So Sad! Work first Family Second!

This was written by a Peace Corps Worker in Mali,West Africa

"Peace Corps staff, all Malian, get training on American work values so that the office can be more efficient, punctual, and reflective of an American office. I was once in the office of a certain staff member, and noticed a small-typed list hanging behind his desk: 50 Successful Tips for Working in an American office. There was one highlighted. I leaned over the desk and squinted to read it. "Work first. Family Second." My heart fell. I pitied him, and in doing so, pitied myself, and the millions of Americans who have internalized that."

Work First, Family Second!

I thought this was well written. Peace Corp Worker in Mali, Aug 2010

As an American, I value achievement, intellect, individuality.....Amidst the constraints of poverty and the lack of access to opportunity, Malians have developed a strong values system. So if not competition and education, what are Malian values? Practicing utmost respect for people. Taking an interest in other people's affairs and endeavors. Sharing everything you have and not taking anything for yourself unless there's some left over. Stopping to help everyone you pass who may need a hand, not thinking twice about if it will make you "late" or if it's "not your problem." And though I've been annoyed with people persistently insisting on helping when I can clearly draw my own water or change my own bike tire, people stopping me to give an unending string of blessings and greetings, people constantly inquiring about my comings and goings or dismissing my polite declines to ask me to eat toh with them for the fourth time in a row, I know now, they just care about me. They give everything, which is nothing in our sense. But blessings, care, small acts of generosity, is all they have. And they have been offering it to me from the day I arrived. They are putting their values into practice and in doing so, show me that maybe the way I do things isn't necessarily right. I'm that girl who whizzes by on her bike because stopping to great a group of 10 women on the way to the market would take up way too much of my precious time. I'm the girl that has nice food and medicines in her home that she hides from the rest of the village. And how many nights have I dismissed someone who wanted to chat because I'd rather have my head in a book? What really gets me- is the individualism. I'm catching myself- my thoughts. Self-centered, so often about me. When I peer into the brain of my fellow Malian, who could be resting but instead goes over to help her neighbor wash clothes, I see her thoughts of society, and love for others suppressing that "me! me! me!" voice that is always trying to scream the loudest in our minds. Mali peace corps worker ...............
Peace Corps staff, all Malian, get training on American work values so that the office can be more efficient, punctual, and reflective of an American office. I was once in the office of a certain staff member, and noticed a small-typed list hanging behind his desk: 50 Successful Tips for Working in an American office. There was one highlighted. I leaned over the desk and squinted to read it. "Work first. Family Second."

My heart fell. I pitied him, and in doing so, pitied myself, and the millions of Americans who have internalized that."

Malian Proverb

"No matter how long a log sits in the stream, it will never become a crocodile."

Malian proverb meaning, ultimately, you are what you really are in any environment.

Some Fights Are Worth It!

"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight - I'll fight to the very end!" William Booth

Too Small To Be Church!

Was reflecting on how difficult it was for the Jews to accept Jesus, and I tried to place myself in the routine of daily Jewish life and routine to understand why that might be. Well, you know, just about every structure and habit I had associated with my worship, and my place in that stricture would have been ripped away from under me.

Jesus was the end of the priesthood. Now everyone was to come to God, and live as an ambassador.

Jesus was the end of Animal Sacrifice. No more specialists required to worship God.

Jesus was the end of the Temple. God does no live in Temples built by human hands.

The synagogue was no longer needed. The river, the home, any place was ok to worship now. Many say church today is similar to synagogue structure. Oh my no. It is today but should not be. Because temple like places like synagogue are not required.
Jesus said not to go and hang out with the 99. He said to go seek lost sheep, and when you find him bring him to meet the ready of the family. Go to the ditch to pull out lost sheep. He never said that for our own health you need to be with the 99.

Jesus did away with Gathering size. Synagogues required 10 males to be formed. So it would have to involve at least 30 to 40 family members minimum. Jesus said where two or three gather in my name, I am there. But most Christians think its a false doctrine or only rebels or loons who actually practice it. Just about anyone is thought to be so. Never heard an exception yet.

You know, after thinking about it, If Jesus came to my church and said the same things
1. You are all priests, live like it. Stop waiting for "leaders" to do it for you. The Gospel has given you a ministry to do do it, there is nothing to figure out.
2. You don't need a building to meet with God, gather people anywhere and everywhere. "Jesus says go, but our church building says stay. Jesus says to seek the lost & we say let the lost seek the church." The Problem With Wine Skins
3. A good church is not measured by numbers, but faithfulness of those gathered. Two or three IS a church and could be a health on too....

I'm not so certain how many would hear it today. Would not be asked to come back and preach. There is much of the simplicity of the first century church we will not look at.

It's Just Life For Most

"Many of the crisis problems which are considered disasters in the United States would only be normal, everyday living conditions in most of Asia."

-K.P. Yohannan, Revolution in World Missions

Too Much Of Our "Stuff" With Gospel!

"Have Asians rejected Christ? Not really. In most cases they have rejected only the trappings of Western culture that have fastened themselves onto the Gospel."

