On Tentmaking

Recently I recently joined a group of friends, pastors, missionaries and educators in a discussion about tentmaking as missiological strategy. It's a topic I am unversed in and therefore unqualified to teach. So at the start, you might consider taking a detour to several thoughtful and more reputable sources than me:

• "Why Did Paul Make Tents" by Ruth E. Siemens.
• Tentmaking 101 and other informative articles and papers from GO.
  
• Tentmaking: Business as Missions, a book by Patrick Lai.
• Today's Tentmakers, a book by Dr. J. Christy Wilson Jr. (often considered the seminal work).
• www.tentmaking.org, links to tentmaking sites and organizations.

I have much to learn (if I have the need and the time); but I've learned a few things already and am developing some first impressions.

Recommended Resources and Reading About Islam

B.P., a young single interested in missions, just asked me: "At your convenience, would you mind providing some guidance?  What would you advise that I start reading, studying, exploring?  Recommended books on reaching Muslims for Christ?"

Marrieds, Let The Singles Singly Serve!

I've gotten interesting and emotional feedback already from a previous post on singles. One single sister expressed the "challenging phenomenon" of the when-are-you-getting-married? comments from the peanut gallery in church. I remember that now--but I had forgotten, as we often forget when we move from one stage of life to another.

Married folks, don't look at the singles like the undergrads of the church, just hoping that they will "graduate" to marriage. Don't treat them as if there's something "incomplete" about them. If they continually get that impression at church, how will they ever learn that we are complete in Christ? How will they ever not appear "desperate" to would-be suitors who are not "in" to the desperate type?

Of course we, as married people, should be pro-marriage! Our marriages should be so awesome that singles should desire such a life, if the Lord wills it for them. But often our problem is that we think we have to convince singles that they should get married, as if they are anti-marriage. In our sincere desire for their long-term well-being, we say insensitive things like ...

There Is NO TIME

A dear friend of mine bought and sent me this book. Here is my review:

There is NO TIME is a missionary fable by J. Paul Nyquist of Avant Ministries (and now president of Moody Bible Institute).  Its purpose is to advance the idea of "Short-Cycle Church Planting." The parable begins with a war-hardened African boy soldier guarding Dave, a missionary who was kidnapped for financial gain and who was to be killed imminently. Dave narrowly escapes death and returns back to the US after only six years on the field--and no indigenous church to show for his labors.  He assumed he would have more time.

Back in the States, he reflects upon the changing world and the fact that some of the most needy places for evangelism are hotspots like the one he narrowly escaped. No longer can missionaries go "where Christ is not named" (Romans 15:20) and expect to have 40-50 years of service there.

Singles, Get a Divorce!

Single adults--and there are many of you out there--please leave your wives or husbands for the sake of the kingdom!  "But I don't have a husband/wife!" you reply.

Exactly. All the more reason to get a divorce.

Does God Exist?

Fun video someone emailed me about "the impeccable wisdom of man" (ahem).

Direct link is here.