Midweek Meditation: On Missions

"The mark of a great Church is not in its seating capacity but in its sending capacity." (Mike Stachura)

Prayer of Betty Scott Stam

OMF Missionaries (John and Betty Scott)
/ Martyrs for Christ

I came across this prayer after listening to a talk by Elisabeth Elliot, the widow of the Christian martyr, Jim Elliot. According to Elliot, this prayer is a daily prayer offered to God by Betty Scott. I read it, and I am moved. I am also moved to ask, "Do I dare to pray this prayer?"

What strikes me in this prayer is that the OMF missionary couple, the Stams, were both horribly executed in China, for the sake of the gospel.

"Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes,
all my own desires and hopes,
and accept Thy will for my life.
I give up myself, my time, my all,
utterly to Thee to be Thine forever.
Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.
Use me as Thou wilt, send my where Thou wilt,
work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost,
now and forever."

The moving story of John and Betty Scott can be read here. Some of us don't even dare to sing aloud "I Surrender All" in Church. May God raise up conviction among His people.

conrade

BookPastor >> "Toxic Charity" (Robert D. Lupton)

This review was first published at the Panorama of a Book Saint here.

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TITLE: Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It)
AUTHOR: Robert D. Lupton
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: HarperOne, 2011, (200 pages).

Focus on outcomes, not activities. Not all giving is good. In fact, much giving is toxic. This is the basic message in this book. Lupton in one sweep exposes the scandals both intended and unintended. He explains the reasons behind the flawed thinking, that underlies conventional giving. He explicates the various alternatives to transform charity from toxic handout to healthy helping out.

1) Exposing the Scandal
The scandal of toxic charity is basically the dis-empowerment of the poor to help themselves. After all, if they can get things for free, then why bother to work or find work?  Large charitable giving has not shortened the handout lines. Instead it has pathetically increased the demand. Those in poor economies, despite the huge millions of aid given to them, have not improved their living or economic conditions. According to one African aid worker, the continent has gotten worse. With easy availability of free money, free food, and free stuff, begging lines become longer. Administrative officials in developing economies become more corrupt. The incentives to work dramatically drop.


2) Explaining the Problem

Lupton convincingly drives home the problem of good intentions based on poor knowledge that givers have of the recipients. Through their self-centered perspective of giving in order to feel good inside the heart, they unwittingly weaken those they serve, develop dishonest relationships among their intended communities, diminish work ethic among the people they are trying to help, and increases the dependency of the poor for foreign aid. Charity of giving needs to be accompanied by parity of what the people really need. The former may help in the short term. The latter will be essential for the long term. Likewise, mercy must be accompanied by justice. Otherwise, the cycle of dependency will continue to spiral hopelessly non-stop. This results in frustrations when givers do not see improvements in the plight of the people they are trying to help. At the same time, the recipients grows in their inferiority complexes, in which their potential is not reached. One of the powerful examples Lupton shares in the book includes the following unhealthy pattern of giving without proper accountabilities:

• Give once and you elicit appreciation;
• give twice and you create anticipation;
• give three times and you create expectation;
• give four times and it becomes entitlement;
• give five times and you establish dependency.

3) Expressing the Oath

Luton provides the turning point by suggesting that charitable organizations and givers take the 'Oath of Compassionate Service.' The oath mirrors the Hippocratic Oath. (128)

• "Never do for the poor what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves."
• "Limit one-way giving to emergency services."
• ''Strive to empower the poor through employment, lending, and investing, using grants sparingly to reinforce achievements."
• "Subordinate self-interests to the needs of those being served."
• "Listen closely to those you seek to help, especially to what is not being said - unspoken feelings may contain essential clues to effective service."
• "Above all, do no harm."

4) Explicating the Recovery

This section is worth the price of the book. Lupton shares from his experience to give readers a few creative alternatives to conventional giving. He is quite supportive of the Opportunity International organization which seeks to equip and empower people to help themselves. He advocates the need to be patient, and that there is no quick fixes in the charity initiative. He promotes the ABCD method: 'Asset-Based Community Development' in which one prioritizes on achieving the 'potential' instead of focusing on 'problems.' Rather than trying to solve one small part of the needy's problems, Lupton argues rightly for a wholesome restoration of the recipients sense of self-worth. This needs patience. This requires due diligence. This demands responsible giving.

