the reluctant leader

If You Could Shrink our World to 100...

Got the following from my friend, Mark Conner:

If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of exactly 100 people it would look like this:

- 1 of the villagers would have a college/university education

- 1 of the villagers would own a computer

- 70 villagers would be unable to read

- 20 of the villagers would earn more than 12,000 AUD a year

- 80 villagers would live in sub-standard housing

- 9 of the villagers would possess 50 percent of the wealth

- 50 of the villagers would suffer from malnutrition

- 60 villagers would live where torture & ill-treatment by the authorities is common

- 30 of the villagers would be Christian

- 28 of the villagers would not have a Christian friend

What are you doing about it?

“Missions is the Family Business"

Quotes from Leonard Sweet’s new book, So Beautiful:

1. “Mission is not an activity of the church but an attribute of God.”

2. “God is a missionary God, Jesus is a missionary Messiah, and the Spirit is a missionary Spirit. Missions is the family business.”

3. “God doesn’t just have an agenda for you to do; God has a mission for you to live.”

4. "We don't need more mission trips but more mission people for whom all of life is a mission trip."

5.  “Disciples of Jesus live a mission-shaped life. Every life is a missionary life. Every marriage is a missionary marriage. Every vocation is a missionary vocation. We’re all on assignment.”

Speaking of being on assignment, American news icon, Walter Cronkite, named his sailboat ASSIGNMENT so that every time he was anchoring his sailboat rather than anchoring the CBS evening news, he could say he was “on Assignment.”

Too many believers are on that kind of assignment, rather than on mission. Life is supposed to be a mission, not a holiday.

How about you, are  you on ASSIGNMENT, or on mission?

Making Disciples or Discipling Nations?

NOTE: Dug this one up from deep in the archives...

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.                                                               Matthew 28:18,19

The modern Evangelical church tends to celebrate the “Great Commission” of making disciples of individuals while ignoring the “Cultural Mandate” to disciple nations.  One reason for the neglect is our gross ignorance of history.  We know about preachers and missionaries who evangelized pagan souls, but we know little about reformers and educators who helped transform pagan nations.  We celebrate and honor soul-winning preachers like Wesley and Whitefield.  But we forget about nation-changing statesmen like Wilberforce and Witherspoon.

Because of our rapture-any-moment mentality, the separation of church and state doctrine and our evangelical obsession with the individual, we have missed half of the point of the Matthew 28 commission.  We make disciples, but we do not disciple nations.  We reach out to people groups, but ignore political groups.  We expect moral change, but not social change.

Is it actually possible to disciple a nation?  Can the gospel really change society?  Or, should we expect everything to get worse and worse as the End draws near?  Is our ultimate goal simply to not be “left behind”?  Is there a valid hope to influence nations for the glory of God?  A quick look at history tells us that, yes, the gospel really can and should change nations.     

--  Fifteen hundred years ago Ireland was an idol-worshipping, slave-trading nation of savage pagans.  In just one generation Ireland was transformed into a godly nation known for its scholars and missionaries.  The best-selling (secular) book “How the Irish Saved Civilization” tells how this national transformation was primarily the work of one man, Patrick.  During his thirty years of missionary work in Ireland, Patrick helped establish over 700 churches and schools and trained over 3000 ministers.  But his ministry went beyond just church work.  He also helped transform government reform laws that brought the end of slavery in Ireland.

--  William Wilberforce was elected to Parliament at the age of twenty-one.  He had a two-fold life mission as indicated in his diary entry on October 28, 1787: “God Almighty has set before me two great objectives, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the reformation of morals.”  For the next forty-six years Wilberforce worked tirelessly to change English law, to change English culture and to change the English economy in order to end the English slave trade.  Three days before his death on July 26, 1833, the House of Commons passed the bill that abolished slavery in the entire British Empire.  This was not done by a preacher, but by a Christian serving God in civil government.

--  In 1768 John Witherspoon resigned his pastorate in Scotland and moved to the New World to pursue a career in education.  He did not abandon his faith or calling.  He served God as an educator the same way he had served God as a pastor.   He became the president of a school that trained ministers, the College of New Jersey (now the apostate Princeton University).  Many of Witherspoon’s graduates became pastors and ministers.  Those who did not end up in ministry included: a US president, a US vice-president, ten cabinet officials, twenty-one senators, thirty-nine congressmen, one supreme court justice, one-fifth of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and one-sixth of the delegates to the US Constitution Convention.  Witherspoon is called “the man who shaped the men who shaped America.”  In other words, Witherspoon discipled a nation.

Where are the modern versions of Patrick, Wilberforce and Witherspoon who will right social wrongs and change unjust laws, who will run for political office and serve in government?    Unfortunately most Christians are too busy with prayer meetings and Bible studies to effectively engage the culture and disciple the nation.  Real Christianity is not measured by how much time we spend in church, but by how we apply God’s word in all of life.   We should applaud and support every godly citizen who is willing to obey the Great Commission by not just discipling individuals, but by discipling the nation.

