Sam, Our Bodyguard

He picked us up each morning at our hotel, and returned us safely each evening.  Most mission trips don’t include bodyguards, but this one did.  And Sam was our favorite.

Tough Job from Day One

A number of years ago, our church partnered with a local Christian congregation in a Muslim-dominated country.  The goal of our national partners was that together we would establish about a dozen cell churches in a series of apartment buildings by the end of the week.

On the first day we held a large church meeting before heading out to do mission work.  When the meeting ended the fifteen teams scattered in all directions.  Sam, our government-assigned bodyguard, was distraught.  There was no way he could keep track of all the crazy Americans going every which way.

So I took Sam aside and told him it would be okay.  I bought a couple of Cokes and we sat together on plastic chairs in the dusty alley and talked for a while.  I assured him that the people would be wise and that God would protect them.  He said he believed in God.

I told him to relax and stay cool, we would all be back in a few hours.  And then I left.  Since we all returned as promised, he was much at ease the following days.

Friendship Beyond Religion

Sam’s job was to protect us each day as we traveled.  He was even ready and willing to shoot others for our safety.  Sam was a Muslim man, but by God’s design, ironically ended up making a way for our team to share the Gospel more freely.  Apparently, ensuring national tourism dollars was more important than religion in this religious land.

Sam really had no choice but to listen to our Christian messages and meetings.  And we would share Christ with him, and share stories from our lives with one another.  He enjoyed being with us and our national partners, and we enjoyed having him with us.  We all learned a lot from one another.

After three days with us, Sam was transferred to a different detail, and our group was assigned another bodyguard.  Maybe Sam was listening too sympathetically to Gospel.  Or, maybe it was simply a routine change.  We never saw Sam again on that trip, but many of us still pray for him and what he heard.

God’s Glory in Hard Places

Much progress was made toward the goal of starting apartment-based call groups.  Our partner church put a lot of the line to make this happen.  This is because they firmly believed that the Lord wanted them to reach out more boldly and share hope with their community.

It would cost them a lot in the coming years.  The loss of a building and property by unethical means.  And even one of their leaders would be martyred.  This is a difficult place to be a Christian, and moreso to spread the faith.

Their courage and risk-taking was inspiring, humbling and empowering.  They assumed the cost without reservation, even when it came time to pay it.

Hebrews 10:32–39 ESV “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

God sets up our relationships, those with partner congregations and mission opportunities, and those with bodyguards such as Sam.  We need to be ready for whomever and whatever God brings our way.  We must be intent on bringing glory to Him by our faithful Gospel witness, by our our honorable actions and in pursuing the relationships in front of us, without fear.

Our Spirituality And Our Happiness

We are used to finding good practical life instructions from the Proverbs.  But, we are less familiar with the Book of Proverb’s advice on true spirituality.  These three verses in Proverbs 15 show the connection between our spirituality and our happiness.

Knowledge Leads to Gladness

Proverbs 15:13–14 ESV “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”

The condition of the heart will show itself in one’s looks and the way one carries oneself.  One’s spiritual state can be fairly well surmised from one’s face, smile, eyes, and mood.  We all know this and experience this, and it is what helps care for one another in spiritual struggles and growth, leading to conversations and prayers.

The discerning heart, that is the one who understands, sets himself to seek knowledge because knowledge of God and His Word will affect his soul and bring spiritual vitality into his life.  We all know the feeling after reading our Bibles, meditating, prayer, group study, sermons, worship, etc.

The fool on the other hand doesn’t bother with such things like seeking knowledge; the result is that he becomes so spiritually starved that that his appetite for knowledge of God and His Word is small, and when he does nibble at it, it is only to promote his own foolishness.  Such a person is often sorrowful and just can’t get joy, and easily gets crushed in spirit by life.

The cheerful heart comes from knowledge, feeding upon knowledge.  The cheerful heart is sustained by God.  He causes the hunger for knowledge and He gives the satisfaction, and the desire for more and more.

