Below is Christianity Today’s list of the top 10 religious stories in 2011.
1. Rob Bell tries to legitimize universalism, prompting huge backlash. He later announces he's leaving Mars Hill Bible Church to work in TV.
2. States adopt 80 abortion restrictions in their 2011 legislative sessions, an all-time high (the previous record was 34).
3. Mideast Christians conflicted about the Arab Spring, especially as anti-Christian violence follows Mubarak ouster in Egypt.
4. John Stott, evangelical statesman, pastor, and builder of the global church, dies at 90.
5. Beijing's Shouwang Church holds outdoor services for more than six months, enduring mass arrests as it leads China's booming house churches in unprecedented demands for religious freedom.
6. HarperCollins, which already owns Zondervan, buys Thomas Nelson; it now has about 50 percent of the Christian book market.
7. How best to translate "Son of God" in Bibles for the Muslim world becomes a flashpoint, prompting Wycliffe to clarify standards and missionaries to pledge more civility.
8. Tim Tebow's prominent display of faith becomes one of the sports world's major talking points.
9. Largely Christian South Sudan votes for independence; persecution ensues for Christians in the Nuba Mountains and Khartoum.
10. The PC(USA) votes to allow noncelibate gay pastors, prompting defections from presbyteries. (Meanwhile, the United Methodists hold the line on same-sex unions amid a planned clergy revolt.)
Story #7 is one with great relevance in missions circles. It regards the tension between contextualization and syncretism. Where should the line be drawn?
On one hand we have Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 9:22b, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” One of many passages that illustrates the importance of contextualizing evangelism and church planting. Contextualization seeks to make the gospel as clear, winsome, and culturally relevant as possible. Tailoring it to the audience.
On the other hand is Paul’s statement in Galatians 1:8, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” One of many passages that illustrate the importance of avoiding syncretism and preserving the purity of the gospel message. Syncretism is mixing Christianity with something else -- animism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Marxism, materialism, New Age mysticism, secular humanism, the American dream, veneration of Mary, or anything else.
Sadly this tension, which is a healthy tension for any local church and any missions sending agency to grapple with, has become a highly divisive issue in the Church. Those on both extremes are often at odds with one another.
The “insider movement” in the Muslim world has become the epicenter of this tension. It has become such an important issue for many, that Pioneers has developed a formal statement of their position.
Regardless of where we may personally draw the line regarding this important tension, my hope is that we can embrace Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:18, “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, December 5, 2011
from December 5, 2011 prayer update
Twice annually (March and November) Pioneers church partnership team hosts a CPF (church partnership forum) at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando. The intent is to involve a small group of church mission leaders (from churches with a pre-existing relationship with Pioneers) with our nine member church partnership team in a highly interactive two days together around the issue of local church / sending agency partnership.
It provides Pioneers with the opportunity to better understand the missions related objectives of the local churches represented, and it gives insight into where each church is in their journey toward meaningful engagement with the nations. It provides the local churches participating with the opportunity to better understand who Pioneers is and how we operate. And it provides both with the opportunity to begin to consider a future of deeper more impactful partnership together in church planting among the least reached around the globe.
On November 15-17, I had the opportunity to participate in my first CPF with Pioneers. 14 local churches (20 individuals) were involved in our time together. Most of these churches has one or more missionary candidates with us preparing for departure to the field. The remainder already have workers with us on the field.
We generally invite an outside missions leader to join with us during this time to provide input and help facilitate interaction. For this CPF that was Ellen Livingood with Catalyst Services. Ellen led 3 interactive sessions with us – “response to a compelling vision”, “proactive partnerships”, and “next steps”. We also heard from Pioneers US president, Steve Richardson, on “core values: behind the mission” and Pioneers US executive VP, Ted Esler, on “show and tell church planting”. Folks also were provided with a high level overview of the role of Pioneers mobilization, training, and member development teams by a representative from each of those teams.
We began each day with breakfast together, followed by a time of corporate worship and a challenge from the Scriptures from a Pioneers staff member. We split those participating into four groups (each group sat together throughout our two day gathering) to encourage greater intimacy and continuity in our interactions together. I served as a facilitator for one of these groups. We shared all our meals together and were housed together on the Pioneers campus for this event. So there were lots of opportunities for informal interaction.
