. We call it life on life discipleship.
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At best most of our missionaries are able to produce one church in one term. Usually it takes much longer than that. Many are asking the question if all the missionary is going to accomplish is one church a few dozen people etc in one term wouldn't it be better to support a national who will work for much less and do about the same amount of work. By the term leader of leaders we mean someone who will find and train others to do the work so that in about the same amount of time he will have several doing the work of planting churches and not just himself.
Most missionaries are able to start and leave very few indigenous churches during their missionary career. The majority will have to leave their work with a North American missionary when they return to the states on furlough. They can get the people together and have everything that looks like a church but be unable to have trained leadership to carry on the work. It is completely essential to consider the contrast between training leaders and being a regular church planter. Most missionaries go with a pastor mentality instead of a missionary mentality. They want to reproduce what they had in the states but do not know how to go from there to having a national pastor to take the work.
Consider a Church Planter that can plant a church every year. That means knocking on doors, winning enough souls, getting a place to meet, training the people to be faithful, tithe, pray, preach, and all the other things that make up a church, plus find a pastor and leave in 365 days or one year. He would be doing a better job than most any living missionary today. If he could consistently continue this ministry and take care of his family at the same time he would be able to start and leave a total of only 32 churches in a typical missionary lifetime. That means he started planting churches at the age of 25 and continued until 65 taking a furlough every 5 years (4 years on the field and then one on furlough). Consider that--32 churches. If they really become self supporting, self governing, and self propagating he will have been used far beyond what most modern missionaries do. Almost anyone that has any experience on the mission field will realize that this is near to impossible if not totally impossible. For those of you that live in the states show me any church planter in North America that has ever been able to accomplish a similar feat in the States with all the advantages that the North American church has.
Now consider something far more within the realm of reason. What if a missionary could start a church doing all of the above mentioned and leave it with a national pastor every 4 years just before going on furlough. That would mean that he could start 8 churches in the same time period. In a short period of investigation you will find that few men have been able to consistently carry forth this ministry either.
Finally consider the missionary who approaches the ministry with the mentality of training leaders as mentioned in the article above. He too will begin to plant a church but instead of getting bogged down in the day to day operation of pastoring a church he will search out and prayerfully train leaders. What he can accomplish will be unlimited because the difficult part of planting churches is not the getting people together etc but leaving a trained leader that can carry the ministry forward. It only makes sense to train leaders. II Timothy 2:2.
Before leaving this subject consider the greatest missionary who ever lived. Most consider Paul the greatest missionary and without a doubt he was the second greatest but Jesus Christ obviously has to be rated as the greatest. He spent 3.5 years preaching, healing, teaching, ministering, and doing the work and yet when he left his ministry there were only 120 members in His church and that was the first time they had to count the women to get a good attendance. He failed in the big church planting ministry if numbers are your goal but he certainly won out when you consider that he gave his time to the training of 11 men who would shake the entire world in their lifetime. What was his goal--to rapidly plant churches or to train men who could train others to plant churches.
You decide 32 churches, 8 churches, 1 church or train 11 men or as many as you can to reach the greatest unlimited number of churches and souls possible.
To reach the world with the gospel and to change the current problem we face on the mission field we must change our opinions. So many Christian leaders feel without saying tht “no one else can do it as well as I can!” Or maybe they will think that it takes longer to train someone than it does to just do it yourself. Our pride leads us to believe that they will never be able to do it as well as we can.
Another perhaps much more alarming opinion that must be changed is that there are no good nationals or I can’t find any! That will come across as an extremely hard statement but is often heard in some form or the other. Even in America the pastor will be heard to say that the young people of today just aren’t like they used to be. It is so difficult to find any young people that love God or desire to serve Him today.
Opinions must change. God still has thousands who have not bowed the knee to Baal. You are not the only one, the last one, or even one of a few. God has hundreds and thousands of people who desire to do His work. What they need is someone to desire to train them to be a leader of leaders. This process is very costly. It will mean your investing your life in the life of another. We call it life on life discipleship.
