Project Pokot - Part Two

In 1976, when I first began working in the bush of Kenya, there were few Protestant missionaries who had ever worked or even seen the people of Pokot and Turkana. By the mid-80’s there was a flurry of mission activity in Pokot because of better roads, though few missionaries actually lived or worked down in the rugged conditions of the bush. My doctoral research in 1991 revealed that, though there were many churches in Pokot, the percentage of Pokot people who attended those churches was remarkably low as the majority of Christians in the district were actually people from other tribes who lived and worked in Pokot. Even more startling in my findings was how few Pokot men were reached with the Gospel. My thesis was, and is, it’s not how many churches that are planted that’s important, but how effective is outreach to those who have never heard. Planting one church for every one thousand people may mean a saturation of churches, but that doesn’t translate into making the Gospel relevant to those who do not accept that message.


In my dissertation I concluded that missionaries (national as well as foreign) needed to move away from traditional African missions (TAM) and create a strategic African mission (SAM) outreach. SAM can only be accomplished by (1) learning the questions of their culture and (2) develop a contextualized approach in presenting the Gospel.

Next year I will be spending more time in Kenya training Kenyan missionaries how to implement SAM (though I will still be teaching in India as well as other places in the world). The goal of my research is to live in Pokot and to revisit the issues I addressed 18 years ago. Because cultures are not static, what has or has not changed among the Pokot since 1991?


- How has their worldview changed?

- Has their family structure changed?

- Do they still practice polygamy, bride price exchange and still practice rites of passage such as sapana and female circumcision?

- Have the churches in Pokot become more or less indigenous?

Every missionary endeavor, in my opinion, should be asking the similar questions as they create a strategy of mission for their target people group. Methods may be easier to create, but it is only when we do the hard work of asking the questions that a true contextualized message can be presented.

Project Kara Pokot

I am fond of telling my students “Learn the questions, before giving the answers. Too many times we are giving answers to questions people aren’t asking.” Part of the reason I am passionate about that statement is because in my preparation for ministry I was never taught the importance of learning the questions. I launched into ministry in Kenya believing I had the answers, having gone through Bible College and pastoring in Texas for five years. My denomination had (has) a mission philosophy, which in essences states, the primary importance in doing God’s work is (a) preach the word and (b) be faithful. After all, it’s His work, we just need to present His message and let Him use it as He sees fit. This philosophy of missions (wrongly in my opinion) is still prevalent among many mission organizations and missionaries today.

After my wife and I completed language school in Limuru we moved to the western part of the country. Though we were invited to work in Eldoret by two other missionary families, I was drawn to areas where there was little or no missionary activity (Rom 15:20). Eventually our ministry focus was among two semi-nomadic tribes of the northwest bush, the Pokot and Turkana. It was working with these people, who were animist, that I came to understand that, though I had the answers to their greatest need i.e., to know the true and living God, I didn’t know how to make the message understandable to them. It wasn’t until my second term in Africa before I heard the word “contextualization.” Their worldview of misfortune, family, values, life-after-death, was not anything I learned in my hermeneutics class in college or in my ministry in the Bible-belt of the US. Confronted with what I didn’t know I began the quest of learning the questions before giving the answers.

Learning the questions is not easy and in fact is labor intensive. The first place to learn the questions is through research. For me, in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s, before the Internet, it was reading books and journals. I learned about contextualization, syncretism, dynamic equivalence, the purpose of arranged marriages, polygamy, cattle worldview and the role of witchdoctor, initially through reading. Determined to learn more about the questions, my furloughs were dedicated to taking classes to help me understand what I didn’t know so I could better determine the best way to give the answer. In this process of discovery I spent a number of days, weeks and months in the bush of Pokot, living in a mud hut (picture above), formally and structurally considering a people that were totally different from what I perceive as norm. My pursuit of learning the questions continues today as I read and teach others on the process of mining the complexities of culture and religion.

In 2009, 18 years after the publication of my doctoral dissertation on the social organization of the Kara Pokot, I am making plans on moving back down to the desert for a few months to do a follow-up study of this pastoral tribe. Since nothing remains static, how have the Pokot changed since those days I first worked with them back in 1976?

More on Project Kara Pokot next time.

The Price of Oil and Missions

I heard a man in church the other day talking about how the price of gas was affecting his business; that fuel cost was up over 50% since the first of the year. I thought to myself, “Yeah, it affects my business as well.”

In India, where I spend a lot of my time, inflation has risen 18% in two months. I recently bought a domestic airline ticket and they now have a fuel surcharge of $50. Couple that with a weak dollar and one begins to get the picture that the cost of doing God’s business continues to rise.

I don’t write this to whine about the financial plight of my or others in ministry, but just a reminder that while Americans suffer under the high cost of gasoline, global inflation is an issue for those who live on a “fixed” income overseas. I cannot pass my cost on to my clients or customers. What I must do, like everyone else, is to manage even better our monthly budget. God’s work will go on no matter how high the price of a barrel of oil may rise. But, like all businesses, some activities will have to be scaled back; some may go out of business all together. What remains constant, in this world of uncertainty, is a Sovereign God who is not frustrated by OPEC or politicians and good people who faithfully give of their hard earned resources so that the Gospel will continue to go to those who have never heard.

Lessons From The Desert

I purchased a new scanner this past week, one that scans slides and negatives, of which I have hundreds that span over 30 years of ministry in Africa and other parts of the world. As I go through the faded images of my past ministry in Kenya I am reminded of the profound impact the desert has had on my life.

There is something profound about isolation, being cut off from the norm of the familiar. It was in the bush of Kenya, working with the tribal people of Turkana and Pokot, that I spent many lonely days and nights away from my immediate family, and of course my extended family in the U.S. When I close my eyes, even today, I can feel the unrelenting heat, the grime of everything made of cow-dung, the pesky flies that swarmed my face and how difficult it was to walk in sand. At night I would listen to the mournful singing of the people in the village and look up into the African sky and see a billion stars. It was in the desert that I learned to think through and even challenge my faith. In the desert I was away from the pressures of my peers, the judgment of a godless world system; it was just God and I, in the desert.

Throughout history the desert has been God’s classroom of instruction for His followers. Moses was exiled to the wasteland to prepare him to lead His people in the desert; David, a man after God’s own heart, was formed herding sheep in the bush; God sustained Elijah for seven years of drought by a brook; John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, did his work, not in the city of Jerusalem, but in the wilderness; the Apostle Paul, after his dramatic conversion, was banished to the backside of the desert for three years to contemplate his Damascus road encounter with Jesus.

In this world of instant communication, 24-hour news and the measure of a man gauged by name recognition and portfolio, one must discipline himself to be alone with God. Depending on the press of the day, time set aside for God could be 10 minutes or 1 hour and perhaps a few smattering petitions throughout the day. While snippets of devotion is better than not acknowledging Him at all, the time needed to allow God to mold the spirit is difficult, if not impossible to find. In spite of the malaria carrying mosquitoes, snakes and scorpions, I often miss the solitude with God I found in the desert.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: Family and Missions

I try not to write a lot of personal stuff on this blog, and if I do I make an attempt for some missiological or spiritual application. Such is the case with the post today and I appreciate your indulgence.