A Heart Filled with Continual Joy and Satisfaction

Proverbs 15:15 ESV “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

We often say that “attitude is everything.”  This is true and fits well here, as long as we realize that in v.15 we are not talking about manufacturing such an attitude from within ourselves.  The point is having a perspective that comes from God, His Word and Spirit at work within us.

The first part of this verse might reference our lives when they are less than pleasant; and so, how we are able to overcome this through spiritual vitality.  Or, it might point out that those with an afflicted heart are always in pain and have no escape.  The depressed, who are not spiritually vibrant will tend to stay that way throughout their lives, day after day.

Either way, the spiritually vibrant of heart see beyond their life circumstances even when they are not in perfect alignment with what they will be one day in glory.  Such persons even rejoice and still find much grace upon which to feast and enjoy their lives.  I think we all know people like this—maybe you are one.

The Proverb Points to Christ

We know our Lord Jesus Christ was sent to give us this kind of abundant life and we have it flowing to us and through us from His work on His Cross and in His Resurrection. 

John 4:10–14 ESV “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”” 

John 7:37–39 ESV “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

We experience the reality that “the cheerful heart has a continual feast” in even greater ways than the people of God under the old covenant did.  Simply put, being filled with gratitude and happiness will help us become more spiritual.

Pray And Get Over It

I have received a lot of grief over the years for using the statement, “pray and get over it.” 

I don’t remember where this saying came from.  Perhaps I said it on a mission trip.  Or, maybe it was in a sermon somewhere, and I was in the moment and it just came out of my mouth.  Regardless, it stuck, and has been used against me many times.

Knowing What is Meant

Context is everything.  The congregation knew what I meant.  But, they teased me relentlessly, and still do.  Yet, because we all love one another and know that the saying is true I believe that it has been helpful to all of us.

We are prone to exaggerate concerns in our lives, or concerns for our own church.  And we too easily focus upon matters that are trivial in light of the grand mission of God in front of us.  It was such situations that gave rise to this mildly famous saying of mine.

Certainly, isolated from context such a saying appears insensitive, simplistic, overly concise.  Praying through difficult and emotional circumstances all the way to the end is a process, not given to a momentary solution.

However, sometimes we do need the simple truth simply put in our face.  And it works best coming from those who care for us, people we love and trust.  Though even coming from others, such a truth has immediate benefit.  

Our Reality

When we are under fear, suffering pain or trudging through disappointment, the reality is that so often we don’t go first to prayer.  We go to other things, such as the advice of friends, resources, reasoning, or other distractions and pleasures.  These may all be good things in themselves, but they can not accomplish what prayer does.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

All I meant by the saying was that if we pray, then we will get over it, just as this Scripture informs us.  God will minister to our souls through prayer.  

So, I don’t really regret saying what I said.  And for those who still don’t like it, maybe you should just pray and get over it.

Plead With God For Men, Plead With Men For God

Is the controlling passion and vision of our lives to fulfill Jesus’ plan of reaching the world with the Gospel?

If it is, we will not hold grandiose dreams of future service to the Lord without a present reality.  We will never become great soldiers of the faith somewhere down the road unless we actively evangelize and disciple now.  If we cannot do it now, then we will not do it later.  

Charles H. Spurgeon once described the Christian life as “pleading with God for men, and pleading with men for God.”

Our Daily Prayers

First, this means that our day should begin with prayer, entreating God for the salvation of people through us, the Lord’s humble servants.  The Apostle Paul expressed his intense concern for the salvation of his fellow Jews in his letter to the Romans 10:1 ESV, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

Paul asked God for their salvation because salvation is only God’s to grant, just as our Lord Christ taught in John 6:44 ESV, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day.”  And so, a desire for people’s salvation should lead us to fervent prayer, knowing that only God can cause people to be born again.

Growing in our desire and concern for people’s salvation is interactive with praying for their salvation.  Paul’s prayer intensified according to his concern for people, and the concern grew during, and as a result of, his prayers.  Without both prayer and personal concern in our hearts and lives, we will not plead for men.

