Missions Blog for Churches

by Keith R. Bucklen

Right now my church is basking in the afterglow of several short-term mission trips. And well it should! What a privilege to be a co-laborer (with the Lord and His servants) in the ministry of the gospel cross-culturally; and what a joy to imagine that God has used us for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. He has conferred on us a lofty position, to be sure.

But what about short-term missions? Is a week or two in a foreign country really worth it? The cost is substantial, especially when one compares the expenditures necessary to translocate a group of Americans to another country (in our case, another continent) with what that money could produce locally. Just think of the indigenous workforce who could accomplish the same tasks at a fraction of the cost …continue reading this article from InVision.

Time Magazine, interestingly, published a recent Top Ten list on things that are changing the world. Number three was Calvinism. Yes, Calvinism…as in John Calvin. And to me, the article is surprisingly positive. It’s not how I would have necessarily written it, but I was impressed coming from Time. Keep in mind, these are things that are changing the world, not just America. Interesting missional thought. Click here to read the article.

by Seth Wallace

“We have a leadership vacuum.“

“Our greatest need is leaders.“

You’ve heard these statements before. For several years now, we have heard this in a variety of contexts. In our denomination it has been ubiquitous. The need for developing leaders is great, but the progress has been slow. I’ve heard current leaders bemoan the “young leader pool,“ saying there aren’t many good prospects. I’ve heard those in my generation say that few current leaders want relationships or are willing to listen. Are leaders born or are they made? Will one generation flop about because it can’t lead? That question has probably been leveled at every generation to come along…continue reading this article from InVision.