Yesterday afternoon my 88-year-old dad was diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease. A bit of a shock as we knew he is confused a lot lately, but thought it was dementia or just plain old age. As we think of the future for my dad and, certainly for my mom, it’s challenging time for all of us.

My wife and I moved back to the states last December for the express reason of lending a nurturing helping hand to my parents as well as my wife’s father (my mother-in-law passed away two years ago). Our siblings are local and have been taking care of family matters for the 40 years that Sandy and I have been either overseas or located in some other state. It wasn’t necessary for us to return, but we made a conscious choice to be around in the waning years of our parent’s lives. As a trainer and non-resident missionary, my role has evolved since our pioneering days in the bush of Kenya and I don’t feel it’s imperative for me to physically be on the foreign field to be effective in missions. With the news we received yesterday I think we made the right relocation decision. But the question must, should be asked, is it legitimate for a missionary to come off the field to deal with family issues?

A friend of mine is in California taking care of his mother, who also has Alzheimer’s. He is the only child and he told me his mission agency was not sympathetic to his problem and has asked him to resign. Some of his donors, he confided, also question him on how long it will be before he goes back to the field. He has no idea. Alzheimer’s is not something that has a well-defined time-line. Another friend was home several years because one of his kids was having psychological and emotional problems. After seven years the sending agency asked for his resignation and he is still bitter about it. Were they right to take such action?

Like everything, BALANCE is the key. I do believe that there is a biblical principle as it relates to family and ministry. In Luke 9:59-62 there was a man who hesitated in following Jesus, saying, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But he (Jesus) said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” In the service of Christ family issues cannot, should not, take preeminence. At another, time, however, Jesus criticized the religious leaders for not taking care of their parents, using the work of God as an excuse to let them live in poverty (Matthew 15:3-7).

While not addressing my particular case, you make the call. What are your thoughts on missions and family issues? It’s a difficult decision that missionaries face everyday.

Brevity of Life

When I came home from a recent trip my wife, Sandy, was talking about a series of Beth Moore lessons on the book of Daniel that she and some other women had been doing. In the course of her recounting what she was learning she quoted Moore as saying that “We only have 10 minutes here on earth,” (or something to that affect.)

“Where did she get that” I asked?

Sandy’s response was that Beth was making a general statement on the brevity of life.

“But where did she get 10 minutes?” I continued to probe. Sandy insisted that it was a generic statement and I was missing the point. I wouldn't let it go. I began thinking about the passage in Scripture that says that, “with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8). That being true, if the average life of man is 70 years, is that where Moore came up with we have about 10 minutes on this earth?

God knows I am not a mathematician. I tried to figure it out but couldn’t. I took my math problem to my 14 year old grand-daughter and, though she’s a lot smarter than me, couldn’t find the right equation. I drove my whole family nuts for a week trying to figure out, if man lives to 70 years old, how old is he in God’s economy of time? Finally, a friend wrote and gave me, what I assume is the answer – 1 hour, 40 minuets and 48 seconds based on this equation:

70 years is .07% of a thousand.
So we must find .07 of a day.
A day has 1440 minutes. 24 X 60 = 1440
.07 X 1440 = 100.8
So we have 100 minutes plus .8 of a minute, which is 48 seconds.
Thus: 100 minutes and 48 seconds old.

Idle trivia? Perhaps. But as one watching his 88 year old dad slowly moving out of this life, grateful that he has beat the odds and is 2 hours and 11 minutes old, and my own life of not yet 1 hour and half, I understand more the sobering reality of, "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (Ja. 4:14).

Learning Opportunity

Sometime back I mentioned providing training in context. If you know of anyone who would like to learn how to understand culture, how to work in another culture then direct them to X-CULTURAL LIVE.

The Paradox of Decision Making

Talking with my brother the other day we discussed the importance of making timely decisions. My brother, who is a business consultant, made an interesting comment, saying, “No decision is making a decision.” In the context of our discussion he is right. Too many times, out of fear, sometimes we don’t step up and make hard choices. By not taking action we sometimes miss opportunities.

Then the other day I was listening to a sermon about David in 1 Samuel 21. David was on the run from King Saul and in his exile he came to a priest by the name of Ahimelch and asked for the consecrated, holy bread, in the tabernacle to feed his fleeing army. In verse 8, David makes the statement as justification for his actions “the king's business required haste.” The fact of the matter is David’s words were not correct. God’s business is seldom done in haste. Indeed, God’s business is usually very slow. Perhaps it’s because we are finite creatures and bound by the shortness of our time on earth that we wish God would hurry things up a bit. David misrepresented God’s working in his life and so it is with many of us when it comes to making decisions.

If you were to ask me what is the most difficult thing about serving God it is patiently waiting for God’s direction in my life. To “be still and know that I am God,” is often excruciating. I want to make things happen. After all, I’m not getting any younger; the clock is ticking. It’s tough for me to remember that, though I’m in a hurry, God is not. His work does not require haste.

Certainly there are times when God makes it clear that we should act and I believe it is wrong, perhaps sin, if we don’t move forward when we see clearly His will in a matter. It’s a lack of faith and trust in Him if we take no God directed action. However, do we have the courage to wait on God when opportunity knocks? Do we sometimes try to make it happen and spiritualize it by saying that “the King’s business requires haste”? Making the right decision is often a paradox. No decision is indeed making a decision. Sometimes not making that decision is not doing His will; sometimes not making that decision is allowing God to work out His will in His time.

Gift of Encouragement

When my friend handed me a card recently I was dumbfounded, even more, I was embarrassed. Inside the card were six one hundred dollar bills. When I asked why, he said that he and his wife had been praying about giving a financial gift to people who had invested in their lives and Sandy and I were one of those they wanted honor with a gift. Speechless, I finally squeaked out, “Well, thanks.” My response sounded so wimpy. How do you say to one of your closest friends in the world, “Hey, I know you guys love and respect us, but you don’t have to give us money to show your affection.” But I didn’t, and “thanks” was the best I could do and sheepishly put the card in my pocket. When I asked him if he wanted me to deposit through my organization so he could deduct the gift from his taxes he said no, “Just use it anyway you want.”

People give gifts for a whole host of reasons. This past week we sent a check to a family members daughter who graduated from high school. We hardly know the girl, but out of respect to the family we gave a gift. Some people give out of duty. I know some dear old people who go to church every Sunday just so they can pay their tithe. Some people give because out of guilt, others out of deep gratitude. For others giving is a business transaction and they seek those who offer the best ROI.

Paul, wrote this note to a donor church while he was in prison,

As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News….No other church did this….I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness (Phil. 4:15 – 17.

Paul saw the generosity of this congregation as an act of kindness, but more than anything else, he saw their deed of charity as a vote of confidence…an act of encouragement. I can only imagine the emotional and spiritual valleys Paul must have experienced; alone in prison, wondering if all this suffering was necessary. And then he receives a message, perhaps not a Hallmark card, but a note from a group of people who believed in him. Other churches had received the Good News from Paul’s preaching, but it was just this Philippian congregation who took up a collection for his physical needs. Paul said he didn’t need it, but he accepted it because he wanted them to receive a reward for their kindness.

