Have I ever thought/dreamed about being a missionary?
Yes! I think about life in another culture all the time. When I was a junior in high school I was sitting in a worship service listening to a missionary talk about his life on the mission field. When he was inviting the audience to be involved in someway in missions I felt as if I was the only one in the room. That day I surrendered my entire life to serving God whole-heartedly, whether here in the states or in another country.
Ever since that day I have always pictured my life in another country serving God in some way.
If I were to engage in a nation or a country now, being here in the states. Being involved in knowing things about other countries is very important. It is important in knowing how to pray for their needs both spiritually and physically.
If my church or youth group at home were to adopt a country and pray for the people it would help in wanting to be involved in global missions. When the church is involved in global missions it expands their world. It makes us aware of other things going on around the world. If churches adopted a country it could stir up a love in some hearts to go to the people of that country.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Blog 13
why and how is connection critical to missions?
"Church members must communicate and connect in order to grow and serve God."
The word community means common unity. Connection with others is so important in mission. Being connected to God most of all. In being connected to God we know what we are supposed to be doing. Connection to others is so very important when on the mission field. Being in Haiti this summer I found that being connected with other believers through email was so critical. I loved being connected with others that were constantly encouraging me. It was so uplifting to know that I was being thought of and prayed for when I felt discouraged or alone.
Connection and missions are so very parallel, they co-inside so much with each other.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Blog 12
How do I read the Bible?
When I read the Word I try to take it slow. I like to chose a book of the Old Testament and a book of the New Testament. I alternate which book I read each day if I do not have time that day to read some from the Old and New. This summer I worked at Pine Cove and my bible study leader gave me her example of how she read and I loved it. I have applied it to how I read now. When I chose a book I read the whole book in one sitting to kind of get the whole picture and then break it up piece by piece, day by day. If the book is too long to read in one sitting I split the book into two. I have found this very helpful.
Another thing I like to do is read a comentary about the book before I read it. I have a study bible so I like to read the backround, time setting, and information about who wrote the book.
I love digging in and learning new things about God. The more and more I seek after him in his word the more I realize how small I am and how little I know of him. Which in turn makes me want more.
Sometimes I fail at this, most of the time I fail at this. I don't always have a constant bible reading everyday. I can definitley tell when I haven't in just the way I look at things or the way my attitude is. The beautiful thing though is that God is so good and forgives. He looks at how little I know of him and how sometimes I forget about him and still loves me. I am always amazed and in awe of why and how much he loves us!
When I read the Word I try to take it slow. I like to chose a book of the Old Testament and a book of the New Testament. I alternate which book I read each day if I do not have time that day to read some from the Old and New. This summer I worked at Pine Cove and my bible study leader gave me her example of how she read and I loved it. I have applied it to how I read now. When I chose a book I read the whole book in one sitting to kind of get the whole picture and then break it up piece by piece, day by day. If the book is too long to read in one sitting I split the book into two. I have found this very helpful.
Another thing I like to do is read a comentary about the book before I read it. I have a study bible so I like to read the backround, time setting, and information about who wrote the book.
I love digging in and learning new things about God. The more and more I seek after him in his word the more I realize how small I am and how little I know of him. Which in turn makes me want more.
Sometimes I fail at this, most of the time I fail at this. I don't always have a constant bible reading everyday. I can definitley tell when I haven't in just the way I look at things or the way my attitude is. The beautiful thing though is that God is so good and forgives. He looks at how little I know of him and how sometimes I forget about him and still loves me. I am always amazed and in awe of why and how much he loves us!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Why are we growing churches apart from transformation?
What is the difference between conversion and transformation?
Conversion can happen so fast. I like how Roberts gives the modern day conversion in a church: non-believer comes to church, hears a message, walks down the aisle, prays, and boom he's converted. "You can convert- change who your religions- but stay the same person on the whole."
Transformation is when something completely changes. I like to think of a transformer. When they transform they are no longer a car, that is no longer who they are, their identity. They are now a Robot. They can do different things, things they couldn't do as a car. "Unless we are altogether transformed into the inage of Christ in how we live and behave, we are no different from any other religion in the world promising enlightenment and self-improvement."
"I am convinced that the greatest hope we have of seeing our culture transformed is first to make the gospel clear in our practice of evangelism"
The gospel is constantly changing my life. I have been constantly reminded of how the gospel should excite me all the time. I feel like as "church goers" we can get so used to hearing the gospel presented over and over again that it just becomes something we hear and not give full attention too. God is changing my heart and giving me excitement about his truth and showing me that I need to get excited about the gospel. I need to preach the gospel to myself everyday!
Conversion can happen so fast. I like how Roberts gives the modern day conversion in a church: non-believer comes to church, hears a message, walks down the aisle, prays, and boom he's converted. "You can convert- change who your religions- but stay the same person on the whole."
