Missions: - Wrecked for the Ordinary

Discovering Faith Through Pain in Haiti

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It started with a touch. While exploring a neighborhood, the pastor of a local church lead me into the yard of a very nice home. Rather, what was once a very nice home. The concrete home had crumbled during the quake. The outside walls fell first, then the second story partially collapses onto the first floor.

I was in full journalist mode.

I asked the pastor if he thought it would be okay if I took a few pictures. I took some wide angle shots to capture the size of the home and the magnitude of the destruction.

Then I walked towards the rubble pile to get some close-ups of the front steps. Just as I was looking at the lighting and the subject, I felt a gentle touch on my right elbow. I turned my head to the right just in time to see they eyes of a young man, about my height.

"This is my house," he told me in broken English. "I used to live here until the earthquake.

"I am so sorry." I lowered my camera as I now felt like an intruder. "I see that you are fine, was everyone else OK?" He took a few seconds to answer and I wasn't sure if he had run out of words in English or if he was struggling to find the right words.

Either way, I instantly shifted from journalist mode to pastor mode. As I turned 90 degrees to face him he began to speak again. "As I felt the house begin to shake I started to run outside. I made it to the steps when the house..." He put both hands out and motioned that the building collapsed. I got trapped but someone was able to pull me out." Then a long, painful pause, "But my sister died." My heart sank.

We continued to talk. I couldn't figure out if his parents also died or if they had moved away to another Province... But the fact remained that this 18 year old boy was now all alone."Where are you living?" it was a question I asked because I didn't know what else to say. "I don't have anywhere to go. So I try to sleep where I can, mostly in a field." He said matter-of-factly.

An 18 year-old boy, deep in mourning, sleeping under the stars among the cries and chaos of a collapsed city. My mind raced with thoughts of what it must be like.

"Do you have bad dreams since the earthquake?" He told me that he barely slept. That he just laid on the ground hoping for sleep that never came. It seemed as though each moment of his day was consumed in reliving the horror. "Was it loud when the house fell down?" I asked him. "Yes, very loud. I cannot forget the sound of the walls falling."There are thousands of Bertrand's in Haiti today. But the Holy Spirit was prompting me to find out what his needs are and see if there was anything I could do. We talked a little about food and shelter, but he didn't seem interested. So I closed our time by praying with him.

"Mr. Adam, there is one way that you can help me." His eyes now full of fiery hope. "I don't have anything. I have no place to live, no food, no water. But that doesn't matter to me because I know God will take care of me. The one thing I need, when the school re-opens, is to go back to school. But I do not have money for the fees. My parents are gone."

This floored me. It represented the hope we heard all over the city for the future of the Haitian people. Somehow they know that immediate relief aid is only part of the problem. This young man knew that to truly change his life he needed to lay a solid foundation of education.

I took his picture and told him I would see what I could do. What he didn't know is that I took that picture and broadcast it on Twitter and Facebook. Within minutes I had several people willing to pay the 3000 Haitian dollars (About $75 USD) for him to attend school for one-year.

It's easy to get lost in the numbers of this event. More than 200,000 people killed. 3,000,000 people displaced. More than 750,000 living in tent cities.

And yet each of those numbers has an individual story to tell. Each of them has their own pain and hopes to wrestle though. Each has their own grieving process.

In a way, while I cannot tell all of their stories, each story needs to be heard.

Adam is the online community guy for Youth Specialties. He lives in the Rolando neighborhood of San Diego with his wife Kristen and two children, Megan and Paul. He is a blogger and recently returned from the Youth Ministry Advance Team: Haiti trip.

Did Haiti Really Make a Pact with the Devil?

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I heard about the supposed pact that Haiti made with the devil from Twitter when it lit up a firestorm of tweets about Pat Robertson's remarks blaming the earthquake that has devastated Port-au-Prince on this pact. I first thought, "What the crap?" I also thought, "Dang Pat, hush! You're doing so much good through Operation Blessing. I know that you love the poor and hurting, and I know you help them."

As one news commentator said, "He keeps saying stuff like that so he's not gonna be remembered for Operation Blessing but for those kinds of comments." To make matters worse, I had friends tell me that they "knew" about this pact. They said it was true, but none of them gave me a credible source of this obviously very important information. It's just what has been passed down, generation after generation, so now it is believed in many fundamentalist circles as truth. That, my friends, is what I like to call Fundamentalist folklore.

So, I decided to investigate. I love history. I found some great articles, web sites and historical documents, concerning this issue. The best treatment of this topic is found in an article called, "God, Satan, and the Birth of Haiti". I say "best," because the author's Haitian, he's a Christian, it's not a very long article, and he did a thorough investigation in 2005, before all the Pat Robertson controversy.

Here's how he explains the historical context of the pact:

The satanic pact allegedly took place at Bois-Caman near Cap-Hatien on August 14, 1791 during a meeting organized by several slave leaders, under [Dutty] Boukman's leadership, before launching what would become Haiti's Independence War. This brutal period lasted 13 years until the last survivors of the French expeditionary forces, dispatched to Saint-Domingue with the sole purpose to re-establish slavery, were allowed by Dessalines to leave the island and return to Napoleon. Those who made it safely to France wrote and reported about the utmost bravery and supreme courage of Haiti's indigenous army.

Obviously, the idea that Haiti was dedicated to Satan prior to its independence is a very serious and profound statement with potentially grave consequences for its people in terms of how they are perceived by others or how the whole nation is understood outside its borders. One would agree that such a strong affirmation should be based on solid historical and scriptural ground. But, although the satanic pact idea is by far the most popular explanation for Haiti's birth as a free nation, especially among Christian missionaries and some Haitian Church leaders, it is nothing more than a fantasist opinion that ultimately dissipates upon close examination.

...because of this message, Haiti has been portrayed as the country born out of Satan's benevolence and goodwill toward mankind. Shouldn't such a fantastic idea be tested for its historic validity and theological soundness? I invite you to take with me a closer and possibly different look at the available records.

The really great thing about the information age in which we live is that with the click of a mouse, we can access historical documents, investigations into such far fetched claims and find the context of such Fundamentalist folklore. And we can quickly find valid sources to verify the bull-crapness of such claims.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, "Test everything. Hold on to the good."

Carole is a writer, artist, singer and Orphan Care Advocate. She is married to Dean and mother of three children - one miracle of birth, one adopted from here in the States, and one just adopted from Ethiopia. She blogs at The Wardrobe and the White Tree.

God is Not Practical: A New Call to Missions

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

John is fluent in Thai, he grew up in Thailand. He understands the language and the culture. John is currently starting a church in Peru. To do this he has to learn Spanish. It isn't coming easily. I am fluent in Spanish. I grew up in Guatemala. I understand the language and the culture. I am a pastor to English speakers in Peru. Scott is from England. He is struggling to learn Spanish so he can start a church in Peru. I translate for him on a regular basis. He gets frustrated trying to learn Spanish at age 37.

We are all doing what God has called us to do. We are so sure of it that we moved our families from our various home countries to the mountains of Peru.

God is not practical.

From a purely pragmatic standpoint John should be in Thailand, I should be pastoring a Spanish church and Scott would be much more effective pastoring an English church. It seems God isn't as concerned about reaching the world as he claims to be. If he were, wouldn't he be more practical? Instead he plays musical chairs with his children and sends them to where they struggle to be effective. Can this really be God's method?

Lately this question has become a popular one to bandy in churches and missions circles. Are foreign missionaries still needed? Practicality would say support the national workers who already understand the language, culture and social contexts. Foreigners botch things, are slow getting started and are terribly expensive to sustain. If we do agree foreign missionaries are still needed, and some would not be willing to agree to that, why do we keep sending them to countries that are already evangelized? Wouldn't it be more logical, strategic and cost effective to only send missionaries where there are no local churches?

Since the end of the 30 year civil war, Guatemala has a growing abundance of missionaries but the Guatemalan national church is highly effective. Not only are these pastors reaching Guatemala but many also travel and speak all over Latin America and have even planted missions churches in the United States of America.

So what is going on? Has God lost control or could we explain this apparent irrationality by seeing things from another perspective, a higher point of view? Could it be God is more concerned about who we become than about what we do, more concerned with internal transformation than global domination?

God will accomplish his full purpose on earth. He will not lose one of His own. He is not in a panic or anxious about the outcome of time. As He moves along accomplishing His good will, we get to be part of that work, but He seems more concerned about transforming our lives than using us to transform the world.

With that said, I have a confession to make: I don't really see myself as a missionary.

Yes, I raise support, send out newsletters and live in Peru. But in reality I see myself as a carpe diem Christian. God presented a marvelous opportunity for me to serve him in South America and I seized it. There were no angelic visitations, spirit fingers writing on walls or even a passionate call to go to Peru. Much like Isaiah, opportunity met willing worker and I volunteered to go - "send me". (Isaiah 6:8)

With instant global communication and rapid, transnational transportation producing a shrinking planet, the world of missions has changed. It is no longer necessary to sell all you have, wave bon voyage to family and friends you will likely never see again, then endure an arduous slow boat to China, or Africa or Peru, where you will live out your days and likely be buried. The emerging trend focuses on seizing opportunities to serve wherever God opens a door. I don't have a burning passion in my heart for Peru. I love the country, culture and people but I came to see what God would do in and through me when I obeyed. Great things are happening because God is orchestrating them. I get to enjoy the adventure.

I encourage you to embrace missions from a new paradigm.

Yes, we are called to reach the world. But foreign missions is simply doing what we all should be doing anyway - in another country. You don't have to wait for voices from heaven or an unquenchable fire in your heart. Step out and embrace an opportunity. Go serve where you can. Live on the mission field for a few years. You don't speak the language? You can learn. And whether you ever become fluent or not, you can be influencing those around you and making a difference in your life and the lives of others. Break free of your comfort zone and seize an opportunity.

Your practical, predictable life will always be there waiting if you want to come back to it. 

Jol is the founder of Summit Leaders. He was raised in Guatemala, Central America, is fluent in Spanish, holds a bachelor's degree in international political science, a master's degree in counseling and has extensive experience abroad in missions, world travel, and mountaineering. He and his wife Emily live in Cuzco, Peru. Check out his blog.

Finding Justine: God's Relentless Pursuit of One Woman

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today was an adventure of finding Justine. Justine was found, originally, by Ryan Stewart. He has several blogs about groups who have found Justine since then.

Today, was our turn.

Today, God continued to carry out His persistent love for His daughter.

Justine is a beautiful woman who has lost her left foot to a snake bite and very bad infection over the last 3 years. Ryan found her on the beach and struck up a conversation with her two years ago... got her a Bible... visited with her... loved on her... and has continued to advocate for her ever since.

Today, we followed the "goose-chase" directions to the town of Livingston (about a half hour boat ride from Puerto Barrios) to her house. But first, we actually passed by Livingston earlier in the day (on our River Tour), and caught a glimpse of a woman on the pier in the distance that looked extremely similar to the description we got of Justine and got real excited. (to be continued...)

So, later on, after our River Tour, we got dropped off in Livingston to attempt our mission. We started by knowing that we needed to turn left before the big hill. Then we were to find Pastor Marcos at the Nazarene Church. We were walking rather blindly, when a new friend, Oscar, came alongside the gaggle of gringos and asked us what we were looking for. He decided to be our guide. How convenient.

About 15 minutes down the road, he pointed us down a dirt path that ended up at Pastor Marcos' church. He was there. He invited us around back to meet his family, and when we introduced ourselves as friends of Ryan who were looking for Justine, they laughed and giggled and carried on for a bit. We asked if Pastor Marcos would take us to her, and he agreed.

So, we started out on the 45 minute trek across town to where she lives in a cinder block shack. We got to the front door, that was actually just a mattress, and peeked inside. Guess who it was? Yep, that's right. It was the woman we had spotted on the pier about 6 hours earlier.

We went inside, greeted her, and told her who we were and why we were there. She beamed. She started talking a million words a minute in her broken English, telling us how she had been, how she has been caring for her leg, and how she prays to God every day. She giggled and smiled the whole time. We prayed over her, loved on her, and reminded her that God loved her so much that He has sent three groups of World Racers to her over the years to tell her that. She received it all.

We took pictures with her, said our goodbyes, and made our way out of the house. As we were standing outside waving, she began to sing to us. It was precious! She belted it and was just rejoicing! She said over and over what a great day it was.

And it was. God is so good. So detailed. He cares so deeply for the One. He sends us after the One. It was a beautiful day of being a part of what God started in her life years ago with a World Race team who walked in obedience and love.

Here we are walking in victory and excitement back to the boat at the end of the day. The Justine story will be continued... when the next World Race team comes through Guatemala.

Andi grew up in a little suburb in Kentucky called Fort Thomas, right across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. She was on the January 2008 World Race. She just recently headed back out into the field for a second time to lead the October 2009 World Race group. She loves the Andy Griffith Show and watching movies.

The Day She Found Her Truth: A Muslim's Story of Redemption

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

She's an elderly woman, probably in her mid-sixties. The sun has made its mark on her face, with lines encircling her brown-hazed eyes. She's a follower of Islam, careful to read her Koran and pray the regular five times a day. And she is a woman seeking truth. Just 24 hours before I met her, she prayed out to her God for Him to show her truth. Not interested in the religious routines as much as the truth of a real God, she began asking Him questions.

And there, He met her...

Her name is Fetija and she lives in Montenegro, a country of 700,000 with roughly 200 Christians in the entire nation. In Ulcinj, the city in which I came to meet her, you cannot make it through your day without hearing at least one of over 10 mosques in the city doing their regular calls to prayer. The noise vibrates throughout the city, invading every ounce of air, so that it is all but impossible to ignore.

