Missions Blog for Churches

The following is a book review on Why We Love the Church: In praise of institutions and organized religion, by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck. I wrote this for an edition of MTW’s InVision periodical, and it had to be edited in half for it (because I wrote 1000 words before I asked and found out that they wanted only 500 words). Thanks to a gracious editor! It is certainly more readable and probably a little less edgy. I thought I would post the entire, original review here for any who may want to read it. I can save you the time and just tell you to get this book and read it yourself. It is very easy to read and is probably the quickest I’ve ever read any book. You’ll laugh more than once. I promise. I honestly hope every RUF campus minister gets a stack of these books and hands them out like candy (and if you are one and are interested, contact me so I can help you with the hook up at Moody). I hope every young adult SS teacher either reads the book so he can understand where his people are. And everyone else, because if we’re all honest, we have all at one point or another been fed up with the church.

Why We Love the Church
In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion
By Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck

There was really one thing that compelled me to read this book. On the front cover is a quote by J.I. Packer that states, “Bible-centered, God-centered. As I read, I wanted to stand up and cheer.” That excited me, kind of like getting to see E.T. when I was an eight-year-old-kid. Anything that makes J.I. Packer want to stand up and cheer excites me.

The book isn’t my normal staple of reading, although I’d probably read more if it were. The style is witty and the content meaty. It may not be as appreciated by those preceding Generation X, but almost certainly will by those in it and younger.

Its subject is the church (visible). I don’t think any Christian would say they don’t like the Church (invisible). And after writing Why We’re Not Emergent, this subject is an appropriate follow-up. There is a growing trend in American Christianity to abandon the local church in its current form and discover new ways to “be the church,” like, “three guys drinking pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks talking about the spirituality of the Violent Femmes and why Sex and the City is really profound.”

But I must admit that what I was thinking about as I started reading were all the reasons I was frustrated with the church. My wife and I went through a period where we were ready to give up on the church. Seriously. We didn’t tell people, but the hurt we’d experienced by those in the church was so deep and had affected our lives to the point that we felt like we weren’t even the same people we once were (we honestly thought our lives had been ruined). This was enough to make us discuss what our options were when it came to church. By God’s grace, he didn’t allow us to forget His Word. But I say that to let you know that this book was personal, in a very unexpected way.

The style of the book reminded me of a favorite series of mine, Calvin and Hobbes. It is full of blunt honesty and sarcasm. But it isn’t complete cheekiness. I haven’t underlined/highlighted a book this much since I read a different Calvin. This was true more of Kevin’s chapters than Ted’s, but that is no slight to Mr. Kluck.

Kevin is the pastor and Ted is the layperson. They are both excellent writers, but Ted is the professional. Although he isn’t stacking theological bricks the way Kevin does, his writing is no less meaningful. It’s mostly anecdotal, yet illustrative of what they are, together, trying to communicate about why church is essential for the Christian (and isn’t an option to be discarded at will). Reading this book is kind of like having a multi-course meal (Kevin’s chapters) with a round of dessert between each course (Ted’s chapters).

If space weren’t an issue, I would share at least sixty-eleven quotes (ask someone under fifty if that doesn’t make sense). So here are just a couple of notables. If you’re still not sure you want to read this book, go to the bookstore and turn to page 13. Start reading the Mad Lib at the bottom. The cashier will be handing you your receipt before you finish it.

The book confronts the church’s mission and the fact that many are leaving the church (or are embarrassed by the church) because she isn’t doing enough. But the authors carefully point out that the direction many are headed, who describe themselves as missional, is no different from the world and these issues are really not difficult to support. “When young people talk about the church getting involved in social justice, they almost always have in mind sex trafficking, oppression and death in Darfur, AIDS, or some other social cause.” DeYoung continues, “Most of their causes demand nothing of us Christians except psychological guilt and advocacy…the problems are almost always far away and the solution involves other people caring more.” And then the charge, “let’s make sure as Christians that our missional concerns go farther than those shared by Brangelina and the United Way.” His point? Let’s make sure we get to the Gospel.

Finally, I said the book was personal. It may seem contradictory to share this quote and tell you it convicted me, but the Epilogue (a discourse on original sin) may help explain. DeYoung writes, “in our hypertherapeutic culture, we all need to realize that sometimes being in touch with our pain and being real about our doubts and authentic about our struggles is a form of narcissism and self-absorption more than maturity. We could all use a little less complaining and a little more gratitude.” Ouch.

It’s not a spoiler for me to tell you that the consensus of DeYoung and Kluck is that we not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The church is biblical, and they make a strong case for it. If you don’t think this defense is necessary today, you would do well to read the book. It is a reactionary book, so there are some hyperbolic tendencies. Some may criticize this. I think it works.

I think everyone in Generation X and younger (the under 50 crowd) would benefit greatly from reading this. It will help church leaders think critically about shepherding the flock, and particularly how they can avoid the temptation to become another marketing machine. For lay people, it will give them a concise ecclesiology as well as help them “to be careful that their disillusionment does not become an idol, [and] that they do not find their identity in being jaded.”

