Missions Blog for Churches

I never thought I’d be posting an article written by an atheist, but here goes. This gentleman is making an argument for more missionaries in Africa. And it’s quite compelling.

Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it’s Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.

It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.

Now a confirmed atheist, I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.

I used to avoid this truth by applauding – as you can – the practical work of mission churches in Africa. It’s a pity, I would say, that salvation is part of the package, but Christians black and white, working in Africa, do heal the sick, do teach people to read and write; and only the severest kind of secularist could see a mission hospital or school and say the world would be better without it. I would allow that if faith was needed to motivate missionaries to help, then, fine: but what counted was the help, not the faith.

But this doesn’t fit the facts. Faith does more than support the missionary; it is also transferred to his flock. This is the effect that matters so immensely, and which I cannot help observing.

First, then, the observation. We had friends who were missionaries, and as a child I stayed often with them; I also stayed, alone with my little brother, in a traditional rural African village. In the city we had working for us Africans who had converted and were strong believers. The Christians were always different. Far from having cowed or confined its converts, their faith appeared to have liberated and relaxed them. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world – a directness in their dealings with others – that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. They stood tall. [...keep reading this article by clicking here...]

If you want to discover how you can serve God with the business experience He’s given you, the Missions in Business Weekend is just for you.

Who Should Attend:

• Business owners
• Business executives
• Retired businesspeople
• Entrepreneurs
• Spouses (special program)
• Young businesspeople who desire to be mentored

Missions in Business Weekend
August 19-22
The Cove
Billy Graham Conference Center
Asheville, NC

Click here for more information and to download a registration form.

Joe Novenson and Paul Kooistra will be the plenary speakers at the upcoming PCA Global Missions Conference, November 5-7, in Chattanooga, TN. Joe recently sat down with MTW’s Global Support Ministries International Director, Brian Deringer, and shared about his heart for missions and raising up the next generation. This is the first of four previews from that time.

There are a couple of deadlines I want to remind/inform you of. The first is for the PCA Global Missions Conference, November 5-7, 2010, in Chattanooga, TN. The early-bird registration deadline is July 30th. So if you haven’t registered yet, visit www.mtw.org to do so or to find out more.

Also, MTW’s Disaster Response Training fills up quickly. There are a limited number of slots, so if this is something you’ve been interested in pursuing, now is the time to register. Click here to find out more.

A new movie is being premiered soon (July 11, 2010) called Journey to Everest. I’m currently waiting to preview the entire movie. However, after seeing the trailer, this resource seems like it could be useful for many churches who want to use story and media to lead their folks to consider the world beyond their front door. The director of the movie, David Kiern, has asked that I share with you all that they are giving away free DVDs of Journey to Everest to any church that wishes to show the movie on July 11th. This can used in an equipping manner, but could also be used in outreach.

To find out more about the movie and to see the trailer online, visit www.journeytoeverest.com. You can also request to show it at your church via the website. As soon as I get a chance to see the movie I’ll post more details and my impressions.

I met Dr. Tennent while attending a world missions conference at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (when he taught there). This was the first time I was exposed to much of the academic assessment of these missiological trends and much of the history surrounding them. I have used a map he shared with us with many churches, as it visually represents what is happening. We live in an exciting time!

The Translatability of the Christian Gospel
by Timothy Tennent

The following is excerpted from remarks made by Dr. Timothy Tennent, president of Asbury Theological Seminary, at the school’s Fall 2009 Convocation.

In April of 1739 John Wesley was preaching in an upstairs room in London. About halfway into his sermon the supporting post that held up the floor of the room collapsed under the sheer weight of the number of people who had gathered to hear Wesley. Wesley remarked in his journal that the supporting post fell with a great noise. The floor sank, but it didn’t cave in and, to Wesley’s own amazement, everyone settled back down and he was able to finish preaching.

What do we do when it seems like the very floor under our feet is giving way? Many of the traditional props and supports which have long given stability to the world of theological education have fallen away with a great crash—what are we to do? How do we live in a time of disequilibrium, uncertainty, and change? Never in history has the Church undergone such dramatic growth and change so quickly. When William Carey went to India in 1793, 99 percent of all Christians in the world were white and lived in the Western world. Today, the vast majority of Christians live outside the Western world. We are witnessing multiple centers of Christian vibrancy, even as we see the Western world re-emerging as the world’s fastest growing mission field and the home of the most gospel-resistant people groups in the world. In contrast, all of the most gospel-receptive people groups in the world are found in either India or China. We live in an upside down world.

The support post upon which was written: “you are the center of the ecclesiastical universe,” has collapsed and we have to regain our footing in this new world we inhabit and think afresh about what this means for theological education in North America. None of these developments were predicted 50 years ago. Today, as I survey the landscape of ecclesiology and theological education in the Western world it is clear that we are living in a time of unprecedented crisis. This is not to be overly negative or alarmist, for I am reminded of the great Dutch missiologist, Hendrick Kraemer (1888-1965), who famously commented that “the church is always in a state of crisis; its greatest shortcoming is that it is only occasionally aware of it.”

The floor is creaking beneath our feet. What does this mean for Western Christians in the 21st century?
Click here to continue reading this article…

Yesterday, Mission to the World (MTW) coordinator, Dr. Paul Kooistra, issued a letter of update and appeal for the long term needs in Haiti. I’ll paste his letter below.

I’m convicted by how quickly this situation fades from my mind. And I get pretty regular doses of it too, not to mention having edited (and am currently working on another) a few video projects. You’d think if anyone could remain mindful and prayerful of the needs in Haiti it would be someone like me. But I don’t. My kids help a lot. They remind me when we pray, all the things I’ve forgotten. And they remind me to pray for Haiti.