-K.P. Yohannan, Revolution in World Missions

The African Generosity!

Was reading another Mali, west African Peace Corps workers blog this week. If you are planning to work overseas, spend 50 hours reading Peace Corps journals for the country you are going to (if PC is there), AND the surrounding countries too!

The insight you gain into the life and adjustments of living in that country is good. Take them with a grain of salt, but they live in rural villages very simply. (www.peacecorpjournals.com or get the free iPhone/IPod/IPad app "peacecorpsjournals"

This article expressed how I often felt in Africa too. I'm sure people with a lack of understanding envision us going in as "know-it-alls". Oh my, sigh....! No, always humbled by the acceptance of a poor, yet precious people!

“It’s amazing,” I said the night before my departure to a crowd of my friends and coworkers who had came to visit, “that you people can welcome and accept someone from a far off land who doesn’t speak your language, and learn to live and work alongside of them. That is a bigger accomplishment than all the wells we built......And it really is. I noticed that when Shawna, the young college grad from Orgeon, came to Dombila to visit for a week. Site visit. I remember mine. The worst week of my life. I took extra care to make sure Dombila’s new volunteer would be well acquainted, informed, and comfortable upon her arrival, but there’s no getting around it: adjustment is hard. Shawna was polite and warm to the people of Dombila, but trying to take it all in, imagining herself there for the next two years, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.......

But seeing her, and the way my host family and all of the people at the CSCOM interacted with her, reminded me of my first few months. It was so hard for me, but I never really realized, it was so hard for them too. The way they took Shawna in as their own and looked after her was so endearing, and I began to realize that I have thus far underestimated all they have done for me. Peace Corps always said volunteers come out of service having gained more than they feel like they have given. It’s personal development, but it’s also valuing the gifts of others, no matter how small. They’ve giving me so much, the people of this town. All the pomegranates from the pomegranate tree, all of the eggplants from the garden, the only peanuts left in the house, the prize chicken, and all of the blessings imaginable. And a home. The last few months I’ve felt like I could finally let down my guard and be myself in Dombila. I wasn’t hiding who I was, nor was I struggling to express it. I was so comfortable, content, and so me.

http://em-mali.blogspot.com/2010/08/home.html

I'm Not Honking Because I love Jesus!

"I remember sitting out at a local Starbucks one day and hearing a guy honking profusely at someone who took his parking spot. It got so bad, I walked over to him and suggested he chill out. It got even worse when I saw his bumper sticker that read, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” I, of course, referenced the dichotomy between his words and his actions, but he blurted out, “This is my wife’s car!”


(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 40, 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Why Blame God? What Do I Do About Poverty?

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice when He could do something about it. But I'm afraid God might ask me the same question." Amy Campbell

Ethnocentricism!

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime." - Mark Twain

Living Community, A Real Interacting Community!

Since the redeemed no longer belong to themselves, they adopt a corporate—rather than a private and individualistic—lifestyle. .....churches emerge when truly converted people stop living their own lives for their own ends, and begin living a community life according to the values of the Kingdom of God, sharing their lives and resources with those Christians and not-yet- Christians around them.

(The House Church Book. Wolfgang Simson. Barna, 2009, pg 31)

The Motivation Is...........?

"What is the point of all of this? To destroy a man who seeks the truth or to destroy the truth so no man can seek it."

Agent Rheas, X Files , "The Truth" Season 9, Episode 19, 20, 2003, Time 53.25

Alone, Degrees Of Alone!

"When you're on your own in the desert, you are completely on your own."

Somali Grandmother

(Infidel. Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Free press, 2007, Line 477 (kindle)

Release The Church From the People Who Shakkle It!

"Christianity has been buried inside the walls of churches and secured with the shackles of dogmatism. Let is be liberated to come into the midst of us and teach us freedom, equality and love". - Minna Canth

Experiencing Other Cultures Opens Eyes

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime." - Mark Twain

Forging A New Path!

"........we need to consider new ways of initiating the spiritually younger generations into their next phases and support their growth in stature in Christ. In the absence of Christian initiations, many Christians take role models from the world and imitate them. And so whole generations are initiated by MT’. sports, and sometimes even by cults or satanic groups who know very well the power of initiation.

How does a young girl of thirteen grow up into a mature mother in Christ if she is never initiated into motherhood? How many of us complain of how many girls are embracing pop-star role models, becoming initiated into this value system in concerts and clubs and ending up as more sad copies of dancing Barbie dolls? Similarly, many boys never meet a truly dedicated and dangerous Christian man but are familiar only with predictable, boring names on church membership roles. Once they run into a drug dealer, a freak, or a recruiter for any organization that smells of adventure, off they go, swept off their feet by the promise of more meaningful and adventurous lives and a chance to change the world. Many of God’s best and most influential men and women in history come from rough, rather than overprotected, backgrounds: fishermen, prostitutes, zealots, orphans, drug dealers, mafia members, political extremists, and even former jihadists and near-terrorists. Few come from reputable Bible schools or predictable middle-class churches where no one has given them a cause to die for, challenged them to the core, or forced them to embrace the challenge and find something to live for.