Additionally, missionaries and missions leaders in the church have a lot to gain from this book. Although the context is the American church, the issues are not limited to America. And the answers given by DeYoung and Kluck are universal because they are biblical.

Click here to order this book or read further reviews of it on Amazon.com.

The following is a book review of When Helping Hurts: How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor…and yourself. You can find out more about this book at www.whenhelpinghurts.org and can order it online here.

When Helping Hurts is a compelling book that will be a significant help to the Church for years to come. The first chapter alone is worth the cost of the book and ought to be read by every church leader in every ministry category. This is not just a book for the missions committee (although it ought to be required for everyone involved in missions) or the Outreach Director, or the pastor. I think every Christian in America would benefit. Most evangelicals would be rattled.

There are several benefits from this book. Since most people read book reviews to try and determine whether they want to buy and read the book, let me mention those benefits.

It doesn’t just pick on the Church or her leaders. This book is personal; it will pick on you. It was deeply convicting to me as I read it. I realized that as many times as I have been moved by stories about the fatherless and the widow, the poor and the sick, I am not purposefully living for my life, and leading that of my family, to intersect with these members of society. I have forsaken the needy by my enslavement to convenience and stuff. My house is conveniently situated away from poverty. I hardly see the needy. And then there is my busyness. All my important tasks that keep me far away spending myself on “behalf of the hungry” (Is. 58:10) are often where I find my own significance and worth. I am convicted that although I hold to the position that all humans are created in the image of God, I don’t live as such. And I realize that I do have a god-complex (although every time I read that phrase in the book, my first reaction was, “No I don…..okay, I do. I do.”).

The authors are not writing from lofty chairs in academia. They pen their own confessions. One of my favorites is, “I confess to you that part of what motivates me to help the poor is my felt need to accomplish something worthwhile with my life, to be a person of significance, to feel like II have pursued a noble cause…to be a bit like God…I sometimes unintentionally reduce poor people to objects that I use to fulfill my own need to accomplish something. it is a very ugly truth, and it pains me to admit it, but ‘when I want to do good, evil is right there with me’ (Rom. 7:21).” [p. 65] They also give a number of examples that show where they blew it. This communicates not only humility, but also a sense that there’s a bit of a journey involved. Helping the needy will never become neat, clean and orderly.

This book is highly biblical, both in its use of Scripture for application as well as in developing a theory of poverty that serves as the framework. You won’t be able to get past a few pages at any point in the book without being confronted by biblical truth (and a helpful reference). And it does not do what many books on this subject do, namely, present steps and practices for alleviating poverty dissected from the Bible as the source of these truths or from the Holy Spirit as the source of divine power. Rather, the authors continually remind you of the authority of Scripture and our dependency on the Holy Spirit for power and guidance in the journey. One good example is early in the book, as the authors lay the groundwork for the importance of relationships in assisting the poor and sick. They take the reader back to the relationship in the Godhead, the Trinity. And from there they expand and explain how ministry flows through relationships. The poor are not going to be helped, without hurting them, if we just conduct drive-by ministry.

This book is also highly practical. The authors not only explain best practices and steps to take, but they give examples of what they might look like. And they also offer gracious critiques of benevolent practices that many of us have followed. The strange thing is that while reading many of the critiques, the thought ran through my head, “That always seemed a little unwise to me.” You’ll finish with not just new techniques, but will actually have an understanding of why some things work and some don’t.

Many in the church will want to read this because of their local outreach. But this book is just as important for global outreach. In my job, I am continually laboring to help churches understand the importance of their short-term trips not becoming drive-by (or fly-by) ministries. Feeding the poor is wonderful. Caring for the orphan is beautiful. Both are biblical. But to be the best these ministries can be, both need to be in the context (connected to) a sustainable ministry. Biblically, you can’t escape the fact that this is the church. Ministries that are conducted apart from the church die when their leadership dies (or moves, or changes strategies, or gets new vision, etc…). They are simply not sustainable. But when ministry is conducted in and through the church, there is lasting fruit. New believers are folded into that work. And when the US worker (or partnering church) leaves, the church will continue the ministry.

I don’t get to read a ton of books, but this is one that has so impacted my thinking and stirred my heart, that I am encouraging everyone to read it. It’s one of those books. I’ve got a stack of copies with me for my next journey to share with folks. I think it will disturb you too, in the best way possible. Order When Helping Hurts online.

The following is an article by Burt Boykin, pastor of Community PCA in Moody, AL. I asked Burt to write this article after recognizing a number of people out of his church who were going to the mission field. What I noticed was that these folks were the very leaders in Burt’s church. One was his associate pastor (his only associate pastor). So I felt like Burt could not only encourage us, but that he was a worthy example. Burt is a pastor’s pastor. Enjoy.

by, Burt Boykin

If you’re reading this article you’re surely one of those pro-mission folks who already has an above-average interest in and commitment to missions. I do too, I guess. But let’s admit that sometimes this missions deal gets just a little out of hand. Let me explain.

