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Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thank You Ralph Winters
To be a blog about advancing the life, mission and kingdom of God beyond borders and not stop and honor the legacy of one of the 20th centuries greatest missional minds would be wrong. Though I never met Ralph Winters face to face, I have met him in the printed text. I have been to the Center for World Missions in Pasadena, CA, I have purchased many of his resources for Grace Point Beyond Borders Cafe. We are moving toward hosting the Perspectives course at Grace Point Church in the coming years.
I am passing on the tribute from BreakPoint by Charles Colson (another influential mind of our day). I think Colson does a great job a paying tribute to an amazing globally focused man.
"The Church on earth recently lost a great visionary. You may not be familiar with his name, but it’s likely you’ve witnessed the results of Ralph Winter’s strategic thinking. If
you’ve ever heard the terms “unreached people group,” “frontier missions,” or “10-40 window,” it’s because of Ralph Winter’s catalytic effect on the Church to fully embrace the Great Commission. A retired missionary, professor at Fuller Seminary, and Ph.D. in linguistics, Winter burst onto the international stage in 1974 at the Lausanne Conference on World Evangelization. There among Christian leaders like Billy Graham, Bill Bright, and John Stott, Winter blew the lid off some of the most pernicious misconceptions of the day. Because the Gospel had gone to every continent and nearly every country, many people had begun to assume that the work of missions was over. They thought that the only thing now was for local Christians to engage in evangelism.
In a paper circulated prior to the gathering, Winter wrote, “The awesome problem is . . . that most non-Christians in the world today are not culturally near neighbors of any Christians, and that it will take a special kind of ‘cross-cultural’ evangelism to reach them.” Winter knew that if every Christian in the world shared the Gospel with his neighbors, only half the world would hear it.
To illustrate his point, Winter explained the case of the Batak church in Indonesia, where the Gospel had taken root and people were actively evangelizing. But because of Indonesia’s mosaic of languages and people groups, for the Batak to reach others—even in their own country—they would have to engage in cross-cultural missions.
With America becoming more and more multicultural, and with our secular neighbors not even speaking our language, we would do well to see our evangelism at home as Winter taught us to see it around the world.
Ralph Winter’s strategic emphasis on reaching not simply every nation with the Gospel, but every people group, dramatically altered the strategies and budget allocations of missionary organizations around the world. In fact, Billy Graham wrote, “Ralph Winter has . . . accelerated world evangelization.”
A few years later, Winter founded the U.S. Center for World Missions and soon after the William Carey International University. He had no financial backing at the time, and only $100 to begin with. Audacious? Yes. But as Winter wrote, “We were willing to fail because the goal we sensed was so urgent and strategic."
But the center did not fail. Since then the center has not only trained thousands of missionaries and support personnel, but also has worked tirelessly to bring the vision of reaching hidden peoples to the wider Church. The Perspectives Course, a college-level course the center sponsors, has equipped almost 60,000 lay people round the world with this vision.
In 2005, Time magazine included Winter as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals. Last year, the North American Mission Conference gave him the lifetime service award. But no doubt Winter will take greater pleasure in meeting the men and women from every tribe, tongue and nation who praise the name of Jesus in glory—all because of his passion to spread Christ’s message."
Thank you Ralph for your love for God, and for "every tribe, tongue and nation."
I am passing on the tribute from BreakPoint by Charles Colson (another influential mind of our day). I think Colson does a great job a paying tribute to an amazing globally focused man.
"The Church on earth recently lost a great visionary. You may not be familiar with his name, but it’s likely you’ve witnessed the results of Ralph Winter’s strategic thinking. If
you’ve ever heard the terms “unreached people group,” “frontier missions,” or “10-40 window,” it’s because of Ralph Winter’s catalytic effect on the Church to fully embrace the Great Commission. A retired missionary, professor at Fuller Seminary, and Ph.D. in linguistics, Winter burst onto the international stage in 1974 at the Lausanne Conference on World Evangelization. There among Christian leaders like Billy Graham, Bill Bright, and John Stott, Winter blew the lid off some of the most pernicious misconceptions of the day. Because the Gospel had gone to every continent and nearly every country, many people had begun to assume that the work of missions was over. They thought that the only thing now was for local Christians to engage in evangelism. In a paper circulated prior to the gathering, Winter wrote, “The awesome problem is . . . that most non-Christians in the world today are not culturally near neighbors of any Christians, and that it will take a special kind of ‘cross-cultural’ evangelism to reach them.” Winter knew that if every Christian in the world shared the Gospel with his neighbors, only half the world would hear it.
To illustrate his point, Winter explained the case of the Batak church in Indonesia, where the Gospel had taken root and people were actively evangelizing. But because of Indonesia’s mosaic of languages and people groups, for the Batak to reach others—even in their own country—they would have to engage in cross-cultural missions.
With America becoming more and more multicultural, and with our secular neighbors not even speaking our language, we would do well to see our evangelism at home as Winter taught us to see it around the world.
