Excellent Article on Eric Liddell

Eric Liddell is a modern day hero of mine who was both a world class runner and a committed missionary. Liddell is most well-known because of the movie Chariots of Fire. The film, which won best picture in 1981, tells part of the story of Liddell's life (along with that of fellow British sprinter Harold Abrahams). However, Chariots leaves out a great deal about Liddell. Albert Mohler recently wrote an excellent article entitled "God Made Me for China" — Eric Liddell Beyond Olympic Glory that discusses much more of Liddell's life, including his impact in Japanese controlled China during World War II. I highly encourage you to read it.

7 Reasons Why Your Two Week Trip To Haiti Doesn’t Matter: Calling Bull on "Service Trips"

(I intended to wait until the new year to post anything serious, but the article I'm linking to is simply too good to wait that long.)

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

The above saying can be applied to all sorts of situations in life. One of the most appropriate is short-term missions trips. Many churches send groups of volunteers overseas with the hope of doing some good. Their intentions are great. Unfortunately, these groups frequently do more harm than good. Sadly, the level of cluelessness is often extreme. Many western Christians go to foreign lands for a week or two, do some stuff, and then return home feeling good on the inside. However, what they've left behind is often more damage than anything else.

The article 7 Reasons Why Your Two Week Trip To Haiti Doesn’t Matter: Calling Bull on "Service Trips" skillfully addresses the above issue. While I do not agree with all of the details or conclusions in the article, I do believe most of it is right on target. I appreciate the fact that the author not only diagnoses the problems involved with missions trips, but also offers specific solutions.

The church in this country literally spends millions of dollars each year to send unskilled Christians abroad with the hopes of somehow doing some good. The results are generally not positive. Is there a better way? Can the money be spent more wisely? Can we avoid harming the locals and even accomplish some lasting good?

I encourage you to read the article and see what you think.

Positive Acts - A Promise with Orders

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Well this is certainly a familiar verse. We've all read and heard it hundreds, possibly thousands, of times. And while familiarity doesn't breed contempt when it comes to scripture, it can dull our ears. Do you see the amazing promise in the above verse?

The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon those with Christ at his ascension, but the implication is that the Spirit will soon. We see this happen in stunning fashion at Pentecost. And when this occurs, they certainly "receive power." What sort of power is Jesus talking about? It is the power to unashamedly, boldly, and effectively proclaim the gospel. This happens immediately in Peter's case. He goes from denying Christ three times out of fear to preaching Christ crucified even when the religious leaders tell him not to.

This promise has a purpose. One of the primary reasons the Holy Spirit came was to empower Christians to be witnesses for Christ all over the earth. The Spirit is not limited to certain places, as if some locales or situations are too difficult for him. Instead, the Spirit's presence with all believers ensures that we have all we need to be effective witnesses for Christ wherever we go.

In just one little verse Jesus provides his people with both a promise and orders. The promise is of a person - the Spirit - who will make their evangelism efforts successful. The orders are to be faithful witnesses wherever and whenever.

This should give us great hope. The Holy Spirit is as alive and active today as he was then. Also, we have much easier means to get our witness to the ends of the earth. It is the church's responsibility to see that happen. Let's work together to make it so.

Unavoidable: Calling All Nations

The Book of Acts is invaluable for church life. What we see, among other things, is believers with a zeal to share the gospel with the lost wherever they are. Some people traveled far and wide (Paul), while others remained close to home. The common thread was a desire to see the good news spread to locations where it has not yet been heard.

Jesus Christ made his expectations clear enough. He told his followers that they would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. He expected them to make disciples of all nations. This is not optional.

While the specific methods we use for reaching the lost may vary widely, the key is the end result. That result must be local bodies that work together to get the message to even the difficult to reach places. Christ's expectation that we do this is unavoidable.

A Church Budget Can and Should Be This Simple

I'm not generally a fan of church budgets. They are frequently complicated and self-serving. Too often they show what the church has become: a business.

Churches need better budgets. Well, I have a suggestion. Below is a simple and appropriate budget that I believe all churches should use:


40% to needy people outside the church
40% to needy people inside the church
20% to international missionaries


There it is. Simple and appropriate.

Not Forgotten: The Top 50 Countries Where It's Most Difficult To Be A Christian

"Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" (Hebrews 13:3).

We in the West have life fairly easy as Christians. Quite frankly, I'm not sure that we realize just how easy our lives are compared to many of our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world. I was reminded of the struggles many Christians face when I read Christianity Today's recent article entitled Not Forgotten: The Top 50 Countries Where It's Most Difficult To Be A Christian. I cannot speak to the accuracy of all the details in the article, but the general thrust cannot be ignored: many Christians in many countries continue to suffer for Christ on a daily basis.

As we are exhorted in Hebrews chapter thirteen, let's be in prayer for the persecuted saints worldwide.

Is the Gathering for the Going?

Why does the church get together?

This is a very significant question. It is also a question that I believe does not get asked enough today. My guess is that if you asked most Christians why the church meets, they would answer something like "to worship God." While that sounds good, the bible tells us that all of life is worship (see Romans 12:1-2).

If the answer is not "to worship God," then why does the church gather? The bible tells us that the purpose is mutual edification (I Cor. 14:26). When the body meets, the point to it all is the mutual growth of that body toward both Christ and Christlikeness.