Closing Thoughts

'Toxic Charity' may not a book for bed-time reading but is an important book that needs to be read by all charities and churches who are keen to help the poor and the needy. The first half of the book is a no-holds barred reprimand on the flaws of our current charitable giving model. It contains such strong observations that even the most faithful giver can be tempted to stop giving altogether. Fortunately, the second part of the book redeems the idea of giving. If readers are able to go beyond the wallet-wrenching parts at the beginning, to reach the end, they will appreciate the pains and the meticulous ways in which Lupton redeems giving altogether. This is how the gospel works too. As much as it exposes and attacks the effects of sin and sin itself, it redeems the sinner.

I highly recommend this book for all givers, to let their giving be guided by knowledge and wisdom. Most importantly, giving is a way to empower, and not disempower the receivers.

Ratings: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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Faith is Risk Taking

Eli Stanley Jones (1884-1973)

The great 20th Century Methodist missionary to India, E. Stanley Jones (1884-1973) is one of my favourite persons I love to quote from. When serving in India, he was one of the key Christian influences on Mahatma Gandhi. He worked with the lowest of the lowest, in particular the Dalits. He wrote with a conviction to wake up the sleepy church. He spoke with passion to rebuke the naysayers. He even influenced major figures like Dr Martin Luther King Jr, who went on to famously start the non-violent human rights movement.

Rebuking the Risk-Averse Believers

The article below is a particularly moving one, and speaks to the modern church that is fearful of taking risks. It rebukes the 'negative' spirit among many Christians, and exhorts all to adopt a 'positive' way to live. I learned that taking risks is not an option. It is a must if anyone of us wants to be a disciple. Maybe, 'must' is a strong word. Perhaps, at least, if any of us are NOT willing to take risks, let us then NOT deter, distract, or discourage others with our own risk-averse or negativity. Let us learn to focus on Christ, and take Him at His Word, His promise to be with us, especially when we take risks for gospel sake. Some of the precious gems I learned are:

• We are our biggest prisoners.
• The biggest mistake is the 'fear of making mistakes.'
• Don't build our spiritual lives around negatives.
• Don't be focused so much on the small things, that we miss out the big picture.
• That we can often behave like the Pharisees, who sees 'criticisms' when Jesus sees 'conversions,' and who 'pick flaws' over 'followers.'

Below is a reproduction of Eli Stanley Jones's article printed on a newspaper in Texas. I have highlighted my favourite parts in bold blue. Take my word. The article is worth your time.

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LIFE TRULY LIVED IS A RISKY BUSINESS

(Published: "The Evening Journal," 23 June 1954)
By: E. Stanley Jones

A dentist who was successful as a dentist – he filled cavities with positive remedies – was a failure as a moral being, for he said to himself: “I am a man who thinks all around a subject, but I never make up my mind and act.” Everything for him was 'sickfilled over by the pale cast of thought.' The thought never took legs and began to walk; It remained a thought. Many are so afraid of making a mistake that they don’t make anything else. They have so much tact that they have no contact.

'Any life truly lived is a risky business, and if one puts up too many fences against the risks, one ends in shutting out life itself.’ Many are prisoners of their own fears of making mistakes. There are many who are afraid to speak to others about Christ, for they are afraid of making mistakes. But the biggest mistake is not to do it. If a man doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t make anything else. The biggest mistake is the fear of making mistakes. It leaves on negative, and that is a mistake.

There are some who build their whole lives around negatives. Note: “Now the Pharisees gathered to meet him, with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with common (that is unwashed) hands (Mark 7:1-2, Moffatt). They came all the way from Jerusalem to meet Him, and their life attitudes were so negative and faultfinding that all they saw was unwashed hands. They couldn’t see the greatest movement of redemption that had ever touched our planet – a movement that was cleansing the minds and souls and bodies of men. All they saw was a ritualistic infringement. Their eyes were open wide to the little and marginal and blind to the big. So history forgets them, the negative – forgets them except as a background for this impact of the positive Christ. They left a criticism; he left a conversion. They picked flaws, He picked followers.

