• 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!

Is your world too small?

Posted on April 9, 2013 by wtdavid

All of us could give strong and valid reasons for an inner call we have sensed from God to the ministry and people where we serve. That call first to serve God and then to follow Him into cross cultural ministry resonates in each of our hearts. Many spend years learning a language and gaining an understanding of the dynamics and cultural cues that are necessary to bring the message of Christ to those from another culture.small world

However, I have noticed that because of that singular focus I can sometimes lose sight of the larger world around me where God is working. I can become oblivious to what is happening in the Church elsewhere in the world. I am concerned about God’s mission, but in my limited area. I am in danger of developing a ‘mono-world’ view. My world has become too small.

When my world becomes too small, I can keep my heart from opening to the needs of people in other places. I might thwart God from possibly moving me from my current world and ministry to another. Now I am not saying that we should all be thinking about moving to another place or country. I am calling us, though, to open our hearts to God’s larger missional activity in the world around us and asking questions about how He wants us to respond:

  • You might choose one worker from another region and ask to receive their prayer letter; ask them to point you to some links about the people group that they are working among.
  • Build a love for another people group through prayer or through a simple act of reaching out to those who are different from you right where you live.
  • Prayerfully consider opportunities in other places in WT where your gifts and experience might be used.

Filed under: Global realities, Worldview | Leave a comment »

“Thinking” about a book

Posted on March 18, 2013 by wtdavid

think piper bis

There are probably a number of good books on this topic of deep thinking and reflection, but one that came to mind over the weekend was: Think, by John Piper.

It’s worth a read. Maybe you might have some others to suggest to our readers?

Filed under: Reflection, Thinking | 5 Comments »

Deep thinking is more than just discussing

Posted on March 14, 2013 by wtdavid

Something caught my attention in a business blog post I was reading this week. The author wrote: “Focus is hard to come by and we all have to switch between projects and tasks all the time, for a variety of reasons. I mean, it comes with the job-any job really. I don’t think many would argue that when you eliminate distraction and focus, you’ll get better work done faster.”discussion

What I think the author is trying to say is that the outcome or the natural outflow of deep thinking and reflection is focused and directed action. To put it another way, deep thinking is more than just discussing because it leads to specific outcomes or acts.

Discussion is the activity of looking at an issue from a variety of angles. Many of us are very good at this activity. However, discussion in and of itself often does not lead to practical outcomes and steps. We can feel good about having “sized up” an issue and given our thoughts and ideas about the issue. Deep thinking is more than that.

Deep thinking certainly includes discussion, but it pushes us to ask the focused question of how to take all that we have considered and work it out in our lives and ministries. Deep thinking pushes us to “focus” on the issue and discern the practical ramifications for our work.

Discussion is one starting point. However, to move on towards deep thinking, we might ask the question: With the hour that is in front of us, if we focused on this issue, what action steps would flow out from the core principles we have raised and discerned? It takes courage to move the discussion in this direction. It will call for us to first “eliminate distraction” and focus.

Filed under: Reflection, Thinking | 3 Comments »

Taking the time to think

Posted on March 12, 2013 by wtdavid

“Most of us have not learned the discipline of stopping, getting away and thinking about all that we are overseeing and have responsibility to lead.” The leader coach who authored those words is calling us to take the time to think and reflect on our lives and ministries.the thinker

Now, it is way easier to “say” we will take time to think and reflect than to actually “practice” it. Our lives and ministries move at internet speed most days and to try and add something else into an already crowded schedule is near nigh impossible. For example, the idea of journaling or taking time to creatively dream and reflect on issues sounds wonderful, but there is just no more room in my day.

Besides, what would I actually do if I took the time to step back and “think”?

Great question! Maybe we need to think about how to take time to think? Let’s look at a couple of ideas:

• Begin by ending my day five minutes earlier. Most of us have trouble just stopping. Ministry certainly presses in around us, but setting an ending to our day would allow us to ask a few simple questions like: What went well? What didn’t go well? What might I do differently tomorrow then to serve and lead others well?
• Take several days to meditate on the verse from Ephesians 5:17: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” To accomplish this task, we will need to “think” hard about what the will of the Lord is. Taking the time to chew on this verse might help us to slow down long enough to get some new thoughts about what that might look like in our lives.
• Tell a co-worker that you are going to take an hour to go out to a park, a café or some other location to sit and prayerfully write down ideas that come to mind as you look back over your life and ministry in the past month. Ask your co-worker to check back with you to see if you actually took the time to get away.