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Monday, July 23, 2007
Den of Thieves
Be sure and read the articles by Ron Maggard called Den of Thieves! He has the courage to say the things that most do not have the courage to say and he says it well. There are two postings so check out part one and then part two and be sure to sign up to get his blog.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
I have no man
What a thought that you need to read and contemplate as you do missionary work!
I have no man is an article by Ron Maggard. Great stuff, thank you doc.
I have no man is an article by Ron Maggard. Great stuff, thank you doc.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Happy Birthday Scott Newton
Just wanted to take a minute to wish a Happy Birthday to Scott Newton. He is a member of Vision Baptist Church and working towards being a missionary to South Africa. We love you Scott and are praying for you.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
quote
Bob Preston send me this quote:
"The recipe for perpetual ignorance is to be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge."
"The recipe for perpetual ignorance is to be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge."
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Real Christians are a Different Lot
I want to be so different!
"A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for one whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest; and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge. The man who has met God is not looking for anything; he has found it. He is not searching for light, for upon him the light has already shined. His certainty may seem bigoted, but his assurance is that of one who knows by experience his religion is not hearsay. He is not a copy, not a facsimile. He is an original from the hand of the Holy Spirit." (A.W. Tozer)
"A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for one whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest; and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge. The man who has met God is not looking for anything; he has found it. He is not searching for light, for upon him the light has already shined. His certainty may seem bigoted, but his assurance is that of one who knows by experience his religion is not hearsay. He is not a copy, not a facsimile. He is an original from the hand of the Holy Spirit." (A.W. Tozer)
On Self Love
This one sure hit home in a real way!
"The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think of yourself whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as as a little god to which you must be loyal there will be those who will delight to offer affront to your idol. How then can you hope to have inward peace? The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy. will never let the mind have rest" (A.W. Tozer)
"The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think of yourself whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as as a little god to which you must be loyal there will be those who will delight to offer affront to your idol. How then can you hope to have inward peace? The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy. will never let the mind have rest" (A.W. Tozer)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
China Expels More than 100 Missionaries
Read the article on Vision News And help spread the news. It should be an embarrassment to the Chinese government and all the world community that the Olympics should be help in a country that denies personal rights and the right to worship and serve God as one sees fit.
Will you please help me to get this news around the world so that many will pray and maybe China will be pressured to have a better attitude towards religious liberty and human rights.
Will you please help me to get this news around the world so that many will pray and maybe China will be pressured to have a better attitude towards religious liberty and human rights.
Starting a New Church
I have now finished reading a book for the second time that I want to challenge all of you that are church planters to read. I think that there is a great deal of good information in the book that you could use. You can click on the following link and purchase this book from Amazon.
Click here to purchase the book or get more information!
Here are just a few of the things that I noted that we need to know and take into account:
Church planting, “It has allowed one man with limited skills and gifts to reach and get a message of hope to tens of thousands of people, most of whom he will never meet.” 19
The size and influence of the church has been diminishing, “Aggressive church planting has the potential to reverse this trend.” 22
“Some pray that the gospel would change their culture, but few petition for entire cities, even countries to embrace the Savior.” 23
Every time we start a church or reexamine our church we should ask the following questions “What are we trying to accomplish? What is the best way to do it?” 34
“The most successful church plants differentiate themselves from both the existing churches in the community and from the ideas most non-Christians hold about church.” 37
“Rather than care for the saints, we are called to train them to serve others.” 44
“Do not discuss your thoughts with people who would be unable to grasp the idea of making strong sacrifices for the gospel.” 46
“You should probably come up with 10 to 12 statements that will under gird decision making in your new church.” 66
“What do I stand for in ministry? What issues are really important to me? Is evangelism a priority? Where do children fit into my view of the world? How about social justice? Do I care about the poor? What do I think of the AIDS epidemic? What of divorce and remarriage? What will I stand for at the end of my life?” 67
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Significant Quotes
This used to be part of the World Evangelism web site and I thought you might enjoy reading it once again
The following are some quotes that I believe should help you understand something about mission work. Understand that these quotes are for State Department Personnel and not for missionaries but I do believe that they are very applicable.
