• Our hope-filled future is bound up in sharing the story of Jesus, in discipling others, in bringing those disciples together into communities of believers, and in developing and releasing those believers to create other communities... till Jesus the King comes again!

Mission11 Asia Update[2]

Posted on June 10, 2011 by wtdavid

This is in some ways a “live” post. I am writing it while listening to a time where some of our workers from Asia are sharing “stories about mobilization”. 

WT Asia has created a mobilization team whose desire is to pray and work towards seeing more workers engaged in ministries in Asia.  Jim started the time by reading a post from this blog back in Dec 2009. The words of that post had challenged him to recognize his need, and everyone’s need, to be involved in encouraging others to consider God’s work cross culturally.

Trevor then challenged us to have a desire to see “mobilization multiplication”.  I loved that phrase as it underscored how we long to see everything we do multiplied so that others will engage in God’s work around the world.

Tim works to journey with people as they begin their adventure in cross cultural ministry: the vital role of mentoring.  Seann works to engage these new workers in ministry: listening well and releasing those new workers into cross cultural ministry with freedom to innovate and realistic expectations.

Interspersed between each one of these times of sharing were times of prayer for the mobilization of new workers.

An interesting twist to this time was when Amy interviewed a group of the kids from the Asia team.  Listening to them made you recognize how vital is their perspective to cross
cultural life and work, and their unique and incredible insights and gifts.

This session was a great encouragement to see how WT Asia is responding to the ‘crisis opportunity’ in mobilization (see TATJ post of Sept 2009).

Filed under: Mission11, Mobilization | Leave a comment »

What do we do with Jesus’ Extravagant Promises about Prayer?

Posted on January 17, 2011 by wtdavid

Thanks to Jacob for this week’s post on A Praying Life:

Miller gives us quite a reasonable question in the very title of this chapter (chapter 15). What, indeed, do we do with Jesus’ extravagant promises about prayer? Do we explain it away, making it either conditional or restricting it to the realm of “spiritual” things? Do we give it lip service in our meetings, using it to rally people with emotion at public gatherings, while quietly wishing it were true in the daily practice of our lives? Or have we grown cynical, considering these “promises” as too good to be true?

Recently, in a conversation with a fellow World Teamer, I confessed one of my struggles in life. I said, and almost in so many words, “It seems to me that God does not want me to succeed.” The response came wisely. “So, Jeremiah 29.11 applies to all others but not to you?” Good answer!!!

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son… If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14.13-14) Jesus really does make extravagant promises!

During the past week, members of the WT Europe Region gathered to consider the World Team mobilization crunch. We were challenged! And we came away from the workshop with a new word – “crisitunity.” Susan Best sees this current crisis as an opportunity!

Susan did a great job of delivering the sobering news, along with the challenge for the future, in a context soaked in prayer. Throughout the week we heard, prayed, and repeated again, the phrase, “Lord of the harvest, please send more workers into your harvest fields!”

We can ask this prayer boldly. Why? Jesus said we should! And so, as we ask it in Jesus’ name, we can do with confidence. As Miller says, “Asking in Jesus’ name isn’t another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. It is one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect.” Wow, I don’t know what that statement does for you, but it gives me breathing room. It gives me hope that I, struggling as I am with the cynicism that threatens to strangle me at times, can pray, “Lord of the harvest, please send more workers to World Team.”

So, our very “work for God” can turn us to relate to God. After all, Miller reminds us, our asking is relating. We, like little children, come to our good Father and ask; “Please daddy, I would really like that.” We are called to be real before a real God. We are called to be bold before our Father. Yes, we are called to surrender to His will: even when we don’t understand it. But that’s no excuse to stop asking. We can ask! It would seem from the examples given that God does not mind being pestered by our requests! He is not niggardly with his gifts. He delights in giving us good things!

What surprises me in all this is Miller’s conviction that “the praying life is the abiding life.” He says, “One of the best ways to learn how to abide is to ask anything.”

So, really, what are we going to ask for? What is it that we really want? What do YOU want?  What does GOD want?

Filed under: Gospel, Mobilization, Prayer | 3 Comments »

Are You a Lifer?

Posted on December 3, 2010 by wtdavid

Words are a tricky thing.  Different meanings can be attributed to the same word depending on the context, culture and generation.  For example, the French equivalent for the word “opportunity” is “l’opportunité”.  That is practically the same spelling.  However, the meaning of the word in each language is very different.  In American English, it means a chance or an occasion [to do something].  Whereas, in French, it means a one off opportunity that may not soon be repeated.  So, you can probably understand why French believers snickered one day when the American leading worship said: “I am grateful for this ‘opportunité’ to lead worship this morning.

We need to better understand our context and audience, and then adapt our language in order to communicate clearly.  That is a little of how I feel in our mobilization discussions.  Those of us from the earlier generations (that is, pre 80s) talk about short-term and long-term workers.  Those terms can have either a negative or a very different meaning for those from later generations (that is, post 80s).  Probably not the best word choice to be using in our discussions.

There is no question about the need for ‘longer term’ work.  There are many things that simply will not happen in cross cultural ministry if sufficient time is not given to that effort.  But how do we express a key principle in other words?

That’s why I’m starting to call myself now a ‘lifer’ (see Global Mission Handbook, 166).   A ‘lifer’ is a person who has simply chosen to give his/her life, to make his/her career to minister in cross cultural contexts.  Those who come out for short or midterm opportunities are a certainly a vital part of the larger ministry.  But, “it’s the [lifer] who, over time, builds relationships with the people, understands their culture and sensitively contextualizes the gospel within that vibrant reality.” (166)

We’re looking for ‘lifers’.

