One on One: Harsh Reality

Well, we almost finished the study of Luke, but tragedy struck one person and he had to drop out to grieve. The other just sort of went incommunicado for a while.

So, life just happened. I want to be honest in this blog, so I'll be honest. It was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking not only to see the tragedy that fell on my brother, it was heartbreaking to stop seeing him (by his choice, not mine). I really did slump into a sadness, but I gave it God and just kind of numbed out for a while.

It was just such a stark transition from being elated, feeling like God was using us all together, seeing the "lights come on"... and then immediate separation and isolation from each other.

It hurts, people, it hurts. I deceived myself thinking I had found a golden opportunity that would be perfect. No, there will always be challenges, no matter what.

So, we keep asking God, begging God for His direction, mercy, and orders. Hopefully, we listen.

Until then, the encouragement is 2 Corinthians 4 and 2 Corinthians 1, wherein Paul details how much pain he endured spreading the good news. I will say this, if you care enough about God's word and people, it will hurt you a lot.

One on One: Foundations

So, every other week I am meeting for about 3 hours with 2 different people. One week I meet with one, and the other week I meet with the other.

It has been fantastic. Not only have we covered a lot of chapters of Luke faster than a Bible study, but we have spent our time applying it, empowering one another, teaching the simplicity of the good news, getting the elemental things right from the get go. It is refreshing to not have to pour into people who have already been indoctrinated. Now they can just develop in the wonder of God's vision for them and the world. That foundation is key. Everything else comes second. 

If the foundation is head knowledge, they will become intellectuals. If the foundation is rules, they will become religious. If the foundation is feelings, they will become emotion-driven puffballs. If the foundation is the living Jesus, they will walk with God.

That foundation is very difficult to make sure is laid right. I have had to ask some very penetrating questions about what they think the good news of Jesus is. Why is your salvation good? It starts at "I don't go to hell now." And that is a terrible way to think of salvation. The questions drive them to... you are now in relationship with God. Then the question is, why is that good? Because you were meant to be with Him. You were meant to be on good terms and in friendship with God. You were meant to walk with Him. You were meant to depend on Him. You were meant to be filled with His presence. It is the meaning of your existence...

I have to admit that even with this, I've given written to them a mini-class on Biblical interpretation so they can read the word for themselves and not have to depend on anyone but God to get the basics going. Obviously, I love group interpretation of the Bible, but you have to know the Bible to let it interpret itself to you as well...

I have to say, I feel like this is the entire purpose of my life at this point. My relationship with God has been overwhelmingly peaceful, and "I feel His pleasure," like that quote from Chariots of Fire.

What is even more exciting is that they both now feel very drawn to be leaders in the Church! My only warning has been that they should know what true Biblical ministry is before they are swallowed by church culture's ideas.

I think our next step will be finding a way to make our tiny one-on-one sessions something people can be invited into, a gathering for the people God is calling to Himself. I wonder what this will look like. So, I began asking them to just think about talking with their friends about Jesus and see what comes up in their minds. We will get into that later, but it's good to put that little bug in the mind...

One on One: Venturing into the Small

It has been heart-wrenching to think of taking a break from this group, but due to the summer vacations, attendance has been low. Not just attendance, but communication with one another has been low. If I am honest, I am concerned that we have not really taken to heart what it means to be the Church. Doubts are creeping in about the spiritual state of the group since we have become so insular.

So, I am taking a break from the group to focus on discipling one or two young Christ-followers, to try and develop together on the go and in real life, away from the church building. It's a bit unnerving to shift from what I know into something that could fail miserably. But, isn't that faith?

Discipleship Case Study: 2016

The past few months have been amazing. We finished Mark, and we are well on our way to finishing 1 and 2 Corinthians. I believe that we were lead by God to read in that order to first connect to Jesus.. and then to understand who we are to be as the Church and as ambassadors of the good news. God has truly taken over our men's group. It is no longer I that leads, but truly the Lord. I am now very comfortable that my men can read the Word for themselves and love one another.

I tell you what, it's been difficult to get to this point. It's an exercise in patience. I'm sure I've looked foolish, pushy, lackadaisical and everything in between at times to these Men of God. But in the end it was a lack of me that hopefully pushed the men towards seeking God first. As John said of his ministry, I must become lesser and He must become greater. I have intentionally been lazy in my leadership.