Consider the way that Israeli soldiers are routinely brought through the initiation process. They are led to visit Masada or Holocaust memorial sites like Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Faced with the terrors of the Holocaust and the past wars, they are told: “You soldiers are the last line of defense between such an enemy that is still out there and the safety of our land and your family. What will be your resolve?” Often enough, with tears in their eyes, something clicks in the young men and women, and they understand that if they don’t give their lives for this, their country will be lost. And it transforms them from dreamy teenagers, waiting to watch one more movie, into soldiers who take responsibility. It wakes them up, challenges them, and initiates them as disciples for their cause, those who are no longer waiting for others to take initiative while they enjoy the good life, but who are instead willing to leave their former lives and enter into a new kind of existence.

(The House Church Book. Wolfgang Simson. Barna, 2009, pg 149-151)

50 - 50 What's In It For me?

"As Adullam began to grow and Christians started to find us, we felt quite a bit of pressure to make sure people were introduced to our values, particularly our values related to being a “sent” community. I set a “two-visit” rule. That is, if someone came to check us out and I knew they came from another church, I’d invite them out and have what has become affectionately known as “the talk.” During the talk, I’d make sure I mentioned a few things. Here’s a sampling:

“I just want you to know that we’re not a church, we’re a mission to Denver, I don't feel and compulsion to feed you spiritually, but I will look after your spiritual formation. I believe you won’t grow unless you live like Jesus lived and try to do what he did with people.This mission probably has nothing to offer you. However, I’m interested in finding out if God brought you to us, and what your part in serving this city might be.” I go on to suggest that they won’t fit with us unless they are willing to open up their homes and lives to Sojourners and participate in a missional community within the city.

As you would expect, about 50 percent of the people who get “the talk” don’t come back."

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 54. 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Some Things Never Changer!

“No matter how long you look at it, a tree stump will never turn into a crocodile”, Proverb in the Bambara language means that some things just don’t change.

House Church Skepticism! Are They legal! Are the Sane!

My oh my how things have changed. The Church of 30AD to about 250 AD were all house churches. There are few, if any known "Church" buildings.

"......in AD 380 bishops Theodosius and Gratian ordered that there should be only one state-recognized Catholic Church, and one rule-set of faith—the orthodox dogma. Each Roman citizen was forced to become a member of the Catholic Church and was made to adopt the lex fidei, the law of faith. Other groups and movements—including those meeting in homes—were forbidden. That meant the legal end of the house church. This law turned the rules upside down.

Until the rule of Severus around AD 222—35, church buildings had not even been allowed by the government, and house churches were the only way for Christians to meet. But from AD 380 on, those involved with starting a house church were breaking the law and viewed as criminals. Thus began a new era: the persecution of the church in the name of the “church.” The Inquisition, a religious-political joint venture in the form of a Christian “faith police,” had lifted its bloody head, killing millions of followers of Christ in the name of organized Christian religion.

(The House Church Book. Wolfgang Simson. Barna, 2009, pg 20)

Malian Cultural Issues

Dos and Don’ts of Malian Culture. Let me share simple insights.

1. It is not necessary to talk during a meal.
2. Don’t wait to be invited to go visit someone, you are always welcome.
3. Eye contact can be seen as aggressive, so you do not look your elders in the eyes.
4. Do not speak while in the bathroom, and if someone is coming you have to make a noise to let them know the bathroom is occupied.
5. Females should not smoke in public, if they do they could be mistaken for a prostitute
6. In the morning do not greet someone until after you and they have washed their face.
7. It is acceptable for people of the same sex to hold hands, and 8. It is not appropriate for women to whistle.
9. Also women should never wash or hang their underwear in public, women do that inside or at night.
10. Women also wear this like belly chain bead thing called Baya beads, and to them theyre basically like a thong. Theyre supposed to be really sexy, and you wear them under your clothes and you're not supposed to let guys see them. They're supposed to be for your husband.
11. Volunteers call the icky finger. This happens when shaking hands; a guy uses his middle finger to rub the palm of girls hand, and this is a sexual advance. If this happens to a lady they're supposed to immediately pull back the hand and give the dude a death.
12. Never eat, greet, pay money, handle, receive something handed to you, hand something to others,or gesture with the left hand. The "dirty hand". With no Toilet paper they wipe with the left hand and rinse with a plastic tea shaped water kettle, but they do not generally clean the hand with soap. Basically, because of this you never do anything with your left hand. In Mali it is seen as disrespectful to hand people things with your left hand, to shake hands with your left hand, basically anything with your left hand. Just so you all know, I WILL have toilet paper on me at all times

13. Three course tea time is very important. Tea is a really big thing here, and a tea session will take hours. There are usually 3 cycles, the first cycle is really bitter but still good, and then the next two cycles get less bitter and more sweet. They also add mint. I really liked it. The whole purpose of a tea session is to hang out and talk, that's why it takes hours.

