MissioMishmash

I appreciate what you said about experience. The B...

2012-02-15T16:58:25.954-05:00

I appreciate what you said about experience. The Bible is the best textbook and the Holy Spirit is the best teacher. That's the most important thing to remember.

Dave, Good recommendations, and I couldn't agr...

2012-02-08T23:31:21.656-05:00

Dave,
Good recommendations, and I couldn't agree with you more in that last paragraph. Missiology has taken on a life of its own.

This hymn warms my heart! I am a young blogger wor...

2011-12-13T22:04:55.754-05:00

This hymn warms my heart! I am a young blogger working on writing a Bible study about love, and I ran across this song. I love it; it's one of my favorites now! Thank you for letting God work through you, Chris!

Thanks John Mark! And I should add that it is simp...

2011-12-07T15:23:52.316-05:00

Thanks John Mark! And I should add that it is simplistic to say this is the way to learn a language. Obviously you will need more than this, like studying lots of vocab words, talking a lot with locals, and, yes, looking at some grammar. This is the best way to get your tongue loosed and get flowing!

Biblegateway.com also has recordings available onl...

2011-12-07T10:00:57.782-05:00

Biblegateway.com also has recordings available online in several languages now.

It was a good post. I also think he overstated by ...

2011-12-06T22:22:55.096-05:00

It was a good post. I also think he overstated by using words and phrases such as "failing" and "colossal failure." Also, the grim picture that he attempts to paint of a shriveling independent Baptist movement is simply not true among all independent Baptists.

There are solutions to the support problems that, if adopted by a wide enough body of churches, can drastically change the impact of the system, without drastically changing the system. Our sending church is implementing some of these. The main solution being this: support missionaries at a percentage of their full support need (we have begun at 5%). This is an approach that maintains itself in the face of dollar devaluation and exchange rate changes.

I'm a different missionary type. I'm not s...

2011-11-22T13:38:46.933-05:00

I'm a different missionary type. I'm not send by the church, I sent myself in Toronto, Canada from Albania. THe church prayed for me, but the relation is not the type of I send reports and they send money.

However the missionary tends to feel alone in a new place and the church needs to reming him/her that they think and pray for him.
That's the first thing, knowing that you are alone in the ministry gives a lot of strength during the "valley" times.
THe missionary can't say never that he never needs money. I work in a secular job for my salary, but the mission needs $$ for so many other things.

THe last thing I suggest is to make your missionary known to your contacts and other churches - never know the outcome.

God bless you while you help the missions
Endrit

Thanks Dave for a very insightful post. We apprec...

2011-11-03T13:28:48.252-04:00

Thanks Dave for a very insightful post. We appreciate it!

Todd Beaman
Zambia

Praise the Lord, This is a helpful tool!

2011-11-02T00:25:36.652-04:00

Praise the Lord, This is a helpful tool!

Thanks for this post! I guess I have a lifetime of...

2011-10-13T16:16:41.287-04:00

Thanks for this post! I guess I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me!

PS Mercedes is among the most widely seen vehicles...

2011-09-24T09:26:32.067-04:00

PS Mercedes is among the most widely seen vehicles in Albania. I have missionary friends who drive them because it was the most economical, efficient, and dependable choice. So this is not a legalistic thing to say Mercedes drivers are bad people laying up treasures on earth.

One of close friends and missionaries to South Afr...

2011-09-22T08:51:15.664-04:00

One of close friends and missionaries to South Africa purchased that book for us this year. It was very helpful!

Im just trying to accept these truths, be excited ...

2011-09-22T03:47:37.973-04:00

Im just trying to accept these truths, be excited about them and overlook 50 years of being asleep and wrong (headed and heartedness)! Thank You for the wake up call!!!

I grew up as a missionary kid in France and am now...

2011-09-19T06:58:30.282-04:00

I grew up as a missionary kid in France and am now a French teacher in Scotland. I think all of this is very wise advise. My parents diligently put most of these into practice and I know their testimony was very powerful.

Excellent ideas :) Thanks!

2011-09-18T02:33:32.427-04:00

Excellent ideas :) Thanks!

The will of God is simple to those who are walking...

2011-09-09T09:43:05.793-04:00

The will of God is simple to those who are walking in Spirit. I think desires guide your prayers, counsel shapes your prayers, qualifications affirm your prayers,and circumstances confirm your prayers.

Great article--thanks!

Amen Karl, someone needs to preach that and you di...

2011-09-08T08:19:29.323-04:00

Amen Karl, someone needs to preach that and you did a great job describing the problem. The big question I struggle with is how can we help the American Church to enter into Biblical, meaningful and productive partnerships? Part of the problem is that many Churches want to be in control rather than to serve, even though they only have a superficial understanding of good missiology. It's kind of like putting the scapple in the hands of an intern because he is rich and wants to impress his family.

Thanks Matthew, and right, it isn't universal ...

2011-09-07T18:25:44.766-04:00

Thanks Matthew, and right, it isn't universal (and I know little about Stetzer and his groups, so it wasn't directed at them at all — I just liked his comment).

I had just been talking about the first part of th...

2011-09-07T18:10:29.830-04:00

I had just been talking about the first part of this post a day or two before you posted. It is a very fair, though not universal, statement about the "missional" movement which would be a good portion of who Stetzer is talking about.

I totally agree with this. We can definitely take ...

2011-09-02T03:24:20.595-04:00

I totally agree with this. We can definitely take some tips from the business world when it come to speaking and presentations. I watched some videos on such topics (i.e. powerpoint and lecturing) online before even writing a script. Also, my pastor had told me what kind of information pastors were looking for, so when I started putting my video together, I already had a good idea of where I wanted to go with it. I had a missionary actually on my chosen the field read it over, as well, and he gave me some great pointers. Then, when the video was done, I had lots of people give me feedback--people I knew would be bluntly honest. It's always good to find out other people's perspectives on your work. And one last thought on presentation: if you want your message heard, you need to eliminate all distractions, which includes the "boredom" factor. =]

When I talk of resources, I am referring to prayer...

2011-09-01T07:25:49.181-04:00

When I talk of resources, I am referring to prayer support, new recruits, and financial support that flow toward Gospel vision. God is the real and only "resource" we need (if we can call Him that), but don't let that be your excuse for an uninspiring presentation ... if you're presenting at all, make it worthy of the awesomeness of the Gospel!

Just what I needed to read this morning. When I fi...

2011-08-31T10:53:00.807-04:00

Just what I needed to read this morning. When I finish typing this, I am going to go back and dig into Romans 15.

I have become increasingly aware of the stuff you are talking about here. I really appreciate your stance and what you said. I agree that we must return to our roots in using the Biblical method and stop trying to short-cut God's plan...albeit in our microwave society.

The frequent flyer miles quip made me smile. :)

go steelers!

2011-08-30T09:34:10.094-04:00

go steelers!

Thank you. The Lord is leading me down that same r...

2011-08-22T19:44:41.330-04:00

Thank you. The Lord is leading me down that same road, and I don't have the gift of writing poetry. This is one I'll keep and re-read on the hard sort of days. Most days, Goodness and Mercy are pursuing me so closely that I don't have time to talk to Lonely and Tear but every once in a while, they catch up with me. :)

THANKS! I just taught on the subject of disciplesh...

2011-08-22T17:49:24.815-04:00

THANKS! I just taught on the subject of discipleship in a seminar to some Deaf Leaders ... focusing on Selection, Concentration, and Association, among other important principles. One of the sharp young men I taught sent me a link to this page. Great. Thanks for posting. O to see more of our leaders following this example of leadership training!