Photo by Elisabeth Kirkwood
God is slowly but surely making my heart soft. I'm really not the tough, manly man most people think I am. (or the lack there of). I was reading a while ago stories of missionaries and childern that without a doubt broke my heart. So I would like to share a few things that really effect me and stir my heart. Then top it off with a question. There things I'm listing really dont have to do anything with the question, but it may build up to it.
Hearing stories of kids walking into their schools and murdering their class mates.
Reading about a husband/wife losing their life long best friend.
Looking at pictures of childern laying on a sidewalk to die.
Knowing that most western Christian ministries fight each other.
Watching the "adopt a pet" ads on T.V. Yes really, no joke. God loves animals too!
Hearing stories about soldiers laying down their lives for...me and my freedom.
Pretty much any Christian martyr story.
Watching the rain fall on people walking in nice clothes.
These are just a few. There are more, but no need to name them. Now aside from adopt a pet ads, the one of western Christian ministries fighting each other really hurts me. I serve at a ministry and I happen to work in the area of getting events for us to serve at, to promote the ministry and work God is allowing us to do. I have to deal with other ministries telling us we can not put this or that material out, or we can not put child sponsorship packets on the table because they are the only ones that can do that. Or even better than that, ministries telling lies about other ministries. What a whole bunch of backstabbing people! It really upsets me to know that God has given us a duty to carry out the greatest honor on earth, namely preaching the gospel to the ends of the world, but ministries fight and lie just so they can get there way.
I'm reading the book Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper. He mentions in his book that the goal of missions is the gladness of peoples in the greatness of God. I fully believe that! That is the aim. We have the money, time, chance, to see millions saved but yet we have to make sure your doctrinal statement lines up, can't be to Charismatic or Reformed, make sure everything is pretty, "i's" dotted, make sure you have a back up plan just in case you can't fulfil the Great Commission, make sure that western Christians are the ones leading the teaching (cause remember western Christians know best). Now I know, someone is going to read this and get upset or mad at me and say that these things matter. To some manner of reason...maybe. How about this question...How will they hear? Not how can we reach them. Who is we? Usually when we say that, we is actually the westerns. I don't mean to sound harsh or judgmental, which I know some people will view it this way but let's grew up and glorify God. We punch and kick when millions of people are going to hell. Now I'm not saying native missions is the only way, and there is no place for western missionaries. I'm saying ministries need to open their spiritually blinded eyes and reach the world...as a Body. The Body of Christ. We are all an arm, leg, finger, let's do it together!
Now I understand that in Acts it talks about Paul and Barnabas parting from each other. Yes we all have a hang ups of different doctrines. It is a hard thing to work along side of a Calvinist when you don't believe you didn't have a choice, or a Charismatic guy when you really don't understand fully what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is. I get that. But, I highly doubt Paul told lies about Barnabas or didn't love him as a brother just because he wanted to take John Mark along on the trip.
Please read this carefully and think long and hard about it...
Think about a little girl. 12 years old, living in India. Beautiful brown skin, dark brown eyes. She has nice clothes and her daddy loves her. Her family is wealthy. She actually goes to school and is smart. She doesn't know Jesus. She is fed nice rice with chicken every day. She can sing very well. She plays with her friends at the time, because that is her favorite thing to do. She loves life....
Now...
Think about another little girl. 12 years old, living in India. Her skin is rough, and her eyes have dark rings under them. She has one shirt, and a skirt. Her daddy sells her body so he can buy drugs. She is a Dalit, or untouchable. She can't spell her name, and for the most part doesn't know it half the time. She doesn't know Jesus. She finds food that has been chewed by a dog. She has a beautiful voice. She has no friends. She doesn't have a clue about anything better.
now my question...how will they hear the Gospel?
You know what the shame is? That God has given us a chance to reach both of these little girls, but we fail, because we just can't get along. Both of these girls are lost and going to hell. It doesn't matter where they are, who they are, what they do. How will they hear about Jesus? I really don't care if you hold strong to the soverenigty of God, or even if you think the choice is up to man. That really doesn't matter. The Gospel has to go forth.
Think about those girls....what do they think? They don't know the truth. They don't know about missions and all the plans western Christians come up with. They don't know doctrine or theology.
Try looking out from their eyes....
Here are some good reads
Come, Let's Reach the World by K.P. Yohannan
Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
Revolution is World Missions by K.P. Yohannan
2 comments:
Amen! Good word. I just wonder what the outside world would think of "christians" that are bickering or small doctrines that don't make any difference in the end. They must think that we are hypocrites. I don't blame them for thinking that about us.
It will be so shaming to have to have God sit all the christians down so that He can correct our doctrine before we would all be able to live in heave in peace.
The church needs to forget petty doctrine disputes start reaching the world that hasn't even heard about Jesus.
I know EXACTLY what you mean about the adopt-a-pet ads. They play that sappy music and show animals that look as if they're crying. I get mad at myself when I tear up over that but I don't tear up so easily when I see starving Christians all over the world. America treats their dogs better than they treat the poor and broken hearted. To me, that's more heartbreaking than the malnourished dog on the screen.
I like what Paris Reidhead said in Ten Shekel and a Shirt - "MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!" This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, That the Lamb that was slain, may receive the reward of His suffering...
This should be the driving force of the Church - His body - whether we go to hell at the end of the way or not!! When you don't care where you end up as long as you live THIS DAY for His glory, suddenly doctrinal issues are irrelevent. I believe this is the essence of being eternally minded. It's not about Heaven or hell. It's about who gets the glory.
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