I know there are many missionaries who read this blog. They, like myself, know that with every gift they receive it is more than just dollars for their ministry. Each donation is a symbol of encouragement. So, in spite of the awkwardness, even at times the distastefulness of receiving monetary support, at the end of each month I look at the list of those who have given financially and, though I see the dollar amount, I am more aware of those who have sent a vote of confidence. My prayer is that (a) I betray not that confidence and (b) God will richly reward their kindness.

Seeing and Meeting the Need

When our family lived in Kenya there was a woman in Tulsa who wrote and asked if there was anything she could send us? I was working on verse-by-verse Bible studies in Swahili and this dear lady, named Kathy, supplied me with commentaries for three years to help me in this project. She also sent regularly women’s magazines to my wife and comic books to my daughters. Kathy saw a need and met it.

Recently I mentioned in my monthly E-letter of a conference I was underwriting in Orissa, India. A church in Sherman, Texas sent me $1,500 to cover the cost. This congregation went beyond just monthly support, they gave extra to meet a need.



When I let it be known that a pastor in Kenya asked if I could find a used computer, Larry in California dusted off his perfectly good working IBM laptop and sent it to me which I gladly took to pastor Paul. Larry turned his outdated computer into a tool for God’s work in Africa.



While churches go through the process of determining if their congregations can support the ministry, people like Casey and Becky, Keith and Lorna, Tom and Judy, Allan and Edith, Jim and Diana, the Vangergrifts, the Martins and other individuals and families become monthly partners in the work. Like Gideon’s band of warriors, we are not large in number, but it's an army diligent in the task who see a need and do what they can to meet that need.

Analogy of Parenting and Missions

In a Q and A session in a Kenyan church one young man stood and read his question.

“You missionaries,” he stated, “come here and do some very good things. However, you live in nice houses and drives cars, but you don’t leave assets for the local church to build on so they can sustain themselves.” This man’s particular point was that they needed electricity on their church compound, which would be beneficial for them to start a nursery school. For a mere $4,000 the power line could be hooked up and they could generate some income for the church.

My answer to this veiled personal criticism was two-fold. First, I agreed that in the past some of us were shortsighted in our church-planting ministry. In hindsight, it would have probably been better if I had concentrated on building fewer quality churches rather than trying to establish many churches. Perhaps if I had concentrated my resources on establishing a quality Bible school rather than on trying to establish churches in the bush of Pokot and Turkana it would have served those regions better. But that’s hindsight.

Though I understood and accepted the critical analysis of the questioner, I took issue with his premise, i.e., that if we had helped them stand on their own they would be better off today. The problem for me 25 years ago was, and still is today, how much is enough? When does aid become dependency rather than laying a good foundation? I reminded the congregation that when I started working in the area there were not even good roads, much less electricity. My investment in every church plant, thirteen in all, was meant to help them get to a place where they could move forward on their own, not permanently underwrite their ever need. I also reminded them that as one who understands African culture, Kenyan’s always feel they are too poor to do anything on their own and that, in fact, they are many times unwilling to sacrifice to reach their own desired goals. I recounted the story how that in my days on the field people would drop one cent pieces into the offering plate but would pay the witchdoctor in the area a goat to ward off evil spirits. In today’s economy many of those in the congregation can afford cell phones and cars, but for some reason can’t come up with enough money to get electricity to their church compound.

While I admitted my failings as a missionary, I told them that being a new missionary is like being a parent; it’s on-the-job training. Like a parent, we learn as we go and often can look back at how we could have done it better in both raising our children as well as serving the church. Sometimes we did things right, sometimes, in retrospect, we could have done things differently. While I may regret some of my strategies of thirty-five years ago, I can take comfort that both my kids and the churches we established have a strong foundation for their future. A missionary’s or parent’s legacy should not be how much they provided for their children or ministry, but rather how much they instilled in them to go forward on their own.

Vulnerability as Strength

Standing behind his son’s casket, pastor Ngure spoke for at least an hour. John, twenty-five years old, hung himself two days before and there were a lot of questions that accompanies every suicide. Why would he do such a thing? What was so wrong in his own world that it would push him to take his own life? Many questions, no good answers.

The short answer -- the motivation for John to end his life was the breakup with his fiancé. The boy and girl loved each other, wanted to get married, but the parents of the girl opposed the marriage because their daughter was going to the university and John had only attended a technical school after high school. When the discussion broke down, John became despondent and even told his girlfriend of his plans of ending his life. The girl sent an SMS to John’s sister of his intentions two days before he carried out his plan. Of course all funerals are sad, but this was particularly difficult. The death of young person is tragic at every level, truly senseless.

As the service continued (it was three hours long) I was interested from an anthropological perspective, how Kenyan culture handles these situations. In America suicide is something one does not talk about; it’s an embarrassment to family. My friend, working in Japan, informs me that suicide can be an act of honor, resolving a conflict or a bad circumstance. This funeral revealed to me again how Kenyans view vulnerability as strength, not weakness.

People in the West not only do not highlight their vulnerabilities, they actively conceal them. Call it pride, egotism or even denial from reality, either way, most people in America and Europe will not show their weak side because it reveals our limitations. Africans, for the most part, do not mind sharing their frailties. Pastor Ngure talked at length about his relationship with his son, including the day before he found him hanging in the bathroom. He talked to the young people assembled, John’s friends, telling them that no situation, even a broken heart, is worth taking your own life. He talked to the parents, encouraging them to remain close to their kids and keep the lines of communication open, even as he tried with John. For an hour, along with a grieving mother, three sisters and a younger brother, Pastor Nugre revealed his vulnerability as a sign of strength. Incomprehensible behavior for me, respected by everyone else assembled.

Jesus belonged to culture that believed vulnerability was weakness, yet His Father allowed Him to die in a shameful manner on a cross to show the world His strength. The world has never understood vulnerability as strength, yet it was God’s way of providing salvation to His creation who disdain the idea of bowing a knee and asking for forgiveness. I am reminded of this truth, standing by a grave in Africa.

Going To Work

As my wife drove me to the airport she asked me if was excited about the trip.

“Not particularly,” I replied, “it feels like just going to work.”

If you have traveled very much in your life then you understand that after awhile the romance or excitement of going overseas loses its edge. The long layovers in an airport; the 14 hour flight from New York to Delhi; the sleeping in strange beds and eating local food becomes a part of the job, it’s no longer an adventure. Though I have visited forty countries I still get a bit anxious about customs, catching the right train and trying to figure out the exchange rate. Since I am in the ministry and don’t have a huge budget, my seat on the plane is 40J not 4A and a five star hotel is something I read about in the in-flight magazine while sitting in the back of the plane, knowing that the best I can hope for in accommodations is AC and a private bath in the guest house where I will teach.

Understand, I am not complaining. I love what I do, training and teaching others how to serve the Lord cross-culturally. If I didn’t I certainly wouldn’t subject myself to the long days away from family and the isolation of traveling alone for weeks at a time. The point is, it ain’t all that exciting.