There is only one way to live – the positive way. There is only one way to die – the negative way.

O Christ, I thank Thee for Thy awakening, stimulating impact upon my spirit. Thou dost produce life at every touch. Amen.

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am not afraid to make mistakes, for I’m out to make something bigger than the “I's.”

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Wow. When we are too focused on the I, me, myself, how pathetically small and limited our world is. When our eyes are focused on Christ, our world expands beyond ourselves. Faith is taking risks by living beyond ourselves, for Christ. We are not called to build a kingdom of 'I.' We are called to build and to be a part of the kingdom of God.

conrade

When Generosity Hurts

Giving is good. Giving is noble. Giving is taught in the Bible as being a better act than receiving. I am a proponent for giving, and I regularly encourage people to give as much as they can. When a certain country suffers a natural calamity like an earthquake or a nasty typhoon, it is common to see the media issuing calls for help, and for people to provide financial or food aid. The aims and results of generosity are in general very helpful. In fact, giving is often the chief way to show that we care for one another. We stand in solidarity with one another to live a better life.

Yet, there are situations when generosity hurts more than helps. It is when our giving and our generosity is based on erroneous thinking. A missionary couple in Haiti recently issued a plea to the American Church not to send peanut butter to Haiti. In a sermon, one American pastor for all his good intention, pledged his church to donate 28000 jars of peanut butter to Haiti. The logic is that the typical diet of Haitians shows a lack of protein, and peanut butter is a rich source of protein. Unfortunately, this good intention creates more problems. Generosity of this kind hurts more than helps.

Firstly, it hurts the peanut industry in Haiti. Peanuts are big sources of income for Haitian farmers. More than 66% of Haiti's employment is in the agricultural sector. Imagine what will happen if 28000 jars of peanut butter comes from the USA free for Haitians? What will happen to local peanut sales?

Secondly, it hurts the jobs. If the farmers cannot sell his produce to cover his costs, he cannot pay his workers. If workers are not paid, they have no income to pay for his bills. When unemployment rises, the dependence on foreign aid continues. This then causes a dependence on more donations.

Thirdly, it cuts away any incentive to develop the local resilience. What may be cheap to produce in the rich West may not be so for local economy. Any economy that has gone through a disastrous calamity will be extremely fragile. Giving may help in the short term. However, for the sake of Haiti, long-term considerations are key.

Proverbs teach us that:

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." (Prov 18:17)

In giving, what we feel is right at the beginning, may be based on erroneous data or information. It is crucial that whenever a foreign party wants to help, ask before giving. Ask for help before attempting to help. Ask for advice. Ask for counsel from wise sources. Sources like missionaries who have been living in the country of concern. Ask for advice from people familiar with the economy, the political scene. Best of all, help through the people who the organization is familiar with.

conrade
p/s This reflection is inspired by Corrigan Clay's blog here.

Book Review: "The Gospel Commission"

TITLE: THE GOSPEL COMMISSION - Recovering God's Strategy for Making Disciples
AUTHOR: Michael Horton
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011, (320 pages).

Is there anything new in this book? No. Is there a more jazzy message in there? No. Is there something hip and clever in the book? No. Horton shows us that we do not need these things to dress up the gospel message and mission. The pure gospel and mission can stand on its own.

Do not let this book's simple innocent title fool you. True to its message, the author base his ideas on biblical foundation. True to the gospel message, he makes the reader more attentive to the gospel itself. True to the gospel mission, Horton exemplifies in this book the words of the great missionary to China who famously says:

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply." (James Hudson Taylor)

What the Book is About
Simply put, the book continues where the author's two previous books have left off. In Christless Christianity and The Gospel-Driven Life, Horton talks about the need to take the gospel seriously, calling on believers toward the gospel MESSAGE. In this book, Horton continues with a renewed focus on taking the MISSION of the gospel seriously. He has several concerns. Firstly, he urges Christians NOT to take the Great Commission for granted. Secondly, he is arguing for a shift away from the tendency in many churches toward 'mission creep.' Such 'mission creep' tends to puff up church mission and strategies instead of sharing God's mission and kingdom. The former is more man-centered while the latter is God-centered. Thirdly, and most importantly, Horton writes:

"There is no mission without the church and no church without the mission." (14)

He announces:

"The Great Commission begins not with an imperative, a plan, a strategy for our victory in the world, but with the announcement that Christ has conquered sin and death." (89)

This is followed by a reminder that the Church need not invent new mission or strategies. Tying together the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, Horton says that Jesus himself has given us the mission and the strategic approaches. Horton interacts widely with leaders of the Emerging Church Movement, like Brian McLaren, as well as the spiritual contemplative writers like Dallas Willard and Richard Foster. He is not afraid to disagree with them when he feels they are out of sync with the Great Commission. Yet, he is respectful of the teachings from these esteemed authors. I appreciate the sensitivity and balanced manner, as well as the measured criticism from the author.

My Comments
One stark observation is that Horton does not lace this book with fancy titles or colourful glossy covers. Neither are there any big name endorsements on the inner and outer flaps that we have gotten so used to, especially for authors desperate to attract more readers to buy their books. If a book is good, the message alone suffices. If a book is no good, no amount of who's who on the covers helps. Horton does not need nice packaging. He lets the message be the message.

Kudos to the author, who is not interested in chasing after the latest fad in spiritual matters but stick to ancient truths that are theological sound, and biblically faithful. I find myself highlighting many powerful statements that hits home. I enjoy the way the author weaves together biblical theology and the mission emphasis of God's love. It is an important book that deserves a wider readership.

One critique I have is that such a book may not appeal as much to the general reader. Leaders and concerned church members who have some kind of theological training will benefit most. Apart from this, I think Horton is very passionate about the Gospel Commission, and sees all manner of Church and Christian Living from this perspective. I am glad to see Horton applying the mission focus on the fundamentals of Matthew 28:18-20. He exhorts the reader to put a renewed energy back into preaching, teaching, baptizing, and making disciples of all nations. Calling these as means of grace, the GC is not something that Christian 'have' to do, but is one that true disciples will love and long to do.

Did Michael Horton do a good job in 'recovering God's strategy for Making Disciples?' The answer is a resounding YES!

I strongly recommend this book.

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Missions Fest 2011 (Jan 28-30, 2011)

Each year, many Christian organizations, schools, and mission agencies come together for a major conference cum exhibition. The purpose is to raise awareness of the need for Churches and Christians from all over, about the calling to be missional. The theme for this year is "What Does the Lord Require of You?"

Image From: missionsfestvancouver.ca

Where?
Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC),
999 Canada Place, Vancouver BC Canada

When?
January 28th - 30th, 2011.

• Friday (9am - 10pm)
• Saturday (9am - 10pm)
• Sunday (9am - 5pm)

What Is It About?
Download the program magazine here. General admission is free, but some of the other programs are not. Check the schedule here.

What Are the Programs?
Lots. There are:

1. Conferences / Talks (speakers)
2. Movies / Mission Films (link)
3. Exhibition Booths (link)
4. Places to Sign Up for Missions (link)

and many more....

Here is the promotion video.

A Book to Fill Our Spiritual Cavities

TITLE: The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us? The Answer That Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World
Author: Richard Stearns
Published: Nashville: TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2009.

What Leonard Ravenhill has done for revival in the Church, Richard Stearns does for stirring up missions through compassion in the Church. Beginning with a personal testimony about his calling from for-profit corporate life to non-profit service in World Vision, Stearns writes with conviction and heart-felt compassion for the afflicted in poorer places like Africa. Without any theological training, Stearns plunges into the world of serving Christ through missions, and subsequently sharing his experience and exhortation to the Church in America. His refrain is familiar:

• The 'hole' in my gospel may be similar to yours;
• Are we demonstrating God's love or are we simply 'talking' about it?
• Why are we here on earth for?
• What are we doing with the talents God has given us?
• "Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything." (152)
• God can use you....
• "What will you do?" 