Ralph Winter’s strategic emphasis on reaching not simply every nation with the Gospel, but every people group, dramatically altered the strategies and budget allocations of missionary organizations around the world. In fact, Billy Graham wrote, “Ralph Winter has . . . accelerated world evangelization.”
A few years later, Winter founded the U.S. Center for World Missions and soon after the William Carey International University. He had no financial backing at the time, and only $100 to begin with. Audacious? Yes. But as Winter wrote, “We were willing to fail because the goal we sensed was so urgent and strategic."
But the center did not fail. Since then the center has not only trained thousands of missionaries and support personnel, but also has worked tirelessly to bring the vision of reaching hidden peoples to the wider Church. The Perspectives Course, a college-level course the center sponsors, has equipped almost 60,000 lay people round the world with this vision.
In 2005, Time magazine included Winter as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals. Last year, the North American Mission Conference gave him the lifetime service award. But no doubt Winter will take greater pleasure in meeting the men and women from every tribe, tongue and nation who praise the name of Jesus in glory—all because of his passion to spread Christ’s message."
Thank you Ralph for your love for God, and for "every tribe, tongue and nation."
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Is God Green? Are you Green?
To ask if a person is "green" in this highly enviromentally conscious world of today, is like asking are you Democratic or Republican. The views on global warming are about as divided as the Hatfield's and McCoy's (a little southern rivalry). Going "green," by far, is the politically correct thing to do. Employees are getting challenged daily by their leadership to "go green." Companies are spending multiplied thousands of dollars to transform their businesses into sustainable companies with as little carbon footprint as is possible. Living green, as per my working definition, means to consciously live in a harmonious manner with our ecosystem, while reducing as many potentially harmful actions to it as possible. Not because of global warming, but because this isn't my earth to begin with (Psalms 24:1). My question isn't is it politically expedient for me to live politically correct (that is like a dog chasing it's tell, trying to keep up with the ever political correctness). The real question is, what is the Biblically correct thing to do? I think it is time for a "theology of ecology."
IS GOD GREEN?
Does God really care what we do with the earth, it's atmosphere, the plant life and wildlife? Some would equate the fight to go green and save turtle's egg more valuable than saving a fetus of a mother? A panentheist, believes that God is in the trees, frogs, and dogs. Therefore, to save a tree from being cut down would be saving a piece of God. To believe everything Al Gore says about the environment a true assault and insult on reason and God. This is bad eco-theology.
Neither is the view that God isn't interested in climate change, the sustainability of the forest, waters and wildlife a sound Biblical argument. For conservative Christians to debate so strongly for the literal creation of the earth as God's amazing and miraculous work, but not be far more involved in the preservation of His miraculous work, it is duplicitous at best.
He, God, made this world and all that is in it for himself (Colo 1:16). He values all his creation and claims ownership to it all, man, land and the animals (Ps 50:10). He only gave us management rights to His creation (Gen 2:15). We need to understand that God lives in the praises of all His creation (Ps 19:1). God uses His creation as one of the tools to bring people into the saving knowledge of Himself (Rom 1:20). God greatly values all his creation.
Is God Green? You bet your sweet potato's He is. Are you?
ARE YOU GREEN?
I would hope that you would want to be "green" if God is "green." You can take steps forward to live a more intentionally aware and develop a life-style that is more sustainable. Beware, it may be more costly too.
1. Become informed about ways our lifestyle is affecting God's creation. Don't argue for or against climate change until you have done your home work. Check out some faith based environmental websites. These sites hopefully will hold a high view of God and His Word and promote Eco-stewardship:
http://www.restoringeden.org/
http://www.savinggodsgreenearth.com/
http://www.baptistcreationcare.org/
Other non-faith based, but full of helpful ideas
http://www.eco-cycle.org/
http://www.earth911.org/
2. Go plant something...with your family. Model for your children that God made this big blue marble and we must take care of it.
3. Begin somewhere today! Reduce: simplify, simplify, simplify. Remember, you own it then it owns you. Reuse: this could be as small as reusing plastic bags in the house to as large as "reusing" the car you have for an additional 10,000-20,000 more miles. Recycle: Participate fully in local community recycling efforts.
You might feel insignificant and not all that important doing your part. Read Zechariah 4:10, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin."
Is God green? You tell me.
IS GOD GREEN?
Does God really care what we do with the earth, it's atmosphere, the plant life and wildlife? Some would equate the fight to go green and save turtle's egg more valuable than saving a fetus of a mother? A panentheist, believes that God is in the trees, frogs, and dogs. Therefore, to save a tree from being cut down would be saving a piece of God. To believe everything Al Gore says about the environment a true assault and insult on reason and God. This is bad eco-theology.
Neither is the view that God isn't interested in climate change, the sustainability of the forest, waters and wildlife a sound Biblical argument. For conservative Christians to debate so strongly for the literal creation of the earth as God's amazing and miraculous work, but not be far more involved in the preservation of His miraculous work, it is duplicitous at best.