Years ago a man told me that when he first heard me speak he did not believe in supporting missions or missionaries. He said that there was no way he was going to give his hard earned money for me to travel the world. He confessed that it was several years later, after reading my reports, that he understood that I was living anything but a life of leisure, fun and adventure.

There is a reason that 5% of the global mission force quits every year. Ministry is, and should be, a job. And, like all jobs, there are benefits, but there are also some negatives. Daily work is not always enjoyable, and compound the emotional stress of daily activities with dynamics of living in a culture that is not your own and it can be debilitating. I like what I do and thank God each day for the role He has given me for His kingdom work. But I don’t wake up each morning excited, going to work isn’t always that much fun.

Life Goes On

Arriving early Friday morning at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport, the taxi was taking me to my friend’s house in Nairobi. My mind, of course, thought about that day, over thirty-years ago, when I first landed in Kenya. With my wife and two little girls, 5and 1 1/2 years old, the memory was, like all memories, bitter/sweet and sadly, it’s the bitter memories that cause an emotional stir.

There are certain things about the African culture that is difficult – the poverty, corruption and the sense that the people will never progress. One can blame these conditions on many things. The secularists will point to the World Bank, to poor education and tribalism. It’s no doubt some of these things are the cause of their lack of progress, but the underlying problem is a culture that is in its own prison of disobedience against God, which then translates into disobedience toward others.

The sweet side of my return is the fond memories of a house full of laughter when our daughters came home for their one-month school breaks to our home upcountry; the many dear friends that were and are today, a part of our life and ministry. But even with those good memories, a cloud of sadness creeps in when I think of the many friends I worked with who have passed on, though with a silver lining knowing that they are at rest with the Christ they served faithfully in harsh and difficult conditions.

As my mind wanders in the thick of the morning traffic jam, a matatu (mini van taxi) passes. On the back window a sign reads, Life Goes On and I am struck by the simplicity yet profundity of those three words. As the leaders of Kenya work through the healing of a bitterly contested election which resulted in riots, the loss of property and 1,500 souls, the people try to go work and eek out a living because life goes on. The great expectations of the past are renewed once again and people move guardedly forward, as they must, because life goes on. Knowing that when I arrive upcountry I will be inundated with requests from people who see me as a resource to solve all their problems here on earth I will no doubt disappoint a few and my emotions will range from sadness to frustration, but life goes on.

Life goes on, and it seems to go by so quickly. I started my journey in Africa over 30 years ago; I cannot hope to have that many years ahead of me. So, as we weave through the congested streets of Nairobi, I anticipate the week ahead for good and bad to come my way. There isn’t a lot I can do about it, as life goes on.

This morning another matatu drives by, for perhaps just my benefit, and on the back was written God Provides.

Don't Cast Your Net, Pick Up a Fishing Pole

As I sat looking out over the Arabian Sea, my mind was absorbed with the little fishing boats anchored off the coast. What a tough job that must be, to battle the wind and the waves in such a small boat, throwing out the nets hoping to catch a few fish to eat and to sell. At night the fisherman do not rest, but the mend their nets and prepare for the next day’s toil.

I then thought of the class of faithful servants I’ve been teaching this week. Many of them told me about the persecution they have suffered their service to Christ in this region. In my class this morning I challenged them to quit trying to be “net fisherman,” but rather “pole fisherman.” My class is about knowing people in culture, not methods of evangelism and church growth.

The church has traditionally tried to reach the world with the Gospel by casting large nets – revival campaigns, VBS, radio/television ministries, tract distribution and showing the Jesus Film. Using those methods we pray for a few people to get caught in God’s net, but many escape, some swim away frightened, others angry and offended. I'm suggesting the better way to reach a nation for God is through building a relationship with those who live in our community, to fish for the souls of men, one at a time.

Of course this is not the role of the full-time pastor or missionary alone. In fact, its everyday followers of Christ who work in an office or factory and the community where they live who should be about the business of pole fishing. Being friends with those we live with, living a consistent godly life of integrity, without gossip or anger; by helping them in their time of need, this is the way of pole fishing.

To be a good pole fisherman you have to know the way of the fish – go where they swim, know what they feed on. This means that we, as fishers of men, must be, like our Lord, “a friend of sinners.” Christ came not into the world to condemn the world; He came with love and compassion that they might have salvation. And so it is with us. May we get out of the secure confines of our boat, i.e. the church, put away our nets and go fishing, each day we live.

Do The Work of an Evangelist

A few years back one of my former professors suggested I write a book entitled, “Reflections of a Cross-Cultural Evangelist.” I didn’t like the title as the word evangelist conjures up, for me, negative images. Today’s evangelists are those who usually have a gimmick, look like pro wrestlers or wear Treki uniforms. I don’t want to project the image of one who is forever thrusting a gospel track in the face of everybody I meet asking, “Are you saved, brother?” After my classes this week, however, I’ve been thinking about my role as a cross-cultural evangelist.

One of the assignments for my class is to read my doctoral dissertation on the social structure of the Kara Pokot. There are many things about the Pokot culture that is non-Christian such as drinking homemade beer, polygamy, female circumcision and going to the witchdoctor. Many students, down through the years, have taken me to task for not speaking out more forcibly about these practices. I am continually reminding my students that the study of social organization is not meant to correct behavior but to understand the worldview of people. There are profound reasons why the Pokot, and all cultures, engage in sinful practices. It is those reasons (I call “critical tension”) that lead an evangelist to speak to people about their relationship with God. I remind my students that most cultural practices are non-salvation issues. Yes, of course I do not condone genital mutilation, divorce, co-habitation, homosexuality and a whole host of other non-Christian practices (and other “sins” Christians don’t make a big deal of i.e., gluttony, gossip, covetousness, etc.) but they are issues outside the door of a transformed life. I’m concerned with the condition of people before they are redeemed, which makes me different from many who insist people act like Christians before they become followers of Christ.

While I indeed believe Christians have a responsibility to speak to the injustices of this world, Christianity, for some, has become, like our politics, issue oriented. In the process we have forgotten that abortion, though wrong, is not a salvation issue. What motivates me each day are the 87% of the 3.6 billion people in Asia who do not personally know a Christian. I’m trying to encourage the church to go out into the world and not only to meet people outside the faith but, like our Lord, be a friend of sinners. You will never be their friend by beating up on their behavior. You will become a friend when you learn more about them and build a relationship with them. Do the work of an evangelist, not an activist for a cause.

God Is Good, All The Time

I have for the past few days been thinking about the theology of suffering. Actually, the thought of suffering has come out of my appreciation for God’s goodness and blessing on my life.

The philosophy and theology of the Western church, as I have argued before, is a by-product of our capitalistic market culture, which has had its affect on the church worldwide through globalization. Whether it’s business, family or church growth, the measuring rod of blessing is predicated on things going right, expanding and happiness. A business that is small, a church that is struggling and a family who are tested are never models of the way things ought to be. While most evangelicals criticize those who preach “prosperity gospel,” the influence of capitalism on our collective psyche that might equals right is profound. “God is good…all the time. All the time…God is good” is a common Christian cliché, but do we believe it? Has the philosophy of the Protestant work ethic become so out of balance that our pursuit of material success has overshadowed God’s perspective of His blessings? Indeed, would I recognize God’s blessing if things were not going well?