Personal Safety: pneumonic AVMDED to remember it we say, All Volunteers Must Do it Every Day), and this stands for Awareness,
Vigilance,
Mitigation,
Diffusion,
Escape and
Defense.

Freedom Is Never Free

"………….. and there in that pleasant corner of the world they plied their well-ordered business of living, and they heeded less and less the world outside where dark things moved, until they came to think that peace and plenty were the rule in Middle-earth and the right of all sensible folk. They forgot or ignored what little they had ever known of the Guardians, and of the labours of those that made possible the long peace of the Shire. They were, in fact, sheltered, but they had ceased to remember it."


J. R.R. Tolkien "The Fellowship of the Ring" , 1985, George & Allen & Urwin Pub LTD(Page 22-23 prologue)

Talking About Africa Too Much!

During a "re-entry" Session for Peace Corp workers returning to the USA, after 2 years of rural development work in poor countries, the instructor,.....

"......he did explain some of the challenges we will experience during our re-entering phase of service.You shouldn’t be surprised if friends have moved on, or get a glazed over look after just five minutes of stories we tell about our time abroad"

This summer I have been graced with several opportunites to spend time with a dear Christian brother now living in Edmonton. We worked together in Africa and we formed an inseparable bond there. We talked Africa all day today, and all day & night a few weeks ago. Mission is in our heart, and minds, but we rarely ever get to share our stories. On the rare times we get to be in the same province, it pours out.

Refreshing to dream of our other love.

Who's the Tough Guy!

Forgive the language, but I think he's correct as far as NGO, and spiritual work in places such as Africa. Need to know who's the barrier to your work. Get to know him!

"Last year in one of my grad school classes that was specifically designed to prepare for PC my professor walked into the room, turned on the projector, and put up a slide that said,

• Every village has a son of a bitch. Your job is to find out who that person is."

Peace Corp Worker

Live to Work, or Work to Live?

Interesting comment by a Peace Corps worker, about his Malian host people, in Mali, West Africa.
Time with people really is better than money. Not certain we can ever understand that well int he west.

Clearly this is a work to live culture, not one in which people live to work. You are not defined by what you do, but simply by your existence and your interactions with others.This is difficult for me. I come from the upper mid-west. A very German sort of place where what you do with yourself is important. You live to work. Productivity is valuable. Time spent sitting around with friends not "doing" anything is viewed as time wasted... and there's nothing worse than wasting time in America."

Matt, May 7, 2010,
www. mattinwestafrica.blogspot.com/2010/05/interesting-short-stories-and-excerpts.html

Begin A Church Experiment!

"A quick but important point: If you recognize that you are a part of a traditional-attractional church structure, don’t punt! The best response is to create the missional pyramid from scratch with a few missional people of your choice and start right where you are. If you leave, nothing beneficial will happen in your church. But if you—with a humble desire to influence or model a new way—launch out with a few friends while staying connected to your church, you’ll not only enjoy the freedom of being on mission, you’ll be able to influence and inspire more people within the existing structure to change.

When Matt and I work with attractional churches to help them become more missional, we never try to change or challenge the present structure. Instead, we ask for a small handful of would-be missionaries to pilot incarnational community. If it works, then we believe the grassroots success will spread to more people in the existing structure. Most pastors have no reason not to want this experiment to succeed. They want you to live out this calling, but part of their calling is to also hold the saints together. Structures don’t change easily through challenge or critique. They change best as people within the organization change and model new approaches. So, instead of pointing your finger at your pastor or elder board, go live out this ancient way and pray for the larger community to eventually move forward with you. If you’re a pastor and you’re ready to move on this, we suggest the same thing. Call some friends together and begin a beautiful underground experiment. If it works, you’ll have helped move your church into new territory. If it doesn’t, you’ll have a great time with a few friends. How bad can that be?

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 121. 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Doing Our Part With Those Before Us!

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now! Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Stephen Grellet,

Paid To Love Us?

Interesting comments about identifying with people as missionaries, since these men see themselves as missionaries to western nations. However, their insights are keen, and we would all wish more westernes would live, interact, and engage their culture this way.

"Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH) in Melbourne and the InnerChange workers in San Francisco, identification with the poor is an absolutely fundamental principle to their mission among the poor. All the missionaries and workers in these two missionary orders voluntarily live under the poverty line and refuse to be paid by their organizations for their work among the poor lest the people say, “you are paid to be kind to us.” They choose to live like the people with all the struggles and problems that poverty creates for people without power and resources. This incarnational act not only creates credibility for the missionaries, but it thus creates the relational- social context within which they can meaningfully and humanly share their faith. Because it means that for all intents and purposes, they have actually become part of the people group that they are trying to reach and have thereby overcome a very significant cultural barrier to the communication of the gospel. To identify incarnationally with a people will mean that we must try to enter into something of the cultural life of a “people’; to seek to understand their perspectives, their grievances and causes, in other words their real existence, in such a way as to genuinely reflect the act of identification that God made with us in Jesus.........................