“Interpreters are no substitute. It is not possible to understand what is in the minds of other people without understanding their language, and without understanding their language it is impossible to be sure that they understand what is on our minds.”[1]
“In extensive interviews with superior graduating seniors the authors have discovered that the brightest seniors reject foreign service because it is ‘too dull, too bureaucratic’. Many of these students would be attracted to overseas duty if the standards were higher, if contact with natives were possible, if the ‘good living’ were not stressed so much and the challenge stressed more.[2]
“What we need is a small force of well-trained, well chosen, hard-working, and dedicated professionals. They must be willing to risk their comforts and -in some lands- their health...They must speak the language of the land of their assignment, and they must be more expert in its problems than are the natives.”[3]
I learned recently how the early Americans believed one should study. I would like to begin to do just that. Their plan was to 1: research, 2: reason, 3: relate, 4: record.
I read on the wall of Trinity Baptist College a saying by Francis Bacon. "Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man."
Seven kinds of giving:
1. childish giving which is emotional and spasmatic.
2. average giving which is tithing.
3. freewill offering
4. bountiful giving
5. sacrificial giving
6. giving after death
7. faith promise giving
“...it was an act of consummate folly for anyone to proceed to the mission field without professional as well as theological training. He was convinced that as well as a good theological foundation missionaries needed training in cross-cultural communication, missionary anthropology, the history and theology of missions, world religions and contemporary issues. He believed the time had come to call a halt to the unsatisfactory procedure of sending out missionaries who were not adequately prepared. He stated, ‘We should do our very best to send out fully qualified missionaries. Anything else is unfair to the national churches and dishonoring to the Lord.”[4]
“If missionaries are sent out without adequate preparation the consequences can be disastrous on themselves, their families and their ministry. The high rate of attrition among missionaries is proof of that. Many go out without being warned before hand of the difficulties they may face. They are unable to speak the language. They have little understanding of the culture and the way things should be done. They experience the pressures of isolation and hostility. They see little response to their ministry. They find it difficult to get used to the climate. They succumb to local ailments. Sickness, fatigue and discouragement take their toll, and eventually they return home dispirited and disillusioned. In the worse cases they remain spiritual cripples for the rest of their lives, condemned by their own sense of failure.”[5]
“The families of missionaries also may suffer unnecessarily during their time over seas if they are given insufficient pre-field training and orientation. Wives sometimes have no idea of what it will be like to run a home and raise a family in a foreign country.”
“A thorough program of cross-cultural training will not remove all these problems, but it will help missionaries and their spouses to prepare themselves and anticipate what may lie ahead.”
“Too many families have suffered because they were given insufficient preparation for missionary service; too many marriages have ended in divorce; too many wives have suffered break downs or depression; too many children carry scars of bitterness because no one ever cared about their feelings. The burden of responsibility for providing adequate preparation rests with the churches and mission agencies which send them out.”
“It is not only the missionaries who suffer if they are given inadequate preparation for cross cultural service, the people to whom they are sent also suffer.”[6]
[1] William J Lederer and Eugene Burdick, THE UGLY AMERICAN. ( W. W. Norton & Company, New York. 1958) pp 275-276
[2] Ibid p 280
[3] Ibid 284
[4] David Harley, Preparing to Serve. Training for Cross Cultural Mission. (William Carey Library, Pasadena, California 1995) p 7
[5] Ibid pp 7-8
[6] Ibid 8-9
The following are some quotes that I believe should help you understand something about mission work. Understand that these quotes are for State Department Personnel and not for missionaries but I do believe that they are very applicable.