Mike Wells tells the story of receiving two Christmas cards. The first one goes like this.

Dear Friends,

This past year Bob received a big promotion. We were finally able to build that dream house we’ve always wanted. I must admit, it’s challenging to clean six bathrooms. Our son has a successful law practice, our daughter was granted a full scholarship at Stanford. Our grandson, who is four, is reading like a six year old and the doctor says he is a genius. It was a hot summer and we were able to take vacation to the French Riviera to escape the heat. Isn’t God good.

The other Christmas card...

Dear Friends,

In our little town the plant shut down this past year. Many people have lost their jobs and it has greatly affected our income, but we are managing. We went through a difficult time with sickness recently, but we are grateful that our health is being restored. Our Down’s Syndrome daughter, who they said would never read, is now learning a few words. This morning there was a terrible storm came through, but after it passed the birds began to sing. The Lord reminded me that the storms of our life would pass too. Isn’t God good.

Well, of course, both letters can be a testimony of God’s goodness. The challenge to my soul is, if my life were more like the second card, would I recognize His blessings? And, if I am not careful, will I only see the testimony of the first as a measure of His goodness?

Common Struggles

I enjoy reading mission history. History, as I tell my students, is a study of Divine action in time. So, when I read stories of personalities who served in a different era I gain insights, encouragement and strength of those who walked this journey of missions before me.

This past week I read an article about a Norwegian Lutheran missionary by the name of Notto Normann Thelle who served in China for 40 years. His senior colleague Karl Ludvig Reichelt overshadowed Thelle’s ministry as he was the “upfront” missionary who did pioneer church planting, wrote books and was the celebrated personality who led the mission. Thelle was his assistant, who edited Reichelt’s books, was the administrator of the work and who, for the most part, always played a secondary role. Thelle was quite content to serve as support staff, but he had two struggles that I, and many missionaries wrestle with – a feeling of uselessness and loneliness.

USELESSNESS - Thelle did not have the theological training of Reichelt or other missionaries, and though he was busy running the mission, receiving guests and speaking at chapel occasionally, he always wondered if he was making a contribution for Christ and His Church? He struggled in the language, never quite feeling that he was communicating in a way that reflected the message he wanted to present to others. Even those who are active in primary ministry often feel a sense of uselessness, how much more so of those who have, seemingly, secondary roles.

LONELINESS – As an umarried man in his early years of service, Thelle lived a lonely life in the midst of activity. Even if one has a family, loneliness is often the burden of those who leave their home country to serve overseas. As I read of Thelle’s life of loneliness it touched an emotional cord that so many of my colleagues face each day. Nothing is more painful than the feeling of isolation away from family and friends.

The encouraging thing about Thelle’s story is twofold. First, that God does bless those who faithfully serve Him, even if the work is not readily noticed or appreciated by others. Happy is the man or woman who understands that no matter if others see our service to Christ, He does. Second, that the pain of loneliness is not unique to us. Our pain of isolation is not lessened by this fact, but at least we can take comfort that many that have walked before us shared a common struggle. What is important is that we remain faithful to our calling and press forward knowing that by our lives we are adding pages to God’s great narrative of His work here on earth.

Beyond Knowledge

Kevin Vanhoozer, in an article entitled The New Theologians: Creating a Theological Symphony writes – “The goal of theology is wisdom, not knowledge.”

It’s 4 a.m. in Delhi. Jetlag has me and so as I wait for daylight to catch a flight to Bangalore, I read random thoughts on wisdom versus knowledge. Vanhoover’s comment on wisdom captures the essence of what I want to accomplish in the next two weeks I will be in the classroom of DMin. students. Hopefully, knowledge is something I will pass on to my learners, but the greater task will be to transfer wisdom that is associated with that knowledge.

The three ingredients in attaining wisdom is knowledge, practice and Divine insight.

Knowledge is not necessarily cognitive dump, as some accuse the function of education. While it is true that much of general education are bits of pieces of information which may or may not be relevant to life, specialized knowledge is essential for anyone with a task to perform. Whether the subject be how to prune a tree or how to start a business, knowledge is vital.

Practice is the second element preceding wisdom. As Francis of Assisi puts it, "Mankind has as much knowledge as it executes." To posses knowledge without application is as useless as a third thumb. One of the great challenges of any teacher is to force the student to apply what knowledge he/she receives. If they cannot, or will not, practice what they have learned then the knowledge they receive will be added to the millions of other pieces of information they will amass in a lifetime that will fade as smoke on a windy day.

Divine insight is the igniter, the mechanism that determines when, where and how knowledge is best applied. The accumulation of knowledge, though needed, is not wisdom. Having experience, though critical, does not equal success. Apart from God’s impartation one is left with an intellectual empty suit or a mindless daily laborer, no matter what their profession.

Presumptuous of me, I suspect, to advertise my class as applied wisdom rather than applied anthropology. Pretentious, perhaps, to suggest on completion of my course the student will have unique insights for ministry and service for Christ. If, however, that is not what I, or any professor, can offer his/her students who sit at our proverbial feet, then all they can hope for is more knowledge that they will easily forget.

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

Supporting National Pastors

Though I have addressed this subject before, last week I received a message from a church asking my advice on supporting national pastors. The congregation has been going to the Dominican Republic for several years as part of their short-term missions project. The DR is one of the most popular destinations for short-termers as it cost very little to fly there, the weather is good and the population is Christian, though nominal and mostly Roman Catholic. One of the DR youth pastors is starting a church in a remote village and the U.S. congregation has been asked to take on his support. The leadership of the American church is willing, but the mission committee is hesitant. On the surface it seems plausible. We support North American missionaries for thousands of dollars a month to plant churches, why not a national for hundreds instead?

My advice to the congregation was not to support national pastors. Why?

The primary issue for me is one of dependency. When the national church receives outside funding there is no incentive for the local congregation to support their own church and no legitimate reason for the national pastor to teach stewardship to the new congregation. In the fourteen years I worked in Kenya we did not have an open-ended support program for pastors or evangelists. Though I worked with some of the poorest people on earth, when it came to starting churches I was very careful that they were started by men who:

(1) Felt a calling or leading to be a pastor. If there is a financial incentive for being in the Lord’s work, in a country where 50% of the population is unemployed, you run the risk of having people entering into ministry, not because of their commitment to the King, but a commitment to a 1,000 Rupees, Shillings or Pesos a month.

(2) Trusted God for their daily bread, not the foreigner. Missions, missionaries, churches in the states come and go, along with their pocketbook, but God, their true resource, never takes a furlough, never changes policy, never gets kicked out of the country for political reasons and never has an economic downturn. Nationals who trust in God for their resources also do not have to trust in both God and mammon, just God.

(3) Recognized that stewardship is not just for those who have disposable income, but even for the widow who just has two mites. The argument that the national church is too poor to do God’s work is not legitimate. Maybe they are too poor to have a nice building; maybe too poor to support their pastor, but that does not mean they are too poor to serve Christ. Some of our churches in Africa met under a tree for a year before they found the means to build a mud building. All of our pastors were bi-vocational who worked for a living but served God as pastors. Part of spiritual growth is stewardship, whether the person is living on a dollar a day or $75K a year.