Fetija and I met on a Sunday morning. The sun was brilliantly shining, and it was time to take church to the beach. With only five believers in the city of Ulcinj, there is no organized church meeting, so my group (there were nine of us) headed to the beach with Bible and guitar in hand.

The first person I saw as we approached the beach was Fetija. She was lying on the sand beside some lounge chairs. The minute we walked towards her, she perked up and started waving with this beautifully radiant smile on her face. It was irresistible to pass by, so I went over to her and waved back. She instantly pulled me close, gave me a huge hug, and held my hand. We stayed like that for a few minutes, just smiling, laughing, and holding hands. I would say things to her like, "Jesus loves you" and, "You are a beautiful woman of God." I knew she didn't understand, but I also knew she needed those words spoken over her, despite language differences.

After a few minutes, I left her and went back to the group to begin worship. Just the night before, we had done an all-night prayer time for the country of Montenegro. While physically we were definitely tired, spiritually we were refreshed and energized, knowing God was moving in this country. In between prayer or songs, I would look over and there Fetija was, grinning ear-to-ear, waving. You couldn't ignore the joy of this woman; something irresistible was in her.

After we finished singing, I taught for a short while on what it means to walk in both thanksgiving for what God has given us, and declaration for what He is doing. One of the questions I asked the group during that time was how big God had to move in order for us to move from a petitioning prayer position to a declaring position on something we were praying into. Specifically, how big does God have to show His movement in the nation of Montenegro to take us from asking Him to change the country, to declaring that the country is transforming in this moment?

We finished worship and began eating lunch. The next moments were a blur, but I remember sitting on a lounge chair with my lunch in hand and feeling quickly compelled to go bring the rest to Fetija. Over I went, handing her half my lunch, and sitting down with her. We just smiled, laughed, and kept on holding hands.

There were three of us girls who sat with her on the beach. Despite knowing she couldn't understand what I was saying, I just began talking to her. I asked her about Jesus - if she knew Him, if she prayed to Him, if she knew how much He loved her. She just smiled and held my hand.

I was about ready to get up and give her a hug goodbye when I saw a figure walking over towards us. Instantly, I recognized the woman as Bukurija, a missionary with whom we were staying in Montenegro. She bee-lined it for the group of Fetija and us girls. I was so relieved to see her, knowing she would be able to help translate for us. The minute she got over there, she sat down next to me: "Caroline, I got here as quickly as I could. I was getting dressed and about to fix lunch when I heard the Holy Spirit tell me I needed to come right to the beach to help you guys share the Gospel. So here I am."

Bukarija is not an ordinary women. Almost 40, she's a Hungarian missionary who is now dedicating her life to the people of Montenegro. Despite not seeing rapid fruit, she's choosing the road less traveled by missionaries - a road of sacrifice, pain, patience, and pursuing the glorious redemption. She's a woman who is completely led by the Spirit and voice of God.

Fetija instantly took to Bukarija, as most people would. The minute Bukarija sat down, the two women started talking in Serbian, while I sat peacefully beside them, smiling at what God was doing. I was sure of one thing - this was so much bigger than one conversation. God was showing Himself moving in this nation through this one divinely-appointed conversation. As they chatted, I sat and waited, knowing that He was changing this woman right before our eyes.

When they were done with introductions and casual conversation, I asked Bukarija if she would ask Fetiga about faith and where her hope comes from. Fetiga said she believes in Allah and that she is careful to pray regularly and seek Him out. She said it was her duty to be faithful to what He has asked of her.

Not being one to beat around the bush, I told her about Jesus. I told her that He is the one who not only sacrificed Himself for us out of love, but who conquered death through resurrection and wants an intimate relationship with us. That He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. And that He's pursuing her in this moment so that she might know Him intimately. She stared me straight in the eyes and listened. She started hearing it.

She began telling us that just yesterday she was praying for truth. She was asking God to reveal Himself as He is and not as people have told her. Today, she said, she wasn't meant to even come to the beach. Rarely does she come because of how far it is from her home, but she got up in the morning and decided to make the trek. And now here she was, sitting with us Americans, knowing it was not by accident.

As we continued talking, I shared with her that it was all about the relationship with Christ and not the religion. With everything shared, she was eager to hear more. She started wanting it, believing it, and was ready to choose it. We told her to pray for herself and ask Him into her life on her own. We didn't want her to think that us Americans had any special power in this matter. And the last thing we wanted was for her prayer to become another ritual to her that secured her salvation, but never affected her heart's cry.

This time wasn't about converting Fetiga simply to make us feel like we had done our duty as believers. It was about pointing her to the face of truth and letting her begin her journey of getting to know who He is and what He promises. Bukarija pulled out a New Testament in Fetiga's language so she could start reading it for herself. When we handed it to her, she was hesitant in taking it. She told us that she has terrible eyesight and didn't know if she would be able to read the small writing. Quickly, we told her that not only is God a God who saves, but He is also one who heals today. And with that, we laid our hands on her eyes and prayed healing into them right then and there.

When we ended our conversation two hours later, I gave her a big hug and kiss. There is not a doubt in my mind that Fetiga found her truth that day, that she met her true God. Everything fit divinely together that day. After a whole night of asking for God to move in this nation, He showed Himself so clearly to us. It was a moment of promise that He is moving and bringing His people back to Him in this country.

When we walk with eyes to see the unseen, all of a sudden one conversation can become a moment of loud declaration that change has come and Christ is there.

Caroline grew up in Connecticut in a small town. As a Junior in high school she was invited by a friend to Young Life club, where she heard the Gospel for the first time. That night, she committed her life to Jesus, and life has never been the same. She recently finished traveling on the World Race, an 11-month mission trip around the world. You can follow her blog here.

Seeing the Spiritual

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From Guatemala:

This young lady is mentally handicapped. Her name is Ilsa. She is 26 years old. She lives in an orphanage that resembles hell. She sees in the spiritual realm. There is a battle raging in and around her.

We were there only to clean the grounds yesterday. But I could feel the Spirit leading me to the girls' dorm. I walked into the main room of the girl's dormitory at the orphanage, which looks like a 1940s psych ward at a creepy hospital.

There were two old metal school desks at one end of the room. A chair in the absolute center of the room. And a TV barely hanging onto the wall at the opposite end. There was one person in the whole dorm. It was Ilsa. She was standing about four feet from the chair looking directly at it. Frozen. Tormented.

I walked in very slowly. She turned and saw me. She immediately started backing into the corner, terrified of me. We have been here before and have met her before. She knows me and has hugged me and played with me before. But not yesterday. She backed away abruptly. I stopped, dropped to my knees, and laid my palms open before her. She still backed away.

She got to the wall, and positioned herself directly under the TV, facing the chair still. I stayed kneeling on the floor about five feet from her. I started to pray. In English and in the Spirit. Nothing.

I started crying. I couldn't help it. She had such fear all over her. Her eyes kept darting around the room. She was seeing tormentors. I kept praying. I started singing. I was sensing sexual spirits. Harassing spirits. It was awful. I was in pieces before her. She just kept staring, eyes darting.

I said, in English, "God loves you." She shook her head, "No." I choked up. I said it again, in English, "God loves you." Again, a certain head shake, "No." I said it again, "God loves you!" And again, a head shake.

I felt led to get up and go to her. Slowly. Very slowly. Very humbly, low, peacefully, gracefully. She hesitated. I started singing. She stayed. I moved a little closer. She shook her head. I prayed in the Spirit. I cried out, "Peace! In this room. In Jesus' name." I sang.

She let me come closer. I reached out my hand, palm up, slowly. She shook her head. I waited. Sang. She looked up at me. Something was breaking. Leaving. I reached my hand closer. She shook her head more. I couldn't wait any longer. I rested my hand on hers. And an outpouring of the Spirit came off my tongue over her in tears and song. She started to cry. I kept praying peace. I stayed beside her for a long time.

Finally, something disarmed. She calmed. I felt a release. The atmosphere changed. Ilsa started to move, not frozen anymore. Another girl walked into the room. She started talking to me and Ilsa. She looked at me and made the hand motion for, "She's crazy," to me, and my heart broke even more. I yearned to know enough Spanish to say, "Yes, but she sees more clearly than the rest of us do." I could only get out, "Yes, but..." with some hand motions signifying more.

And I approached Ilsa again. Had my palms out once again, and she received me. Came to me. Hugged me. Clutched me. And clung to me. She smiled.

Being Missional in Urban America

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dori Beach used to work in a women's rescue shelter. She tells the story of a pregnant 15 year-old named Janice. Janice is representative of so many who are caught in the whirlpool of generational habits. She's a victim of incest who has raised many of her mother's nine children.

While the average 15 year-old has only recently given up playing with dolls, Janice will soon have the responsibility of caring for a real baby. In an odd way, it is for her a status symbol, a signal that she has come of age. Her mother is hardly equipped to help; Janice will have to raise the child by herself. How do you reach a girl like Janice? Somewhere very early in life she learned that people just don't care. What are the odds that her own child will learn the same message?

Through the magic of television, the hard edges of many urban areas have spilled into living rooms across America like a rolling fog. Urban lifestyles color the thoughts we ingest from programming as innocuous as Sesame Street to the hyperkinetic MTV. For a full frontal deluge of urban decay, one has only to turn to such critically acclaimed movies as "Do the Right Thing" or "Boyz 'N the Hood." View these movies and statistics that show that your family has a one in four chance of experiencing violent crime this year seem normal. And unfortunately, if we have this kind of fear-soaked perspective of urban life, then those of us in suburbia are missing out on something we desperately need.

When societies down through the years have been threatened, the typical response has been to retreat and fortify. The monasteries of the Middle Ages were as much a response to the threat to Christianity as the castles and moats were a response to the threat to local autonomy. From such redoubts, monks and nobility were able to turn back the occasional siege or frontal attack. The modern day equivalent of these fortresses is the suburb. In our suburban redoubts, we are safely distanced from the turbulence of the city.

Nineveh, a huge city of 120,000 in the year 780 B.C., was a mess. God's words to Nineveh were, "I am going to destroy you, for your wickedness rises before me; it smells to highest heaven." (Jonah 1:2) Yet God loved it enough to ask its people to repent.

There is one problem with the strategy of the suburban redoubt. It is in direct conflict with the strategy God has historically mapped out for His people. We may want to shrug our shoulders at the mess beyond our moat, but God loves the cities. A recurrent theme in both the Old and New Testaments is God's love for Jerusalem. Isaiah 52, summarizes God's message to its inhabitants: "Wake up, Jerusalem!" In Luke 19, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem as he sees the turmoil awaiting her. At various other times in Scripture, we see God sending messengers to urbanites to request their repentance. Jonah's travels to Nineveh are an archetype of this theme, perhaps because of their fantastic nature.

Perhaps making a foray into a nearby urban center is similarly threatening for you. It's not safe. It's time-consuming. It's unorthodox. Well, Christianity is not safe. Jesus left a road map behind for his followers. It leads us over some precarious swinging bridges spanning chasms with alligators down below. Jesus was something of a swashbuckler. He said, "I have come to bring a sword." He demands the passion of an adventurous spirit. He says, "I wish that you were either hot or cold."

We claim to be Christ's followers, but are we really? Maybe in your mind's eye you can see Him. He's up ahead beckoning us to follow him into the city while we're off with our groups at Six Flags or some retreat. Retreat?! Jesus says, "Take the battle to the enemy!" Put on those infra-red goggles and have a good look at the fortifications the enemy has built less than an hour's drive from your church. You've been given your marching orders and equipment list in Ephesians 6; are your troops dressed for the battle?

Jonah probably felt very under-dressed for his role as an urban guerilla. Many of us probably feel the same way. No matter - God requires only our willingness to take the fight to the enemy.

Some have latched onto the Bible's evident concern for the needy whom we find in such abundance in our cities and have used it to fashion a theology of works. A theology of works is a hollow religious shell - furious activity without any specific end. Jesus defines a theology of love which finds a constant production of fruit as its natural outcome. Many of us have either embraced works or else embraced a fundamentally academic interest in love. Love is by definition active and practical. It does not exist in the abstract and only flourishes in adversity - the kind of adversity you find running amuck in our inner cities.

Even a partial chronicle of the pathologies affecting urban America underscores the complexity of the challenge facing any church group that takes seriously its charge to be salt and light. How can one address the problems of homelessness, inadequate education, crack cocaine, poverty, guns, broken homes, AIDS, and teenage pregnancies? Where does a youth group seeking to be obedient begin?

Many organizations have made a long-term commitment to coping with the fallout of a self-consumptive society. A good place to begin reaching out in love is to commission a survey of those organizations already at work in the city nearest you. What needs do they address? How could your group help them meet those needs?

Bible study and prayer is of course the foundation of discipleship. But study without action produces a dualistic world view. Your students segregate their activities into those that are Christian and those that are "normal." Jesus says that every aspect of our lives should be colored by our faith. When we engage in study without action, we unwittingly promote a dualistic world view. A whole generation of teenagers with this poisonous perspective is growing up right under our feet. Consider the possibility that you may have already fed your students more than they're able to digest. Maybe they've heard so much they've got heartburn. Help them with the digestion process by designing activities which get them in the battle. The enemy is encamped in our urban areas, we've got to take the fight to him.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Find a program which can serve as your gangplank to the rocking boat of inner city life. Many programs would be delighted to have the help of youth groups. They would be happy to help you ease parental concerns. Some are designed specifically with ministry to youth in mind.