“Interpreters are no substitute. It is not possible to understand what is in the minds of other people without understanding their language, and without understanding their language it is impossible to be sure that they understand what is on our minds.”[1]
“In extensive interviews with superior graduating seniors the authors have discovered that the brightest seniors reject foreign service because it is ‘too dull, too bureaucratic’. Many of these students would be attracted to overseas duty if the standards were higher, if contact with natives were possible, if the ‘good living’ were not stressed so much and the challenge stressed more.[2]
“What we need is a small force of well-trained, well chosen, hard-working, and dedicated professionals. They must be willing to risk their comforts and -in some lands- their health...They must speak the language of the land of their assignment, and they must be more expert in its problems than are the natives.”[3]
I learned recently how the early Americans believed one should study. I would like to begin to do just that. Their plan was to 1: research, 2: reason, 3: relate, 4: record.
I read on the wall of Trinity Baptist College a saying by Francis Bacon. "Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man."
Seven kinds of giving:
1. childish giving which is emotional and spasmatic.
2. average giving which is tithing.
3. freewill offering
4. bountiful giving
5. sacrificial giving
6. giving after death
7. faith promise giving
“...it was an act of consummate folly for anyone to proceed to the mission field without professional as well as theological training. He was convinced that as well as a good theological foundation missionaries needed training in cross-cultural communication, missionary anthropology, the history and theology of missions, world religions and contemporary issues. He believed the time had come to call a halt to the unsatisfactory procedure of sending out missionaries who were not adequately prepared. He stated, ‘We should do our very best to send out fully qualified missionaries. Anything else is unfair to the national churches and dishonoring to the Lord.”[4]
“If missionaries are sent out without adequate preparation the consequences can be disastrous on themselves, their families and their ministry. The high rate of attrition among missionaries is proof of that. Many go out without being warned before hand of the difficulties they may face. They are unable to speak the language. They have little understanding of the culture and the way things should be done. They experience the pressures of isolation and hostility. They see little response to their ministry. They find it difficult to get used to the climate. They succumb to local ailments. Sickness, fatigue and discouragement take their toll, and eventually they return home dispirited and disillusioned. In the worse cases they remain spiritual cripples for the rest of their lives, condemned by their own sense of failure.”[5]
“The families of missionaries also may suffer unnecessarily during their time over seas if they are given insufficient pre-field training and orientation. Wives sometimes have no idea of what it will be like to run a home and raise a family in a foreign country.”
“A thorough program of cross-cultural training will not remove all these problems, but it will help missionaries and their spouses to prepare themselves and anticipate what may lie ahead.”
“Too many families have suffered because they were given insufficient preparation for missionary service; too many marriages have ended in divorce; too many wives have suffered break downs or depression; too many children carry scars of bitterness because no one ever cared about their feelings. The burden of responsibility for providing adequate preparation rests with the churches and mission agencies which send them out.”
“It is not only the missionaries who suffer if they are given inadequate preparation for cross cultural service, the people to whom they are sent also suffer.”[6]
[1] William J Lederer and Eugene Burdick, THE UGLY AMERICAN. ( W. W. Norton & Company, New York. 1958) pp 275-276
[2] Ibid p 280
[3] Ibid 284
[4] David Harley, Preparing to Serve. Training for Cross Cultural Mission. (William Carey Library, Pasadena, California 1995) p 7
[5] Ibid pp 7-8
[6] Ibid 8-9
Friday, July 06, 2007
“When a Martyr Dies”
Jon Sun “When a Martyr Dies”
1) God’s truth triumphs
2) Satan is defeated (1 John 3:8)
3) The glory of God
Wounded Healers
The aim of the ministry of the believer to display Christ to show that he is more to be desired more than all earthy comforts and pleasures. The suffering of the believer is designed to make clear that Christ is in fact that valuable and that precious.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV) “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Christ is visible and valuable when I endure these things in his will.
2 Tim. 2:10 (KJV) “Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
The aspect of seeing people come to Christ was worth any thing he had to endure!
2 Tim. 2:2-3 (KJV)”And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. [3] Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
Therefore joy in God in the mist of suffering makes the worth of God the all satisfying glory of God shine more brightly than it would through our joy at any other time.
Romans 5:3 (KJV) “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”
1 Peter 4:13 (KJV) “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
John 21:18-19 (KJV) “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. [19] This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
All of our deaths are meant to glorify God.