"......incarnational mission implies a real and abiding incarnational presence among a group of people. Quite simply, it means that if you want to reach the local gangstas, you are going to have to live where they live and hang out where they hang out. Or it might mean that if you want to plant a church in a given suburb, you should really think about living there. Why? Because you cannot become part of the organic life of a given community if you are not present to it and do not experience its cultural rhythms, its life, and its geography. ................This is true whether they are the local ravers or members of bohemian art cooperatives, sports dubs, common interest groups, or parent groups—we need to identify a whole lot more before we can expect to really share Jesus in a meaningful way with them."

(The Shape Of Things To Come: Innovation and Mission For The 21st- Century Church. Michael Frost & Aln Hirsch, Hendrickson, 2003. pp 38

Reading Peace Corps Journals is A Blast!

There is a great iPhone/iPad/iPod. App called "PcJournals". It lists every country where the US has PC workers. It shows all the blogs of all the workers and tells you when they have updated. Of course I have been enjoying the Mali, West Africa blogs.
Some of the workers have been there a while (normally serve 2 yr terms). Others have just arrived.
However, the stories and encounters they share in print are amazingly interesting and hilarious to read and follow. For example, this first impression posted today by a girl just arriving for her PC Mali assignment. Too funny!

"My first impression of Peace Corps – two dozen scared faces clutching blue invitation kits."

More "us" than "them" Whats up with that?

I wonder how God might lead us if we were more concerned about being a “friend of sinners” than a friend to those inside our church or denomination?"

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 46. 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Peace Corps Has It Correct

"I’ve been in Mali a year and three days now. It is a Peace Corps cliché that volunteers enter as typically individualistic, efficient, work-driven, consumption-loving Americans and leave having learnt about what is really important in life - family, friendships, and community."

July 14, 2010 Lauren Biggs, Peace Corps worker in Mali
Www.koyanmali.bloodspot.com

Reversed Thinking!

Hugh Halter Examing the Culture put it this way

Traditional Church People Enter Relationships and the church this way:
1. Believe
2. Behave,
3. Belong

We expect people to believe & behave like us before we will ever consider letting them belong with us.

Post Moderns Will only Enter this Way:
1 Belong.
2. Behave
3. Believe

It's been reversed! The Church missed that the last 25 years. We have to spend time with them and love them where they are. We must juninly accept them where they are so that they "really" belong. Over time they may begin to behave as we rub off on them. As they see the kingdom life lived out by being friends with us, they will catch a glimpse of Jesus's way. Then they will come to believe.

What this means is that up front - no strings attached relationship is the starting point. Can we just love them and enjoy them, and value our relationship with them, even if they never, ever choose join the church, the assembly of the redeemed, in Jesus?

"Remember, there’s one thing that is just as important as truth, and maybe even more important. That is whether or not someone is willing or ready to receive truth. An environment of discovery is the only way we’re going to help people experience an alternative opportunity. Helping them make a personal “preference” for Christ and his life will always be more powerful than bashing their values. This doesn’t mean we don’t get to speak and teach truth. It just means we're better missionaries if we letthem experience it before we start debating it."

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 66. 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Why, How, Were To Do Mission

"There is not only a Spirit of truth but also a spirit of falsehood, who is able to delude, drug, bewitch & Even blind people" John Stott

"Misssional at its essence means sent. It's the antithesis of trying to attract them to us, our programs, our buildings.." Hugh Halter in Tangible Kingdom


"Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible "

Cadet Maxim West Point Military

Physical or Spiritual Needs?

Amy Carmichael
Took in abandoned baby girls, rescued girls from temple prostitution in India, educated them & taught trades. She was asked;
“Why don’t you concentrate on saving their souls?”
Her reply was,
“I find their souls are very stubbornly attached to their bodies.”

Balance Between "Missional and "Attractional Church?

The "Balance" between "Missional" & "Attractional" church has been the big conversation for a few years now.

Two Observations.

1. This statement assumes living "Missional" is, somehow, an extreme to be avoided. It's some how not "Balanced" to be "too Missional". Are you kidding me? How can anyone be too missional? What does "too missional" look like? What exactly do they mean by balanced "mission"?'

2. Those talking about the "Balance" are very deeply steeped in, and working within, a highly "attractional" Church model. They are immersed in a method of churching that, frankly, needs people to show up, and give significant doses of cash to support this church and it's style of doing things, or, or that model fails.

I'm not being negative. However, I just noticed this lately; that those talking about the "balance" between missional & attractional are in highly attractional, and costly, ministry styles.

Can one be too missional? What does that mean? Explain that to me. I think it's meaningless rhetoric, and frankly they are embarrassed to say much about it, other than, "Balance is needed".

Would we tell a missionary not to leave his comfortable church in Canada, and don't go to that village where there is poverty and unreached people? Stay here in your church! Work from this base! Certainly not! We release missionaries, to new places, and to develop structures that work for the people they minister too. Yet we are afraid to release members to do the same thing here? Stay within this structure and work from here. Do it the same way as us! Why? I am not advocating everyone leave their attractional churches for "cafe" church. I'm leading a new attractional church plant now.