Through pleas and rebukes to the Church, Stearns shoots off the hip to make comfortable Christians feel 'uncomfortable.' It is hard not to be moved by what he writes and shares.  Many of the things he says are tough, but they carry substantial weight as far as the gospel of Jesus Christ is concerned.

My Comments
As I turn the pages, I feel that Stearns' sharing is powerfully authentic. He writes in a lively manner. He lets his frustration with the complacent churches show. He stirs up the reader to do something about it. The sad stories he share are heart-breaking. The fruits of his ministry are encouraging and should challenge Christians to go beyond mere pew-warming. His 'tale of two churches' reflect his deep anguish and frustration over the passive American Church that has so much, versus the active African Church that has so little. The former are wealthy and never seems satisfied with more. The latter are poor but seems contented with whatever little they have.

I appreciate his honest sharing about his journey, as well as his generous stories collected from many different sources into one book.  This helps the reader understand that this 'hole in our gospel,' is quite a common phenomenon. Stearns is not alone in speaking out. Perhaps, with this book, there will be more who will share the vision of Stearns, perhaps World Vision as well. Above all, may our vision of the Kingdom be so exciting, that Church people will long to WANT to share Christ, rather than 'have' to share Christ.

Plug your bookshelf with this book right now. This book calls the Christian disciple to plug more holes than one. Perhaps, it can spark us to start filling our spiritual cavities.


Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: "Take Your Best Shot"

TITLE: Take Your Best Shot
AUTHOR: Austin Gutwein, Todd Hillard
PUBLISHED: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2009.

This book tells the remarkable story of a young boy after he witnessed the horrors inflicted by HIV/AIDS on families in Africa. It begins when Austin at 9 years old as he watched a short documentary on AIDS victims. He becomes particularly struck by the image of an African girl of similar age, Maggie. Maggie in the documentary was orphaned after both her parents died of AIDS. While Austin lives comfortably with his basic needs provided in his home in Arizona, Maggie struggles far away in Africa with no certainty of the next meal in her life. While Austin is like any other ordinary American boy shooting to play for the school's basketball team, Maggie is among many ordinary Zambians in Africa, fighting to survive the terrible onslaught of the AIDS disease.

With the image of Maggie's plight etched indelibly in his mind, Austin is motivated by one phrase: "God wants to use you." Thus begins am amazing journey of Austin's desire to help AIDS victims in the simplest possible way he knows: Shoot basketball free throws.

After calculating the number of AIDS victims and the numbers that died every hour, Austin arrives at a figure of 2057. He discusses this with his parents and friends, and manages to get a small group to support him as he begins his free throws marathon. Surprisingly, word about his small fund-raising effort gets out. People pledge donations as they see this young boy doing his best to highlight the African AIDS predicament.

Believing in his heart that 'God wants to use you," Gutwein makes his free throws. The local media gets wind of his efforts. More people come to support him. At the end of the marathon, he made his point. He raised about $3000 from that effort. Few years later, that figure mushroomed multiple fold. When Gutwein turns 14 years old, he sets up an organization called 'Hoops of Hope,' which has since become an amazing success story as far as the public awareness of AIDS is concerned.

My Comments
Though this is a book written by a juvenile, it should appeal to a wider audience. Some of us adults who have failed to pursue our dreams when we were young, should feel inspired rather than ashamed. Gutwein did what he knows best, to show other boys and girls his age, that "God wants to use you." We need more stories like Gutwein's.

I am aware that some people may be cynical about Gutwein's rise to fame, and that Christians should not be too infatuated with 'big results,' or 'high publicity' stints like Gutwein's. Having said this, God can use big organizations or small individuals. He can use public media, or private persons. He can also use highly visible connected individuals, or unknowns in this world. God being God, is free to use anybody. While not many of us will be able to rise to fame the way Gutwein did, do not be discouraged if the world fails to recognize your efforts. God knows. May that be sufficient for us, servants of God.

Overall, this is a book that should inspire young people to take their best shot. It should also motivate adults to do the same. Take your best shot. Let God use that shot to touch lives.