Psalm 119:50 (KJV) “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”
Comfort – Word of God
Psalm 119:71 (KJV) “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
Affliction – helps us learn statues
Psalm 119:92 (KJV) “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.”
What are you delights?
Psalm 119:75 (KJV) “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.”
Martin Luther’s three points to study the Bible:
Prayer
Meditation
Tribulation
2 Tim. 3:12 (KJV) “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
ALL!
All our suffering is the discipline of the father for our Good.
Hebrews 12:11 (KJV) “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
1 Peter 1:7 (KJV) “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
Preparation of an eternal weight of Glory beyond all comparison:
2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”
Malcolm Mugridge said – “Looking of my ninety years of life I realized I never made any progress in good times.”
John Piper – “Our lives are a walk through our own valley of darkness; it is a life long seminary, the seminary of suffering.”
1) God’s truth triumphs
2) Satan is defeated (1 John 3:8)
3) The glory of God
Wounded Healers
The aim of the ministry of the believer to display Christ to show that he is more to be desired more than all earthy comforts and pleasures. The suffering of the believer is designed to make clear that Christ is in fact that valuable and that precious.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV) “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Christ is visible and valuable when I endure these things in his will.
2 Tim. 2:10 (KJV) “Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
The aspect of seeing people come to Christ was worth any thing he had to endure!
2 Tim. 2:2-3 (KJV)”And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. [3] Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
Therefore joy in God in the mist of suffering makes the worth of God the all satisfying glory of God shine more brightly than it would through our joy at any other time.
Romans 5:3 (KJV) “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”
1 Peter 4:13 (KJV) “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
John 21:18-19 (KJV) “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. [19] This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
All of our deaths are meant to glorify God.
Psalm 119:50 (KJV) “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”
Comfort – Word of God
Psalm 119:71 (KJV) “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
Affliction – helps us learn statues
Psalm 119:92 (KJV) “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.”
What are you delights?
Psalm 119:75 (KJV) “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.”
Martin Luther’s three points to study the Bible:
Prayer
Meditation
Tribulation
2 Tim. 3:12 (KJV) “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
ALL!
All our suffering is the discipline of the father for our Good.
Hebrews 12:11 (KJV) “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
1 Peter 1:7 (KJV) “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
Preparation of an eternal weight of Glory beyond all comparison:
2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”
Malcolm Mugridge said – “Looking of my ninety years of life I realized I never made any progress in good times.”
John Piper – “Our lives are a walk through our own valley of darkness; it is a life long seminary, the seminary of suffering.”
Chronological Outline of the Persecution In the Book of Acts
More information sent to me on persecution from Mark Tolson
I) Peter and John Arrested
A) Reference: Acts 4:1-4
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter and John
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) The Sadducees were grieved of there teaching and put them in jail
for a night.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were persecuted were preaching and teaching that Christ rose from the dead.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They did as they were told
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Even though they were thrown in jail, verse four indicates that many came to Christ.
II) Threatened
A) Reference: Acts 4:18-31
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter and John
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Threatened by the council not to teach or preach in the name of Christ
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Because they were teachings and preaching the name of Christ
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They answered the council with the truth of Christ
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Praised God
2) Read Scriptures
3) Prayer for boldness
4) Holy Ghost filled
III) Prison, Counsel, Beaten
A) Reference: Acts 5
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Apostles
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Prison vs. 18
2) Council vs. 27
3) Beaten vs. 40
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Signs and Wonders
2) People all around the world were getting saved!
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Prison- Angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and brought them forth.
2) Council- Obeyed God rather than men
3) Beaten- Rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Acts 5:42- “And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
IV) Jerusalem Church Persecuted
A) Reference: Acts 8:1
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Church at Jerusalem
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Hauling men and women off to prison
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Saul made havoc on the Church
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were scattered abroad and went preaching Christ
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The spread of the gospel
V) Paul’s Persecution of the Church
A) Refernce: Acts 9:5
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Jesus
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Persecution of His Church
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Saul hated the Christians
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Saul’s conversion
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Saul’s was the greatest Church planter
VI) Peter’s Release
A) Refernce: Acts 12:1-19
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Put in prison
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) It pleased the Jew to have Peter put in jail.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) He spent his time in prayer
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The Angel released him and everyone was excited and encourage.