Taking time to think is not “wasted” time. Taking time to think will allow us to move into the future with a greater sense of what God might be calling us to do.

Filed under: Reflection, Thinking | 8 Comments »

Trying to be better than you

Posted on March 7, 2013 by wtdavid

The music and chanting hasn’t stopped for several days. Though it seems the official cremation ceremony was last night, I was again awakened early by the chanting. Even though the ceremony may be over, it seems people still want to show how respectful they are of the deceased. However, they also want to show others how respectful they are. In a sense, they’re hoping to outdo others; to try and be better than others.humility sign

Pride and unbelief are at the heart of most of our failures. We are no more immune from being tripped up by these insidious motivations than the people chanting and singing down the street from here. Apart from holding firmly to Christ, my heart motivation will be to try and be better than you. What I need, what we need is gospel humility; a humility that comes from recognizing there is only one Rock on which I can stand and build my life and spiritual journey.

Psalm 62 speaks well to this need when David writes: “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge to us.”

Do you notice who the focus is in this short text? It’s all about God. Everything should go back to him, not back to us and how we measure ourselves in relationship to others.

I know that the people singing and chanting down the street need Jesus, but do I know that I need Jesus again today as much as they do?

Filed under: Gospel, Humility | Leave a comment »

There is real life in the midst of dying

Posted on March 5, 2013 by wtdavid

hopelessness bis bisAs I sit here writing this post, there is a nonstop ritual chanting and singing in the background. It started this morning at 5h15. It’s now the late afternoon. Though the funeral where this entire activity is taking place is several blocks away, the huge speaker system “brings” everyone to the service. It has been the chanting and singing of hopelessness for hours.

James explained to those of us gathered here that this is part of the effort of the local people to carry the dead into the next part of the journey, hoping that their efforts and the merit achieved by the deceased will be accepted and help the deceased avoid too much pain. Is there no hope? Is there no assurance of comfort?

Even when the darkness seems at its greatest strength, real life shines in its midst and dispels its shadows.

James shared with us the story of another funeral, one of a local believer. At one point during the day of the funeral, the believers were carrying the body, rejoicing in the hope of 1 Thessalonians, while being followed by a chanting and singing crowd, seeking to add their merit to aid the deceased. What a contrast that picture must have been.

Here’s what James wrote to me about the outcome of that day: “The funeral ceremony yesterday was awesome! The flow of the service was a perfect mix of prayer, songs, testimonies, and the Word. The church leaders and our apostolic leader did a great job. Members from six house churches attended and showed their love for the family. I saw God’s love on display in each of the Christian’s face. It is not common for locals to cry……especially those outside of the immediate family but there was not a dry eye in the house. Everyone was feeling the loss of a dear friend and sister. This was the first Christian death within the house church movement so it was not only a time of mourning but a time for firming up the faith and modeling.

The two sons of this deceased believer shared that they would like to learn more about Jesus and the husband said he would come to Church. This is a big praise and we hope that their verbal commitments will not be hindered by the enemy. The daughter who is a believer stood at the end and said in tears that she missed her mom but was glad to know that she is in heaven with Jesus. Wow! God clearly worked mightily and all praise is due His name.”

That is a powerful image of real life proclaiming its reality in the midst of the darkness!

Some of us live in cultures where such demonstrations of grief and hopelessness are shown in such clear ways. Others of us live in places where those demonstrations are ‘masked’. Nevertheless, they are there and present.

I don’t want to be lulled to sleep, thinking that people around me are not experiencing this hopelessness at every moment of their life journey. I want to be awake to live out real life among others, so that Christ will work powerfully in their lives and bring the hope that will carry them into eternity.

Filed under: Godly living, Hope | Leave a comment »

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