But what do we mean by too missional, and "Balance"? We have not had nearly enough "imbalance" when it comes to missional living posture. I think it's both/and - any kind and every kind of church and movement, in every kind of location, size, and place, is not only needed - but required. I say, bless them all. But do release people to serve, everywhere, every way. Let them make mistakes, and big mistakes in the process, without crushing criticism. Just get out with people and serve

I'm puzzled at why we are afraid to release members to go on "mission" for themselves. Was this not the reason, the stated purpose, the goal of all of this teaching, training, and programs we do? To get people serving? Or have we only been training them to serve our purposes, and recruiting them to our goals, and our visions? Has the truth come out, that we are really not into helping, training, and then releasing, people to do their ministry at all- we do it to recruit them to OUR ministry? (I've been in ministry and church planting long enough, at enough meetings, to admit this sadly is true. We need them to do what we set out to do! I believe this is the root of the fear over the call for "Balance" from top down leadership model people)
Because, frankly, if too many got released, our way, my current way of doing church growth would, well, fall apart.

I hope my new church falls apart, as more and more members fall into serving as missionaries in the world, and this community, all over the place.

I release you!

Is there a Place for Traditional Pastoring?

There certainly is. We have gotten to where we are through the teaching and time of these men. They have invested in us deeply. However, new movements need not be viewed as a threat by the traditional approach, nor should the new movements view their activity as the "Death" of the old ways.

Interesting section.

"The hundreds of pastors with whom we’ve shared our story love unchurched folks as much as our edgiest church planters, but they are also responsible to keep a church structure afloat, one that signifies safety and survival for themselves and their parishioners. It’s not an enviable position. I used to judge these leaders as weak, or unwilling, or even worse, unloving toward the harvest field. But now I’ve come to believe that they are just as important as the brave, arrogant, pioneer pastors. They are the shepherds; the ones who can help the pioneers take risks. They are the ones with the resources, people, and facilities who can help out the fledgling mushroom eaters.

Would it be okay to consider that there are degrees of missionality! That some will be sent to cross blue seas, cross cultures, and go to the far reaches of paganism in order to find the one lost sheep, while others may just need to be sent across the street? Is it possible that God doesn’t need nor ask everyone to start something new? Is it possible that God needs millions of leaders to care for a host of Christians who won’t be able to make the turn into new forms of church? I think so.. . . I think we must.
The transition within the U.S. church doesn’t require that we all travel on the same ship, but we must all sail on the same sea. Even in Adullam, we have some shepherding types, men and women who’ve been in the faith and in traditional churches a long while, are solid students of the Bible, and who love the mission of Adullam. They support and encourage us, but they never try to take over and dictate. They trust our hearts and our mission and give us a wide berth to be ourselves and follow what we feel to be God’s way of being church. They don’t waste time complaining; they cheer, and they roll up their shirtsleeves whenever they can, to help when they can. As someone who has lived my life meeting folks at the crossroads of culture, I have learned that I can’t sustain this life and ministry without the encouragement, funding, and long-term help of the stable caregivers.

Within every congregation there are people at every level of willingness, strength, and maturity. I liken these Christians to bricks in the under-structure of a bridge that reaches out to the other side of the river. They aren’t going to make it across the bridge. They may not fill churches with new Christ followers, they may not even be people you want your non-Christian friends to meet, but they can help support the old and new structures that will allow the others to go out."

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 34, 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Jesus First, Church Second, Every Time!

I am not against the church. Nor am I negative. Actually, I have a greater passion to see her advance, than many in the pew. However, most christians I know will talk to people about "Coming to Church", or come to this awesome "event" at our church. It becomes more about the bride than the groom. Jesus is center stage to Christianity. Yet few give the invitation to Jesus. Church means nothing to unbelievers. The words of the songs, the meditation of the communion will not minister to people who have not believed it.

I think the devil laughs with joy when we make it about church first. Becuse he knows so many people have been burned by "church", or are to bored to death with what the average church is doing (members included) that he does not have to worry to much about us infringing on his territory. We are not approaching much of anything that is his. Make it about Jesus, and once they get a glimpse of him, the fellowship, and the purposes of the "Ekklessia" "Assembly" "Church" will become rich. Don't put the cart before the horse.
I gave this advice to a graduating Seminary ministry candidate (Exactly this blog title), and I know he thought he knew this, is this not what we do now? After his first twenty meetings, he will soon see how little Jesus spoken about, and how much "church" takes the attention.

"As I once heard, “Doing church differently is like rearranging chairs on the Titanic.” We must realize that slight tweaks, new music, creative lighting, wearing hula shirts, shorts, and flip-flops won’t make doing church more attractive. Church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. Church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we’re about. Church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the way of Christ.

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 30, 2008, Jossey-Bass.)

Yonggi Cho Depression! & Church COPYISM!

"Many pastors I meet tell me, “I tried it and it did not work!” By my guess, there could be about two hundred thousand pastors worldwide today who suffer from what I call the “Yonggi Cho depression.” David Yonggi Cho is a most unusual Korean pastor. extremely gifted and capable of leading people and building a church movement.