Make Disciples of All Nations

“Make Disciples of All Nations” - that’s what Jesus told his disciples to do. To us, that means we invite a few people to come to our Life Group or to attend our Easter service.

Was He really serious about the “disciple all nations” thing?

I think so. And occasionally in church history, we stumble upon people who took this as a command and actually attempted to do more than get people to church or to heaven. Some people actually discipled nations.

Ever noticed how many national flags have a cross in their design? Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland all have the cross as a central design in their flag. Their current apostate condition does not negate their Christian heritage.

The first American flag was not the Betsy Ross stars and stripes. The original had the Union Jack cross in the top left corner. The British flag still feature a cross, as do other commonwealth nations including Australia and New Zealand.

Obviously, discipling a nation is more than stitching a cross on a flag. As you study the history of all the above nations, you will see that the cross symbol actually pointed to the reality of Christ in the culture at the time. But, like some people, some nations stray from their calling.    

Tomorrow’s blog will feature some people who discipled nations…

What is the Great Commission, Really?

This morning I was thinking about the difference between making disciples and discipling nations.

We know what it looks like to disciple an individual:
     - greed is overtaken by generosity
     - lust is consumed by spiritual passion
     - selfishness submits to sacrifice
     - purpose and direction replace randomness

We know what it looks like to disciple a family:
     - bitterness gives way to forgiveness
     - strife in the home turns into peace
     - marriages are healed
     - relationships are restored

But what does it look like to DISCIPLE A NATION?
Isn't that what the Great Commission tells us to do?

More on this tomorrow...

Reflections on My Early Years as an Accidental Missionary

Someone dug this one from deep in the "Victory Fire" archives (Vol. 1 No. 3, July-August 1992). When I wrote this we had been in the Philippines for 8 years, and 8 years seemed like  eternity. That makes 25 years triple eternity, plus 1. I'm glad time flies when you're having fun.

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"I Remember"

I remember the phone ringing that day in May of 1984. It was the phone call that would change my life (and address). My friend, Rice Broocks, was organizing a team of college students for a summer missionary trip to the Philippines and Korea. He asked Deborah and I to come along to help with the follow-up. Our plan was to spend one month in Manila and one month in Seoul. God had other plans! Eight years later, sixteen churches later, three sons later, we are still in Manila! We are still reaching students, still planting churches, and still training leaders.

It is hard to believe that we’ve been here for eight years. A lot has happened since that first outreach in 1984. We’ve lived through seven coups, a revolution, a volcano, an earthquake, and sixteen million brownouts. We’ve made lots of friends and recorded countless memories. Following are a few of my most vivid memories, totally at random.

I remember a rainy night in June that first year. The last time it rained that hard was recorded in the sixth chapter of Genesis. We had been in the Philippines for about a week. The streets were flooded, so were the altars. Finally, a young angry (at least he looked angry) university student came forward at our youth meeting in the Girl Scouts Auditorium. He looked like he was ready for a rumble not a revival. That night, Ferdie Cabiling met Jesus Christ. Jesus stayed the same, Ferdie was changed forever! Today Ferdie is a man of God. A husband. A father. A preacher. A youth pastor. And a friend of mine.

I remember another night about one week later. We were preaching on the streets of U-Belt, inviting anybody and everybody to our outreach meetings in our first student center, the Tandem Cinema basement. This guy had a pony tail and a distant look in his eyes. He walked into the meeting that night a drug addict and walked out a new creation in Christ! Six years later, Manny Muleta and his new wife, Joy moved to Iloilo City to plant a new Victory church. Today they are part of the pastoral team at the Victory church in U-Belt.

I remember the first communion service we had in Manila. It was the most significant communion service of my life. I was kneeling by my chair. Rice Broocks was leading the service. The Holy Spirit was putting a burden in my heart for these people, and I knew that I would return. Six weeks later, Deborah had packed up our belongings and moved across the globe.

I remember the intimidating glares from the man who always stood at the back door after the Makati service. He never sat down. He always stood by the doors ready for a quick get-away. Though never spoken, his look said, “Don’t even think about preaching to me.” He only came to the service to pick up his children for lunch. He stood in the back to avoid his ex-wife, and the preacher. I remember that this guy gradually came earlier and earlier to pick up his kids, either I was preaching longer or he was coming earlier. I’ll never forget the Saturday night his son called and told me that his dad had just surrendered to Christ. I would have nominated the guy for the “least likely to get saved” award. God disagreed. Today Bomboy Fabregas is happily remarried (to his ex-wife) and heads the Evangelism Explosion department of the Makati fellowship.

The most vivid memory I have is the memory of what God did for me on the cross some two thousand years ago. He didn’t just do it for me. He did for sixty million Filipinos, most of whom have never heard a clear biblical explanation of the gospel. He did for the millions of Bangladeshis, Thais, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cambodians. Let’s never forget what Jesus did for us and for those around us. The more we remember what Jesus did on that cross for us, the more irresistible the Great Commission will be.