Our Daily Conversations

Second, as the spiritual battle rages during the day, this desire and concern for people’s salvation should continue to be our inward prayer as we assault, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the work of the evil one who blinds the eyes of the unbelieving, by begging people to be reconciled to God.  We will plead with men for God.

The Apostle Paul entreats men and women everywhere, along with all our fellow ambassadors in 2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”.  The Lord will accept all those who come to Him, for He Himself declared in John 6:37 ESV “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”  God’s success is guaranteed!

If God’s success is guaranteed, then why do we at times seem to resign from our ambassadorship?  It seems to be some fear that overtakes us:  fear of looking, feeling and being thought of as foolish; fear of not knowing what to say or how to answer questions; fear of losing friendships; fear of personal injury or loss of earthly security; fear or confrontation and discomfort; fear of personal involvement; fear of ridicule; or fear or whatever.  

But, it is in going forth with the results entrusted to God that God’s glory is put on display.  Observe Paul relying on the Spirit:

2 Corinthians 2:1–5 ESV “For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.”

If we do not speak can we truly say that we are convinced that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation?  How can we then assure ourselves that we are truly concerned for people’s needs and faithfully loving them?  Without first pleading with God for men, we will not be able to trust the Lord when we plead with men for God.

Our Life’s Labors

The work does not end with fruits of evangelism, rather the process of perfection just begins.  Disciples must be established, equipped and built up to continue the work of Christ in saving and perfecting the saints.  This is the mission of the church and the final goal is nothing less than perfection in Christ.  

Our Apostle Paul defined his ministry in this manner, in Colossians 1:28–29 ESV “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

May our lives be lived for Christ, and not for ourselves, by pleading with God for men, then pleading with men for God!

Acts 20:24–27 ESV “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. . . . Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”

When Strategic Activity Is Not Strategic Enough

Just because our church or ministry is engaged in strategic activities does not mean that our work is really strategic.  In truth, we often wonder why it is that if we are doing such strategic things there aren’t more results to show for it.  

Here are four reasons why this might be the case.

1.  Strategic Initiatives are not connected to the Vision.

Often a church or ministry will work long and hard to develop a wonderful vision statement.  But then, somehow, there is loss of sight when it comes to putting together strategic initiatives.  They are only vaguely connected to the vision, and in fact most people can’t see the connection, and so they just do them to please their leaders.

2.  Strategic Initiatives are not connected because there is no Vision.

It is common for churches and ministries to have a number of strategic initiatives in play, to be very excited about them, and consumed with their implementation.  However, without a clear vision of what these initiatives are to accomplish, it is less that strategic, and usually exhausting for those involved.

3.  Strategic Initiatives are not coordinated to work together toward the Vision.

People like to do their own thing.  And this can be a problem when it comes to strategic initiatives.  Each team leader is promoting his or her own thing, without seeing how each and every initiative is integral and needs to be coordinated with all the other initiatives for any of them to be maximally effective.  Becoming silo-ed will doom the overall vision.

4.  Strategic Initiatives are too many or too few in order to accomplish the Vision.

Another common problem is creating too many initiatives.  In reality, it only takes a handful of them to accomplish a vision.  Momentum will transfer to all the parts of an organization naturally, so relax and focus on the big things.  Conversely, uncreative or lazy thinking can lead to just a few initiatives, hoping for more results than is realistic.  It is best to take the time to plot out how exactly the strategic initiatives will lead to the desired future that is described by the vision.

Scattered Initiatives are not Really Strategic 

The common denominator in these four scenarios is that scattered attempts to achieve great ministry results simply do not work.  Good activity is not good enough.  This is not being strategic overall. 

All of us like to think we are being strategic.  The truth is that sometimes we are, sometimes we are not.  Yet, we all like to talk about our activities as if they are or might be someday revealed as amazingly strategic.  

The proof is in the results.  So, if results are not apparent, it might be that one or more of the four reasons mentioned is the reason why.  The good news is that all of them are easy to correct!