Many have followed his example and tried to copy him. A very few well-gifted men have even succeeded to some degree, but most have failed. The latter group feel today more guilty and depressed than before, a clear symptom of the pathological pattern of 'COPYISM,' a dangerous and deadly disease that has stricken many churches around the globe today.

But Pastor Cho’s message has never been “Copy me, and you will get the same results.” Instead, he wants people to obey God and learn from the church-growth principles that God has shown him.

Let us slip into the devil’s shoes for a few seconds: isn’t “copyism” a perfect trap? For many churches, everything starts so wonderfully. Someone experiences God’s blessing because he or she has been obedient to His Word and Spirit. Someone else tells the story and a third person creates a model out of this experience, which is then copied and cloned by a fourth person. A fifth person finally suggests, “Let’s create an institution around this new model!” He goes on to start franchises all over the world. The sixth person forms this way of doing things into a new “law,” which judges everyone who chooses to do things differently. Here then are “six sure and easy steps to transform a blessing into a curse.” If we put our hands to the plow and then look back—or abroad—how dare we think we are fit for the work in the Kingdom of God? (Luke 9:62).

It is high time that we resurrected and nurtured all that good, creative, and powerful potential that our Creator put into all of us long ago, which is nearly suffocating under too many layers of copied blessings. To do so would mean that we have to continually learn and research the ways that God is winning people to Himself and His church in our part of the world and in our society and culture. Could it be that our addiction to “successful” church models actually reveals a deep a deep leadership crisis and a widespread insecurity about what we should do?" Even more dangerous, could our wish for success reveal a serious deafness to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say to our churches about what we need to repent and get rid of?

But let us remain realistic. Statistics reveal that 80 percent of all pastors will simply copy other models and programs. Fifteen percent of all pastors will change the models to make them fit better. Only 5 percent are true inventors of their own models.

(Wolfgang Simson, "The House Church Book." Barna, 2009, pg 137-138)

The West is Best? Brokeness Is Everywhere

"I once heard some young Christians from the United States talking about some outreach they were doing in Calcutta. They had genuine tears of brokenness in their eyes as they talked about the people worshiping dead idols in temples, yet these young people did not recognize the idols of sports, music, and television being worshiped in their own country. They had broken hearts over the abject poverty in Calcutta, but they did not see the spiritual and emotional poverty of the countless millions suffering from loneliness and meaninglessness in the United States. While they could not believe that people sacrifice flowers and even animals to their gods, they overlooked the fact that many of us sacrifice children and whole families on the altar of success every day. They marveled at the smoke and incense offerings made to pagan gods but failed to see the smog caused by cars, industry; and cigarette smokers in their own country; They said, “These children here are so dirty!” yet they did not realize that most children in their own country regularly use unbelievably dirty language.

In short, they saw and judged the outside but could not see inside. They were shocked by the culture, but not by the spirit behind it, and they failed to see that it is no better at home than in Asia. Humankind’s fallen and sinful nature only takes on a different outward appearance in different cultures and places; its quality is essentially the same everywhere.

(The House Church Book. Wolfgang Simson. Barna, 2009, pg 134-135)

Plant Churches or Missionaries? Which Comes First?

Which comes first? The more people live the missional life, the more churches will be planted.

"The goal of our missional life is not to grow churches. The goal of the church is to grow missionaries."

(Tangible Kingdom. Hugh Halter, pg 168 2008, Jossey-Bass)

Get a little Whimsy In Your Holiness!

" (Whimsical Holiness) Whimsy, therefore, allows you to be with people regardless of their angle of life without casting any judgment their way. It paves the way for them to feel comfortable enough to be themselves, feel loved, and dignified as human beings. It... See More’s not making an issue out of anything that’s not the main issue. That simply means we don’t flinch at sin or bad language or nasty T-shirts or crude music or a Sojourner who overindulged. Whimsy may he the missing element of Christlike love in today’s world. It’s the essence of missional posture that helps gain someone’s heart..... The issue isn’t so much about how far you can go to “do evangelism.” Its more about whether or not we will enlarge our view of discipleship to include behaving like Jesus did with the types of people Jesus would always have made a priority. .... Whimsy is the posture we take that allows people to be themselves. Holiness is that quiet inner posture that shines through and subversively witnesses of an alternative way to live. Whimsy implies that you can seamlessly interact in the culture with ease, humor, love, and holiness without being swayed away...."