The Center for Student Missions in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. is such an organization. CityTeam is an organization using students to reach out to downtown San Jose. Inner City Impact is a comparable organization in Chicago. The STEP Program is an agency which serves as a bridge between rich white suburban churches and poor ethnic urban churches. Rescue missions and soup kitchens have an ongoing ministry to the urban down-and-out. Habitat for Humanity has affiliates in most major cities which can provide you with worthy work projects. Your own church may have outreaches to prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals which would be perfect for your group.

Another good source of help is the many federal and municipal agencies which serve as the tattered center of our society's "safety net." Consider talking to welfare offices, schools, hospitals, and the courts for good ideas on how to lead your platoon into battle.

Before committing your group members' time, you must answer some of the following key questions: What are your students equipped to do? Just about everyone can do the kind of basic cleaning or repair work that many organizations need. But perhaps you'd like to push your students further. Could they share their faith if asked? Do they have the maturity to organize a back yard Bible club?

Have you and your leaders really prayed about urban outreach? God wants you and your group, but He wants you under His umbrella. Listen to His voice before stepping out in faith.

Seth is the executive director of Adventures In Missions -- an organization that sends people on short-term mission trips around the world. He lives in Gainesville, GA with his wife Karen. You can visit his blog "Radical Living in a Comfortable World" at sethbarnes.com.

The Blues Brothers and Being Missional

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

We're on a mission from God. (Elwood Blues)

In the strictest sense of the word, the very first "missionary" mentioned in the Bible is Abram. God calls him out of Ur to a place he's never seen, forcing him to depend on God's provision and leading. Abram's life is a model for our own story of learning to trust God and to venture out into the unknown. As Abram's faith increases, God entrusts resources to him not only for his own good, but so that through him all nations will be blessed. It's an example of the missional life every believer is called to live.

The Christian faith has always been a missionary faith. The word "missionary" means someone who is sent on a mission. It's the same word from which we get the New Testament office of apostle (literally meaning one who is sent with the authority of the sender).

God's intentions have always been to bless a specific group of people in order that they may bless the multitudes. We see this in his calling out of Abram, in the history of Israel, as well as in the parables about the kingdom of God. Just as Abraham was blessed not as an end to itself, but rather to be a blessing, so are we given gifts and responsibilities in order that we may share them with others, including the saving knowledge of Christ. That's what it means to be a missionary -- to step out in faith and obedience to God, sharing what you have been given with others.

So, why are not all, in a sense, missionaries?

I posted a blog a few weeks ago about living missionally, in which I wrote, "I hate the word 'missionary.'" A few people took offense at that (probably because I'm what you would probably call a vocational missionary), but I stand by my conviction that the word itself isn't helpful (at least not in America), much less the connotation that certain people's jobs consist of going to make civilized Christians out of the savages while the rest of us sit on our butts, occasionally hosting potlucks and reading missionary support letters.

In reality, all followers of Christ are missionaries. I know that such a statement sounds like an over-generalization; after all, aren't some called to be evangelists, while others are called to other roles in the church? However, I really believe that this is part of the good news of the Gospel of Jesus, part of what excited Martin Luther so much about the idea of a "universal priesthood" -- that we can all engage in the mission of God, that the distinction between the sacred and profane has been removed. Every Christian is a priest; every child of God has been called and destined for good works; every follower of Jesus is on a mission.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not suggesting that we all quit our day jobs and move to Africa (although, I'm not dismissing that, either). As someone once put it, you are a full-time minister disguised as a doctor, lawyer, stay-at-home mother, teacher, or whatever. My friend who had just finished up a year of full-time missions told me, "I've been spending the past year trying to learn how to make ministry my life, but now I am learning how to make life my ministry." Aren't we all.

Even God himself is a missionary, coming to earth in human form to perform his most elaborate mission of redemption ever. What better example do we have than the missional Father, Son, and Spirit? This is the God is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who met Moses on the mountain and David at the tabernacle. The God who would not be contained by man-made buildings or confined to statues and idols. He is the God who is more often found in the desert than in the market place. He is the Lord, strong and mighty, a tent-dwelling deity, who moves as unpredictably as the wind.

Of course, missionaries come in different shapes and sizes. Some are goers, and others are senders. Some plant churches, and others start kingdom-minded businesses. There are those who physically go on mission trips, and some who provide resources and support for to make such projects possible. Even others simply share Christ with their neighbors, friends, and perfect strangers.

What particularly saddens me, though, is that some Christians sense God's calling in their lives, but they're afraid of what it might cost them. So, they decide that they are really "called" to be senders, and they make all kinds of excuses for why they can't go to the nations or share hope with their neighbors. They shirk their responsibility of making the Gospel of Jesus known, believing the lie that they are destined to live a nominal, un-adventurous life, consisting of nothing more than paying the bills and raising nice kids who don't cuss. What a crime against the Christianity that the martyrs bled for. What a disservice to the message that Jesus taught and lived. What an insult against the overarching story of Scripture.

Just for a moment, I would like you to set aside all preconceived ideas about who or what a missionary is. I would like you to consider that maybe God wants more for you than just a comfortable, churchgoing Christian faith. I would like you to consider that we are all goers, all full-time ministers "on a mission from God" (as the Blues Brothers would say).

We must learn to leave home like Abram, to break away from what family, friends, and society may expect of us, and find the inheritance that God has promised us. The tricky part is that when we depart, we may not completely know where we're going or what we'll be doing. But when we do, we'll be in great company.

The calling may require a fight, as it did for Caleb and Joshua. Like many of the prophets, we may feel less than adequate for the job. But we must remember: the journey itself will sanctify us. The snares and the trials will make us holy. God himself will make us worth vessels. Like Moses, Paul, or even Jake and Elwood, we are not defined or limited by our past, but rather we are qualified for the job because of the calling.

What about your life would change today if you accepted and submitted to the fact that you are, indeed, on a mission from God?

Jeff graduated from Illinois College, a small liberal arts school, with a degree in Spanish and Religion. He lives in Nashville, TN. He works for Adventures in Missions, edits this silly little magazine, and loves to do new things. He just got married in January. Check out his blog: Pilgrimage of the Heart.

Youth Ministry and Missions: Serving Your Community

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's a really good question for youth pastors: "How can you equip your students with practical tools so they can spiritually nourish themselves, grow and reproduce?" After all, those are the basic functions of any living thing. And your kids can't be dependent on you forever.

With that, how do you expose them to God so their faith can be tested and grow, so they develop a hunger, so Jesus can take over their life? How in the world do you turn a teen away from him/herself?

Not by talking.

Your youth group meetings once or twice a week may be complete with super snacks, wonderful worship music, great games, and the wisest, most persuasive words combined with the slickest, most culturally relevant multimedia. You may even give an application challenge, remind your kids that you're available to talk, and go home feeling pretty good about yourself.

Jesus taught, true. But he sure didn't stop there. He and the disciples went and did what they were talking about. They loved, they served, they gave; they lived and grew in faith. Their group healed people and cast out demons. Maybe yours could start with loving your neighbor.

Michael Meyer likes to focus his youth's go-and-grow efforts on evangelism. Every one of the teenagers who went on the group's summer missions project committed to be a part of "Peer Ministry 415." They meet at 4:15 every Sunday to practice evangelism strategies. "Before," he reports, "nobody was sharing their faith. Now even kids who didn't go on the missions trip are catching the excitement."

John Santaferraro ties his entry-level summer missions project in with ongoing ministry. Students spend a month serving and developing real relationships in a poor neighborhood nearby. Then throughout the rest of the year, they are encouraged to visit and maintain those relationships. Students earn' the right to go away for a short-term project next year. In the meantime, they learn what it means to commit, to love and to serve, so that they're ready. I'd love to start a backyard missions' program in my community. But, how?

What does your mission trip preparation look like? Do you use the months of September to January after the missions project? This is where many youth pastors miss the boat. If you're like most, the summer has been a busy and exhausting time. You don't really have anything to plug your students into when they return from the field. This is highly unfortunate, a waste of real enthusiasm.

Understandably, September is a poor time to begin dreaming up a program of regular outreach. So begin now. A good assignment for some of those preparing for next summer's trip is to research nearby service and evangelism opportunities. Or take the list below and brainstorm possibilities. Perhaps a group of your students could assist you in designing a regular program of outreach.

I hear someone asking, "Where are these people? How can I reach them?" These people in your community will often have the greatest needs: The elderly, the retarded, migrants, missionaries, prisoners, children, unwed mothers, AIDS patients, crack and AIDS babies, juvenile delinquents, international students, refugees, runaways, the homeless, etc.

How do we reach them? With a double-edged sword. Service has a limited effect without sharing the "why" through evangelism. Evangelism's impact is often limited, ttoo, without developing relationships and showing love through service. So mix and match from these lists, or create your own... there are so many ways to reach out to the needy.

Some specific steps to consider are:

Read Isaiah 58. Soak it up. Understand God's profound concern for the world's downtrodden and His great blessing on those who help them. Scripture like this should be the fuel to get you started.
Talk to another youth leader who has already had some success in translating missions to their backyard.
Brainstorm opportunities in your area, starting with the above lists.
Make regular local service and evangelism a requirement for those going on summer missions trips. Start your group out with one or two outreaches a month.
Assign a committee of young people the job of designing an actual program. They should answer the questions first of Who?, then What? and finally How often? Let your service really meet the needs of your ministry target. Be intentional for your group, too; let it fit your teens. Hundreds of organizations across the U.S. will be anxious to use your group's volunteers to meet local needs.
At the conclusion of your trip, plug students right away into your program.
Give your program a high profile and an identity. Pitch it to your kids, but don't be disappointed by small turnouts. It's a great thing to get to focus on and disciple those few that self-elect into this service. Like Bill George, you'll find that those who do come will be the ones you point to in future years; the ones you've developed as Christian leaders; the evidence of the validity of your work.

(Not) Feeding the Hungry in the Third World

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We have all heard the quotes from the gospels about clothing the naked, taking in the stranger, visiting the prisoners, caring for the sick, giving water to the thirsty, and feeding the hungry. And we are so quick to make this checklist of things we need to do as Christians when we see such things. We will volunteer at nursing homes, hospitals, and food lines for the homeless. We may even raise a bunch of money and travel for hours to do such things in "third world" countries, all the while telling ourselves "doing it for Jesus himself".

But we often overlook the heart of what Jesus was saying.

This last month (August) when I was in Zambia, I found out that people in this area have an interesting view of missionaries. More specifically, they are under the impression that missionaries walk around with sermons in their back pockets. When we would go out "evangelizing" to locals (90% of which knew Jesus already), we would introduce ourselves and they would always say the same line: "Please share what you have prepared."

Prepared? We didn't know we were supposed to prepare something. So we would do our best to come up with something on the fly, which God usually blessed, and move on to the next house. We would get to the next house, and once again, "Please share what you have prepared." What?! Again? And the translator would expect something different from last time.

And it would not just happen while evangelizing. We would go to choir practice (long story) and at the end, the choir director would look at us and say, "Please share what you have prepared." We would go to a wedding, attend a graduation-ish ceremony, and even climb a small mountain for recreation with only one other person, and we would always hear the same thing. "Please share what you have prepared." It was exhausting "preparing" so many messages. It was like cramming for finals in 15 1/2 seconds.

And for that reason, it was great. It taught us that we must always be "prepared" to feed the hungry.

In third-world missions it is hard to remember that Jesus didn't just mean the physically hungry. When you are surrounded by the physically hungry and ill-clothed and estranged and imprisoned and sick and thirsty, it can be easy to forget that Jesus calls us to clothe the sinner in righteousness, love those who are strangers to compassion, free those in bondage, bring the sick to the Physician, give living water to the to those thirsting for the Spirit, and giving the bread of life to those who hunger for truth.

We need to stop thinking only of the physical but of the spiritual as well. We need to keep our eye on the ball, because the Enemy would be just fine with us handing out plates of rice the whole year and never feed their souls.

Nate is on a year-long trip around the world called The World Race.

Lessons from the Bush: The Moni Tribe

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The tribes in Papua New Guinea speak over 1/5 of the world's languages. One of the biggest tribes in the mountainous area is the Moni Tribe.

The other night a missionary named John Cutts came by our house to talk to my family and some friends. John lives with the Moni tribe in West Papua. He has lived there since he was 2 years old (his parents were missionaries there, and eventually wrote the Moni language and translated most of the Bible into Moni). He speaks their language fluently and continues ministering to them today with his wife. Here are some of the stories he told us. All of them are true.

Hazi Talk

These tribes had never seen a white person before missionaries in the 20th century arrived, and yet they had a strange legend in their culture. For generations the chiefs taught their tribes a legend about the white people like ghosts who would come someday. These ghost people would teach Hazi (eternal talk). They would tell the tribes how to live forever. I got goosebumps when John told that story! No one knows how that legend started or why it was circulated for so long, but it was a permanent part of their culture before the first white man ever showed up.

First Encounter

The first time a white person showed up on the island, the news spread like wildfire. The chief of the Moni people heard that a white ghost had arrived and was speaking to a nearby tribe. He walked for 3 days through the jungle to see the white ghost. Of course, this was another tribe, so the Moni chief couldn't understand everything that was being said. After the missionary was done talking, the chief tried to ask him to come to their village. The missionary couldn't understand him, so he gave the chief a bar of soap and a glass bottle of merthiolate, which is like iodine, some of the best medicine of the day.