Our church partnership team also led 3 interactive sessions – “the challenge of unreached peoples”, “proactive sending and care”, and “growing relationships that lead to results”. We wrapped up our time together praying for each church participating and the next steps they identified for their church through this intense two days together.
Our next CPF will be held at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando on March 20-22. John Kless, lead pastor at Glendale Bible Church in Philadelphia for 32 years, and Eric Hyatt, global outreach pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis for 9 years, will be the outside missions leaders leading and interacting with us at this gathering. Churches participating are responsible for their travel costs. Pioneers provides everything else – housing, meals, transportation to and from the airport, and the event at no charge to those involved.
It provides Pioneers with the opportunity to better understand the missions related objectives of the local churches represented, and it gives insight into where each church is in their journey toward meaningful engagement with the nations. It provides the local churches participating with the opportunity to better understand who Pioneers is and how we operate. And it provides both with the opportunity to begin to consider a future of deeper more impactful partnership together in church planting among the least reached around the globe.
On November 15-17, I had the opportunity to participate in my first CPF with Pioneers. 14 local churches (20 individuals) were involved in our time together. Most of these churches has one or more missionary candidates with us preparing for departure to the field. The remainder already have workers with us on the field.
We generally invite an outside missions leader to join with us during this time to provide input and help facilitate interaction. For this CPF that was Ellen Livingood with Catalyst Services. Ellen led 3 interactive sessions with us – “response to a compelling vision”, “proactive partnerships”, and “next steps”. We also heard from Pioneers US president, Steve Richardson, on “core values: behind the mission” and Pioneers US executive VP, Ted Esler, on “show and tell church planting”. Folks also were provided with a high level overview of the role of Pioneers mobilization, training, and member development teams by a representative from each of those teams.
We began each day with breakfast together, followed by a time of corporate worship and a challenge from the Scriptures from a Pioneers staff member. We split those participating into four groups (each group sat together throughout our two day gathering) to encourage greater intimacy and continuity in our interactions together. I served as a facilitator for one of these groups. We shared all our meals together and were housed together on the Pioneers campus for this event. So there were lots of opportunities for informal interaction.
Our church partnership team also led 3 interactive sessions – “the challenge of unreached peoples”, “proactive sending and care”, and “growing relationships that lead to results”. We wrapped up our time together praying for each church participating and the next steps they identified for their church through this intense two days together.
Our next CPF will be held at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando on March 20-22. John Kless, lead pastor at Glendale Bible Church in Philadelphia for 32 years, and Eric Hyatt, global outreach pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis for 9 years, will be the outside missions leaders leading and interacting with us at this gathering. Churches participating are responsible for their travel costs. Pioneers provides everything else – housing, meals, transportation to and from the airport, and the event at no charge to those involved.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
from November 6, 2011 prayer update
Mission Possible exists “to glorify God by connecting the body of Christ with Austin’s urban communities to foster Christ-life transformation through life-on-life relationships”.
Since 1992 Mission Possible has served the poor on Austin’s east side. Although its objective is not service, it is life transformation. Not just for those we serve, but perhaps even more so, for those who are serving. That has certainly been the case in my life.
Mission Possible is involved with three primary audiences in east Austin – the homeless on the street, children and families in government housing projects, and the elderly living in the community. Lives are touched and transformed through more than a dozen different programs and through partnership with other organizations and churches also serving the same community.
Tim Pinson is the founder and executive director of Mission Possible. Tim has been a close personal friend for many years. He is the visionary and the passionate, hands-on personality behind this important ministry. He is joined by two full-time staff members, Beau Hamner (who leads the ministries and volunteers that serve the homeless on the street) and Kimberly Ginnings (who leads the ministries and volunteers that serve children and families in the government housing projects). And there are number of part-time and contract workers that serve in a wide variety of roles within the organization.
The organization is located at the intersection of 12th and Chicon (described by the Austin American Statesman as Austin’s most crime infested intersection 5 years ago).
Mission Possible renovated an abandoned church and parking lot at that intersection several years ago to house many of its programs and to provide space for some of its ministry partners. More recently we acquired and renovated a property across the street that had been a tavern, liquor store, and brothel. Today it houses Gandalf’s prayer café and provides space for Mission Possible’s staff.
I had the privilege of serving on Mission Possible’s board from 1998 to 2003 (chairing it the last three of those years) and am now completing a second term (which began back in 2008) on the board.