Filed under: Crossing cultures, Mission, Mobilization | Leave a comment »

Lessons Learned❷

Posted on November 4, 2010 by wtdavid

If the number❶ take-away was: Preach, proclaim, and share the Gospel fearlessly.  Then the number❷ take-away would have to be: Recognize that we are living in the 21st century.  Simply put, we have transitioned from the 20th century to a new era with a new context and new challenges.  We will need to adapt, shift, and yes even change some of our ministry methods and approaches.

In terms of technological advances, internet is a paradigm shifting media tool as was the printing press in its day.  Over one third of the population of a Gulf nation is on Facebook alone. We will need to harness its potential while resisting its alluring appeal to drive us farther away from God and face to face community.

In terms of social changes, there is more slavery and human trafficking occurring today than during the time of William Wilberforce who worked tirelessly to have slavery abolished throughout the United Kingdom.  Not that we should shift our focus from establishing communities of believers, but those communities must engage the world around them.  As John Piper said, “For the sake of Christ, we Christians care about all suffering, especially eternal suffering.  If you feel a resistance to the second half of this statement, then you have a defective view of hell.  If you feel a resistance to the first half of this statement, then you have a defective heart.” 

In terms of changes in religious faiths, today over 1 billion people in the world call themselves M’s. Few are the resources that are being directed to reach out to this people.  Many M’s are in unengaged, unreached people groups with no known worker among them or being sent to reach them.  That reality must be taken into consideration as we seek to mobilize human, financial and prayer resources.

In terms of mission, it is becoming harder to mobilize workers to ministries.  “Support raising”, as traditionally understood, is taking longer.  We will need to find creative ways to “support” workers in ministries.  Workers are coming from everywhere wanting to be sent everywhere.  With this, come all the difficulties of communication in a multicultural team in a cross cultural context.

Recognizing that we are living in the 21st century should cause us to lean more dependently on God, listening to His voice as He enables us to adapt, change and serve him joyfully in a world in flux.

Filed under: Cape Town 2010, Mission, Mobilization, Partnership | 6 Comments »

Who Am I And How Are Others Receiving Me?

Posted on August 19, 2010 by wtdavid

In response to my most recent post (“A Developmental Mindset”), Noah made the following observation: It is our privilege in mobilization to foster a person’s awareness of their giftedness, in full recognition of their Creator and Redeemer’s authorship in their story. It is our privilege to point them to their Creator’s redeeming process in their lives.  That got me thinking.  We have been emphasizing the importance of other-centered development in several posts, but we should not neglect our own personal development as well.

One of the core elements for training in the Gospel Leader Profile is self-awareness, and one of the ways to describe it is as follows:

Self-awareness of one’s own need for the Gospel and personal development in relation to God, self and other team members.  A leader reflects a proper estimate of their own strengths and weakness and also seeks insights from others around them.  They keep a close check on their physical and emotional health in the varying seasons of life.  They seek to maintain healthy boundaries in relationships and on the use of their time.

Once again, if we ‘re-wrote’ this statement for all cross-cultural workers, we might come up with something like: “Self-awareness of one’s own need for the Gospel and personal development in relation to God, self and other team members.  A worker with a cross cultural heart reflects a proper estimate of their own strengths and weaknesses and also seeks insights from others around them.”  As soon as I put the statement that way, I realized that “insights from others” could come from a variety of sources, including short and mid-term workers whom I might be developing.

Then I began to wonder about my level (our level) of openness to receive such insights from others; to potentially be developed by others whom we are developing.  My own pride and self righteousness can stand in the way of that approach.  I realized I had missed a key phrase in what Noah had written: “It is our privilege to point them to their Creator’s redeeming process in their lives.”  And I would add, it’s our privilege to be pointed back to our Creator’s redeeming process in our lives. 

Self-awareness is that ongoing process where God shows us again and again our need to “first look upon His face, and then turn from contemplating Him to scrutinize ourselves.”  It’s Gospel self-awareness that we are ultimately after.

Filed under: Humility, Mentoring, Mobilization | 2 Comments »

A Developmental Mindset

Posted on August 17, 2010 by wtdavid

I’ve been trying to get back into a regular running routine; that’s my best exercise. Normally, I’m out three times a week with each run involving a different program (long distance, speed work, etc).  However, travel and most recently a bad case of shingles have set me back a bit in that routine.  As I was thinking about starting up again the last week of August, I found myself just beginning from where I left off.  In fact, I was even considering of adding some biking or swimming on the off days.  Obviously, you recognize as I did, somewhat more slowly, that the notion of “development” was missing.  There was no thought of how to slowly move up again towards the training level I was hoping to reach.  I simply wanted to get going now and not have to go through the different stages again to reach that consistent level of training.

Maybe that is why the development of others (see recent posts on short and mid-term workers) is complex and often wearisome because it involves walking with someone through the “stages” of development. 

Dr. Bobby Clinton wrote in his book, The Making of a Leader: “God develops a leader over a lifetime.  That development is a function of the use of events and people to impress leadership lessons upon a leader (processing), time, and leader response.  Processing is central to the theory.  All leaders can point to critical incidents in their lives where God taught them something important.”  Would the same hold true if we replaced the notion of leader with “cross cultural worker”? 

The statement might then read: “God develops a worker with a cross cultural heart over a lifetime.  That development is the function of the use of events and people to impress cross cultural lessons upon a cross cultural worker (processing), time, and cross cultural worker response.  Processing is central to the theory.  All workers with a cross cultural heart can point to critical incidents in their lives where God taught them something important.”

If that statement is in any way true, it should impact how I view the first day, week, month and year with a new worker.  And it should impact how I relate and “develop” that person.

Filed under: Mentoring, Mobilization | 2 Comments »

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