Simply return the leadership team to the vision, or create a new one together, or modify the existing one.  Then, prayerfully and wisely align strategies with the vision, trusting the Lord for direction.  Every leader and team needs to be disciplined to keep the vision, to review it often along with the strategic initiatives, and in detail.

Graveyard Conversations

Find the graveyard.  Hang out with your team.  Start talking with people.

Find a Place of Significance

Every village in this part of Asia has its places of community significance.  It might be a tree of blessing, a hill, a spot near a river or a memorial.  My personal favorite is the graveyard, because it holds so many possibilities.

It won’t take long for a crowd to start gathering to observe the three or four strangers.  A couple foreigners are fascinating, but so are a couple of Asian outsiders; and more intriguing yet is that they are visiting the village together.  Simply smile and start asking friendly questions about life in the village, its history, even try to get a tour later.  

Ask deeper questions too, about religious practices, and perspectives on life and death, since you are near a graveyard bustling with activity concerned with ancestors.  Enjoy learning about how blessings and curses work, and how people find happiness and deal with sadness.  Have the whole team participate.

These are universal topics of interest that allow us to share hopes and compassion with one another.  Listen even more closely, and prayerfully, for how the Gospel might uniquely get through, or sink into, the hearts and minds of these people who have never heard.

Hold a Deeper Conversation

By now, there are probably 50 people hanging out, watching, listening and participating.  Tell a story of two about your own family, or how your team got to know one another and why you are interested in exploring new cultures.

Read part of Genesis 1-3, a very brief part, and then tell the whole story in your own words.  As a team, talk about God the Creator and His creation.  Talk about goodness and beauty.  Talk about evil and sin.  Make sure to talk about angels and demons, because they already know about them.  Make sure to talk about humanity as unique among living creatures, possessing a soul, being created in God’s image, but now fallen, because they know nothing about this.  Be patient and prayerful as the conversation flows along.

Read part of Revelation 19-21, a very brief part, and then tell the whole story in your own words.  As a team, talk about eternity.  Talk about personhood, body and soul.  Talk about the resurrection to come.   Talk about sin, heaven and hell, the end of the world and the New Heavens and New Earth.  Go back and talk a lot more about heaven, in detail.  Be patient and prayerful as the conversation keeps moving along.

After 30 minutes or so the crowd will be a little smaller.  The critics will mostly be gone.  The main questioners for the group will stay, and many interested listeners.  Enjoy this large group discussion that will go even deeper still.

Leave Them with Hope and Anticipation

Now it is time to read part of a Gospel, just one story that illustrates salvation.  Make sure it is a story, and make sure it is clear in its meaning.   Make sure it will be simple through translation.  Then retell the story in your own words and clarify the meaning for everyone.  

Talk about Jesus Christ as Son of God become Man.  Talk about His coming into the world.  Talk about His works and words.  Give examples.  Tell a story or two about how He has changed your life.  Have a couple different team members share.

Of course, you must tell the main story about the Cross and Resurrection.  Take your time with this.  Make sure your teammates are all participating and praying.  Talk about how Jesus, and only Jesus, removes our guilt and shame before God.  Talk about holiness and purity.  

Definitely spend time talking about how He breaks the power of sin, and overcomes the power of the evil one and demonic forces and curses.  Talk about His power to bring blessings, and in all their varied forms.  Talk about peace and fear.  Tell the story about His current rule from Heaven, and His coming return and future glory.  

Tell your story.  Explain how to become a Christian.  But, please don’t have them raise their hands to receive Jesus, or any other such American silliness.  Let them think.  Let the Spirit do His work.  Simply, challenge them to talk honestly among themselves about your conversation this day.  

Be Practical and Humble

Leave them with further Gospel information in print and in video.  Exchange contact information with those most interested, especially the leaders.  Let them know that your Asian friends will return.  It is your Asian partners that best know how to do ministry and church planting among near culture unreached Asians, in the first place.  You are simply a partner and a catalyst.  So, pray for their follow up, resource them, pray for them, and rejoice with them in the harvest!