I was doing some devotional reading in Proverbs earlier this week. In Proverbs 31:8-9 it says: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” What a delight to be a small part of an organization that does just this in a less fortunate part of the community that I have lived in for nearly 40 years.
Since 1992 Mission Possible has served the poor on Austin’s east side. Although its objective is not service, it is life transformation. Not just for those we serve, but perhaps even more so, for those who are serving. That has certainly been the case in my life.
Mission Possible is involved with three primary audiences in east Austin – the homeless on the street, children and families in government housing projects, and the elderly living in the community. Lives are touched and transformed through more than a dozen different programs and through partnership with other organizations and churches also serving the same community.
Tim Pinson is the founder and executive director of Mission Possible. Tim has been a close personal friend for many years. He is the visionary and the passionate, hands-on personality behind this important ministry. He is joined by two full-time staff members, Beau Hamner (who leads the ministries and volunteers that serve the homeless on the street) and Kimberly Ginnings (who leads the ministries and volunteers that serve children and families in the government housing projects). And there are number of part-time and contract workers that serve in a wide variety of roles within the organization.
The organization is located at the intersection of 12th and Chicon (described by the Austin American Statesman as Austin’s most crime infested intersection 5 years ago).
Mission Possible renovated an abandoned church and parking lot at that intersection several years ago to house many of its programs and to provide space for some of its ministry partners. More recently we acquired and renovated a property across the street that had been a tavern, liquor store, and brothel. Today it houses Gandalf’s prayer café and provides space for Mission Possible’s staff.
I had the privilege of serving on Mission Possible’s board from 1998 to 2003 (chairing it the last three of those years) and am now completing a second term (which began back in 2008) on the board.
I was doing some devotional reading in Proverbs earlier this week. In Proverbs 31:8-9 it says: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” What a delight to be a small part of an organization that does just this in a less fortunate part of the community that I have lived in for nearly 40 years.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
from October 2, 2011 prayer update
I invested several days this past week in a trip to Phoenix to participate in the annual North American mission leaders conference . The theme of the conference this year was “RESET: Mission in the Context of Deep Change”. As is usually the case with these kind of events, some of the plenary sessions were excellent, and some were snoozers. Same could be said of the workshops. I think I most enjoyed the opportunities for one-on-one interaction with the folks there that I don’t get to see often (I had a pre-existing relationship with maybe 100 of the 500+ in attendance). And of the many new people that I met last week, there are a few that I can now call friends.
I found the theme of the conference to be very timely. On the evening prior to the conference’s start, 28 folks that have been associated with ACMC (Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment) met for four hours around a meal to share stories, laugh, cry, and to celebrate the retirement of this organization. In its 35 year history, ACMC has helped thousands of Protestant churches across the U.S. become more effectively engaged with global and local missions. As you know, I invested 10 years of my life in this organization, shifting from a role with it to my current role as part of Pioneers’ church partnership team back in May.
We had known for years that ACMC was on the downward side of its growth and relevancy curve. Like many organizations, we worked harder at what we had been doing in the past in an effort to turn the tide, rather than addressing the more challenging issue of identifying and making the deep changes needed in the organization. Back in December our staff began to earnestly seek God about ACMC’s future. And by April, with the help of a gifted outside facilitator, the majority of our ACMC staff (I held a minority perspective) came to the conclusion that we were not able or willing to make the changes we needed to turn ACMC around. A orderly and God honoring retirement of the organization was our best option. ACMC now serves as one of many case studies of what happens when organizations ignore for too long honestly grappling with these kind of difficult but extremely important change issues.
Toward the end of NAML conference we witnessed two organizations approaching the issue of resetting for deep change very differently. The Mission Exchange (formerly EFMA) was founded in 1946 and CrossGlobal Link (formerly IFMA) was founded in 1917. They are the two key North American mission agency umbrella networks. Each has a long and meaningful past. Pioneers has been a member of both networks for many years. Both organizations see the potential for greater kingdom impact and greater unity in the global outreach efforts of the North American body of Christ through merging. A merger that will not only bring forward the strengths of each organization, but also will lead to new structures and initiatives that neither organization has pursued in the past. A vote was taken by the member mission organizations that make up both networks on the last day of the conference. Merger was overwhelmingly approved by both organizations and will officially happen at the first of the year. This sets the stage for increased relevancy and impact for many years into the future.