Transformation is when something completely changes. I like to think of a transformer. When they transform they are no longer a car, that is no longer who they are, their identity. They are now a Robot. They can do different things, things they couldn't do as a car. "Unless we are altogether transformed into the inage of Christ in how we live and behave, we are no different from any other religion in the world promising enlightenment and self-improvement."
"I am convinced that the greatest hope we have of seeing our culture transformed is first to make the gospel clear in our practice of evangelism"
The gospel is constantly changing my life. I have been constantly reminded of how the gospel should excite me all the time. I feel like as "church goers" we can get so used to hearing the gospel presented over and over again that it just becomes something we hear and not give full attention too. God is changing my heart and giving me excitement about his truth and showing me that I need to get excited about the gospel. I need to preach the gospel to myself everyday!
Blog 10
"If God loves the nations, and he does we have to do more than love what we see in our own backyeards if we're going to plug into the kingdom. When we're more concerned about our own fiefdom than God's kingdom, we will believe being the biggeset church is more important than churching the communities around us."
I love how Roberts words things in this book. He is so right in the fact that the church was made for missions. If the church as a whole were to take the Great commission and run with it as a team it would be so effective. When a group of people work together they accomplish things way better.
"God wants to espand and restore theat call within the church as a whole"
There is a difference between "doing missions" and "living the kingdom". In doing missions we think working, serving, going to foriegn places. When we think of living the kingdom it is more of a "furthering the kingdom" mindset. We tend to see others around us through the eyes of God and want to not only meet their physical needs but their spiritual needs too in order to further the kingdom.
I love how Roberts words things in this book. He is so right in the fact that the church was made for missions. If the church as a whole were to take the Great commission and run with it as a team it would be so effective. When a group of people work together they accomplish things way better.
"God wants to espand and restore theat call within the church as a whole"
There is a difference between "doing missions" and "living the kingdom". In doing missions we think working, serving, going to foriegn places. When we think of living the kingdom it is more of a "furthering the kingdom" mindset. We tend to see others around us through the eyes of God and want to not only meet their physical needs but their spiritual needs too in order to further the kingdom.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Blog 9
A missions principle that can be learned from The Great Century would be William Carey's Approach to missions. He had 5 key components to missions.
1. Evangelism
2. Bible translation
3. Immediate church planting
4. Understand culture
5. Indigenous leadership
Carey knew that in order to be a successful missionary all five of these components were necessary. You can not be as affective with just one of these components.
We can apply this to our mission techniques today. We need to apply this to our strategies when we go serve in a different culture.
1. Evangelism
2. Bible translation
3. Immediate church planting
4. Understand culture
5. Indigenous leadership
Carey knew that in order to be a successful missionary all five of these components were necessary. You can not be as affective with just one of these components.
We can apply this to our mission techniques today. We need to apply this to our strategies when we go serve in a different culture.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Adonriam Judson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0RRU67DKwc
Adonriam Judson was the very first missionary sent out from America. In this short message Ravi Zacharias tells us a little of Judson's biography. Judson was a brilliant man. When he went to college in Rhode Island Ravi says that Judson believed that he was smarter than God. Judson had a huge influence on others around him. Because of his huge influence he had on a certain individual named Jacob Ames. Jacob was a Christian until he met Judson. Judson left college claiming he was an athiest.
Judson later had found that Jacob had died in a random inn with no one by his side. It was then that he turned to God and found himself in the Lord.
Judson moved to India to be a missionary and they kicked him out. He then moved to Burma and had a huge impact on the people there. It took him 7 years to see someone come to know the Lord.
He translated the Bible in to the language of Burma. Judson was a man of huge impact.
Ravi Zacharias says, "Unless you and I recognize that the person out there without Christ is lost, we will never carry a burden and a personal pressure within our own soul."
We need to realize that there are lost people out there that need Jesus. We have a huge impact on this world, people are watching us and paying attention to what we do. We are to always be looking for opportunities to reach others for Christ!
Adonriam Judson was the very first missionary sent out from America. In this short message Ravi Zacharias tells us a little of Judson's biography. Judson was a brilliant man. When he went to college in Rhode Island Ravi says that Judson believed that he was smarter than God. Judson had a huge influence on others around him. Because of his huge influence he had on a certain individual named Jacob Ames. Jacob was a Christian until he met Judson. Judson left college claiming he was an athiest.
Judson later had found that Jacob had died in a random inn with no one by his side. It was then that he turned to God and found himself in the Lord.
Judson moved to India to be a missionary and they kicked him out. He then moved to Burma and had a huge impact on the people there. It took him 7 years to see someone come to know the Lord.
He translated the Bible in to the language of Burma. Judson was a man of huge impact.
Ravi Zacharias says, "Unless you and I recognize that the person out there without Christ is lost, we will never carry a burden and a personal pressure within our own soul."
We need to realize that there are lost people out there that need Jesus. We have a huge impact on this world, people are watching us and paying attention to what we do. We are to always be looking for opportunities to reach others for Christ!
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