Dear Friends,

The crisis in Haiti has now become chronic. There are other big stories to cover, and media attention has dropped away. But orphans still roam the streets, many people are left with disabilities, and much of the population is living under shelters made with sheets and tablecloths. At the same time, life is about to become far more grim with the onset of the rainy season. Few of those who are affected have tents or shelter. The situation is made worse because of the lack of sanitation, which leads inevitably to disease and even greater suffering. Beyond the immediate, much building is needed—homes, schools, hospitals, and basic infrastructure.

The face of suffering is wearying, isn’t it? It is easier than we think to become accustomed to perpetual despair and need.

At MTW, we are preparing for long-term ministry among the Haitian people. While we can’t meet the needs of a nation, we can bring medical care and longer-term assistance to individuals with disabling injuries. We can establish care for orphans through our StreetChild Ministry. We can send short-term teams to help with construction. We believe new churches can be established and existing churches can grow. And we bring with us the greatest treasure of all—the gospel.

We are also hearing reliable reports that there has been an unprecedented surge of spiritual interest among the Haitian people. When the president of Haiti called for three days of fasting and prayer, the nation came to a stop. Most people gathered in their churches—or in the streets—in worship and prayer. Those scenes call to mind the words of Christ from John 4:35 in which He said, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields. They are white unto harvest.” There are many hard places in the world to carry the gospel, but in Haiti hearts are open. The fields are white. We have an unprecedented opportunity to proclaim the gospel in word and deed.

We are asking members of PCA churches to commit to giving toward Haiti recovery for one year. Attached to this message are a brochure and a commitment form that you can print and use if your congregation would like to participate. You’ll see that commitments of any size are welcome, as are one-time gifts. It could be a good project for groups or for families.

Thank you for considering the involvement of your church in this effort. We believe that we, together, have an unprecedented opportunity to serve the people of Haiti and grow the kingdom of God.

In Christ,
Dr. Paul Kooistra

PS: We are also posting the attached brochure and commitment form on our website (www.mtw.org/haiti). There you will also find regular updates and a prayer guide for Haiti. Your prayers are even more important than your gifts.

The 2010 PCA Global Missions Conference is scheduled for November 5-7, 2010 in Chattanooga, TN. Join fellow believers from across the PCA in Chattanooga this November in a joyous celebration of hope hosted together by Mission to the World and Covenant College. Hear about the work of Christ in church planting, mercy ministry, medical outreach, student internships, arts in missions, and much more. Personally connect with others in the PCA as well as in the global church. Learn more about partnerships. Be challenged by ministry updates. Prayerfully explore your role and that of your church. Encourage others. Most of all, join in the worship of Christ—The Hope of Nations!

Plenary speakers include Paul Kooistra and Joe Novenson. Dozens of workshops on various subjects pertaining to missions will be held. This is a highly encouraging and practical three days. Plan on being there! If you can’t be sure your church’s missions committee is sending representation. Click here to find out more and sign up.

This is a great article in ByFaith about Plains PCA in Zachary, LA. Read the entire article here.

Robert J. Tamasy

“From little acorns big oak trees grow,” the saying goes. Over the past couple of decades, a small church near Baton Rouge, La., has been faithfully growing missional “oak trees” that have taken root and are ministering across the United States and around the world.

Nestled in a community of 13,000 people in Zachary, La., The Plains has just under 400 members, with about 260 people attending worship services on a typical Sunday. Founded in 1832, the congregation had seen only five of its members directly engaged in missions work over its first 140 years. Since the mid-1990s, however, it has sent more than a dozen men and women to seminary and on to vocational ministry roles across the United States and around the world.

Today, The Plains members are planting churches in Brooklyn, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., and Eugene, Ore., and its international reach extends from Taiwan to Peru. In addition, since 1982 hundreds of its young people have participated in dozens of short-term mission trips to Jamaica, Mexico, Belize, Haiti, Ukraine, Scotland, Portugal, and France. (Click here to continue reading this article)

I recently received a request from a missions chair for some movie recommendations to show at a missions conference. I realized in compiling what I had and finding a few more through reviews online that my list isn’t that extensive. I know there has to be some more good movies that have a missions message, so please suggest any that you know of and give me your take on it.

• Through the Gates of Splendor – this is the original black & white docu-movie, narrated by Elisabeth Elliott; 35 min long
• Beyond the Gates of Splendor – this is the 2002 documentary about the event in Ecuador; 96 min long
• End of the Spear – this is the 2006 movie (not a documentary) that recounts the story after the story; it is rated PG-13 and is 108 min long
• Hawaii – if you want to go “old school” this is a classic that shows all the mistakes not to make in missions; 161 minutes
• Behind the Sun – a movie about a Muslim young man who is converted; 56 min
• Beyond the Next Mountain – set in the early 1900s in northeast India, a single copy of the Gospel of John came into the village and many were saved (so not as much about a missionary as the power of God’s Word); 97 min
• God’s Outlaw – movie about William Tyndale; 93 min
• Amazing Grace – story William Wilberforce (not traditional missions story, but certainly cross-cultural and mercy/justice focus); 118 min
• Peace Child – story of Don Richardson’s work in Southwest Pacific; 30 min
• First Fruits – story of Moravians in Caribbean; 70 min
• Candle in the Dark – story of William Carey; 97 min
• There are more here.

Okay, disclaimer time: I haven’t watched all of these. In fact, the only one I’ve seen in the past year is Hawaii. It is slow at times and very “classic” so don’t expect teens or kids to hang in there. Plus it’s LONG. The End of the Spear is probably your best bet to hold the attention of teens and up.  All the links are to Amazon so you can read more descriptions there and find out how people reviewed it.