I found the theme of the conference to be very timely. On the evening prior to the conference’s start, 28 folks that have been associated with ACMC (Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment) met for four hours around a meal to share stories, laugh, cry, and to celebrate the retirement of this organization. In its 35 year history, ACMC has helped thousands of Protestant churches across the U.S. become more effectively engaged with global and local missions. As you know, I invested 10 years of my life in this organization, shifting from a role with it to my current role as part of Pioneers’ church partnership team back in May.
We had known for years that ACMC was on the downward side of its growth and relevancy curve. Like many organizations, we worked harder at what we had been doing in the past in an effort to turn the tide, rather than addressing the more challenging issue of identifying and making the deep changes needed in the organization. Back in December our staff began to earnestly seek God about ACMC’s future. And by April, with the help of a gifted outside facilitator, the majority of our ACMC staff (I held a minority perspective) came to the conclusion that we were not able or willing to make the changes we needed to turn ACMC around. A orderly and God honoring retirement of the organization was our best option. ACMC now serves as one of many case studies of what happens when organizations ignore for too long honestly grappling with these kind of difficult but extremely important change issues.
Toward the end of NAML conference we witnessed two organizations approaching the issue of resetting for deep change very differently. The Mission Exchange (formerly EFMA) was founded in 1946 and CrossGlobal Link (formerly IFMA) was founded in 1917. They are the two key North American mission agency umbrella networks. Each has a long and meaningful past. Pioneers has been a member of both networks for many years. Both organizations see the potential for greater kingdom impact and greater unity in the global outreach efforts of the North American body of Christ through merging. A merger that will not only bring forward the strengths of each organization, but also will lead to new structures and initiatives that neither organization has pursued in the past. A vote was taken by the member mission organizations that make up both networks on the last day of the conference. Merger was overwhelmingly approved by both organizations and will officially happen at the first of the year. This sets the stage for increased relevancy and impact for many years into the future.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
from September 4, 2011 prayer update
I recently received a very disturbing email from a missions organization. In it they were announcing a major shift in their strategy and resource deployment related to the U.S. becoming the third largest missions field in the world, with over 100 million unreached people.
I bristled at what was being communicated by an organization that should have known better. I was concerned by:
1) their apparent confusion of the concepts of lost people with unreached peoples,
2) their apparent ignorance of the basic facts regarding the status of Christianity in their own country, and
3) their apparent misunderstanding of the purpose of missions.
The U.S. Center for World Mission has been a champion for the concept of unreached peoples for more than 30 years. Through resources like the “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement” class, Mission Frontiers magazine, and Global Prayer Digest, they have educated and promoted the cause of the unreached.
Growing out of this has been a simple model embraced by missiologists regarding the world of 6.8 billion people we live in today. At a very simplistic level, the world can be thought of in three broad categories:
• world A (unreached – less than 2% evangelical Christian) – 27% of the world’s people (1.8 billion)
• world B (underreached – 2% to 5% evangelical Christian) – 40% of the world’s people (2.7 billion)
• world C (reached – more than 5% evangelical Christian) – 33% of the world’s people (2.3 billion)
World A, the unreached, those with little or no access to the gospel should be the primary (although not exclusive) focus of the mission efforts of local churches and mission sending organizations concerned with completing the task Jesus gave His Church in the Great Commission. Joshua Project has some excellent information about unreached peoples. There are 6900 UPG (unreached people groups) containing the 1.8 billion world A people. Nearly 10% (600+) of these UPG are UUPG (unengaged, unreached people groups) of 50,000+ souls. Engaging these UUPG should be given very high priority by those serious about completing the task. These are people groups with absolutely no access to the gospel.
The 2010 edition of Operation World indicates that there are currently 92 million evangelical Christians (29% of the population) among the 317 million people currently living in the US. That means there are 3 genuine followers of Jesus for every 10 people. This is one of the highest national ratios in the world. Even in traditional “unchurched” areas of the country like New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, the Pacific coast, and in other “unchurched” cities like Denver and my home of Austin, the percentage of evangelical Christians is between 10-15% (solidly in world C). 1 genuine follower of Jesus for every 10 people. That is excellent access to the gospel.