The chief walked back to his village and called all the people around him. He told them that a white ghost had given these gifts to him, and they were going to let his people live eternally. He shaved off a piece of soap and gave it out to the tribe, telling them to eat it. They did, but there wasn't enough soap for everyone. So then he gave the people who didn't get any soap a sip of the merthiolate, but there wasn't enough of that either. So then he took a rock and smashed the glass bottle of merthiolate, and gave a little piece of glass to everyone who didn't get some soap or merthiolate, and they ate it. But the people kept dying and the missionary never showed up.

Until John's parents walked into the village years later.

John's parents lived with the Moni people, learning their language and culture. They were eager to share the Gospel with the Moni people, and eventually, God showed them the perfect way to explain the Good News. It's amazing how the Gospel reaches people of all nations and languages.

To the Moni people, the Gospel just makes sense. There is a tradition within the tribes of West Papua. When two tribes war with each other, there has to be an equal number of deaths on each side. So, if side A has 4 deaths but side B has 6 deaths, they have to keep fighting. Maybe the next day, side A has 6 deaths, but now side B has 7 deaths so they have to keep warring.

But there is a way out of it. If the tribe with fewer deaths decides it doesn't want to fight anymore, they can have the Ceremony of the White Pig. What this means is that the tribe that has the fewer deaths will pick one of its warriors to sacrifice. The tribe selects the warrior, binds his hands, ties him to a spear, and hands him over to the other side as an offering of peace. It is called the Ceremony of the White Pig because pigs are the most valuable things in their culture. Pigs are a sign of wealth, used to buy brides, and during times of festivities. The White Pig (the chosen warrior) is given to the other tribe, and they kill him. Then there can be peace between the tribes again.

So, the idea of Jesus as a sacrifice makes perfect sense to them. God wants peace with mankind so badly, He gave His best warrior and only son as a sacrifice so we could have peace. How amazing that such a concept makes perfect sense to people in one of the most remote places in the world!

An Actual Ceremony

John gets invited to an actual Ceremony of the White Pig. It's a really big deal for him to be invited. So John arrives at the place where the ceremony is happening. The two tribes are hooping and hollering and dancing around because they are so excited to enter a time of peace.

The warrior who has been chosen as the White Pig is in the center of this giant celebration, hands tied to a spear that's stuck in the ground. John is watching all of this, thinking, What am I supposed to do? Do I cut the guy loose? Do I stop them and tell them its wrong? Do I say to take me in his place?

As he's thinking and praying, all of a sudden, all these warriors come running into the clearing screaming and celebrating up a storm! In their hands are giant sticks, and they are carrying large boars tied to the sticks. They lay out the boars, one after another in front of the other tribe. There are 63 boars! The tribe that caught the pigs asks the other tribe if they can give them the 63 pigs instead of their warrior as a sacrifice. They say that they know now that they shouldn't sacrifice their own because of Jesus, and even though it's a serious tradition, they'd like to give 63 boars in his place. The other tribe huddles together and thinks about it for awhile. They finally decide to take the boars in place of the warrior. And they cut him free.

How amazing is that? We are like the warrior, tied to a spear, about to be sacrificed because of our sin, and Jesus takes our place (like the boars) and cuts us free of our bonds.

If you liked these stories and want to know more and/or support John, you can visit his website.

Erin is a student at Saint Louis University. Her passions include theatre, singing, photography, kids missions, horseback riding, and anything "outdoorsy." A theatre major and Education minor, Erin continues to be amazed at how God shows up everywhere and anywhere. She also enjoys dressing up as snails for Halloween. You can visit her on facebook, or check out her blog.

Midnight Outreach: Ministry in the Strip Clubs

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first time I walked into a strip club, I knew I was doing the right thing.

Sometimes I get to answer the question "what is midnight outreach?" I love talking about it because I think it is one of the most amazing outreaches I get to be a part of. What's even cooler is I get to do it once a month.

Midnight outreach is to strip clubs, and the streets of north Baton Rouge. We go into the strip clubs (only ladies go into the clubs, men stay outside and talk to the bouncers and give them Chocolate) and we give every lady in the club a rose.

Tied onto the rose with pretty ribbon is a business card from Healing Place Church which reads "We hope this small gift brightens your day. It is a simple way to say God loves you - no strings attached. Let us know if we can help you." also on the card is the church web site address, map to the church, service times and church phone numbers.

The managers and owners of these strip clubs know what these cards say, they know we are from a church, Aliece (the leader of Midnight outreach) tells them who we are when she talks to them about coming into the clubs. They know we just want to be nice to the ladies, give them a rose and treat them like a daughter of the king, not a piece of meat.

The patrons know who we are, we have on bright red shirts that say "HPC" on the front and "SERVE" on the back. We drive up in a big shuttle that has "Healing Place Church" on the side of it. So, for some supernatural reason, they let us come in and give a rose to every dancer, bar maid, and female patron there. We don't give roses to any men, even if they ask for one to give a lady, we simply tell them we can only give them to the ladies ourselves.

About twice a year the team gets to go into the dancers dressing rooms and decorate them, like at Christmas and Valentines Day. Some of these girls get no gifts on these holidays, they are alone and they love that we give them gifts and treat them with dignity especially around the holidays.

I had wanted to go on Midnight Outreach for awhile before I actually did. Dean was afraid for me to go. Then he agreed to let me go as long as Summer went with me, within a few months Dean started driving the shuttle for every midnight outreach.

The first time I walked into a strip club I knew I was doing the right thing. I knew that first night that we were doing something completely unexpected in the spirit world. I mean, where is one sure fire place the devil knows he is safe from the love of Jesus? Here are men treating a woman like a piece of meat, getting their kicks off of looking at a mostly naked girl completely torn down in her self worth to the point that she thinks all she can do for a living is take her clothes off for money. Girls so addicted to drugs that they feel they have to strip to get the money they need?

When you walk in, you can literally feel the darkness separating. The love of Jesus does that. It's like the Devil is confused by the angels that surround us. The bewilderment on the faces of the male patrons, the dancers who look shocked and puzzled by this free rose handed to her by a smiling, unintimidated face of love. The smile we give, the eye contact and the lack of fear, is all God reaching out to show love to someone living in hell.

After we go to the two local strip clubs we then head down to north Baton Rouge. We go to two different inner city night clubs and the Alamo Hotel to hand out roses and chocolates but here we also give out fliers for the Baton Rouge Dream Center church services. After that we hit the streets. I love the streets cuz' we get to pray with people, talk to them, give them information about the church, the ladies roses and the guys chocolate.

We have had the privilege of praying with many prostitutes, drug dealers, crack heads, gang bangers, children, homeless people and just normal lost souls out late at night. And some of them have come to church, gotten saved and attend regularly.

After only 2 years of being a part of midnight outreach, we are becoming a constant in their lives, they are seeing that we are committed to showing them the love of Jesus, not condemn them or preach at them but love them and offer a place they can come for real hope.

I can't think of anything more fulfilling in life than knowing I am walking into hell on earth to spread the love of Jesus.

That is midnight outreach.

You can also find this article on BibleDude.Net.

Redemption on the Streets of Bangalore, India

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, how are you, Auntie?"

Hope* and I have this conversation multiple times each day because it's about the only English she knows how to speak. One day I caught her crying in the stairwell and immediately asked what was wrong. With tears streaming down her face, she looked straight at me and responded, "I am fine, thank you, how are you?" Now every time I ask her, I follow up with an assortment of facial expressions for her to choose from to tell me how she's really doing. She's still usually fine.

But regardless of the tears, her story has Redemption written all over it. See, when she was rescued just a few short months ago, she was suffering from a fairly common "job hazard"--an unwanted pregnancy. She came here to the home a scared 18 year old who wanted nothing to do with her child. She didn't want to look at this baby's face and wonder who the father was. She didn't want to be reminded of her suffering. She was just a child herself, forced to grow up much faster than she should and she had no idea what to do with a baby. But she was convinced to give birth and nurse the child for a few weeks before giving her up.

When we arrived here six weeks after Baby J* was born, Hope was already madly in love with her. It didn't take us long either... I fell in love with her immediately, but I have to pry her away from Hope's arms to spend a few minutes holding her. She can already hold her head up and 'stand' on her legs for hours it seems! She likes to be held in your left arm instead of the right and loves being rocked back and forth.

And she's not the only child of redemption here.

Polly* is almost three and her squeals echo throughout the stairwell all the way to the roof. She loves being upside down and you better hold her tight because she'll flip herself upside down in your arms if you're not doing it for her. One look at her puppy dog eyes and you'll know exactly why she's spoiled rotten. She wears bells on her ankles so you can always hear her coming. She stands outside our door staring at us and waiting for us to invite her in. We know better than to make eye contact because we can't resist her charms.

Macy* is almost a year and has more hair than I do. She has the chubbiest legs you've ever seen and was deathly afraid of us when we first got here. She's warmed up now though and she crawls all over the place exploring and squealing at the top of her lungs. They must be disproportionally large because she makes more noise than the rickshaws just outside our windows. Her smile will melt your heart.

Lou* is a little younger than Macy and you've never seen a happier baby. His chubby cheeks give way to a heart stopping grin and he is quite the little charmer. He is NEVER still and instead bounces everywhere he goes. He can't quite stand on his own which means you get to bounce with him for hours on end. But one look at his face and you never want to stop.

These children weren't planned. They weren't really wanted. They probably came close to being aborted. But the God of Redemption chose them. He planned them. He created them in His image and they have brought complete joy to their mothers and this house. And we pray over them daily that they would never be forced into the lives of people before them. In the middle of painful suffering, of shame and fear, the Lord spoke LOVE and JOY through these precious children. And every time we see their faces or hear their giggles, we are certain that He has redeemed the lives of their mothers.

He is redeeming the streets of Bangalore.

*Not their real names.

Kelly is a missionary who is traveling on a year-long adventure around the world.

Malnourished in Guatemala

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

According to UNICEF, the status of Guatemala's country-wide nutrition is one of the worst in the entire Central American region. 23% of children between the ages of three and five months suffer from general malnutrition across the country.

Malnourished in GuatemalaA 2008 census in the school system of Guatemala revealed that 49% of the students are chronically malnourished. Among the indigenous population, the rate reaches a staggering 80% in some areas.

As of 2002, the infant mortality rate was at 44 per 1,000 births while the under-five mortality was 59 per 1,000 births. In conjunction with proper nutrition, many children are affected by illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented with an adequate daily diet.

Over 50% of the deaths of young children are caused by infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and the measles, all diseases that can be easily fought with good nutrition and medical resources.

I spent a day with Liz at Casa Jackson to help report on her volunteering role there. It is quite demanding with feedings every two hours and consequently many diapers to change. The shift lasts from 10 - 5 with a short packed lunch in between. The kids are fun to play with and love any one on one attention they can receive.

Casa Jackson is located on the outskirts of Antigua, Guatemala in the village of San Felipe de Jess, Guatemala. Behind the protective walls of the building, is the heart of operations for the center and the place of in-house care.

The welcoming atmosphere includes a fully-equipped medical clinic, kitchen, dining room, living room, office, store room, laundry facility, and garden.
On the second floor are four carefully designed bedrooms for the severe cases of malnourishment and a commons area.

The third story opens to a roof terrace where volunteers spend time interacting with the in-house patients as well as tending to a rooftop garden that is used as both an educational example to the children and a ready supply of fresh vegetables to the center.

Children who are old enough, help water the gardens and are taught that just as plants need proper nutrition to grow, their bodies also need the same care.

Josh is a professional photographer and is currently traveling through Central America on a cross-cultural mission trip. Follow his team blog here.

Missions In Our Own Backyards

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lori, a high school junior, had an apathy problem. Her short-term missions trip to Mexico had given her a fresh perspective on life. She determined to do more to reach out to those in need upon her return. However, within months, she had fallen back into her old, comfortable lifestyle.

Lori found the answer to her problem when she became aware of Fran and her situation. Fran had a drug problem. One day Lori's youth pastor asked her to go with him to call on Fran. Afterwards, Lori reported, "When I look at Fran, though, I realize, 'Boy, this could have been me.' What I do can make a difference in the lives of people like her."

Make It a Lifestyle
Young people who have traveled far to help address the world's need deserve the opportunity to do the same in their own backyard. How many of these opportunities have you given your students lately?

To have a lasting impact on the lives of your young people, landmark service experiences must eventually become a lifestyle. So, youth leader, take the excitement generated by a summer missions project and channel it into an ongoing commitment to service and evangelism at home.

Lori's experience underscores a basic flaw in the way many youth leaders plan their group's short-term missions experience. They give it all the trappings of a youth group event. Most young people gobble up events (packaged with fanfare and glitz that appeal to a short attention span), but shun commitments.

Do you ever wonder how young people can just sit there like giant sponges and soak up all your good teaching without it ever seeming to affect them? This is because, to be effective, a sponge needs to be squeezed. Kids must make their faith practical by putting it into action.

Murray Gossett, a pastor from Dallas, defines this challenge as "getting them out of the bubble." He sees the need to break out of the warm cocoon that many youth groups in suburban churches have become.

Gossett broke the "bubble" for his group members by scheduling a monthly service project. He'd offer to buy lunch for any of his group who showed up. On a typical Saturday they'd head for downtown Dallas and set up a stewpot to feed the indigent of the inner city. Sometimes they'd mow lawns for free or paint an entire house.

The effect on group members was often profound as it trickled down to decisions about their lifestyle. After one of Sarah Cochran's mission experiences, she decided that she'd rather see the thousands of dollars that was to be spent on her debutante parties donated to missions instead.