Book Rating: 3.5 stars of 5.

What about you?

conrade
p/s: My Amazon book review is here. It is a little different, but the idea is similar.

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available now at your favourite bookseller."

Yours Generously

In my previous posting, I have argued that the oft-used phrase: ‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’ is something that has been overused, overstated and in dire need of a major overhaul. It is something more easily said than done. The best it has done is to force an intellectual truce or a verbal armistice. I assert further that ‘loving the sinner’ is unconditional, and it is not helpful to tie it to ‘hating the sin’ in such a way that that ‘loving’ and the ‘hating’ are to be uttered in one and the same breath. Instead, I propose an alternative toward accepting one another as Christ accepted us, so that God can be praised (Romans 15:7).

In the New Testament, Jesus’s desire to do good, colours all his actions. The NIV translates the adjective (αγαθος ) ‘agathos’ in Matthew 20:15 as ‘generous.’ It can also be translated ‘good.’ Together with 'ego eimi' (εγω ειμι), the (I AM), it reads I AM GOOD or I AM GENEROUS. The works of God cannot be separated from the person of Christ. It captures the works of Jesus that arises out of the character of God. It is the essence of God’s goodness that leads to the generous acts. In that passage, Jesus shows us that he is able to summon the overwhelming power and resources of God to issue edicts of goodness to the world. In the light of the discussion of loving the sinner, will God love the man who sinned only rarely MORE than the man who committed 100 sins? God chose to give the same reward to all who worked for him, regardless of their start time. Martin Luther consistently argues that we are saved by faith through grace instead of good works. The path to any goodness in us is faith through grace from God. In his preface to his commentary of the New Testament, Luther writes:

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures.” (Martin Luther, Faith & Freedom: Invitation to the Writings of Martin Luther, ed. John Thornton et al, NY: Vintage, 2002, p95)

Jesus was able to do good works because of his steadfast faith in the heavenly Father. All good works flows from this unshakeable belief. The working out of such wonderful deeds emanates boldness, joy and happiness. No grudging feet dragging. No complaining attitude. True faith is evidenced in good works. Jesus’s ability to show generosity stems from a thankfulness to God, and the desire to glorify the heavenly Father who gives faith through grace. I like the word ‘generous.’ It showcases a goodness that is delightful externally and warm internally. Audrey Hepburn, the English Emmy award winner gives a brilliant illustration of generosity.

“You will discover that you have two hands. One is for helping yourself and the other is for helping others.” (Audrey Hepburn)

This simple statement expresses very well what it means to love self and to love neighbour. Whether it is the left or the right hand, it is the heart that moves the limbs to help. Another Englishman, the remarkable WWII UK prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill offers another great statement on generosity.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." (Winston Churchill)

This is the strange paradox. We become better people not by grabbing stuff for self but giving things away to others. Generosity is a Christian virtue that if practiced more, will touch more hearts than years of mere tract distribution to meet a quota. Such charity is more effective than hellfire-and-brimstone forms of preaching that strikes fear into the hearts of the unbeliever. Decisions made out of fear will fail to see the light of love. When we give of ourselves to the good of others, we are living in faith. When we welcome people from different walks of life into our community, we are recognizing in them a person made in the image of God. When we generously offer others the benefit of the doubt, we allow space for people to open their lives up to us so that we can understand each other more.

Generosity Does Not Mean Affirming
When we welcome another person of a different sexual orientation into our midst, it does not necessarily mean we agree to their lifestyle of choice. Stanley Grenz, on the gay issue, puts it very well in suggesting: “Welcoming but not Affirming.” This is less confrontational. We can welcome believers who are gay into our fellowship, yet not affirm their behaviour. This may be difficult for some people as they find it impossible to detach the ‘sin’ from the sinner.