This also means there are 225 million lost people in the US (not 100 million). The US does have the third largest number of lost people in the world (behind China and India), but please realize that we are also the world’s third largest country (behind China and India). Even if the percentage of evangelical Christians in the US doubled to 60% of the population, we would still have the fourth largest number of lost people in the world (simply because of the size of our country). But almost none of these people are unreached. With the exception of a few native American groups in New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska, and a few groups of recent immigrants in major metro areas across the country, all Americans live as part of reached people groups with easy access to the gospel. Does this mean we should become complacent and stop sharing the gospel where we work, live, and play? Absolutely not. But the US is far from being a mission field.
Evangelism and missions are both components of the Great Commission. Although closely related, they are not the same. Even though the terms are sadly used interchangeably by many churches and a few missions organizations. There is need in the US (and in other world C contexts) for evangelism. Bold, incarnational, culturally relevant demonstration and proclamation of the gospel among the 225 million who do not yet know Christ. I heartily support and commend those churches and para-church organizations that take this challenge seriously. However, missions is a different animal in two important ways. First, missions is always cross-cultural (reaching out with the gospel to those who are different than we are, often significantly different). Second, missions is predominately about providing access to the gospel and a culturally relevant church for those with little or no access to the gospel (world A).
The difference in vocabulary and perspective represented by these reflections and the missions organization that sent me the disturbing email is far more than an academic disagreement. It represents a battle raging in the US Church today. How we look at these issues determines how the Church of Jesus Christ chooses to prioritize its limited financial and manpower resources in its efforts to bring closure to the Great Commission.
I bristled at what was being communicated by an organization that should have known better. I was concerned by:
1) their apparent confusion of the concepts of lost people with unreached peoples,
2) their apparent ignorance of the basic facts regarding the status of Christianity in their own country, and
3) their apparent misunderstanding of the purpose of missions.
The U.S. Center for World Mission has been a champion for the concept of unreached peoples for more than 30 years. Through resources like the “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement” class, Mission Frontiers magazine, and Global Prayer Digest, they have educated and promoted the cause of the unreached.
Growing out of this has been a simple model embraced by missiologists regarding the world of 6.8 billion people we live in today. At a very simplistic level, the world can be thought of in three broad categories:
• world A (unreached – less than 2% evangelical Christian) – 27% of the world’s people (1.8 billion)
• world B (underreached – 2% to 5% evangelical Christian) – 40% of the world’s people (2.7 billion)
• world C (reached – more than 5% evangelical Christian) – 33% of the world’s people (2.3 billion)
World A, the unreached, those with little or no access to the gospel should be the primary (although not exclusive) focus of the mission efforts of local churches and mission sending organizations concerned with completing the task Jesus gave His Church in the Great Commission. Joshua Project has some excellent information about unreached peoples. There are 6900 UPG (unreached people groups) containing the 1.8 billion world A people. Nearly 10% (600+) of these UPG are UUPG (unengaged, unreached people groups) of 50,000+ souls. Engaging these UUPG should be given very high priority by those serious about completing the task. These are people groups with absolutely no access to the gospel.
The 2010 edition of Operation World indicates that there are currently 92 million evangelical Christians (29% of the population) among the 317 million people currently living in the US. That means there are 3 genuine followers of Jesus for every 10 people. This is one of the highest national ratios in the world. Even in traditional “unchurched” areas of the country like New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, the Pacific coast, and in other “unchurched” cities like Denver and my home of Austin, the percentage of evangelical Christians is between 10-15% (solidly in world C). 1 genuine follower of Jesus for every 10 people. That is excellent access to the gospel.
This also means there are 225 million lost people in the US (not 100 million). The US does have the third largest number of lost people in the world (behind China and India), but please realize that we are also the world’s third largest country (behind China and India). Even if the percentage of evangelical Christians in the US doubled to 60% of the population, we would still have the fourth largest number of lost people in the world (simply because of the size of our country). But almost none of these people are unreached. With the exception of a few native American groups in New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska, and a few groups of recent immigrants in major metro areas across the country, all Americans live as part of reached people groups with easy access to the gospel. Does this mean we should become complacent and stop sharing the gospel where we work, live, and play? Absolutely not. But the US is far from being a mission field.