Bringing up Barbarians
Chuck Colson maintains that we have entered "the new dark ages," a period in history not unlike what Rome sank into as it was beset by barbarians. The parallel he makes is that present-day barbarians are already within our walls. Our young people have been co-opted by a culture that embraces individualism and materialism.

So I pose the question, how do you provide your students with experience as Christian counter-culturalists? What kind of a radical alternative can you offer them? Will it make a difference in their lives ten years from now?

Bill George, a veteran of 15 years of youth ministry, has got a few answers.

He had started out doing attraction-oriented events, but soon saw that such activity would not produce long-term results. Furthermore, Bill became convicted by the words of Isaiah 58: "I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute."

Soon afterwards, Bill decided that there needed to be a few things in his ministry that were foundational, no matter how many participated. One of these was students' regular, ongoing ministry. Even though only about 10% of his group would turn out, once a month they spent a Saturday in cross-cultural missions, doing everything from VBS to special outreaches at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also spent one Sunday evening each month in street evangelism.

Although his group size now exceeds 200, Bill downplays the numbers: "The hallmark of my ministry over the years has been the development of Christian leaders."

Is Missions Mandatory?

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The pace of modern American life has pushed us into the shallows. Thus it is when we bump up against something that doesn't reek of superficiality, we are jolted into a wakeful state that makes us wonder, "Just how much of this has rubbed off on me?"

I experienced such a jolt awhile ago. I was sitting in the living room with Clara Jarvis, and in the process found myself entering the world of another generation of missionaries. You may know of Fred Jarvis' mission, the New Life League. I listened to Clara explain how it began.

Fred was a man who had forsaken all so that he might identify himself with the millions around the world who did not know Christ. His passion lives on in the tracts that his mission continues to print. He asks us, "Do you know Jesus Christ as the Lord of the harvest? Have you seen a perishing world with His eyes of compassion? And have you wept over lost souls with His heart of love?"

Fred Jarvis' approach to missions recruitment had the subtlety of a head-on collision. It didn't matter what age you were. He'd buttonhole the 74-year-old retiree and the student alike: "Have you ever considered answering God's call to the mission field?" This bluntness disquiets me. Had this man really earned the right to confront people like that? And perhaps behind that question is another: Is missions really mandatory for everyone? I mean, how does this fit with the balanced Christian life?

On the other hand, thanks to Jarvis, I'm troubled by the thought that maybe this "balanced Christian life" stuff is a bunch of bunk. There are many instances in which we see Jesus throwing people off balance. His was never a call to comfort. When comfortable people came to Jesus with the plaintive question, "Can I know God and stay comfortable?" Jesus answered, "No way."

I meet a lot of Christians who have never considered the incompatibility of God and a comfortable lifestyle. Having grown up in a culture that places a premium on comfort, they assume that the two go together. They graduate to adulthood embracing the premise that it's OK or even honorable to embark on a career founded mostly on the incentive to become increasingly comfortable. Jarvis would say they're leaning ladders against the wrong buildings. In an article titled "Crime of the Century," he jabs a finger against the sternum of a generation of Nintendo addicts:

Plainly spoken, it is the murder by neglect of the world's millions; but it is not the murder of lives - much worse - it's the murder of men's souls. They are sinking into a lost eternity, not because they couldn't be saved, wouldn't be saved, or shouldn't be saved, but because we don't care - or if we do, we don't care much.

True confession time: I'm neck-deep in missions, and yet those words make me sweat. Perhaps I respond to guilt-based pleas more than most, and perhaps this is one. But is guilt all bad? Several years ago, I led a mission project in Mexico. The biggest guy on our team was a fellow named Mike, and he had a heart to match his body. On the last evening, just as the sun was setting, a couple of Mexican kids came into our camp. Mike and others had touched them with the love of Christ during vacation Bible school. So they walked five miles just to see Mike one last time.

I had the privilege of translating for Mike as he asked them if they knew Jesus as Savior. Jos admitted that he didn't. Mike asked if he would like to accept Jesus into his heart. Jos was eager to do so, despite the distractions around us. So, Mike led little Jos in a prayer of salvation. Later, as he began to describe for the group how Jos had walked five miles just to say goodbye, and that in doing so, had met Christ, Mike was overcome with emotion. He couldn't get the words out. Mike has probably never heard of Fred Jarvis, but he has felt the same passion that stirred Fred's soul. Jarvis understood the precariousness of man's position; he understood that we hang by a thread over eternity's abyss. And the fact that our nation had such clear access to the truth made Jarvis a blunt man:

When America, which has one minister for every 514 people and churches with billions of dollars already invested in brick and mortar, plush pews, expensive organs, lavish stained glass windows, is still foolish enough to spend more than a million dollars a day to construct still more and fancier churches, do you wonder why we think it is not fair?

When you can turn on your radio on Sunday and find nine or ten religious programs all competing with one another, and yet realize that the unlimited opportunities on the mission field go unexploited, and that some of the programs that already exist are forced to retrench for want of funds, do you wonder why we boil?

Back at home, I'm quickly sucked back into the easy lifestyle against which Jarvis railed. I haven't seen my wife for almost two weeks, so we go out for a rare treat: a movie and a nice restaurant. I'm splurging. The total bill after tax, tip, and baby-sitter is $80. I know a family of thirteen in Mexico whose mother makes $3 a day. Their newborn son is sickly. The garbage around their home attracts flies that buzz around the baby. What is my obligation to this family? Is "balance" realistic?

At least, it's a struggle. If my world is constantly shifting, it's because I've got one foot firmly planted in suburbia and the other in the Third World. But what about a generation of young people weaned on Coke and Star Wars? Many are picking up the shards of their own shattered families. Can we really expect them to respond to words like these?

This selfish withholding of Christ from the nations is nothing less than the grossest form of cruelty and wrong. To ask for revival and blessing without repenting of this monstrous sin is an insult. There is a time when the Bible says that even our prayers are an abomination.

God give us men -- brave men, heroic men, self-sacrificing men with a new sense of their solemn and neglected task, who will shove everything aside and run to the rescue. If we can't go in person, we can prevail in prayer or provide financial support. Let us lay down our treasures on earth that we may lay up treasures in heaven. Don't ask, What can I do?' Rather determine, This will I do!' Then do it now!

Some of us who are more rooted in a social gospel will find Jarvis' call quaint or maybe even out of touch with the times. Yet, the Joss of the world continue to walk five miles and more. Others will be stirred to ask, "How we sell today's youth on this urgency?" The only adequate answer I've found is this: We can't.

If we truly believe that missions is mandatory, then at most we can take them to the mission field and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to bring a Jos into their life. When people's hearts are broken as was Mike's, then perhaps they'll begin to catch a glimmer of Fred Jarvis' - or, more accurately, the Lord's - passion.

Abuelita: My New Nicaraguan Grandmother

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our first week in Nicaragua, Linda, our coordinator, introduced us to a very sick woman named Rosa. We prayed over her, and immediately afterward, Linda made preparations to send her to Chinandega for medical attention.

As I helped her over to the house, I called her "abuelita", which means "little grandmother." Instantly she stopped in her tracks, and I became worried that I offended her. She looked at me and started to say something, but I interrupted her in order to explain that all of my grandparents have passed away.

Her eyes grew wide and she said, "Child, you are not alone. I will be your grandmother, and you are my granddaughter. God has given you to me, and I will pray for you always. You have touched my heart, nieta [granddaughter]."

Now I have to admit that I was kind of shocked. I did not expect that at all, and to this day, I cannot believe how much she has integrated herself into my life.

From that day on, I became her granddaughter, and constantly she tells me that she loves me and prays for me. She asks about my family and tells me how much she loves my mom and dad, even though she has never met them. She even goes so far as to pray for their well being.

The hospitality of the Nicaraguans amazes me. Their arms are always open, and I know that I will always have a home here. God has brought Mark 10:29-30 alive through this amazing woman:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mk 10:29-30, NIV)

I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of Christ's family across the world

Rebekah is spending her summer on an expedition through Central America. Read her mission team's blog here.

A Broken Heart on the Mission Field

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From Swaziland, Africa:

Last night there was a knock on the door from the missions team leader here. He said, "There are kids that haven't gone home, and now they are sleeping. What should I do?"

So he took them home. Then, this morning they were already back so early.

When asked about their mother, they said: "She never came home last night. She was out drinking all night," and the father recently died from AIDS.

These girls are young. One is nine years old, and she is taking care of her two-year-old sister. They hadn't eaten since lunch provided from the care point yesterday. It was now Sunday at 10 am.

Pastor Gift's wife, Philile, made a big bowl of porridge for them to eat. I sat and made sure the baby got to eat and that the dog didn't take her food away. The other children that were finished eating and went off to play at the other end of the property, leaving this two-year-old to finish eating all alone.

I sat with her as she slowly brought the oversized spoon to her little mouth and licked off all of the porridge from it.

After she had eaten all her stomach could take, she sat playing with a little twig from the ground. She was leaning on my leg and was looking so tired. I spoke to her in what little Siswati I know, but still not a word escaped her mouth.

Eventually, she was in my lap, laying there as this tiny person that deserves so much more than she is receiving at "home". She fell asleep in my arms. This tiny little girl.

As I was holding her, my heart broke. The tears wouldn't stop coming. My already stuffed-up nose was gathering more snot, but I just didn't care. What if this was my daughter, my sister, my niece? There are so many thoughts that run through my head.

I want to fix this situation, but what would that look like? What do you do? What can I do?

And I still have no answer.

The only thing I know to do is to love this tiny person that God has created. To be Jesus with skin on.

Isabel, originally from a small town in Texas, has been on assorted mission trips in her life. She returned to Swaziland again in June 2008, where God has continued to wreck her world and turn everything upside down.

Following Up On Your Mission Trip

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We hurt people when we lead them to Christ and then fail to continue the caring process. It is the ugly backside of student missions, the result of our American quick-fix mentality.

I first became aware of the hurt we can unwittingly inflict when some co-workers of mine had stones thrown at them in a Mexican neighborhood.

The same kids who in years previous had attended our VBS's had become sick of being "dissed" by American youth groups whose leaders, whether out of ignorance or presumption, had no plan beyond four days of ministry, a trip to the beach, and a quick adios to their new friends. The locals had caught on to the shallowness of their commitment and vented their hurt rather eloquently.

The concept of spiritual parenthood is inescapable for those of us in ministry. It's time for us to live up to the responsibilities of the role of spiritual parent. Ministry doesn't stop at the altar, it must continue in the raw and dangerous environment of the streets.

The emotional highs mission trips produce are great, but they've got to be supported by a plan for ongoing ministry or they can backfire. The question, "How will you follow-up on our ministry?" ought to be one of the first that you ask a missions agency before planning a trip.

To be fair, the question should also be asked of you and your leaders after the trip is over. Will you be a faithful steward of the changes you've helped set in motion? Too many leaders squander the greatest opportunity they'll have all year when they revert to a "business as usual" mode back home.

Continuing the momentum generated on a project, both with those to whom your group has been ministering, as well as within the group itself is an issue that few groups confront adequately.

How do we ensure that the fruit of our missions efforts endures? You can no more assume that ministry will continue on the field than you can that your own students will continue to be discipled without your involvement.

Here are four factors that inhibit follow up:

An "event mentality"
The logic youth leaders find themselves fighting goes like this: To be culturally relevant, we've got to talk to students in a language they can understand. Attention spans are getting shorter, so we've got to compete with quick-hitting events that can draw crowds.

Such a focus on events results in audiences that fidget halfway through an event as they begin anticipating the next thing on the agenda. An investment in long-term relationships is nonsense to those who are consumed by attraction-oriented events. But Paul said, "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise." (I Corinthians 1:27)
No connection with human need
We have got to get out of the warm cocoon of suburbia. Reality is the drunk sleeping on the heating grate, it's the old woman abandoned by her family in the nursing home, it's the high school student desperately longing for a friend, it's the third grader who comes home to an empty apartment after school.

Too often we return from a mission trip pumped up to make a difference in our own community and we don't. Rarely is it because of a lack of need. If we just knew the names and faces of the people in our own communities who are hurting, we would be more likely to reach out to them. By cloistering ourselves in safe areas, we help no one. To make a difference, we've got to know where people are hurting.
Short tenure
Though this trend is being tempered as a growing number of youth pastors refuse to see their job as a stepping stone to the pastorate, it remains a problem. In many churches, two years and out is the norm. Even youth pastors with a vision for follow-up are cut off at the knees by such a practice.
No objectives
A calendar is a poor substitute for a set of objectives. Without objectives, plans stay fuzzy. Where month-at-a-time planning is the standard, continuity and discipleship suffer.

Some groups require progressively more commitment. To participate one group's program, students must go through a four level process beginning with jail ministry and culminating in a missions trip to Mexico City. Each level builds on the one preceding it.

How do we assure that the fruit of our mission efforts endures? Good follow-up requires planning. Here are six steps that leaders can take to follow up.

Jesus commanded us to make disciples, not just win converts. Here are some specific suggestions to help you follow-up after a mission trip:

Identify basic discipleship materials to use with new converts. For ministry-oriented students, Catch the Wave by Kevin Johnson (Bethany Press) is great.
Before deciding on a missions trip, investigate the follow-up work which will be done after your group has moved on.
Work within your home church to meet existing ministry needs.
Decide to change the orientation of your work away from entertainment and event-based activity to ministry that touches real human need. Ask yourself, "What kinds of relationships can we build which will help change my students from givers to takers?"
Set measurable objectives for your ministry-oriented students. Consider the objective that your youth would engage in some form of outreach once a week.
Organize your students into ministry teams that engage in peer outreach. They can become involved in the care and feeding of their peers as well as outreach to the community.