Hugh Halter, "Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community, The Posture and Practices of Ancient Church now." Jossey-Bass. 2010 pg138,139

Where Is The Glory In Africa? Loving Rural Africans is the Glory

It was a bit of a surprise to see just how sparse, grey, & brown the Malian landscape looked under the wings of the Air Senegal plane. I landed in Bamako three days earlier than expected so the room bookings were of no use to me. I tried to find another room for the night, finally settled on the idea of taking the nine hour bus ride west to Kadiolo instead.
I waited at the Bus depot for hours. Extremely hungry, I began to peruse the street cooks and bought several tasteless things boiled in oil, but they would hold me over. As I ate I nodded “no” to the hundredth sales person carrying various items on their head, trying to scrounge a living.
Muslim prayer time came, so down on the mats for prayer first, and then loading began. I was positioned in the second last seat of the bus; on top of the sizzling hot motor, with all the sickening fumes. Though I desperately needed sleep, I could not sleep because every time my leg touched the steel wall of the bus it would get badly burned on the hot mettle, and my feet were cooking on the floor so I had to keep lifting them up to cool them down. It was as close to hell as I want to get. After eight hours of this I could not take any more, so I got out 100 km before Kadiolo, in the town of Sikasso.

It was 2:30 am in the morning. I spent the next hour trying to locate a man named Pierre Diara I was given his name on a piece of paper as a good information contact. No one seemed to know Mr Diara. I was about ready to give up and sleep on a table right there in the market. Around 3:30am I checked with another lady- no Luck. I thanked her and she turned back and asked in French; “Could that be Pierre JAR-A?”. I was so tired that I had forgotten that they pronounce D as JA. Forgive me for not remembering the intricacies of Bambara language. “Yes!” I said, “Peirre Jar-A (Diara)”

I knocked on his gate at 3:42 AM and this man, whom I never met, let me in and took me to a room and gave me a bucket of water to get cleaned up with. I thanked him, washed, and then just stood in the bucket of water to cool my baked feet. I fell exhausted into bed after a 26 hour sleepless journey from Agni to Banka Territory. But I was relieved to finally be in the region of the Banka people.

I fell into bed making a mental note that Bambara language was essential as French would not do here. I drifted off to sleep, thankful for the room - this is exactly the Africa I know and love. I had only four hours to sleep, and I would have to be up and going again. The Work was just beginning.

There are a few exciting adventures, and then there is the exhausting reality of daily living and working in Africa, and that is not very glorious. When you meet these rural people at the daily level in which they function, you will find no glory. No one ever sees what you do-some don't even care about what you do "out there". Others don't understand why you do it, and few understand how much it takes to be in these obscure places.

Sometimes my work means sleeping on a bug infested bamboo bed, sleeping on the ground, burning your legs on a hot motor, miscommunication. Other times it's laughter & joy.

However, my life is always allowing indigenous people to lead me to understand their life experiences, hopes and dreams, so that we can share authentically.

Life is not always about telling; it’s very much about listening. Took me some time to figure that out. Indeed, there is no glory in listening and sharing with people in unknown places and I am OK with that. These people are worth much love; worth infinitely more love than I alone can give. Still, we receive so much love in return, and that alone is quite enough - Far more precious than vain glory.

Who Likes Jesus?

"The world likes Jesus; they just don't like the church.But increasingly, the church likes the church,yet it doesn't like Jesus."

Jesus Manifesto" pg xvi Len Sweet Frank Viola

Is Busy Costing Relationships & Mission Effectiveness?

".... the busier I get, the less I care about others. It is a flaw that I think many of us share." Neil Cole Organic Church. pg 145

Missional Versus Attractional

"Misssional at its essence means sent. It's the antithesis of trying to attract them to us, our programs, our buildings.."

Hugh Halter in Tangible Kingdom

Some Thoughts

"Christians have made the gospel about so many things - things other than Jesus."

Jesus manifesto pg xv Len Sweet & Frank Viola

"What is it that you intentionally do NOT do that fuels your success?"
Bob Buford of leadership Network.

Really Missing Africa Today!

"Every foreign land is to them as their native country.." Diognetus, speaking of Christians (tutor of Marcus Aurelius)

No Time for You!

"Hey, mister would you stop being a minister long enough to give us a hand?"

Little kid with bike problems said this to a Priest. Forward for Organic Church (Neil Cole) written by Leonard Sweet.

Not sure the Church is smart enough to let most ministers have time to connect and be helpful with lost or needy people. They are kept far too busy managing the stuff, unfortunately.

My life and ministry are now centered more on connecting/relating where Kingdom normally is not found. That is why I bother a lot of church people lately.

"For whatever reason, the church at large has theologized the idea of personal holiness to exclude normal interaction with the world"
Hugh Halter in Tangible Kingdom


"Consumerism holds some aspect of entitlement ('This church should provide....; this leader should provide....')" Hugh Halter Tangible Kingdom

"Consumerism is based on the belief that I can't help others until I help myself, that my own wants & needs trump the needs of others." Hugh Halter Tangible Kingdom

A new wine skin is needed for ministry in this place!

"I've learned that if I stay in my office to study, nothing happens" Tangible Kingdom Hugh Halter

Novel!

"You Christians look after a document containing dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of good literature."

Mohandas Gandhi


"The gospel says go but our church buildings say stay. The gospel says seek the lost but our churches say let the lost seek the church." Neil Cole in Organic Church

The Goods!

"The gospel shows a God far more holy than the legalist can bear, yet far more merciful than a humanist can conceive"
Tim Keller