Evangelism and missions are both components of the Great Commission. Although closely related, they are not the same. Even though the terms are sadly used interchangeably by many churches and a few missions organizations. There is need in the US (and in other world C contexts) for evangelism. Bold, incarnational, culturally relevant demonstration and proclamation of the gospel among the 225 million who do not yet know Christ. I heartily support and commend those churches and para-church organizations that take this challenge seriously. However, missions is a different animal in two important ways. First, missions is always cross-cultural (reaching out with the gospel to those who are different than we are, often significantly different). Second, missions is predominately about providing access to the gospel and a culturally relevant church for those with little or no access to the gospel (world A).
The difference in vocabulary and perspective represented by these reflections and the missions organization that sent me the disturbing email is far more than an academic disagreement. It represents a battle raging in the US Church today. How we look at these issues determines how the Church of Jesus Christ chooses to prioritize its limited financial and manpower resources in its efforts to bring closure to the Great Commission.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
from August 7, 2011 prayer update
I invested this past week at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando participating in a COP (candidate orientation process). Pioneers holds these five-day events five times annually. They are designed as an orientation to Pioneers for new missionary candidates.
Our August COP was one of our largest ever with 51 adults, representing 32 missionary units (singles and families) from the U.S. As you can see from the photo below, this group of candidates was composed almost entirely of 20 somethings (which is not always the case). A zealous and encouraging group of young adults with a heart for the nations and especially for unreached peoples.
The first two days were devoted to individual and couple interviews with teams of four Pioneers staff (I had the privilege of participating in six of these interviews) and private individual and couple interviews with licensed counselors. The end result was a thumbs up or thumbs down decision by Pioneers on formal admission into candidacy. 31 out of 32 missionary units were accepted into candidacy. All candidates were given a unique list of assignments to complete prior to participating in their five-day PFC (pre-field connection) a few months prior to leaving for the field.
The list includes unresolved character and relational issues that were identified in the interactions with the licensed counselors, to be addressed through reading, counseling, and / or mentoring. The list also included training and life experience issues that were identified in the team interviews with Pioneers staff like additional Bible / theological training, additional church ministry experience, additional cross-cultural experience, formal language acquisition training, formal cross-cultural sensitivity training, vision trips to specific areas of the world, etc.
Each candidate is then assigned a Pioneers coach who will walk closely with them as they move through the assignments on their list in preparation for departure to the field.
As one of four CPT (Church Partnership team) members participating, we met with individuals and couples during our meal times together to learn about the candidate’s sending church and discuss what partnership might look like with that church. I had the opportunity to meet with nine of the candidates one-on-one from Arizona, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas.
Also included in the five days together were:
• times of corporate worship
• personal testimonies from all 32 candidates
• an overview of each of the seven regions of the world (The Americas, Europe, North Africa / Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mid-Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia / Pacific) where Pioneers is involved in initiating church planting movements among the least reached
• BAM (business as mission)
• Pioneers mission and core values
• avoiding moral and relational pitfalls
• children
• fundraising and financial issues
• the development of a pre-field plan
• an assortment of administrative tasks
All this made for a very full week.
Participation in this event is one of the new components of my job as a new member of the CPT. What a joy to play a small role in the preparation of these near future front line workers among the unreached peoples of the world.
“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’” – Matthew 9:37-38.
Our August COP was one of our largest ever with 51 adults, representing 32 missionary units (singles and families) from the U.S. As you can see from the photo below, this group of candidates was composed almost entirely of 20 somethings (which is not always the case). A zealous and encouraging group of young adults with a heart for the nations and especially for unreached peoples.
The first two days were devoted to individual and couple interviews with teams of four Pioneers staff (I had the privilege of participating in six of these interviews) and private individual and couple interviews with licensed counselors. The end result was a thumbs up or thumbs down decision by Pioneers on formal admission into candidacy. 31 out of 32 missionary units were accepted into candidacy. All candidates were given a unique list of assignments to complete prior to participating in their five-day PFC (pre-field connection) a few months prior to leaving for the field.
The list includes unresolved character and relational issues that were identified in the interactions with the licensed counselors, to be addressed through reading, counseling, and / or mentoring. The list also included training and life experience issues that were identified in the team interviews with Pioneers staff like additional Bible / theological training, additional church ministry experience, additional cross-cultural experience, formal language acquisition training, formal cross-cultural sensitivity training, vision trips to specific areas of the world, etc.