Seth is the executive director of Adventures In Missions - an organization that sends people on short-term mission trips around the world. He lives in Gainesville, GA with his wife Karen. You can visit his blog "Radical Living in a Comfortable World" at sethbarnes.com.

A Day-in-the-Life of a Missionary in Africa

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

From Swaziland, Africa:

When I'm not buying groceries for the mission team to eat, hanging out and pouring into the people I live with, or fetching them from ministry projects, I usually find myself in the office or going to some of the "care points" (a feeding place for orphans) Adventures In Missions and Children's Hopechest run in the Manzini area.

Each carepoint is different; sometimes, the kids come running up and want to be held, while other times the kids avoid me like the plague. I'm white, they don't know me, and so therefore, they are are afraid of me. It's interesting to watch them eventually warm up to me, usually right before I leave for the day. I may do this once or twice a week, depending on the week and the needs of the team.

The first time I went out to Bhobhokazi (bo-bo-gazi) I was surprised that they even called it a care point. The cooking structure could hardly be called a structure at all; they had no place even to store the food. Moreover, the kids had no place to play, but there were plenty of chickens to chase!

By the next time I went out there, a church had come from America with Children's HopeChest, and they have adopted this care point as their own. Now there is a place to store the food, even though we are still waiting on the glass for the windows to be bought.

I got there with the Swazi discipleship team and there was a gogo (what they called grandmothers here) or two and one kid that wanted nothing to do with me. Soon enough, another little girl arrived. The only thing I had to do to make her laugh was make a fish face. Her laughter was precious. Sure enough, the first little boy was curious as to why he couldn't laugh and have fun, too.

More and more kids began showing up to the care point; so, we each had our designated stations. There were so many kids and not enough space in the one room storage structure that I was kicked outside.

When I wasn't entering new profiles for the numerous children that now go to Bhobhokazi, I was making fish faces and trying to escape the down pour of rain! The kids are precious and I want to see good come to them all.

It's in moments like these I have to remind myself that I am only a small piece of the puzzle here in Swaziland. In my time here, I can't expect to make a huge impact, but in the long run, the part that I have helped with brings the picture into focus.

Selecting a Short-Term Missions Experience

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Given the recent surge of interest and involvement in short-term missions, you'd think that it was a new phenomenon. Actually, it is a tradition as old as Christendom.

In the sixth chapter of Mark we see that Jesus sent not a select few, but all of his disciples out as missionaries for a short period. This gave the disciples a taste of what life would be like once they eventually became full-time missionaries. The experience was a foundational one in their growth as they traveled from village to village with only God's power to guide them.

Wouldn't it be great if the process were as simple in the present day? Advances in transportation and other technologies have brought the world to our doorstep. God calls us all to the mission field, many as short-termers; but where?

Not all short-term missions experiences are created alike; the choices can be bewildering. For starters they may differ in location, cost, duration, type of ministry, skills required, and date of departure. Finding the perfect short-term missions opportunity takes work, but a little effort up front can pay off in an experience that God can use to change your life forever.

Tom's experience is typical of what can go wrong when the important research process is short-circuited. Tom had never been on a short-term mission, but was interested in taking his church youth group on one.

He heard from a friend about a project in Mexico scheduled for the following summer. The youth group members were as inexperienced in missions as Tom, but many were captivated by the idea of seeing a new country.

Unfortunately the group was ill-prepared for the rigors it had to endure in Mexico. Many got sick. Almost all grew weary of the project's spartan living conditions. While more spiritually mature groups on the same trip experienced a real growth in their faith, the main emotion Tom's group felt was relief upon returning home.

Why mismatch occurs

Other horror stories abound; clearly missions mismatch is a frequent phenomenon. It occurs when any combination of the following factors are operative:

The experience is too intense. Are you new to missions? Do yourself a favor and spend a week working in your own inner city before spending three weeks in the slums of Calcutta.
The experience is too easy. Were you hoping to set the world on fire for Christ and instead found yourself placed on mortar detail? Your trip doesn't have to be an anticlimax.
The preparation is inadequate. Good pre-field training is an essential part of any short-term missions project. Training becomes more critical if you have no prior experience with the situation and people you will be working through.
There's a skills mismatch. Imagine the disappointment of the nurse who goes to heal and finds herself swinging a pickaxe instead, or imagine the frustration of the team leader asked to build a church when she has never looked at blueprints before.

If even seasoned veterans of short-term missions trips make mistakes resulting in missions mismatch, what precautions can the beginner take to help ensure the best experience possible?

The following three-step process offers those considering short-term missions the best hope for making a good match.

1. Assess Yourself. Just as you wouldn't sell your car through the classifieds without understanding its features, so you should have a clear picture of your own strengths and weaknesses. Try to assess yourself in a dispassionate, objective way. Answer the following questions before going any further:

Understand why you want to go on a short-term mission. Are you motivated by a desire to serve, to share the Gospel, or perhaps simply to see the world?
What is your experience with missions? If you are the leader of a group, has your group ever been on a missions trip?
What are your skills?
What is your level of spiritual maturity? Be realistic; if you're interested in an evangelism team, you should be comfortable sharing your faith.
What financial support base do you have available?
What are your or your group's needs? As a group leader, you should understand the type of missions experience that will help group members grow spiritually.
How much are you willing to put into preparation? Some sponsoring organizations require far more than others.

2. Research the Opportunities. Don't jump at the first opportunity to come along. Thousands of missions opportunities exist. They are located all over the world. You may want to spend a month inoculating children against disease in Tanzania or an entire summer witnessing in Spanish to the street people of Mexico City or Chicago.

Perhaps God is calling you to spend a year of your life teaching English to Chinese children or Japanese adults. Maybe if you've never been overseas, you'll want to begin with a week-long construction project in a Mexican shantytown along the border.

A good place to start is to find a resource that can help identify an array of options from that to choose. You may want to contact a missionary or talk to a guidance counselor to get specific suggestions. There are numerous websites that could assist you in this search as well, including ShortTermMissions.com, ChristianVolunteering.org, and The Right Now Campaign. Even my blog may be a resource for your to use in finding the right short-term missions experience.

3. Make the Match. Look at your self-assessment. Compare it to the list of opportunities you've uncovered. If you have a clear picture of the kind of ministry in that you're interested, it may help to describe it to a missions agency.

Often, they can tailor a given assignment to your particular situation. Make sure to compare costs while you're comparing opportunities. If you notice that an agency's costs are significantly higher than others, it may be passing along to you a large percentage of its overhead costs.

Missionary fundraising can be hard work, and much of the cost of a missions project may come out of your own pocket, so after comparing, decide if any of the prices seem out of line. If you are a group leader, one way of saving money is to set up your own mission trip. If you do, realize that it will take great attention to detail and much research.

Throughout this process, understand that there can be no substitute for prayer. It's possible to gather so much information that you either become paralyzed by it, or else you don't give the Spirit room to guide you. Just as the decisions you make hastily based on gut-feel may invite disaster, so too you can unwittingly neglect the role of faith in the entire process. Ultimately, to be successful, you must be guided in your decision-making by the Holy Spirit.

Seth is the executive director of Adventures In Missions -- an organization that sends people on short-term mission trips. He lives in Gainesville, GA with his wife Karen. You can visit his blog "Radical Living in a Comfortable World" at sethbarnes.com.

Broken in Romania: A Reflection from the Mission Field

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I think my heart broke a little this morning.

Becky has wanted to care for orphans in Romania for about as long as she's been in Romania (which is the early 1990s). She initially wanted to take in infants, but received older children. Some have come and gone because they couldn't stand the "tough love" or the discipline/chastisement that comes with being under a parental authority. Some have made their home at Casa Shalom because they've been reconciled with their family.

Casa Shalom, despite caring for and housing orphans through the years, never official became an orphanage. The government's laws and regulations continued to hinder her from running a Christian orphanage that would be financially feasible for Becky to operate. Ultimately, these roadblocks have changed the direction of Casa Shalom; we now hope to see this place become a retreat/conference center.

This place, which truly lives up to its name, is in transition. Namely, the two remaining orphans, Marius and Catalin, both eleven years old, will have to move to different orphanages soon.

We've half-joked about putting them into our backpacks and taking them with us, persuading our families to adopt them, lamenting that if we were older, we'd adopt them (and by "we", I refer to myself).

Then, this morning as our team met to pray, we found out that Marius would be leaving as soon as Friday and that he can't be adopted outside of Romania. Of course, should we follow through with stuffing him in our packs, we could possibly be charged with kidnapping.

If you got to meet Marius, you'd also be confused as to why attempts to reconcile him to his family didn't work.

He's quite friendly: right away, he introduced himself to me, shaking my hand. He loves to play soccer and basketball, and sometimes tennis, but mostly soccer and basketball. And he loves to sing; I noticed the slight vibrato in his voice during praise.

He's always helpful in the kitchen, setting the table and cleaning up. And the way he played with two pre-school age girls - helping them on the swings and the other thing that spins - exuded sweetness and kindness. He gets motion sick, I learned; he told me, as he spun the thing, but not too fast, that if he sits on the-spinning-thing-I-don't-know-the-name-of, he will "vom."

Anyway, the story of how the second, and seemingly final, attempt of reconciliation made me sad and angry, but mostly sad. "Don't you know how precious he is?!" I want to scream at his father. And then I want to tell him, "You don't deserve him, anyway."

So, within a few days, he will be living in a new place, meeting new people, away from the house and friends he's known for eight years, which is a considerable chunk of his lifetime. His "real" family won't receive him and this family, who cherishes him and wants to keep him, can't. I'm sure there are families outside of Romania who'd be thrilled with the idea of a Marius, but he's not available to them.

And it sucks. It sucks enough that, as he sauntered through the dining room during breakfast, greeting us, I had to avert my eyes and fix them on my recently-empty bowl of cereal instead to keep from crying.

Until this afternoon, I didn't know how exactly to pray about all this. There was just this big "I dunno" on my heart. My friend came to the rescue with the idea of praying against a spirit of rejection over Marius before he goes; for in God's eyes, Marius has never been an orphan.

And I remember, too, now, that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). So while I don't know much, what I do know is enough.

Sara is currently on an 11-month adventure around the world.

Called to the Nations: Our Own Backyards

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have spent so much of my time lately in a moving lifestyle that it's been hard to find time to write. It seems that we are always traveling. My husband travels for business, and we sneak along to keep our family together.

For a long while, I have thought something was "wrong" with this; yet in my heart, it seems to be part of my wiring as a daughter of God. He has called me to a great adventure; to share His love through our daily lives and inspire others along the path to Him. I was having a conversation with a friend last night about how I guess some of us are called to be wanderers - moving more easily along our path without being grounded in one place or another. Though I am not perfect, and often get a bit stressed, frustrated, and challenged, I can see no other way to live my life than on the road where the Lord leads.

I have a very strange supernatural peace when I'm on the road, in the airports, in a hotel or a friend's home, even with my two young sons and husband. I'm sure my life is to follow on the "reach the nations" lifestyle. I don't think everyone is ready for it, thus making my urgency and excitement to share His message even stronger as one of His harvest workers.

When the Lord has called us to go to the nations, we must obey. We are protected by a supernatural barrier that He provides (in Jonah's case it was the great fish.) In our case, we must trust that we are walking in His shelter even in the roughest storms. Even in the midst of not wanting to speak out or feeling anxious about stepping out, He will provide the opportunities and words for us to carry to many. He will deliver us where we are to speak out for His glory, if only we will listen and obey! Perhaps that is across the world, across the county, or simply across the street to the foreigners of many nations right here in our own land.

Recently, I was in California with my aunt whose husband just passed. It was a pure example of me being the church. When I booked the trip I didn't realize the impact it would have on her or the fact that it would be such an example of living a servant's life. I just thought I was going to help. In helping, I realized that I carried the message of Christ by living it out. At times with her, I didn't know what to say so I just prayed - sometimes silently, sometimes with her and for her. And, as the Lord did for Jonah, He gave me the words for her. She has repeatedly thanked me for "saving her life" by being there. I was just sharing the words of God. He called me to go. I shared with her that he has plans for her even now.

Maybe that's what the Lord means when He calls us to go to the nations: to go to all people, in all circumstances, of all nations, and share His embrace. I'm excited about foreign lands and nations and people of other tongues and am even a part of that in the Dominican Republic. But here, in our nation, I believe He has called me to share more of His love and words through imagery, writing and speaking out. Like Jonah, I ignored His call for a while and went elsewhere.

Recently, I've been doing my best to obey His call to speak out. And a question that is posed in my mind at this moment is "what is another nation?" Aren't we a nation of many nations right here in the USA? Don't we run into at least five countries at the grocery store? Aren't there people of many nations who have come here who have not yet experienced the love of Christ perhaps because of our intolerance toward foreigners? Doesn't the Lord show compassion? Shouldn't we do the same?

Maybe some will hear the message and take it to heart, and others will not, but it is still our call to share His ways, His glory, and His compassion with all nations. (Psalm 67: 1-2 & 96: 3) Even starting right here in our own backyard.

His message grows exponentially, like the mustard seed. And, all people are blessed through it! (Gen 12:3)

If you liked this article, check out: Missional Living: Our Voice and Hands for Jesus

Jen is a Kingdom citizen and photojournalist living in Juno Beach, Florida with her amazing husband and two boys. She's a busy, fun-loving, home-schooling mom still avoiding a mini-van and can often be seen beach combing carrying a kid, a camera and an iphone. Visit her website.