As a church we’re always glad to send some money to missionaries and even do it regularly. Most of us are even willing to support missions with our personal finances. And surely we pray for missionaries. In addition to sending money and praying, we frequently go on mission trips ourselves, taking a handful of folks to various spots around the world to get a taste of what the Lord is doing. And to put the icing on the cake of our self-righteousness, we even promote the idea of people considering missions as a calling. Sometimes we see our people seriously consider that call, occasionally pursue it, and once in a while actually end up on the mission field. There are always certain people we’d love to see go on the mission field, whom we approach and urge to consider missions, and whom we’re even willing to help support when they go. All of this is good and surely helps give our churches a more mission-minded look and feel. But, when your very best folks start lining up to leave the church, that’s when you start to wonder if this stuff isn’t getting out of hand! We’re just not one of those large churches that can afford to lose our leaders, our best people, our tithers! When we lose a “significant” family, it’s rather significant. (continue reading this article)

by David Brooks

“Gwen, come read this.” It was 1981, and we had just returned from a partnership trip to several churches in the South. Young and ready to go back to the mission field full-time, we needed more partners. This trip had been frustrating for a variety of reasons, so in my “thank you” note I had given some suggestions on how one church might improve its conference in the future. Then came the response from the senior pastor—he was very upset. I was stunned. I went back and reread my letter, seeing no problem. So I sent both letters to a colleague working with MTW at the time. His response was that I should write back and ask for forgiveness. But I had done nothing wrong! Out of respect for my colleague I did what he suggested, but it was certainly not out of conviction.

Twenty years later, a separate incident occurred. I was called my leader’s office. “Dave, I am going to resign. I see no other way forward for the work and I have always said if I became a part of the problem or could not do my job correctly then I would resign. I have reached that point.” I was not surprised but I was sad. Here was my leader, mentor, and friend making a difficult decision, and in this case the right decision because of unresolved conflict in a crucial partnership.

I was asked to replace him, and I began well. I met with several partners, listened, made changes, and things were improving. We were moving forward, and programs talked about in the past began to see results. But two years later I had an urgent meeting with the director of a major network that was key to the growing multiple partnership. We had hit a wall. He was frustrated with me and I was frustrated with him. We made some decisions and got past it but neither of us was happy with the other. (Continue reading this article in InVision…)

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 Basil Grafas

I can, when everything lines up well, when I have had sleep and exercise, when things are in the groove, be a pretty good communicator. Conversations are a delight, whether they are with colleagues, foreign brothers or sisters, or my wife. They are effortless. They build me up and take me to wonderful places. Without trying to speak for you, I wouldn’t be surprised if you felt the same way.

Most of the time, however, I am not a great communicator. I even surprise myself at my ability to mishandle relationships, alienate old friends, confuse my workmates, and irritate family members. I would like to be William Shakespeare, but end up sounding like Conan the Barbarian.
Holly Weeks’ book, Failure to Communicate: How Conversations Go Wrong and What You Can Do to Right Them, was predestined for me. As I digested the text, it struck me that every conversational misstep she mentioned is listed in my permanent criminal record. (Click here to continue reading this book review)

by, Jack Beall

What’s your preferred method for planning a trip by car? Over time, I have made the progression from maps to MapQuest (and sometimes back to maps when the printouts were incorrect!) and recently to GPS. I love the freedom that my new GPS provides when I am traveling. And I marvel at how much information my system provides along the way. There is everything from verbal turn-by-turn directions given by a female voice (with a British accent, no less), to speed limit changes as I’m driving (“Beware,” she says), to my estimated time of arrival. Even when the novelty of this new gadget wears off, I suspect I’ll still appreciate the travel guidelines it gives.

As MTW’s Church Resourcing team meets with churches across the denomination, we are finding that there is healthy diversity in how PCA churches generate and allocate resources for missions. Interestingly, there appears to be a widespread and growing appreciation for the GPS-like freedom that individualized, congregation-specific policies provide. Prayerfully- and thoughtfully-discerned mission policies offer help in navigating decisions about important matters like candidate selection and missions partnership participation.

So, how exactly does your church make decisions about whom to support and at what level? For that matter, how do you individually decide those things for yourself? Also, do you support either many broadly scattered missionaries or a few missionaries in specific target locations? What about a plan to involve people from your congregation in expanded missions roles? Click here to read more

by, Bill Hay

In 1988 I had a life-changing experience. I went on my first short-term missions trip to Romania. God used that experience to show me His kingdom throughout the world, and how the church I pastored could be a part of His work. Before this trip I believed in world missions and we supported a few missionaries. But after this trip, I made a commitment to world missions and we increased the number of missionaries we supported.

The 20 years since that first missions trip have been some of the most fulfilling of my life. During this time I have learned a number of things about growing your missions  giving—how to build vision, face today’s unique challenges, and maintain a year-round focus on missions…click here to continue reading this article