Each candidate is then assigned a Pioneers coach who will walk closely with them as they move through the assignments on their list in preparation for departure to the field.
As one of four CPT (Church Partnership team) members participating, we met with individuals and couples during our meal times together to learn about the candidate’s sending church and discuss what partnership might look like with that church. I had the opportunity to meet with nine of the candidates one-on-one from Arizona, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas.
Also included in the five days together were:
• times of corporate worship
• personal testimonies from all 32 candidates
• an overview of each of the seven regions of the world (The Americas, Europe, North Africa / Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, Mid-Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia / Pacific) where Pioneers is involved in initiating church planting movements among the least reached
• BAM (business as mission)
• Pioneers mission and core values
• avoiding moral and relational pitfalls
• children
• fundraising and financial issues
• the development of a pre-field plan
• an assortment of administrative tasks
All this made for a very full week.
Participation in this event is one of the new components of my job as a new member of the CPT. What a joy to play a small role in the preparation of these near future front line workers among the unreached peoples of the world.
“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’” – Matthew 9:37-38.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
from July 3, 2011 prayer update
Kathy and I greatly enjoyed watching a 7 part DVD series on the adult life of John Adams this week. Adams wore many hats over the course of his life. He was a defense attorney in Boston, a key player in the first Continental Congress, the first ambassador to Great Britain, the first vice president, the second president of the U.S., and raised a son who became the sixth president. It was a great way to prepare ourselves for celebrating Independence Day tomorrow. It will be the 235th anniversary of the U.S. declaring its independence from the tyranny of British governmental control and it’s strongly opposed “taxation without representation”.
A guest speaker in my home church today spoke about another independence day, the spiritual freedom that every believer in Jesus Christ now has, acquired through the costly death and the resurrection of Jesus. Sadly most of the world is still under the control of an evil tyrant and spiritual bondage is a daily reality. Pioneers exists to provide access to spiritual freedom to those living within a people group without access to the liberating message of the gospel.
Two weeks ago Pioneers held a pre-field connection event at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando. 29 missionary units (families, couples, or individuals) met there for five days of final training before they leave for the field. Six of these were from the Red River region which I serve. One from Rogers, Arkansas serving an UPG (unreached people group) in Mexico, one from West Monroe, Louisiana serving an UPG in Thailand, one from Austin, Texas serving an UPG in France, one from Houston, Texas serving an UPG in Mongolia, and two from Lubbock, Texas serving an UPG in Oman. They will be joining 2450 Pioneers workers already on the field worldwide. These workers serve on 229 teams among 146 UPGs in 95 countries.
I am asking God for two things as I begin this new role with Pioneers’ Church Partnership Team. One, to use me to help keep a steady flow of new workers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas entering into church planting work among the UPGs of the world. And two, to use me to help cultivate healthy, growing partnerships between the sending and supporting churches these workers come out of and what is happening on the field. I would welcome your prayers toward those ends.
A guest speaker in my home church today spoke about another independence day, the spiritual freedom that every believer in Jesus Christ now has, acquired through the costly death and the resurrection of Jesus. Sadly most of the world is still under the control of an evil tyrant and spiritual bondage is a daily reality. Pioneers exists to provide access to spiritual freedom to those living within a people group without access to the liberating message of the gospel.
Two weeks ago Pioneers held a pre-field connection event at our U.S. mobilization base in Orlando. 29 missionary units (families, couples, or individuals) met there for five days of final training before they leave for the field. Six of these were from the Red River region which I serve. One from Rogers, Arkansas serving an UPG (unreached people group) in Mexico, one from West Monroe, Louisiana serving an UPG in Thailand, one from Austin, Texas serving an UPG in France, one from Houston, Texas serving an UPG in Mongolia, and two from Lubbock, Texas serving an UPG in Oman. They will be joining 2450 Pioneers workers already on the field worldwide. These workers serve on 229 teams among 146 UPGs in 95 countries.
I am asking God for two things as I begin this new role with Pioneers’ Church Partnership Team. One, to use me to help keep a steady flow of new workers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas entering into church planting work among the UPGs of the world. And two, to use me to help cultivate healthy, growing partnerships between the sending and supporting churches these workers come out of and what is happening on the field. I would welcome your prayers toward those ends.
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