3 Ways to Have a Meaningful (and Missional) Summer

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Summer is a time when people's work and school schedules tend to loosen up. It is a season of life, of renewed vigor, and of rest. But summer is also a season of opportunity. It is a time when our lives are less bogged-down, and we can explore more meaningful pursuits.

If you live in a warmer climate like I do, the summer can be a rough environment for many urban poor and homeless people, as this news article suggests. Where there are those who are suffering and even dying from the heat, there is opportunity for the Church to be the Body of Christ. Since the winter is often a major season of concern for homeless fatalities, shelters often neglect equally-threatening hot weather in the summer, particularly in the southern and western parts of the United States. There are plenty of people out and about, looking for refuge and refreshment.

What an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The season of flowers and exercise can be an amazing chance to see God's kingdom come in new and exciting ways.

Three things that you can do to have a missional summer are:

1) Get outside. It seems simple enough, but how many people will burn up their electric bills due to increased air conditioning use? How many will forgo an afternoon in the park for crashing on the couch with a movie? Do yourself a favor this summer and get outside. Throw a frisbee. Cook some hotdogs. Interact with people. Many who dream of living more "missional" lives fail to make the simple choices each day of intentionally engaging in their communities.

2) Give something away. A couple summers ago, I had one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. What was it, exactly? I cooked up a bunch of hotdogs and brats and gave them away to anyone who passed by in a local city park. Many of the people were homeless and would have no other meal that day, but others were just passersby. All were astounded at why I would just give something away. In this consumer-driven culture, many were waiting for the sales pitch, the bait-and-switch, the delivery of whatever my agenda was. I didn't give one. Many were so intrigued by someone who simply gave something away that they asked me all kinds of questions, which eventually led to a discussion about faith - something they started, not me.

Of course, it doesn't have to be food, and it doesn't have to be anything remarkable. Just give something away: a drink, a sandwich, a moment of your time. I learned this from my dad, who used to throw a public music festival where he gave away all kinds of food to anyone who came to listen. All summer, he and I would solicit donations in kind from grocery stores, caterers, etc., collecting enough food to throw one of the biggest parties our little farming community had ever seen. We used the opportunity to invite all kinds of churches, Christian music groups, bikers, hippies, preachers, storytellers, puppeteers, and anyone else we could think of who was interested in giving back to the community.

This summer, give without any kind of clever metaphor for grace and just see what this does to people. See what it does to your heart. I've learned so much about generosity through this discipline of giving something away.

3) Go on a mission trip. One of the best ways that you can lead a more missional and meaningful life right in your own community is to leave it. It doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, but we often neglect the needs that are closest to us. Periodically, our hearts need to get rejuvenated. We need to step out in faith and see God meet us there. We need to get some new perspective. If you read Matthew 10 closely, you see Jesus doing this with his disciples. He's less interested in the ministry fruit than he is in the impact the experience has had on his followers. It's pretty simple: mission trips make better disciples. Don't believe me? Try it and prove me wrong.

Short-term missions can wake us up to a world of poverty and need to which we were previously blind. We leave home, not because there are not needs in our backyards, but rather because we fail to see them. Setting aside some intentional time to live missionally with a group of other believers brings your heart into alignment with the missionary God who longs to bring hope to both the nations and the suburbs.

There are a lot of things you could do this summer, and please don't forget to rest. However, don't miss your opportunity to reach out to a lost and broken world with the redemptive hands of Christ that long to heal a hurting Creation.

Jeff graduated from Illinois College, a small liberal arts school, with a degree in Spanish and Religion. He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Ashley. He works for Adventures in Missions, edits this silly little magazine, and loves to do new things. Check out his blog: Pilgrimage of the Heart.

Missions Photo Contest to Capture Stories from the Mission Field

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Adventures In Missions (AIM), a nonprofit organization based in Gainesville, GA, launched its first Missions Photo Contest in a quest to gather photographs of ministry in action from around the globe. The purpose is to cast a vision for what God is doing in the mission field through a collection of compelling photographs that tell the stories.

AIM founder Seth Barnes was inspired to start the Missions Photo Contest after seeing an image taken of an orphan at a care point in Nsoko, Swaziland. "I saw this photograph and was so taken by it. It captures a soul, a moment, a place and a ministry. It's like visual poetry," he says.

Barnes wants to share this experience with more people -- and he wants more photos. "As I continued to stare at it [the photo], I thought, 'We have so many good photographers...we need to showcase their talent.'"

The ultimate goal is to publish a book of the winning photographs that shares the stories and images of reaching out to people in need. "I think it will help cast a vision for what God is doing," says Barnes.

Anyone is allowed to submit a photo of ministry in action for consideration in the contest. Prizes are $3,000 for first place, $1,000 for second, $500 for third, and $250 for fourth and fifth place.

Judging will happen in three rounds, and contestants must enter a photo by June 15th to be considered in the contest. For complete contest rules and submission instructions, visit the photo contest page on AIM's website.

Adventures In Missions is an interdenominational organization that facilitates short-term mission trips throughout the world and within the United States. They organize trips for individuals, teenager through adult; and for groups, such as youth groups, college groups, and adult groups. The focus of each short-term mission trip is to raise up a generation of radically committed disciples of Jesus through experiential learning.

The Church's Response to Global Pandemic, Pt. 2

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Continued from Part 1 of The Church's Response to Global Pandemic:

Our Relationship with Others

Just like the true nature of our relationship with God is revealed in the face of crisis, the depth and health of our other relationships is also made very obvious. (BL) There are many levels of relationships that come into play when faced with a health crisis.

Immediate Family

During the SARS epidemic, the government required anyone with a fever to report it and go to the hospital. There were cases of fathers being taken away in an ambulance and never seen again. (CW) As various countries and local governments implement levels of quarantines, checkpoints and border closings, the chance of getting separated is very real. Families should ask key questions to be prepared for similar situations.

How could we be split up and can we prevent this?

When are we as a family separated? Examples: children in boarding schools or parents traveling for ministry work. How will we stay in contact during these times? Do we have more than one medium of communication? (Email, phone, IM)

What will we do if we are not together and we hear that a health situation is escalating?

What measures will we take to stay together or get back together?

Who can family members stay with if there is danger?

It is critical for families with small children to talk through the possibility of a deadly pandemic and the implications. Children did not choose to be in the way of danger; however, the family may be called to put each other's lives in the hands of the Lord. Counting the cost of a ministry life before tragedy is crucial to having settled hearts during the trial. (CW) This can only be done through prayer and a deepening relationship with Christ. If open communication with God does not exist before danger, it will be more difficult for us to seek Him in the middle of the crisis. The concept of settling your spirit relates to our relationship to God talked about in James chapter 1.

Another reality is the isolation that will come if a health crisis erupts. SARS kept millions locked up in their homes. Schools were cancelled. Businesses closed. (CW) What can a family do if they are cut off from their regular routine? Fuses will be short and many will not know how to cope. What activities and family routines can you develop or continue that can be done in this sort of isolation? What can you prepare and set aside if this were to happen? It might be similar to being on a deserted island- what will you wish you had for your family to cope? (BL)

Extended Family

Many times frightening alarmist issues like a health pandemic can be talked to death within the community of ministry people, but not mentioned at all to extended family. The dangers of the job almost become business talk and we turn off our work brains when we phone or email family. But unless your families are aware of the danger and prepared, it could create a dangerous situation if you are quarantined or out of touch.

While you don't want to scare your family, especially those who may not have a relationship with Jesus, if they don't understand the reality of the crisis and how to support you, you will be missing out on a crucial support network. If your family network is prepared, then they will be with you in prayer, encouragement, and very importantly-information. Family may become an important source of information during a crisis.

Having a context for dealing with this challenge as a family will help your relationships. (BL) If there is a global pandemic, there is a good chance your family back home will be impacted as well. By involving them in your preparations, you could be a blessing to them by helping them work through their own plans in the case of a crisis.

Team Members and Fellow Missionaries

There are many dynamics among ministry teams and fellow missionaries. During a crisis, all of the personal conflicts and team synergies will be magnified. All that is good within the team will have the opportunity to shine. In the same way, all the negative dynamics will also be revealed. It is critical to work on conflicts between people during the preparation period rather than ignore them and watch them blow up in the middle of a health emergency.

But even if all the wrinkles are not ironed out, there are a few key things to help build unity during crisis:

Apologize quickly.

Share pain. This helps in the grieving process.

Allow people around you to live out as normal a life as possible during the crisis.

Focus on people's resilience, building our strength through God.

Realize that grieving is unique. Allow room for each family to grieve in their own way. (BL)

Donors/Prayer Partners

Similar to your family network is your network of donors and prayer partners. Most churches have not talked about the potential of a pandemic yet. If you are to have a strong network of prayer support during an emergency, you should make a point to educate and update them now. (CW)

Some things to consider:

Devote a prayer letter to the issue and give specific information and prayer requests.

Set up a conference call with several missions pastors of your key churches to share with them and plan how they can help you.

Make your partners who receive email aware that you will use this medium to give updates if a health crisis emerges.

Local Partners

In missions today, there are unspoken divisions between expatriate and local ministry workers. Many of these divisions come out of centuries of missionary activity. For example, many times missionaries send their kids to different schools than local ministry workers, live in different parts of town, or have a different standard of living. While many of these things are simply a reality of two different cultures intersecting, each person must find ways to build commonality and relationship in order to be about the work of evangelism and discipleship. These relationships are the foundation for much of the missions work going on around the world, but could be jeopardized if there are not clear expectations set about how ministry partners will interact in a health emergency.

Local partners and expatriate workers need to ask key questions such as:

If there is opportunity for evacuation, is it appropriate? (SN)

Will the work continue if an emergency erupts?

If a party must leave, who will pick up their responsibilities?

Our Relationship to Ministry

Potential Impact

During the Plague outbreak in Europe in the 1300s, the priests were the ones to risk their own lives and collect the bodies each morning. Imagine the impact that these brave servants had on the living as they walked from house to house. (CW) It may be that in times of great suffering, our ministry will have greater opportunity to broadcast the message of God's love. When people are surrounded by pain, the example of a Christian serving others in spite of great personal risk will shine brightly. (DD)

The incredible thing is that a pandemic may be closer to your ministry than you would ever imagine. Recently, a missionary teaching ESL to Chinese migrants had a student return from a week home with his family. He attended class the evening he returned and he shared that his home area had been hit with Avian Flu in the bird population and one person had contracted the disease and died. The missionary was far from that village, but the proximity was astounding. (CW) This example brings home the fact that any ministry is only days, hours or even minutes away from being impacted by a health crisis.

The Decision

With this realization in mind, ministry cannot move forward with planning until you decide at what point you would leave. It is also crucial to consider the impact that leaving would have on the ministry you are involved with. It is not always the desire of the people you are ministering to, for you to stay at great personal risk. However, there are times and situations when this is required for long term impact. One example is a worker in Albania who stayed even as the economy of the country fell apart. Many other ministry workers left. The fact that he stayed created great trust and opened many new doors. (SN)

On the other hand, sometimes the local leadership would prefer that you protect your family and return after the crisis. Having a strong relationship and open communication now is the only way you will be able to determine whether a specific pandemic is grounds to leave your ministry.

Ministry in a Pandemic

Believe it or not, there are ways to prepare your ministry to run under pandemic conditions. Some of these conditions include isolation, fear, panic, quarantine, infrastructure stoppage, and lack of communication. Everyone with a ministry must consider which pieces of their work could continue under conditions such as these. For example, could you set up a hotline (or SMS number) to counsel the people at your church plant? Or could you create packets with information and lessons for your ESL students so that you could continue to work with them via email or the phone? (CW)

But what if your ministry isn't possible at all? Does that mean that there won't be work to do? Sometimes when we are pulled out of our normal routines, the most impacting and creative ministry opportunities arise. (DD) How our life witnesses the love of Christ in crisis could sprout whole new ministry initiatives.

One example to consider is a seminary full of students. In the face of a pandemic, school would be cancelled, but that doesn't mean that ministry would stop. (SN) We must be training our ministry partners to think about how we can mobilize the Body of Christ to respond in love during health emergencies. Those seminary students could become the only hope that many people see as they try to survive each day.

Sometimes we believe that if we do not have full ministry schedules, that we are not involved in ministry. However, much of our witness is the attitude we display. Do we have the courage to give thanks to God for the situation we are in? (DD) One example would be sitting in a bread line waiting for your turn to pick over scarce food. Our attitude in that moment is worth a thousand hours of meetings and sermons.

During a pandemic, each person will have to decide whether they will write the songs, speak the truth and live God's love in the face of such darkness. The sum of these choices will add up to the intensity of God's light in that particular community. The best way to get into position for a global flu pandemic is to intensify our work on what we should already be doing anyway- improving our relationship with God, our local partners, those we serve, and those who support us. This is a no-lose investment of time and energy. If the pandemic materializes, we're ready to shine. If it doesn't, we are stronger and more mature, ready to shine. This "ready for anything, able to endure anything" character is God's gift to his church, made possible by the presence of the Spirit of Christ. (SN)

About the Authors

(CW) and her husband have served with TEAM in Asia for 26 years. The first 14 years they were involved in church planting. In 1993 they moved with their children to another East Asian location where they work with an international team reaching out with the Gospel through discipleship efforts.