Did I ever help the Kenyan church? Certainly. I helped pastors with their bi-vocational projects, helped churches with their physical needs such as buying corrugated tin for their roofs and helped start schools. However, I only helped in some projects after the fact, not as an incentive. I didn’t do it perfectly and made a lot of mistakes. But, after nearly 20 years of not being in Kenya, many of those poor churches and pastors are still serving Christ, growing and starting other congregations.

Lessons Not Learned

This past week I have been engaged in another type of service, taking care of my aged parents. My 87 year old dad, who has early stages of dementia, has been in the ICU of the VA hospital for the past five days and I have been spending a great deal of time shuttling my mom back and forth to the hospital as well as sleeping each night at their house. In-between moments of crisis I have been trying to prepare for a six-week training project in India and Kenya starting next Thursday. Its been and interesting few days.

The cubicle next to my dad’s room there was a young man, I’m guessing in his early 30’s, who is dying of lung cancer. As he lays there moaning, begging for more morphine, his wife tells me he won’t be going home. His family comes into the room to comfort him, but leave with tears in their eyes all too aware of the inevitable.

Yesterday I walked outside of the hospital and noticed this young man’s relatives outside as well. I heard one woman talking on her cell phone say, “Right now he’s fighting for every breath.” What took me back was they were all out there for a smoke!

Human behavior is amazing. No matter how much we are warned about the dangers of smoking, over-eating, alcohol abuse or any number of destructive habits we hold onto, we seem bent on self-destruction. Even seeing the agonizing end of a loved one does not motivate us to change our behavior.

My dad, who is now out of the hospital, was fastidious about his weight, quit smoking fifty years ago and has worked hard all his life. He didn’t always do things right in life, but he did learn some important lessons, lessons some people never learn.

A Good Friday Indeed

“Why do you call this Good Friday?” my Hindu neighbor asked me.

Evangelicals don’t recognize this day as much as Roman Catholics or Orthodox Christians. We certainly acknowledge the importance of the Crucifixion and death of Christ, but since we are a Sunday only lot, any religious activity that isn’t between 9 to 11 a.m. on the first of the week is outside sacred time for us. Thankfully the liturgical churches make a big deal out of ritual days (Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Pentecost), which gives the Christian church at least a few notable holy days beyond Christmas and Easter.

“Well honestly, it was not a particular good day for Jesus,” I replied. “This is the day that Jesus was tortured and then executed.” I didn’t go into all the gory details of that momentous day 2000 years ago; how that Jesus was beaten, mocked, hung on a Roman cross while the religious leaders of that day ridiculed him saying, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself.”

“However,” I continued, “Christians, remember this day as being Good for all mankind. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all people. While that Friday was not a good one for Jesus, it was a great day for all those who believe in Christ and have put their faith in Him as Savior.”

Mr. J. looked at me like my granddaughter does when I tell her something that she doesn’t understand. In the mind of a Hindu, the crucifixion is another myth about good triumphing over evil, with no real moral to the story. Then he said, “And Easter is the day he was reborn.”

“Not reborn, resurrected” I countered, knowing this story would be as ludicrous to him as was Good Friday tale.

“Jesus was not reincarnated three days after his crucifixion. While Jesus’ physical body expired He did not die, which is true of all people. Jesus resurrected His physical body three day later on Sunday, which we celebrate as Easter. His resurrection is important to followers of Christ because it demonstrates His power over death and gives us hope that we, too, will one day be resurrected. The grave is not the end of life or existence for Christians. Easter is the important day on the Christian calendar as it celebrates life, not death.”

Mr. J. passed away last December 11th, not really understanding the Gospel. Because of his question to me, I believe I will always hold this day even a bit more special. No, that Friday wasn’t a good day for Jesus at all, but it was a great day for all those who believe, even if they don’t totally understand it or can adequately explain it to others.

Defining Missions

The other day a former pastor wrote and asked me this question.

“How do you define ‘missions’”?

As I thought of a response, I realized that I have in the past defined what is a missionary, but not written much on what is missions. I have concluded that not everyone who shares the gospel is a missionary. They may be witness, a conduit for revelation, they may even be salt and light in a non-Christian country, but that doesn’t make them missionaries, in the professional sense of the word. But what about missions? What is it and how is missions defined?

If I am consistent that a missionary is a person who intentionally crosses cultural borders of ethnicity, language, religion, caste/tribe identification, then missions must also have those cross-cultural characteristics. I do not believe supporting a Bible College, youth camps, television programs or the local crisis pregnancy clinic is missions. Good causes indeed, worthy of church funding, but not missions.

Mission is different from Missions. Mission is rooted in Missio Dei, the Mission of God – making Himself known to all mankind, the process of establishing His Kingdom. Mission is Theocentric, to bring glory and worship to God alone through time and space, from every people, language and nation.

Missions, is a program of the church. And, like all programs, the activities of missions is as diverse as the church itself. Here is a sampling of missions:

Social Missions – Meeting the felt needs of people (feeding programs, orphanages, schools, etc.) The goal of the social missions is to demonstrate the love of Christ through works of social action.

Church Planting Missions – The deliberate act of going to an area to evangelize, baptize and disciple people and forming a fellowship where believers can intellectually and spiritually grow in their faith. This, by definition, is the basis for the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18ff.

Support Missions - Anything that supports the structure of missions, be it boarding schools for missionary families, language schools, Bible translation or administrators working in the corporate office. Team leaders, pastor to missionaries, mechanics, women and children ministries all fall under the category of support missions.

Facilitative Missions – This is a new category of missions that has emerged over the past thirty years. Facilitative missions is specifically training national church planters and missionaries, helping them in their outreach to the least evangelized peoples of the world. I do not include pastoral training in this category, as most of those ministries focus on leaders of an established congregation rather than on outreach. To be sure, every church should be engaged in outreach, but growing a church is much different than starting a church.

While church planting is the stated goal of a majority of missionary activity, most missionaries are engaged in support or social ministry. I cannot pass judgment on any of these ministries as God can and does use all of it to bring people to Himself. It’s my opinion, however, that more emphasis should be placed on intentional outreach ministries if the majority of the world will ever have an opportunity to hear the Good News message of Christ Jesus. When the focus becomes Mission, rather than Missions, then, and only then, will the vast number of unreached hear the Gospel.

STM Survey

In the most recent issue of Missiology: An International Review, there is an interesting report on short-term missions entitled, “They See Everything, and Understand Nothing.” It’s estimated that over 1.5 million U.S. Christians travel abroad every year on short-term missions trips, primarily teenagers and young adults. This survey of STMs is unique in that it focuses on seminaries and their STM programs. I will only highlight the findings of this survey in this blog, but encourage those who want to know the details to get the January 2008 issue of Missiology.