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Only 4 more days 'til Victory@25!

How Important is Evangelism?

In the Detroit airport about to board flight NW71 to Manila...

Been reading an old book Rice Broocks gave me yesterday called "Basic New Testament Evangelism" by Faris Daniel Whitesell. The book was published in 1949 and is out of print. Too bad, because I know a lot of pastors who NEED to read it.

Here's a quote:
"In God's balances one soul weighs more than the entire world of material things. And, in the estimation of this modern world's most enlightened minds, personality is the most precious thing in the universe. these two considerations alone should elevate New Testament evangelism to the place of highest importance among human activities, for the object of that evangelism is to save souls and to redeem personality. To overestimate or exaggerate the significance of our subject (evangelism) is beyond the capicity of man."

What do you think? Is evangelism top priority? Should it be?

Tuesday Top 10 – Largest Muslim Populations

The eyes of the world have been on Iran and the violence and chaos following their election. As you tune into the news reports, I hope you watch and pray for millions of Muslims to come to faith in Christ.

As you you pray for the world, here are the 10 nations with the largest Muslim populations.

10. Morocco - 27,736,000 Muslims

9. Algeria - 30,442,000 Muslims

8. Nigeria - 49,000,000 Muslims (EN)

7. Egypt - 57,780,000 Muslims (EN)

6. Iran - 64,707,000 Muslims (EN)

5. Turkey - 64,714,000 Muslims (EN)

4. Bangladesh - 110,849,000 Muslims (EN)

3. Indonesia - 116,105,000 Muslims

2. India - 122,570,000 Muslims (EN)

1. Pakistan - 150,365,000 Muslims

The (EN) symbol indicates nations with Every Nation churches, missionaries, church planters, and/or campus ministers.

Who will "go and make disciples" in Pakistan, Indonesia, Algeria, Morocco and the rest of the Muslim nations in the world?

Above info from mapsofworld.com

One of My Heroes Died Last Week

One of my heroes died last week. Ralph Winter was 84. Cancer.

I never met him, but his ideas changed my life. I know we hear the "changed my life" line all the time these days - but it's really true this time.
 
Who was Ralph Winter? I get tired just thinking about all the man did in his lifetime. The short list of his accomplishments makes me feel lazy.

- husband, father, grandfather, missionary, missiologist, scholar, radical

- he coined the phrase "unreached people groups" in his epic address during the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in 1974 -  changing forever the way we look at our world and do missions

- civil engineering degree from Cal Tech, M.A. from Columbia University in teaching English as a second language, Ph.D. in structural linguistics from Cornell University, and a theological degree from Princeton Seminary

- ordained Presbyterian minister

- founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission, Frontier Mission Fellowship, William Carey International University, International Society for Frontier Missiology, Theological Education by Extension (TEE), Institute for the Study of the Origins of Disease

- developed the 15-week Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course - over 70,000 have taken the Perspectives course

- missionary to Guatemala for 10 years

- the first professor at Fuller Theological Seminary's School of World Mission, now the School of Intercultural Studies.

Winter's Mission Frontiers Magazine was one of the few Christian publications that i actually read cover to cover for years.

Amazing man. Thousands went to the mission field, millions heard the Gospel, and multitudes will be in heaven because of his lifework.

So, what are you doing with your life besides facebooking and watching American Idol?

On Being Missional

In another nation experiencing another culture... Being in Japan, Philippines, Australia and NZ in the past 4 weeks got me thinking (blogging) about how to think like a missionary. Acting & thinking like a missionary has its own word – MISSIONAL.

Here are some random thoughts on being missional:

- Missional was originally about having compassion for the lost - even though "lost" was banned from the official missional lexicon - unless the L word was referring to that weird TV show.

- Missional used to be more about acting like a missionary, and less about talking about being missional.

- When “missional” was the word-of-the-month, it meant more than blogging, untucking your shirt, growing facial hair, cussing in the pulpit, drinking beer and criticizing mega-churches.

- I think “missional” as THE word kinda lost its punch when being cool became as important as being obedient.

- It seems that the "M" word is now losing it's cool factor – currently being replaced by the latest emerging idea of the month - whatever that is.

- We all need to get back to simply living and preaching the gospel - in a way that makes sense to the people in our culture and community. That’s being missional.   

- For more on being missional check out the following links:
The Meaning of Missional by Ed Stetzer
The Ed vs. The Al short vid debates

*** ACCIDENTAL MISSIONARY UPDATE – I’m currently in NZ untucking my shirt, drinking “flat whites” and not growing facial hair while trying to act and think like a missionary - Every Nation annual South Pacific Leadership Summit - hosted by Ken & Rene Dew and Every Nation Auckland church. Great to see all my South Pacific friends.