Brent Lindquist, Ph.D., (BL) is a Psychologist, and the President of Link Care Center. He works with international membercare leaders, consults with organizations regarding membercare issues, and develops programs and services in the same arena.

Richard (Dick) Douce (DD) is an internist sub-specialized in infectious diseases, who works as a medical missionary in Hospital Vozandes Quito. Over the past 15 years he has participated in treating epidemics of Cholera, Rabies, Diphtheria, Yellow Fever, Meningococcal meningitis, and Influenza as they passed through Ecuador and West Nile Fever, Influenza, and AIDS as they passed through the United States.

Stan Nussbaum (SN) is the staff missiologist at GMI Research Services (Global Mapping International) in Colorado Springs. A researcher and writer, in 2005 he coordinated a major study on the churches' response to AIDS in seven countries. He has long experience in southern Africa and England as well as growing involvements in India and Central Asia.

Jon and Mindy Hirst (editors) are the creators of the Generous Mind Conversation and own a think tank called Generous Mind. Jon is also the Director of Communications for HCJB World Radio in Colorado Springs, CO. Jon and Mindy have three children: Isa, Adin and Emilia. You can visit www.generousmind.com to interact with the editors and authors on this topic.

*This article was previously published in The Network for Strategic Missions.

The Church's Response to Global Pandemic: AIDS, Influenza, and Missions

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This article is a conversation between four people. Throughout the article, you will see initials in parentheses. These identify the contributor who shared that particular thought.

The streets are quiet except for the distant sound of sirens echoing through the rows of high-rises (CW), across the rice fields, through the villages, and resonating across the waves as jumbo jets soar in the sky above. Those sirens ominously represent the darkness of a day when disease would quiet the voices of the saints - those who are usually joyfully vocal. On the day when a pandemic darkens the door of this world and threatens the work of God's people on every continent, will the only sound be the sound of sirens?

Who will be singing songs, who will be writing poems, and who will be telling the stories of faith? (SN) This is not a philosophical question, it is all too practical. At the same time, it is not the question that appears on our agenda as we consider the potential of a global pandemic on our work for the Kingdom. We are talking a lot about education and we are making our emergency plans. These things are important, but it is easy to reduce our preparation to a list of medicines to buy and emails to send.

The deeper question to ask is, "How do we remain a strong light if indeed the darkness looms in the form of disease?" This is really a question of resolve and effectiveness under circumstances that are above and beyond what our world would expect us to endure. But God has different expectations than this world, and we must ask him what things He would have us do to prepare for the possibility of Avian Flu or other global diseases that could impact every facet of our ministry.

And we do need to prepare! Everyone in global ministry is only a few people away from the center of a pandemic. We travel on planes, we attend conferences, we visit remote villages, and we interact with all levels of society. Unless we are willing to consider what the world would look like in the grip of a global pandemic, we are not being realistic about our lives in ministry. So let us look together at the impact a pandemic would have on our relationship with God, our relationship with others and our relationship to our ministry.

Our Relationship with God

Strength and resilience in the crisis of a pandemic do not simply appear. The crisis is a test of what should already exist in our spirits. So how do we settle our spirits (CW) and engage our God about an issue as catastrophic as this? James 1:2-6 gives us some powerful insights into what we must do to have a settled spirit. James starts out with the goal - to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds . . ." Then he gives some valuable insight into how we can be in a state of mind to do something that sounds ridiculous from a human perspective. Is he referring to asking for trials? No, the meaning in James 1:5 is many times obscured because it is often quoted in isolation, "If any of you lack wisdom . . ." James wasn't talking about generic wisdom. He was talking specifically about the kind of practical "wisdom" (insight or good sense about what to do, think and feel) it takes to cope successfully with an attack or crisis. (SN) He says that we must ask God for the wisdom necessary to persevere in the situation that confronts us.

Our close walk with God, our willingness to face trials and our desire to ask God for wisdom and understanding will produce a settled spirit in the face of fear, isolation, sorrow and doubt. Yes, doubt is one of Satan's most powerful weapons in a time of crisis, working through the heart into the mind and ruining the whole person.

If we really believe James chapter 1, then we must come to grips with the fact that God uses physical illness and tragedy to bring spiritual healing (DD) and even growth! In fact, another key to settling our spirit in the midst of a global pandemic is our dynamic relationship with God through prayer. During the 1918 flu pandemic, millions died in one of the earth's most violent health emergencies. But while death was surrounding the people, God used the crisis to raise up movements of prayer and revivals of faith. Many powerful movements, dynamic organizations and vibrant churches sprouted out of this seedbed of prayer. (SN) Those movements did not just ignite out of dead relationships with God. The prayer lives of faithful, focused believers helped settle their spirits and prepare them to ignite their faith into action as the crisis descended around them.

We must ask ourselves some simple questions about our relationship to God:

1. Do we have a James 1 faith that seeks wisdom in the face of trials?

2. Is our life full of doubts now, in a time of relative security and safety?

3. Do we have a vibrant life of prayer that is seeking wisdom from God?

4. Would God find our hearts ready and available if such a health crisis were to occur?

5. Do we believe that God can bring spiritual growth out of physical devastation?

To be continued...

About the Authors

Missional Living: Our Voice and Hands for Jesus

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Divide and conquer... analyze and define... specialize and focus.

All around us, we hear the call to niche our lives, control our surroundings and manage our worlds. In school, guidance counselors always advise us to pick a direction and focus in. But I wonder what Jesus would say about our desire to focus our outreach.

In Matthew 4:23, Jesus' ministry is broad and organic: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people." (NIV)

The picture I get from this verse is a Savior who sees needs on many levels. Jesus never said, "I don't do that kind of outreach." He saw into people's hearts and used the tools at His disposal in order to show mercy and give hope.

Sometimes he used a story to break through old ways of thinking. Other times he used a storm to bring his disciples to their knees. You almost get the feeling that Jesus saw every word, every action, and every blade of grass as an opportunity to connect with people and show them who He was.

In essence, Jesus integrated His world to reach the whole person. His hands were busy healing, his voice was busy encouraging, his feet were busy covering ground, and so on. None were marginalized .- all of these were important.

Jesus encouraged Nicodemus with words that have echoed through history: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

At the same time, Jesus reached out and touched the most insignificant people of his time: "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not loose his reward." (Matthew 10:42, NIV)

So the question is this, how will we use our voice and hands to represent Jesus? Do we think enough of Jesus and His message to use every part of our being to connect people to Him?

Think about your summer short term missions plans or an outreach in your neighborhood that you are planning. Are you thinking too small? If you are handing out tracts, could you also give those same people water? If you are painting a school, could you also bring Bibles for those in the neighborhood? If you love on orphans, could you also tell them Bible stories? And when your voice and hands are in motion, could you act in unison for greater impact?

We like to think of Jesus as transformational and organic, but both of those are true because He was intentional. Are you being intentional about your opportunities?

I work for HCJB Global and we have launched a contest to help people think through how they will be the Voice and Hands of Jesus this summer and win cash towards their trip at the same time. If you are doing any kind of outreach this summer and need support for your efforts, visit this contest to submit a description of what you are planning to do as the Voice and Hands of Jesus.

Jon is a missional thinker working for HCJB Global, a media and healthcare mission working to be the Voice and Hands of Jesus around the world. Jon and his wife Mindy live in Colorado Springs.

Wrecked by Poverty in the Bahamas

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I was first wrecked by poverty during my sophomore year of college.

Our flight touched down on the island of Exuma in the Bahamas; I stepped off excited, expectant, and feeling completely at home in my surroundings. As we drove from the airport to our lodging for the week, I wanted to cry and to scream with joy at the same time. As we started to pass houses, my excitement was slightly invaded by reality-I wasn't prepared for this poverty. Going into the trip, I knew we would be working in an impoverished area, but I couldn't grasp that concept while still at college. I hadn't been immersed in poverty.

We arrived on Friday, during the afternoon. Saturday night, we were walking around the village of Rolleville, promoting our Easter Egg hunt for the kids that would be held in the next couple of days. Towards the end of our journey around the village, we stopped to pray for three people.

The last person that we prayed for was named Kathy. Her house looked run-down, with stones visible through the wall. The house was small, a fact that I had learned to expect. She was standing outside and the group went over and talked with her. At some point, the conversation shifted to what we could pray for her about. Like we had been doing for the others, we laid hands on her and prayed. After we said "Amen," Pastor Ray caught my eye.

"Have you seen the inside of her house?" Pastor Ray asked me. I shook my head and followed as he led me into Kathy's house.

Ray had to duck to get into the door. As soon as he stepped away from the door, I saw poverty up close and personal. Her house consisted of two rooms that could easily fit in the living room of the older apartments on campus. Kathy followed us in, along with five other team members. It was too crowded for all of us, so one team member stepped out.

Her main room consisted only of a fridge and freezer, a small table with two chairs, an oven, a sink, and a couple of cabinets. The one window in the house was just a hole in the wall. A single light bulb tried to light the small room. Paint was peeling off of the cracked walls. For some reason, a door was laid across the lone beams of the unfinished ceiling. This door almost spanned the length of the main room.

An even smaller door led to another room, one that I was unable to see. From listening to the conversation, I figured out that that room was where she slept. Where I stood, I could guess that the only things in that room were a bed and a place to hold her clothes. I honestly do not know if this house even had a bathroom.

I tried to take all of this in, and was shocked speechless. It took just about all of the mental strength that I had to not break down crying in this woman's home. In that moment of being immersed in poverty, my heart was wrecked, my world was flipped. I realized that I am rich-no ifs, ands, or buts. Even after we left her house, I was still overwhelmed with what I saw. I didn't talk much, if any, on the ride back to where we were staying. Talking would have taken away from my attempt to comprehend what I just saw.

Later that night, the team had a time of worshiping God-something we did almost every night of the trip. The evening changed from a time of simply singing songs to an emotional experience about the songs that were being sung-everyone in the room was affected emotionally. During this intense emotional and spiritual time, the tears that I had been holding back since seeing Kathy's house flooded my face. With each gasp of breath, I could feel my heart breaking all over again.

I cried for the poverty that I now understood. I cried for the unfairness of why I was rich and they were poor. I cried for myself, for foolishly believing that I was poor. I cried for my world being turned upside down. I cried out to God, asking Him to work through me however He wanted to. I knew I could never see God, the world, or myself the same again.

Coming back "home" to America after having your heart wrecked is more challenging than seeing the poverty in the first place. On our flight back to Florida, I felt a sense of uneasiness. Even though I knew I would be seeing my family the next day, I didn't want to get off of the plane because it meant I would be back in America.

When we got back to New Jersey, I walked into the living room of my apartment on campus and wept.

I was wrecked by poverty my sophomore year of college and haven't been the same since.

Susan attends Stockton College in New Jersey where she is a Visual Arts major with a concentration in photography, a writing minor, and a Jewish studies minor. She believes that making someone else happy is one of the best feelings in the whole world.

We Were Meant to Be Wrecked

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It's Easter evening as I write this. Maybe it's the significance of the holiday or the fact that I just returned from a nine-day mission trip to Costa Rica, but I'm a bit contemplative this afternoon. After twenty-four hours of being back in the States, I'm already settled again, but inside of me there's something else... something that's been ruined.

Last night, I had a hot shower and slept in a warm bed. Today, my wife and I celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus by going to church, stuffing ourselves with pizza, and watching Star Wars: A New Hope. Now, I'm drinking hot tea and catching up on a high-speed internet connection. Yeah, living in America has its perks.

But last week, I walked around in 100-degree heat for 12 hours, longing for the simple pleasure of a cold drink. There's something great about being refreshed when you really need it. I ran around with kids until my legs didn't work and loved it. I prayed with desperation for God to extend his grace to people who needed it, because I knew that was their only hope. And every night, I fell asleep, confident that God had done everything through me that he wanted to do that day.

In Belen, Costa Rica, part of my life came undone. Living in true community weaned me of my addiction to technology and social networks. It broke my attachment to emails and text messages - because I realized that I was longing for something deeper. Fervent praying relieved me of my obsession with more knowledge and information. Laughing with brothers and sisters in Christ until my face hurt restored joy to my faith and chased away the darkness of my educated cynicism.

I think that we need to fast from our culture once in awhile. I think that we take so many things for granted that it's silly. I think that when we put ourselves in a place of need and stand in solidarity with others in need that we learn something about life - namely, that real life can't be contained, distributed, and purchased in mass quantities at Sam's Club. And if it is, it loses something.

The real kind of life that we're looking for is a narrow road that few find. It's the sort of thing that you need to really search for; and when you find it, it demands everything you have and everything you are. But in the process of losing it all, you find that you gain what is most important. I don't know that I've discovered it in its entirety, but I'm learning that life itself is a journey, a sacrifice, a form of dying so that I can really live.

I'm glad to be back home in Tennessee. I'm glad to be back in a place that speaks a language with which I am a little more familiar. And yes, I'm even glad to have some of my creature comforts back. But part of me longs to stay wrecked. I think that I need it. I don't want everything to be returned to normal. I want to stay a little strange, because when I'm out of my comfort is when I think that I am most heavily relying on God and in the process of becoming most like myself (or at least who I'm supposed to be).

I don't know how to do this without going on a journey.

That isn't to say that mission trips can't be an end to themselves or that we ought not minister in our back yards. I just know that every once in awhile, I need a break - a fast, if you will - to remember that my agenda isn't always God's agenda. I need to remember that I'm still on a journey, still searching for life to the full.

Mostly, I need to remember that Jesus' definition of abundant life looks more like dying or being wrecked than it resembles a perfect resume or portfolio.