I think that one of the main points of leadership in the Church is to give that leadership away so God will be the greater and so people will go to the Source instead of an imitation like me. I want to disappoint them a bit so they will turn to the One who never disappoints.
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Here's what we've seen. Men are leading other men. They are opening up and teaching one another with experience and the Word. They are listening to rebukes in the Word. They are fed by encouragement from the Word. They are allowing the Holy Spirit to interrupt the "flow", and they are following the paths the Spirit is having them go down. They are eating with each other - always. They are praying for each other about the hard things in life.

I think they are at a stage where they are beginning to depend on the Lord in a way they didn't understand before. They are beginning to mature from being babies who only drink the milk that is predigested from the minister's mouth. Now they are eating the steak and potatoes (with a side salad) of the balanced Word of God, and they are relying on the Spirit to interpret and guide.

That is a very firm foundation, but we do lack some things. We are not mission-oriented, as we still have not hammered down what a vision of the church actually is. We are struggling so much with internal issues that we have no time for the outside. I look forward to the day when we can be healed from those hard things and go forward into the darkness to be the light. I believe it's coming soon. They also lack a dying desire for Christ. I'm waiting patiently for the Lord to move over His men so they will gain the strength to be willing to die for Christ, not just literally, but also emotionally and through the sometimes harsh times of godly discipline.

These things will be added to them, but it will take time, and there may be fewer men than when we started. However, such is the Kingdom. It's always marching forward.

Special Topics: Business as Mission

There are many different vehicles of missions. For example, one can spread the Good News of Jesus while also providing great health care in medical missions. However, one might not think that business and missions go hand in hand. I mean, think about all the money and greed in business, right? 

There's an imaginary tiered system that we often think about if we were raised in church. Imagine a pyramid of importance, with the missionaries at the top - I mean they risk their lives all day long for the Gospel and left their homelands, the state-side ministers below them, the health care people below them, and then all the businesspeople... right above purgatory.

I write this jokingly, but there is a manufactured disconnect between business and mission. In all reality, Paul, arguably the best human missionary in the Bible, was in fact a tentmaker. He used this skill to make money to support the spread of the gospel.

Fast forward to the present day and a new trend is helping us complete the Great Commission to reach the whole world with the gospel, including the places where we are forbidden. Businesses have been started in other countries with the expressed intention of not just bringing economic development and monetary profit, but also the chance to disciple workers 8 hours+ daily.

We have started an importer business with this exact aim. I can already tell that there are unique challenges. The amount of work that has to be done is very challenging. When you work on something that much, it becomes evident that obsession creeps in. Obsession is an enemy of God. It's also known by its sinister flavors of lust, greed, idolatry. Working hard is necessary, but remaining faithful to God is moreso.

May God have His way with us and may His Good News go where it is not permitted.

Special Topics: International Missions

This is a special topic post for those who consider spreading the good news of Jesus with people of other cultures. This can be done in your current country among immigrants, or it can be done internationally. My experience comes from living in Guatemala and Switzerland and also working among immigrants in the USA.

Living internationally is a very difficult experience that requires a lot of emotional support from your loved ones. You never understand how much your culture means to you until it is taken away. You never understand how much your family and friends mean to you. You never understand how much your national infrastructure, such as roads, internet and grocery chains mean to you. You might believe that these things aren't really a part of your core identity, but you're just wrong. :D

Here are some things I've learned. Don't go alone. Perhaps you have an idea of a lone ranger who goes out and saves the world. Guess what! The apostles were sent out by Jesus in twos. This was a genius move on Jesus' part, because those apostles supported each other physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Loneliness is a deadly enemy that can easily ensnare expats into sin.

I've counseled a few folks who fell into sin while serving alone as missionaries. Because of the traumatic effects of culture shock that come from having your entire support system torn away from you, it is necessary to have a partner to care for you and for you to care for them.

