We Are Orlando

After the recent shooting that happened, the phrase "We are Orlando" as been floating around social media.

This struck a chord with me. It reminds me of the phase "We are the Body [of Christ]." When one of the members is grieving, we grieve with them. When one of the members rejoices, we rejoice with them. When one of the of the members is hurt, we hurt with them.

The phrase "We are Orlando" communicates the same thing. It declares that we are one people and that we all hurt when there is injustice and pain. It gives the same feeling of togetherness that Christianity is supposed to inspire.

What happened that day in Orlando was wrong. End of story.  So what if it happened at a gay night club? Does that make their suffering any less real? Does that some how make them less of a person?

NO!

Do we think that a Christian that over eats is less of a person? NO! Yet gluttony is one of the seven most deadly sins. Or do we think that the suffering of a person with pride is any less than the suffering we endure? NO! Yet God opposes the proud.

What if we removed the logs out of our own eyes so that we could see the world with love and compassion? Jesus, when he was here had the holy right to judge people for what they had done, but with his dying breaths, he said, "Forgive them Father, they know not what they do!" Only Jesus has the right to judge. It is and never was our place to judge anyone, but to treat every person with the love and compassion that Jesus showed. The kind of love that forgives its killer. That love will stand out even more than neon.

As a group, Christians have failed the one real task we had: Love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments rest all the law and the prophets.

Christians were supposed to be Love incarnate.
But instead many see us as Hate incarnate. And not without reason.

Here is the thing about the Gospel. Angry people need the Gospel.Prideful people need the Gospel. Lazy people need the Gospel. Good people need the Gospel. Bad people need the Gospel. Tall people need the Gospel. Short people need the Gospel. Gay people need the Gospel. Hardworking people need the Gospel. Bloggers need the Gospel.
And in cased I missed you:

Everyone needs the Gospel!

Every community needs the Gospel. 

Many Churches has chosen to neither praise or denounce the shooting. This is the coward's way. What happened was evil by every measure--and beyond evil by the measure of the Bible.  

To stand passively on the sidelines, unwilling to do anything, is the same as supporting it. For the Churches that won't pick a side--history has chosen your side. You have sided with the terrorists. For you, Love has lost and Hate has won. 

For the Churches who have condoned and denounced this shooting. For the Churches that accept ALL people as people who God loves. For the Churches that hold fast to the Bible in truth and Love. I can truly say that Love has won. You are the true image of the Church and the true Church. Churches were never meant to be places of judgement, but rather a gathering of imperfect people worshiping a perfect God. 

So, go! Embrace those who are suffering because of this act of Hate. Seek justice for the marginalized, love mercy and give mercy to all you meet, and walk humbly with your God. 

The REAL Purpose of Short-Term Foreign Missions

As I hope would be apparent, there is no such thing as a short-term or part-time Christians. Either you are for God or against Him. You are a full-time Christian or not a Christian at all.

So, if there are no short-term Christians, why are there short-term missions? Surely, God doesn't want the Gospel going to every tribe, tongue, and nation only part of the time. God wants the Gospel to go to every tribe, tongue, and nation all the time.

If there is no such thing as a short-term Christian, and God wants the Gospel to go to every tribe, tongue, and nation all the time, why are short-term foreign missions a thing? 

While there is no easy answers to this question, I believe there are several good reasons that short-term missions should exist.

Reason 1: To Confirm a Long-Term Calling.

Back in the day, mission trips were much more costly. You only went on a mission trip if you were pretty sure God was calling you to that place. Because of the "popularity" of short-term foreign missions, it is very hard to find a mission trip that's purpose is to confirm a long-term calling that is not planned by the person in question.

Really, what you should look for is an intern position. Generally with intern positions, you are able to do what the long-term mission team does on a daily basis--basically live and be a missionary in that country. In addition, you will work along side the long-term team and find if you can work together well. The long-term team takes you seriously and you seriously consider life-long missions. It really is a win-win situation. And one that glorifies God!

As for intern based missions, generally you have to look at the mission organizations within the country you are looking at. That's just how the cookie crumbles.  But if you are looking at a more general internship that lasts only a summer, I recommend ReachGlobal's Trek7 teams. (Read more at https://go.efca.org/ministries/reachglobal/trek7) I went on their 2015 Tokyo trip, and I believe that God has called me to Japan for possibly life-long missions.

Reason 2: You Can Offer a Needed Skill Set.

For this one I think it's easier to just give examples:

Giving medical care in a place with no medical access.
Being a native speaker of English (as it is [for some unfathomable reason] the new business language).
Hosting some sort of English camp (with the camp in English!)
Assisting under-trained doctors with operations so that they will learn how to operate better.

Basically, is is something that you can do that couldn't be done without you. 

It is NOT, I repeat, it is NOT building some building. Every country that I have ever heard of (and I've take college geography) has people that can work as unskilled laborers. And by having the people around the church help build something for the church (or town) you have a chance to not only boost the economy, but also so share the gospel. Unless you are working with some fancy material that is not native to that area, or needs special training to work with it, under no circumstances should you build anything! End. Of. Story.

But, back to what short-term missions is.

Reason 3: To Build Relationships Between Churches (Vision/Prayer Trips). 

The relationship between a missionary and their supporting churches is paramount! Without the supporting churches, there are a lot less missionaries and God (literally) knows that we need more missionaries!

What happens usually in a Vision Trip (I have also heard them called Prayer Trips) is a group of Christians go around a country(s) and meets the long-term teams that are serving. They pray with and for the long-term teams, and then (once back in the States) gather support and raise awareness for the long-term team and their needs. While fun things happen on these trips (think tourism), the point of these trips it to be an advocate for the people there.  Just like how Jesus is our advocate, these team strive to support those far from home.

What Does This Mean? 

In the most basic terms, I believe that if you are going on a mission trip, it must be for at least one of those three reasons. For any other reason a more accurate term would be "Christian Tourism." The goal of missions isn't to make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. It isn't to let you see the world. It isn't because other Christians are going on mission trips. It isn't so that you can get away from your boring life.

But most of all, the goal of mission trips are not to make you look spiritual.

The goal of mission trips is to bring GLORY TO GOD and PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL!

Nothing more.

Nothing less.