VII) Kicking the Dust
A) Refernce: Acts 13: 44- 52
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Barnabas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) “raised persecution” and kicked them out of their region
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) For preaching the truth
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They shook the dust off their feet and went on!
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They turned to the Gentiles!
VIII) Fickle Lystra
A) Refernce: Acts 14:8-20
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Barnabas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) They stoned Paul and Barnabas, till they thought he was dead. After that they drew him out of the city.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were fickle, they had just finished worshipping them and then they stoned him for preaching the truth.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They departed to another city the next day.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They ordained elders on the way back.
IX) Philippian Jailor
A) Refernce: Acts 16: 16-40
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Silas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Their clothes were rent off, and they were beaten. They laid many stripes on them and then threw them in jail.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Because they cast the devils out of the possessed damsel
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were singing in prison; also they were praying and praising God.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The Philippian jailor and his family got saved!
X) Assaulting the house of Jason
A) Refernce: Acts 17:1-9
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Jason
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Wicked men from the market place attacked Jason and his family; and they took them to the rulers of the city
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Jason was persecuted for Paul and Silas’ sake. He was an “unsung hero” that helped with the spread of the gospel. Jason was probably the local host and sponsor for Paul and Silas.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) When they took Jason to the officals, he promised the trouble would cease or his own property and possibly his own life would be taken.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) “Some believed” – Many came to Christ!
XI) Paul seized in the temple
A) Refernce: Acts 21: 27-40
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Beating
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Paul and his men went into the temple to signify their purification and to make a sacrifice for each one of them. The Jews accused Paul of teaching doctrines that did not abide by their law and that he was polluting their temple.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Paul was bound by chains and the Chief Captain ordered that he be taken to the castle. There he pleaded to speak before the people. Paul was granted permission and Paul gave his defense along with the account of his conversion.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The gospel spread
XII) Paul’s two year Persecution
A) Reference: Acts 24:1-10
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) He was held as a prisoner for two years.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) For profaning the temple
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Paul cheerfully answered his accusers
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The people saw Christ through Paul’s response
XIII) The imprisonment of the Saint’s
A) Reference: Acts 26: 10-11
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Saint’s
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Shut up in prison and put to death
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were Christians
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were scattered from Jerusalem
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They learned what true Faith is!
I) Peter and John Arrested
A) Reference: Acts 4:1-4
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter and John
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) The Sadducees were grieved of there teaching and put them in jail
for a night.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were persecuted were preaching and teaching that Christ rose from the dead.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They did as they were told
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Even though they were thrown in jail, verse four indicates that many came to Christ.
II) Threatened
A) Reference: Acts 4:18-31
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter and John
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Threatened by the council not to teach or preach in the name of Christ
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Because they were teachings and preaching the name of Christ
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They answered the council with the truth of Christ
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Praised God
2) Read Scriptures
3) Prayer for boldness
4) Holy Ghost filled
III) Prison, Counsel, Beaten
A) Reference: Acts 5
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Apostles
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Prison vs. 18
2) Council vs. 27
3) Beaten vs. 40
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Signs and Wonders
2) People all around the world were getting saved!
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Prison- Angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, and brought them forth.
2) Council- Obeyed God rather than men
3) Beaten- Rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Acts 5:42- “And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
IV) Jerusalem Church Persecuted
A) Reference: Acts 8:1
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Church at Jerusalem
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Hauling men and women off to prison
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Saul made havoc on the Church
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were scattered abroad and went preaching Christ
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The spread of the gospel
V) Paul’s Persecution of the Church
A) Refernce: Acts 9:5
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Jesus
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Persecution of His Church
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Saul hated the Christians
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Saul’s conversion
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) Saul’s was the greatest Church planter
VI) Peter’s Release
A) Refernce: Acts 12:1-19
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Peter
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Put in prison
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) It pleased the Jew to have Peter put in jail.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) He spent his time in prayer
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The Angel released him and everyone was excited and encourage.