I've made the mistake of believing my culture was better than others, as well. You really have to go in understanding that people are people. There will be things that really irk you about the way people do things, but you aren't better than them. There will be sin that people do in that culture, and those will need to be addressed, but it must be done Scripturally, not through the cultural mores of America or whatever you nationality may be. The first book you should read is American Ways, by Gary Althen, available at Amazon.com or other retailers. It is a book designed for immigrants coming to the USA, but reading it will show you how different your culture is from the rest of the world. It's the first step in shedding ethnocentrism.

Read about other cultures in order to have a cursory understanding before you go. Please note that no book will prepare you to adapt to another culture, but it can help you understand that there will be differences that you might misinterpret. Use resources lightly, but use them. Don't go on stereotypes. A great series of books available at Amazon.com or other sites is called "Culture Shock". See if there is one written for the country to which you wish to go, for example, Thailand. The Kindle versions usually run about $6. 

Culture shock isn't just the title of a book series, it's a psychological phenomenon that happens to people changing their physical location. It happens to people moving from one state to the next, although it is cushioned because of the common culture. Moving long-term to another country and culture can be devastating. At first, there is a honeymoon period where everything seems amazing about your new home. Then there is a period where you hate everything about a culture, and it is very difficult to go through with grace. My shock trigger is either illness or a haircut. Haircuts, I find, are extremely intimidating when you can't speak the language of your barber, plus there is a risk of HIV with unsanitary barbers. If you get past this, you adapt and find your personal identity in the culture, seeing the good and the bad and becoming a member of society.

The hardest part of international living may be finding a place in the culture. The role of a missionary is an awkward one, especially when making introductions. "Why are you here?" is a question oft-asked of expats.

Saying you are a missionary gets a lot of bad or even odd reactions. I was called a Mormon frequently. I was also thought to be a Mennonite because I tried to dress like the local men, complete with fedora and tweed jacket. Fortunately, I worked as an English teacher, so I had a place in the society. There are other ways to be legitimate. The medical field and international business offer a lot of opportunities to take a proper place in a different culture. 

Some, if not most, are hostile to the idea of a Christian missionary coming to them. It is very important to consider how you will fit, because people will judge you by your role, whether you like it or not.

Special Topics: Health Care Missions

This is a special topic post for those considering work in the medical field and/or medical missions.

Medical missions are a type of mission activity that fuses medical care and the act of healing with spreading the good news about Jesus. Medical missions can be found all over the world, in the most dangerous places in the world, and even among immigrant and uninsured populations in the USA.

Medical work is a tremendous commitment that one should never take lightly; it is truly a career that I believe you must be called to do in order to do it because of the pain and suffering that it entails.

I've been privileged to join with 2 short-term groups for a number of years and worked a long stint with a medical mission, serving people in Haiti, Guatemala and inner-city America. I worked as a medical interpreter, pharmacy technician and eventually as a patient navigator, which is a new field that is akin to social work. I also worked in graphic design, film editing, and preventive/sanitation health care teaching.

I currently work for a secular hospital, where I'm still able to share Jesus with others, albeit unofficially. Medical work is a great passion of mine, and I can also speak to the difficulty of balancing work with evangelism.

The great challenge of medical missions is simply being able to do the work of medicine while maintaining a missionary focus. The work is all-consuming, and there is never enough time in the day to finish. So where are the points wherein we can talk about Jesus with folks?

The balance comes from a dynamic shift in thinking. Is the physical self more important than the physical self? If I believe that the physical self is the most important thing, then I may find myself using all of my energy and time to heal people from their illnesses. If I believe that the spiritual self is most important, that will overflow automatically into my speech and actions. I will heal people physically, but I will shower them with the Word of God, a healing balm to the soul. I will treat them, reminding them of the Great Physician who healed my own soul and will do the same if they accept Him, Jesus.

There are many resources out there to aid us in how to care for people spiritually and medically. A superb book is Multiplying Light and Truth, by Stan Rowland. It's a difficult book to find, but in it is contained one of the best models I've ever seen and experienced in the integration of community ownership, preventive medicine, medical/hospital care and evangelism. Reading this book will give you far more insight into how medical missions should work, rather than reading any post I could write.

I would also recommend to anyone considering a life of medical missions to watch Dr. Kent Brantly speak. He was the first person on U.S. soil to be treated for the Ebola virus, which he contracted while serving as a medical missionary in Liberia, Africa. (Video can be accessed by clicking: http://vimeo.com/122761210)