A generous HAND means that one is willing to give away the extra coats in our closet, or the best meals we have cooked. A generous EAR enables us to listen more intently even though it may mean we lose the opportunity to speak our mind. A generous EYE helps us to see matters and various issues from another party’s standpoint more willingly. Even though one may smell something fishy, a person with a generous NOSE will control self and seek ways to bring the truth of the matter out in love. A generous LEG is ever-ready to run the extra mile, beyond the standard requirements or obligations. A generous MIND is open to the different viewpoints, and allows dissenting views to surface in the spirit of conversation and grace. A generous FACE gives an authentic smile that reassures the other person(s) that it is ok to agree or disagree. Gregory Jones, a professor at Duke Divinity School says it well.

“We can learn to be generous regardless of our situation in life. Indeed, I have encountered generosity both in spirit and in sharing resources among the poorest of the poor as well as the richest of the rich. I have discovered that the two kinds of generosity are often linked: those who are generous with their time and energy, those who have capacious hearts and hospitable spirits, are also generous With their resources. Similarly, those who are stingy financially tend to be rigid and bitter in their relationships with others.

How can we help people learn to be generous? One key way is by intentionally teaching certain practices, especially in families. A familiar problem in family foundations is that children and grandchildren often lack the generous spirit of the founding family members and want to clutch onto the resources for themselves. We must help children cultivate both the habits of giving and the interior dispositions and capacities to sustain those habits over time.” [Jones, L. Gregory. 2007. "Be generous." Christian Century 124, no. 20: P33.]

Generosity can be transmitted to our next generation. Happy is the family that produces generations of generous people. Behind a generous person lies an intricate family practice of bountiful favour extended to one another. One need not have big wallets in order to do big things. One can be poor financially, but rich in heart. All it takes is a generous heart, extensive enough to hold the love of people inside, with care oozing continuously on the outside. Incidentally, the heart is a very strange organ. A heart has 4 lobes and it pumps blood physically only to the body of one person. A person can give blood via transfusion or by donation at a blood bank. A generous heart can pump limitless love. It can move mountains of emotional debt that is accumulated by years of selfishness and stingy living. How do I know? Ask Zacchaeus, the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10).

A Story of Generosity
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me something more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone. "

Author Unknown

In the example of welcoming people with gay/lesbian sexual orientation, if we practice generosity of the heart to love these people through welcoming but not necessarily affirming, we pray that they will be more attracted to the God of love. No longer will they simply ask for sympathies for their homosexual tendencies. No longer will they accuse conservatives of being homophobic. No longer will they be constantly bickering about the law and the gospel. Instead, they will desire Christ, so much that they are willing to choose a non-homosexual lifestyle in the spirit of "Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

May God raise up people with generous hearts, that the kingdom of God will prosper abundantly.

kianseng

Missions Fest 2007

Today I dropped by Missions Fest Vancouver 2007 at Canada Place. It resembles the exhibition and convention center at Suntec City in Singapore, except that instead of the electronics and technology companies on display, this time, it was a whole potpurri of Christian based organizations that showcased different aspects of missions involvement. There were organizations that provide training (eg Briercrest College, Trinity Western Uni, and of course Regent College. There are those which serve through the teaching ministry, and the helping ministry. Some are humanitarian focused and others are country focused. For those who are keen to know about missions, the exhibition is a great place to gather information and to determine one's level of involvement in global as well as local missions. I met a friend who came from Edmonton, volunteering in the Mission of Mercy Canada. His dad is also actively involved in the mission for Christ. It dawned upon me the wonder of God using two generations of a family in the common service for God. I am encouraged that both the father and son are serving the Lord in their respective manner.

I looked through the brochure for Missions Fest and realized that Gracia Burnham is one of the keynote speakers. It would be great to listen to what she has to share about her experience with New Tribes Missions (NTM) when she was there with her husband for 17 years. For those who do not know, the Burnhams was one of the victims kidnapped by the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in the South-East Asian region. The Burnhams were kidnapped and detained for 376 days, before a fatal rescue attempt , which left her husband dead. Gracia was mercifully spared and was able to return to the US. You can read more about her biography here.

I am touched by the energy and enthusiasm missionaries like Gracia Burnham is able to continually share her love for the Philippines, despite her tragic encounter there. Live like that humble me. Other speakers this year include Os Guiness and Bruce Milne. The missions fest ends this Sunday.