GPMG is composed of a group of friends whose common interest is the mission of world evangelism. Friendship binds them together, as well as joint projects, in spite of their diverse locations and efforts.

Avoid these traps in missionary fund-raising and reporting

2010/07/15 J. Randal Matheny 2 comments

Christian workers should avoid using these manipulative techniques for fund-raising and reporting. Churches should be aware that missions presentations may not tell the whole story. Watch out for these.

#1. Emergency appeal

“If you don’t help now,  the kingdom of God will go down the tubes.” You’ll never hear a missionary say those exact words, but sometimes the impression is left that if you don’t help now a particular effort, then all is lost. It’s manipulation to lay a guilt trip on the hearers to shell out the dough. You will hear people say, “Give now or this  opportunity will be lost forever!” Urgency is good, and we need more of it, but foretelling the bleak future is a risky business.

#2. Tear-jerking

You’ve seen the photos of the dirty, bare-foot, stomach-distended children, the emotional appeals, the heart-breaking stories, the pitiable cries for help from the dark corners of the world. There is suffering out there, much of it, but don’t believe all you’re told either.

#3. Pentecost success

If you really want to impress, show mass baptisms.

“The Underanians are converting by the hundreds every day! A kadzillion churches are being established every month! On our two-week trip (including three days of travel, two days of sight-seeing, and one day in bed sick as a dog) we baptized 4,732 souls whom we left to fend for themselves. We must send more help! Contribute today!”

Yeah, right. Go back next year and see how many of those are still faithful. There is that soul who hearing the gospel the first time will follow Jesus to the end. Many, however, require a process, often extended, in order to come to faith, one in which a friend accompanies them.

Some mission efforts, among them not a few short-term, are little more than a dip trip. Get ‘em in the water and show the folks back home.

One suspects that mission reports and appeals tend to reflect the character of the work done on the field. By their PowerPoints you shall know them.

Categories: Principles Tags: ,

Two audio lessons on missions

2010/07/14 J. Randal Matheny 1 comment

James Rennaker spoke this past weekend in the Preachers Files Lectureship in Rush Springs OK on “Seeking the Kingdom of God in Mission Fields.”

Evangelist David Sain of the West Fayetteville church, Fayetteville TN, speaks on “What Does The Bible Define As A Successful Missionary Effort?“

Categories: Principles

We’re not home yet

2010/04/05 J. Randal Matheny Leave a comment

I’ve read this story before, but bro. Mike Benson shares it again as a wonderful reminder to all who dedicate themselves to the progress of the gospel in the Kingdom of God.

Categories: Motivations Tags:

A new sister

2010/03/16 Jon Galloway Leave a comment

It’s been well over a week since I’ve spent time in my study – we were fortunate to have a study seminar last week with Paul Pollard from Harding teaching the Gospel of John – an excellent week.  At the end of the previous week there was great rejoicing as Jacqueline Donnelly obeyed the gospel.  We contacted her through the simple means of a leaflet introducing the congregation being dropped through her door.  She contacted us, which led to a visit, which eventually led to a study, and a year later we have a new sister in Christ.  Amazing!

I’ve often been told that leaflets are a waste of time (even here where I am now working).  It is great to see that simple things like putting leaflets through doors still reach some people.  My conclusion: we need to do everything we can do to reach the lost.  Keep Jacqueline in your prayers!

Categories: Uncategorized

Missions on the web

2010/03/10 J. Randal Matheny Leave a comment

Bruce Terry of Ohio Valley University maintains on the university website the page, “World Missions Home Page.” It has a good selection of material, and with all things, one must exercise judgment in the offerings listed there, since both evangelical and progressives are included. Puzzling why Catholic links and works are missing.

Among some of the best offerings are the online journals and books, including Journal of Applied Missiology, Mission Strategy Bulletin, and George Gurganus’s Guidelines to World Evangelism.

Categories: Websites Tags: ,

Old Paths Archive Feb 10

2010/03/03 davisonroy Leave a comment

Recent additions to the Old Paths Archive can always be found at this address.

During February Beth Johnson’s material for ladies’ Bible classes was added, “Bible Wardrobes & the Christian Woman’s Spiritual Clothing” (PDF file).

