Years ago, a kind man named Dooley, after teaching the Wednesday evening Jr. High class at church, decided to share with the class some of the misheard hymn lyrics that he remembered. I know he mentioned more than one, but I can't remember the others. The one I do remember is the title for this post: Are you sowing the seed of the king, dumb brother?
It is commendable that one would be aware of those who have left home and family to take the gospel to remote places around the world and the need for God’s blessings on their ministry; but I find myself wondering how God must respond to such generic appeals. Which missionaries? Where? How do you want me to bless them? via God Bless the Missionaries | Splash Everywhere.
Take away the denominational language and theological bugs in this article, then see if this article has something to say to us. Whatcha think?
Elvis Henry Huffard (1918-2000) was born April 24, according to Terry Gardner on the Friends of the Restoration group on Facebook.
Brother Huffard, as I mentioned there, was my missions professor at Freed-Hardeman University, exercising a great influence over my life. Continue reading
Them’s big words in the title. What it means is this: Much church growth theory and practice revolves around methods. But if we work at being the church of God as revealed in Scripture, methods are icing on the cake.
Larry Miles’s article yesterday on The Fellowship Room, “Five Reasons the Early Church Grew (Acts 4),” reminded me of this truth.
I’m not against methods. To do anything, we have to adopt some sort of methodology. I’ve just proposed to the churches here, who sometimes use no method at all — meaning no work gets done — that we adopt 13 methods in 2013 to win 13 souls (keying off the fame of 12-12-12). Continue reading
On his blog Chris Gallagher writes on the topic of what to do in case of loss of income. One good point he makes is especially important for Christians.
#4 – Reevaluate Your Values – There will be people who lose income and immediately cut out things like charitable giving, but continue [to] eat fast food every day with their family; do not be those people. Support the values you believe and let your family know that you will not sacrifice giving for a quick fix. Continue reading
Please pray for dona Ritinha, whose husband has just passed away. We’re awaiting word about the burial, which will likely occur tomorrow. She is a faithful Christian who participates in our home group studies, and has remained faithful in spite of her two daughters falling away. Her husband was not a Christian.
Also, our friend and former neighbor, Edson, has been in the hospital for over a week, with a stroke, diabetes, and an unknown bacterial infection. He’s a bit younger than I. I visited him today. He’ll be hospitalized until after the new year, doctors say. His son Caio and our boys were good friends.
A blessed Christmas to all.
[I meant to send this to my GoSpeak site, but posted it here by mistake. But perhaps it will result in more prayer!]
Crieve Hall church in Nashville TN hosted a Missions Emphasis Week Sept. 30, Oct. 3 and Oct. 7, 2012.
Speakers included Loy Mitchell, Gordon Hogan, Bill and Lola Margaret Hall, Stan Mitchell, Debra Mitchell, Ken Forrest, Michael Bowen, David Tarbet, John Reese, Glen Henton, Sharon Short, Phil Waggoner, Brian Davis, Tammie Dye, Earl Edwards, Mark Blackwelder, Tom Langley, Randy English, Jason and Rachel Baker, Philip Boyd and Barry Baggott.
The videos can be seen on vimeo.
Once you translate the business language, what’s true for international business is true for the church:
It’s vital to get a good solid in-country management in place that understands what you’re doing as well as the local culture. We could go in with a US management team but adapting to what is a very different business culture would make for a difficult road to success.
There are two spheres of knowledge. The first concerns “what you’re doing,” that is, in spiritual terms, the gospel. We practice and proclaim the Word of salvation. That word goes from us to others. We must know and be able to communicate the truth. People must understand the Message of Christ. Continue reading
Goiânia, capital of Goiás state in Brazil
In this list of 20 Brazilian municipalities ranked by GDP, only two do not have, as far as I know, churches of the Lord: #15, Duque de Caixias, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and #20 Goiânia, capital of the state of Goiás.
I believe that a Brazilian team is preparing for the latter, and we pray they are not taking a false gospel there, since they are being sent by the progressive Great Cities ministry. (UPDATE: That team disbanded. There are no plans, apparently, to evangelize this city.) Continue reading
Over on Forthright Magazine, Mike Brooks, somewhere between Nepal, Bangladesh, and the US, asks, “Are Missionary Reports Necessary?” He starts off by saying,
A common complaint often made by elders and mission committees is that they rarely or never hear from their supported missionaries. If they do hear from them, it is only to request more money.
Paralleling that is the cry from busy missionaries, “I just don’t have time for all these reports.” Their frustration is increased by the knowledge that many of their messages lie stacked up unread in church building lobbies.
Let’s see, time to write up my newsletter for last month which I’ve not had time to do yet …