VII) Kicking the Dust
A) Refernce: Acts 13: 44- 52
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Barnabas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) “raised persecution” and kicked them out of their region
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) For preaching the truth
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They shook the dust off their feet and went on!
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They turned to the Gentiles!
VIII) Fickle Lystra
A) Refernce: Acts 14:8-20
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Barnabas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) They stoned Paul and Barnabas, till they thought he was dead. After that they drew him out of the city.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were fickle, they had just finished worshipping them and then they stoned him for preaching the truth.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They departed to another city the next day.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They ordained elders on the way back.
IX) Philippian Jailor
A) Refernce: Acts 16: 16-40
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul and Silas
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Their clothes were rent off, and they were beaten. They laid many stripes on them and then threw them in jail.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Because they cast the devils out of the possessed damsel
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were singing in prison; also they were praying and praising God.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The Philippian jailor and his family got saved!
X) Assaulting the house of Jason
A) Refernce: Acts 17:1-9
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Jason
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Wicked men from the market place attacked Jason and his family; and they took them to the rulers of the city
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Jason was persecuted for Paul and Silas’ sake. He was an “unsung hero” that helped with the spread of the gospel. Jason was probably the local host and sponsor for Paul and Silas.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) When they took Jason to the officals, he promised the trouble would cease or his own property and possibly his own life would be taken.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) “Some believed” – Many came to Christ!
XI) Paul seized in the temple
A) Refernce: Acts 21: 27-40
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Beating
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) Paul and his men went into the temple to signify their purification and to make a sacrifice for each one of them. The Jews accused Paul of teaching doctrines that did not abide by their law and that he was polluting their temple.
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Paul was bound by chains and the Chief Captain ordered that he be taken to the castle. There he pleaded to speak before the people. Paul was granted permission and Paul gave his defense along with the account of his conversion.
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The gospel spread
XII) Paul’s two year Persecution
A) Reference: Acts 24:1-10
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) Paul
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) He was held as a prisoner for two years.
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) For profaning the temple
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) Paul cheerfully answered his accusers
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) The people saw Christ through Paul’s response
XIII) The imprisonment of the Saint’s
A) Reference: Acts 26: 10-11
B) Who was Persecuted?
1) The Saint’s
C) Type(s) of Persecution? (how)
1) Shut up in prison and put to death
D) Reason(s) for Persecution? (why)
1) They were Christians
E) Response(s) to the Persecution?
1) They were scattered from Jerusalem
F) Result(s) to the Persecution? (for the church)
1) They learned what true Faith is!
quote
"A vision without a task is but a dream,
a task without a vision is drudgery,
a vision and a task is the hope of the world."
-From a church in Sussex, England, ca. 1730
a task without a vision is drudgery,
a vision and a task is the hope of the world."
-From a church in Sussex, England, ca. 1730
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
quote
We have come to a turning point in the road. If we turn to the right mayhap our children and our children’s children will go that way; but if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His Word. –Charles Spurgeon
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Student of the Week
Jemima grew up in a Christian home attending Cirialo Baptist Church where her father was Pastor. When Jemima was eight years old, her father shared the gospel with her and she knew that she needed Christ and trusted him as her Savior. Jemima learned more about God through the bible and from teaching from her mother.
Jemima became involved in many ministries of the church and at the age of fifteen, she knew that God wanted her to be in full time ministry. Jemima's parents were able to send her to the Baptist Seminary in Cusco for a year. Then Jemima heard from another pastor about the Peru Bible College in Arequipa and began her studies there in 2004.
Jemima has enjoyed her time at the college learning more about God and helping others. She wants to start a ministry working with ladies and young children and teaching them how to follow the bible and be in God's will. Jemima has no financial support from her parents or church right now. Please read her personal account of her testimony and consider supporting her through the student fund.
Read Jemima's full testimony.
Read about other Bible College Students.
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