A lesson of mine in English was added, “To Him be glory in the church,” plus three articles in Dutch.
Roy Davison

Categories: Bible study, Websites Tags: , , ,

What I did in February

2010/03/02 mikeebrooks Leave a comment

Put briefly, I packed and flew! I left the U.S.A. on Monday, Feb 22 and arrived in Bangladesh Wednesday, Feb 24. Ibon Halder picked me up at the airport in Dhaka upon my 8:30 a.m. arrival, and we went to one of his relatives house for breakfast, plus a shower and change of clothes. That really felt good. That 36 hour or longer travel time just gets harder and harder.
We arrived in Khulna, at the Bible College about 10 p.m. after conducting some business in Dhaka, departing about 3:00 and driving hard. Conditions at KBC are fine. I spent the remainder of the week resting from the trip and getting organized for classes beginning Monday, March 1 (yesterday). I am teaching two courses, “Hebrew History 1″ (Genesis – Deuteronomy) and “Revelation”. I thoroughly enjoy both studies.
Early and mid February were devoted to getting organized for the trip, but I was able to preach twice at Highland Park, the last two Sunday nights before departure. I promised the congregation “interesting titles” for those lessons. The first, on February 14 was entitled “An Existential Application of the Monophysite Doctrine of Christology” (yes, really!). The subtitle (i.e., translation) was “Experiencing the Oneness of God”. On the 21st I went the other direction with “The Gospel According to Humpty Dumpty”. I got good response to both lessons. I did not set out to cover the spectrum of “comprehension levels” with my titles; it just sort of worked out that way. It was fun though, and the lessons were both well received and, I think, quite practical and beneficial.

Categories: Uncategorized

February in East Kilbride

2010/03/02 Jon Galloway Leave a comment

First of all, my apologies for not posting yet. Randal invited me and I accepted, then it became very busy (what’s new?!!). Anyway, at his prompting I thought I’d do a quick summary of February.

Winter continues in Scotland – like many areas we have had a real winter this year (as I type there is still snow on the ground). The month began in the middle of a winter Sunday evening series on Creation vs Evolution. I presented four lessons and we concluded with a film emphasising God’s creative activity in the Universe. Our normal Sunday evening attendance in East Kilbride is in the 20s with rarely a visitor. We averaged for these five Sundays 59 with an average of 6 visitors. I’d always been told that winter is not the time to do an outreach event, that no one would come. I think that bit of “wisdom” can now be shelved! I am hoping that our elders will agree to doing something similar each winter. To be honest, I was looking to simply get everyone a bit more excited during our dreary winter – they were and it turned out well for the Lord’s work here.

I also spoke for a weekend series in mid-February in a joint effort between the Hyvots Bank (Edinburgh) and Kirkcaldy congregations. The theme I was given was “If there is a God, where are we without Him?” I used Friday night to discuss God’s existence, Saturday to look at the need to do something in response to Him, and Sunday I used three lessons to look further at God. Attendances were higher than normal and I felt it was a good series. By the way, I believe the Kirkcaldy congregation is arguably the oldest congregation in continuous existence. They appointed their first elders in 1798 and were in existence for quite a few years before that. I’ll stop.

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Brazilian Zeal Mission Report, Jan/Feb ’10

2010/03/01 J. Randal Matheny Leave a comment

Check out this page where you’ll find a pdf file for our first (bi)monthly report of this year, of Volume 26!

I’m suggesting to the GPMG members that they provide on the site here a one-paragraph summary, at least, of their activities of the previous month. Ought to be interesting! Here’s my paragraph:

January is the main vacation month in Brazil. So there are three Christian camp sessions, each a week long, by age. Leila served as a monitor for her first time, during the second week for ages 11-13. Then she stayed through for the third week as a camper. Then, only a couple of weeks later, she returned for the three-day session during the Carnaval holiday in February.

There’s a saying in Brazil that the country only starts to work after Carnaval. A bit of truth to that, unfortunately. So things start really gearing up in late February or March. Even the effects of it are felt in the church. Many travel, attendance is down, some events are canceled for lack of warm bodies. Now maybe we can get things moving!

Categories: Reports Tags: , ,

Missions in the local congregation

2010/02/28 J. Randal Matheny Leave a comment

Kevin Cauley writes on Preacher’s Files:

When we think about the word “missions” what naturally comes to our mind are specific works (primarily in other countries) in which the church participates by either contributing funds or sending individuals to be involved. The Latin root behind the English word “mission” simply meant “to send.” In the secular sense, the word has the idea of a specific task charged to an individual or group. In the religious sense the word entails a work of the church intended to propagate spiritual growth either spiritually or numerically. As I mentioned, we usually think of missions as being outside of the local congregation in some foreign country, or at least, away from our doorstep. However, there is a great mission to be done at home as well and we need to not only be mission minded locally as well as remotely.

His entire article is here.

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