He, God, made this world and all that is in it for himself (Colo 1:16). He values all his creation and claims ownership to it all, man, land and the animals (Ps 50:10). He only gave us management rights to His creation (Gen 2:15). We need to understand that God lives in the praises of all His creation (Ps 19:1). God uses His creation as one of the tools to bring people into the saving knowledge of Himself (Rom 1:20). God greatly values all his creation.
Is God Green? You bet your sweet potato's He is. Are you?
ARE YOU GREEN?
I would hope that you would want to be "green" if God is "green." You can take steps forward to live a more intentionally aware and develop a life-style that is more sustainable. Beware, it may be more costly too.
1. Become informed about ways our lifestyle is affecting God's creation. Don't argue for or against climate change until you have done your home work. Check out some faith based environmental websites. These sites hopefully will hold a high view of God and His Word and promote Eco-stewardship:
http://www.restoringeden.org/
http://www.savinggodsgreenearth.com/
http://www.baptistcreationcare.org/
Other non-faith based, but full of helpful ideas
http://www.eco-cycle.org/
http://www.earth911.org/
2. Go plant something...with your family. Model for your children that God made this big blue marble and we must take care of it.
3. Begin somewhere today! Reduce: simplify, simplify, simplify. Remember, you own it then it owns you. Reuse: this could be as small as reusing plastic bags in the house to as large as "reusing" the car you have for an additional 10,000-20,000 more miles. Recycle: Participate fully in local community recycling efforts.
You might feel insignificant and not all that important doing your part. Read Zechariah 4:10, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin."
Is God green? You tell me.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Giving that Gives
I have read two articles today that disturb and encourage me all in the same. Though we all know that our nation of affluence has undergone recent set backs that have touch every area our lives. We can't make light of the financial pain and adjustments that people have had to make in their life. I have read studies that virtually everyone has been financially affected by the downturn. Pain is felt by all.
The first article I read today broke my heart. It shows how the downturn in the economy has ripple effects that spread beyond our borders. When I read how one of the strongest church planting, care giving international mission agencies in the country is reducing it missionary personnel appointments in the future, I was saddened. The International Mission Board (IMB), the largest evangelical mission sending agency in the world, is being forced to reduce future missionary appointments. This isn't good for God's ultimate calling to all believers go to the ends of the earth. We must continue to do what William Carey said to do: "hold the rope, as he goes down into the pit." There is something deep in my heart that simply isn't right about slowing down God's global work, when we should be speeding up.
The second article encouraged my spirit when I see creative ways God's people in the church are responding the hard times. Instead of turning inward, I love it when churches turns outward. Kudos's to Cross Timber Community Church for how they are opening themselves up to the community and stepping up.
I am thankful that I get to Pastor a people who knows the value of global missions as our church ranks in the top giving churches by per capita giving to the IMB. When our contributors give to our Global Missions offering, 50% of it goes directly to support IMB missionaries on the field. Of the remaining: 30% goes to support missions throughout North America, 10% goes to support missions throughout Arkansas and 10% goes to help orphanages and crisis family support in Arkansas. Giving is a beautiful act of service.
HOPE-NWA has become a local initiative to keep hope alive in Northwest Arkansas. This is an initiative started at Grace Point Church, but has quickly spread to become a community effort to nurture hope in practical and free ways, much like the Cross Timber's Community effort. There are many new and developing community projects in the making so get ready to be a part.
So the next time you think of giving to something, ask the question, "what is my giving - giving?"
The first article I read today broke my heart. It shows how the downturn in the economy has ripple effects that spread beyond our borders. When I read how one of the strongest church planting, care giving international mission agencies in the country is reducing it missionary personnel appointments in the future, I was saddened. The International Mission Board (IMB), the largest evangelical mission sending agency in the world, is being forced to reduce future missionary appointments. This isn't good for God's ultimate calling to all believers go to the ends of the earth. We must continue to do what William Carey said to do: "hold the rope, as he goes down into the pit." There is something deep in my heart that simply isn't right about slowing down God's global work, when we should be speeding up.
The second article encouraged my spirit when I see creative ways God's people in the church are responding the hard times. Instead of turning inward, I love it when churches turns outward. Kudos's to Cross Timber Community Church for how they are opening themselves up to the community and stepping up.
I am thankful that I get to Pastor a people who knows the value of global missions as our church ranks in the top giving churches by per capita giving to the IMB. When our contributors give to our Global Missions offering, 50% of it goes directly to support IMB missionaries on the field. Of the remaining: 30% goes to support missions throughout North America, 10% goes to support missions throughout Arkansas and 10% goes to help orphanages and crisis family support in Arkansas. Giving is a beautiful act of service.
HOPE-NWA has become a local initiative to keep hope alive in Northwest Arkansas. This is an initiative started at Grace Point Church, but has quickly spread to become a community effort to nurture hope in practical and free ways, much like the Cross Timber's Community effort. There are many new and developing community projects in the making so get ready to be a part.
So the next time you think of giving to something, ask the question, "what is my giving - giving?"
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