1. Number of STM abroad taken by MDiv students: None 49%, One 22%, Two 10%, Three or more 19%.

2. Length of STM abroad: 10-14 days 34%, 7-9 days 27%.

3. Cost of STM trips: $501-$1,000 23%; $1,001-$1,500 19%.

4. Portion of Cost Paid by self and/or parent: 0-10% 37%, 91-100% 19%.

5. Month of Departure: June 27%; July 25%.

6. Size of Group of STM: 11-15 22%, 6-10 17%.

7. National Language of STM Trip Country: Spanish 57%, Non-Spanish 43%.

8. Top 10 STM Destinations: Mexico, Dominican Republic, Canada, Honduras, Jamaica, Guatemala, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, China, Peru.

I’m interested especially in point # 4 as it reveals that most of the money raised for the trip is through support raising outside the person or family. Point #8 is interesting as well, that most trips are, for the most part, in the Americas. What does these statistics say to you?

Dreadful Missiology

I occasionally visit a discussion group of some independent Baptist pastors. It’s interesting as well as educational for me to read the issues that face today’s American clergy. Quite honestly, I don’t know how they do it as our society becomes less interested in spiritual matters and churches compete for the few in this world who are seeking answers to the basic questions: How did I get here? What’s the meaning of life? What happens after I die? In the quest to be relevant churches must have a full-service program for children, youth, middle-age parents and senior citizens. On top of that, the church is charged with taking the Good News of Christ’s salvation to the four corners of the globe.

It’s when the discussion on this list turns to missions that I, of course, become most interested. The conversation generally is about missionaries, such as what to do with missionaries who have retired or perhaps a missionary project they feel is doing the best work. Last week I was appalled when one pastor made this statement.

“We are now supporting a good number of nationals in the 10/40 window, and getting a lot of bang for our buck. They are overseen by Americans, and the number of souls being saved is staggering.”

There are so many things about this statement that make me cringe. While I can agree with the importance of working with nationals and applaud the focus to the most unreached areas of the world, the missiology of this comment is ghastly, at best.

First is the assertion that supporting nationals is more valid because one can get more done with less money. Known as the big “bang for the buck” theory, this line of thinking is only legitimate to bottom line capitalism. Cost effectiveness is a purely Western concept, not a biblical principle. From the outrageous cost of building the Temple in Jerusalem to the unseemly honorary gift to Jesus by a former demon possessed woman (Matthew 26:7), God’s economy is not measured by ROI. I feel sorry for all those people who supported Jesus with their material possessions, believing He would usher in the Kingdom, only to be dispersed at the foot of a hill outside of Jerusalem and seeing their investment nailed to a Roman cross. For sure, we need to be wise with our money, but let’s not commercialize the Great Commission any more than it already is.

The second comment from this pastor that pushed me over the edge was the comment that the national work was being overseen by Americans, which, by implication, suggests that the church is getting more bang for their buck because it is managed by us, not them! That is an absurd statement at so many different levels. Paternalism was the sin of our mission forefathers and is, unfortunately, still a problem in many countries today. The attitude that since the missionary has the money he controls the ministry (the perversion of the Golden Rule, i.e. he that has the gold rules) is the bane of the modern missionary movement. On the one hand this pastor is touting letting nationals do the work, but only if there is an American that can manage the ministry. How anyone could come up with such a dreadful missiology is beyond my comprehension.

Whenever I read comments, like the one on this pastors list, I realize how much work that needs to be done in educating the American church in missions. Good missiology is more than emotion, much deeper than a well designed PowerPoint or DVD presentation. I wouldn’t presume to tell a pastor how to do his job at the local level, but it seems to be okay for just about anyone to be an expert in cross-cultural ministry.

Training vs. Education

My last post was about missionary training and how much (or little) agencies dedicate time and money toward cross-cultural preparedness. Unless you are with the IMB the chances are you have had little to no training at all for the task of going overseas and doing ministry as a church planter, educator or administrator in a cross-cultural context. Most organizations accept missionary candidates through the old grid of Bible College or seminary. If these people are mission majors it is assumed they have the knowledge necessary to do ministry overseas. The problem is, there is a big difference between education and training.

I am a trainer. In spite of my brother’s protest that “you train horses, you educate people” I maintain my stance as one who trains people for cross-cultural work, not just educate (though that is a by-product of my training). How do I train people for cross-cultural work?

Research – There is no way a person can effectively communicate the message of Christ until they understand the people who are the recipients of that message. You cannot give the answers until you know the questions…you cannot know the questions until you know how to do quantitative research. I teach/train/coach people on what questions they should be even looking for in the context of a particular people group. You can teach ethnography, but when you train people in ethnography it becomes an integral part of missionary preparedness, not just a subject.

Meaning - All research is irrelevant until you answer the most profound question of all -- So What? So what if the people believe in having more than one wife or go to the witchdoctor or astrologer for guidance? Interesting that they have a statue of Ganesh in their house or give an offering of fruit to their ancestors each morning, but so what? If a missionary can’t distinguish between what people do from why people do what they do, they will hardly be effective in their service for Christ. You can educate people on what people do, but it is through coaching and training people discover the why, which answers the so what.

Educators know that much of what they do is filler, as Allan Bloom wrote about 20 years ago.

"...colleges do not have enough to teach their students, not enough to justify keeping them four years, probably not even three years. If the focus is careers, there is hardly one specialty, outside the hardest of the hard natural sciences, which requires more than two years of preparatory training prior to graduate studies. The rest is just wasted time, or a period of ripening until the students are old enough for graduate studies. For many graduate careers, even less is really necessary. It is amazing how many undergraduates are poking around for courses to take, without any plan or question to ask, just filling up their college years."



Missionary sending organizations that depend on Bible Colleges or seminaries to prepare people for rigors of cross-cultural ministry need to learn the difference between education and training. If we seriously want to reach our world with the Gospel we need to put more time and money into missionary training.

Missionary Training

As a missionary trainer I was interested in the latest journal of Missiology, which dedicated its entire issue to cross-cultural training. The author, Darrell Whitman, surveyed several mission organizations to assess their missionary training and found these results of those that train between 20 and 700 people each year. These are his findings.

Time and Money

"How much time do these mission organizations devote to training their missionaries? The range was 7 to 56 days, with an average of 25 days, or 3.5 weeks.

When asked what percent of the overall budget is given to training, the range was from 2% to 35%, with an average of 12% of their budget spent on training. It is noteworthy that the mission organization that trains the most missionaries (700), also spends the most in training (56 days), and devotes the highest percent of their budget (35%) to training. This is the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention."

Focus of Training

1. Policies and Procedures (14%)
2. Cross-cultural Communication (13%)
3. Understanding Cultural Differences (12%)
4. Mission Team Dynamics (11%)
5. Discipleship (9%)
6. Theology of Mission (8%)
7. Church Planting (7%)
8. Culture Shock (6%)
9. Understanding World Religions (6%)
10. Spiritual Warfare (5%)
11. Psychological Testing and Personality Assessment (4%)

The reality is, these figures reflect agencies that provide training, but many more organizations do not provide training of any kind. In my experience in working with national mission organizations I believe the number of days, budget and focus of training is even less than for North Americans. We certainly need more missionaries, but perhaps the greater need is missionaries who are better equipped. Those responsible to make sure people are best prepared are those who are in charge of sending them.

"Dear John" and Donor Attrition

A few months back I received a note from a pastor in the US. Their church has been supporting us for over 30 years and this guy was their new pastor. When he wrote, in my mind I concluded that (1) he was young (turned out it is his first church) and (2) he was looking for a way to drop our support. Last week I received a note from him saying that his board had made the decision that they would discontinue their financial support, though they would continue to pray for us!?

When you depend on the monthly contributions of churches and individuals you never enjoy receiving a “Dear John Letter” (a reference to when a girl dumps you, which happened to me when I was single guy in the Army). But, like I’ve said before, donor attrition is a way of life for faith missionary support and you have to learn not to take things personally.

When the pastor wrote and asked about our ministry I dutifully answered all his questions and even said I would be happy to visit the church on my next trip home to give a report. All the way to the church in early January I fought the internal discontent in my soul, as I was sure it was a waste of time and money to report to a church that had already made up their mind about our ministry. I’m glad I made the trip in respect to the fact that they had supported us, off and on, for $50 a month for many years. The least I could do was say thanks. It actually was a good evening and I tried to educate the congregation on missions today, not missions of 1975. The world has changed, missions has changed, my role in missions, which I believe is more strategic and important than anything I’ve done in my career, has changed, but, sadly, they have not changed. Though the people were kind, I knew in my heart our partnership was about to end. And so it is.

I’ve said it before so I will say it again -- if a missionary is not actively trying to raise additional funds he is passively going in the hole. Donor attrition is a way of life and so I, like my colleagues, must continue to seek new support to keep the ministry alive. I know it’s wearisome for churches and individuals to constantly receive requests from missionaries and, believe me, it’s tiresome for us to continue to ask for funding. Whether the ministry budget is $50K or one million dollars everyone must continue to spend a certain amount of time raising money. It’s a horrible system, but it has to be done as one thing is certain – occasionally we will receive the dreaded Dear John letter.

Getting Perspective on The Grand Trunk Express

There is not much reason to take the train these days. If time is a part of the financial equation, then taking a two and half hour flight makes more sense than a thirty-two hour journey to the same destination. But, not everything in this world has to be gauged by dollars and cents, or maybe shouldn’t. So I boarded the Grand Trunk Express from Chennai to Delhi, knowing that the two-night one day excursion would be long but certainly more interesting than sitting on a plane just looking at the back of the head of someone sitting in front of me.

As we pulled out of the station the first evening, the weather outside was hot and humid. Inside the compartment it was so cold I had to close the overhead vents. The porter came in and made my bed while as we passed a number of people sleeping on railway platforms and on the side of the busy roads. My fellow travelers were upper middle income as we journeyed through the countryside of people who live on less than $2 a day. The contrasts in this country are so prevalent that few people even notice. Imagine, on the same train there are those who paid $100 for a first class coach, while in the back of the train, which is the largest section of travelers, they paid less than $10 for the same trip, but had to sleep on flat bench, if the are lucky, on the floor or, more likely, sitting up, leaning on others in a the overcrowded bogies.

Throughout the day I gazed outside my window and thought of this interesting country. My mind, of course, thought about the people who live in the villages along the rail lines. I watched a woman drop a bucket in a well to draw water, little children flying kites near a polluted swamp and wondered what the old man was thinking as he watched the lumbering train pass not more than 20 yards from his house? The further we traveled north I saw more Moslem mosques, big and small Hindu temples but very few churches.

I’ve been in this business a long time, perhaps too long. I no longer get emotionally sappy about the poverty or spiritual needs of the masses. The years and miles have moved me from being naïve idealist to a critical realist. I rejoice with every mouth that is fed, every child that is educated, every sinner who becomes a saint. But the reality of this country is that, statistically, the percentage of Christians ten years from now will be less than its present. A population steeped in superstition and whose highest goal is achieve higher status, if the Indian changes his/her faith, it will be more likely to the gods of multi-national corporations, not the God of heaven. The foreign God of Christianity may be the stated offence of Hindu’s, but the foreign god of wealth and material goods is most certainly a faith they readily embrace.

The Almighty, fortunately, is not limited by my skepticism or the hyperbole of those who think they are making an impact on the society with their uncritical outreach programs. God will do what only God does -- use the good, the bad and the silly to bring honor unto Himself. Perhaps more people should take a ride on the Grand Trunk Express to get perspective on the reality of life and to reflect on how He can best use us in the grand scheme of things.

The Challenge of Conversion

In training cross-cultural workers in India, I always ask a new class this question: “How many of you come from a Christian background; your mother and father were Christians?” Without exception, 95% of those I teach people grew up in the church. Occasionally there will be a student who came to Christ from a Hindu background, but it is rare. This month one young man in my class told me he came to Christ out of a Buddhist family. Very rare indeed.

Why is this important? Because most of those I teach have never struggled through the issues of changing their belief. While they are being trained and sent to take the Gospel to those who do not know Christ and to convince them that Jesus is indeed the “way, truth and the life,” they themselves have never experienced the trauma of conversion.

It is no easy thing for someone to leave a cultural/religious belief and embrace another faith. In many cultures to accept Christianity is deny your family and cultural heritage…punishable by ostracism and even death. In some societies, for a person to embrace the Gospel is seen as an act of disrespect to parents, an offence that is greater than murder. I asked my Buddhist background student what his family thought of his conversion and he confessed that he made the decision after his father and mother had passed away. For some cultures, which have a strong family consciousness, to convert may even cause the death of their ancestors who live in the spirit world.

Conversion is challenging worldview assumptions. It is the greatest challenge any witness of Christ will ever face. I contend that, while the Gospel is simple, the presentation of the Gospel cross-culturally is not. We dare not be glib as we tell others to forsake all others and follow Christ. Accepting Jesus as Lord is through faith, but many times that faith is greater than a mustard seed.

Reaching The Other 87%

R and S are a couple who live in Delhi. He is an educator; she is a stay-at-home mom who is also a great vocalist. S grew up in a upper middle income, high caste family and through her many contacts and network, presents musicals to the elite class of India, including political figures Though they have both lived and worked in the U.S. they made the decision to remain in India.

R often reminds me that, though he makes his living as a teacher, his ministry is doing what he can to reach out to unbelievers as well as disciple new followers of Christ. R is now working for a group of investors, none which are Christians, in establishing an English medium school. Though R is an accomplished teacher and speaker, his pulpit is not in a church, but in the board meeting with investors and his interaction with the local community where the school project will be launched.

Recently a friend of S fell seriously ill, to the point of death. A young woman in her thirties, this Hindu friend is out of ICU, but her prognosis and recovery is still tentative. It’s during this time that S has been with her friend, sometimes all night at the hospital. As S ministers to her friend, through kindness and prayer, S hopes that the crisis of life will be an opportunity for her friend to really hear and understand the Jesus she has been talking to her about all her life.

Eight-seven percent of the 3.6 billion people who live in Asia do not personally know a Christian. How will they be reached? Not by another strategic missionary plan, or having a conference on how to have a people movement. The task seems impossible. However, if every believer in their workplace and community would just get to know non-Christians and be friends with those who do not follow Christ, those who have never heard the Gospel will at least have a chance to understand our faith. R and S are neither passive nor militant in their service for Christ. They merely serve Him faithfully each day where they are and in what they do.