Some believers suggest that the gathering is for the going. Specifically, they believe that the purpose of the edification is to equip the body to fulfill the Great Commission. But is this accurate? Does the building up happen primarily so that the body will then go out and tell others about Christ?

My answer: body edification happens primarily for four reasons, not primarily for one. In other words, the building up is for equipping the saints for the Great Commission task, but not primarily for that. Edification has four primary prongs, not just one.

When I look in scripture, I see mutually edifying gatherings doing four things. In no particular order these are:

1. Encouraging believers to live holy lives
2. Encouraging believers to sacrificially serve one another
3. Encouraging believers to care for the poor, sick, and needy both inside and outside the body
4. Encouraging believers to take the gospel to the ends of the earth

As we read through the pages of the book of Acts, we see all four of the above in action. Later, when we read the epistles to the churches, we see exhortations to all of the above. None of the four appears to be demonstrably more important than the others. All are key aspects of the Christian life. We do well as believers to edify one another toward all these things. We also ought to take stock of our own lives to see if we are ignoring any.

So, is the gathering for the going? In part yes, but it is so much more than that. Let's edify each other to holy living, to sacrificially serve others, and to take the gospel where it isn't. Christ both empowers these and expects these from His followers. What great privileges we have in Him!

Burqas and Cell Phones

The country of India's culture is difficult to sum up in just a few words. This is because the culture is so diverse. I've heard it said that traveling from northern India to southern India is like traveling from Norway down through Europe to Italy. It is that different from top to bottom.

Despite these differences, I'm going to attempt to summarize what I've seen. One way to do it is "East Meets West." Another is "Old Meets New."

One interesting example that I saw was women dressed in burqas talking on cell phones. When I think of burqas I think of conservative Islam. Islam tends to look backward toward its golden years of Muhammad. It is a religion that cherishes its past. Cell phones, meanwhile, are a primary example of modern technology. These phones, especially smart ones, have fundamentally changed communication within just the last fifteen years. They point to the future, making us wonder what new form of technology is coming next.

As we think about world missions, we must remember that what we see will not always "fit" what we expect. Our preconceived notions about new and old, rich and poor, black and white, intelligent and not so much, east and west, etc. frequently do not match with what we experience in other cultures. We must be flexible, becoming all things to all people, in order to effectively convey the love of Christ through the gospel.

Forrest Gump, sitting on a park bench in my home city of Savannah famously said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Missions work is something like that. You really never know what you're going to run into, whether it be near home or overseas. You may even see a woman in a burqa talking on a cell phone.

David Platt as the New IMB President: Two Positives and Two Negatives

Although I'm no longer a Southern Baptist, I still care very much for the convention. In particular, I love the International Mission Board (IMB). My wife Alice and I briefly served with the IMB in 2006-2007, before cancer hit our family. Throughout our ordeal various members of the IMB showed us great care and concern. I will always be grateful.

I try to keep up with the happenings at the mission board. The recent big announcement is that David Platt has been elected as the new president of the IMB. Platt is the now former pastor of The Church at Brook Hills. He is also the author of several books, the most well-known being Radical.

I see two positives and two negatives about David Platt being the new president of the IMB. The first positive is that Platt clearly has a heart for missions. Almost everything I've ever heard him say shows this to be the case. He has been personally involved with various missions activities in the church where he pastored. The book Radical discusses multiple ways The Church at Brook Hills cares about missions. The second positive is that David Platt seems to be a genuinely humble individual. I write "seems" simply because I do not know him. From what I have both seen and read, Platt shows quite a bit of humility despite the notoriety he has gained through Radical.

This brings me to the two negatives. First, David Platt is one in the growing long line of evangelical superstar pastors. I do not believe Platt desired this, but it occurred nonetheless. He has been invited to speak at various conferences with other famous pastors and seminary presidents. This stems directly from Radical. The obvious irony is that becoming an evangelical superstar is about as far from radical as you can get. Again, I do not think Platt had any intention in this happening. However, it did. Being a superstar should not automatically exclude someone from a leadership position, but it is tiring to see the same faces in lights over and over. It would be nice to occasionally see someone unknown elected to a significant leadership position. Maybe some day.

The second negative is that David Platt has not served overseas with the IMB. I could be wrong about this, but I do not think he has served overseas for any significant length of time (please correct me in the comments section if I am incorrect about this). Platt is going to have to make some extremely important decisions; if he had served overseas he would be far more prepared to do that.

Let me be clear on one further point: I believe the positives in this situation outweigh the negatives.

I hope David Platt is a good choice for the IMB. I hope he does very well and that more and more people around the world come to Christ while Platt is IMB president. I will continue to support the IMB however I can. I will also pray for David Platt in this new venture. I ask you to pray for him and the entire IMB as well.

Man, I Am Really White!

As you can see, I am white.

This is not a shock to anyone who knows me. Nothing about my appearance stands out. Back in the USA I sort of blend in with the crowd. I'm not unique in this. When you are part of the majority population anywhere, you tend not to think a whole lot about the color of your skin.

Since you read this blog you know that I've been in India for over a week now. Over 99% of the people I see here are not white. Sometimes I catch locals staring at me. I can only assume that it is because of my skin color. This causes me to occasionally think, "Man, I am really white!"

I suppose this has some implication for missions. I'm too tired to write anything deep about that right now. It's just that skin color does matter. We are foolish to pretend it doesn't. We can look to the recent situation in Ferguson, MO to remind us that skin color will always play a part in decisions we make.

While skin color is important, it is not the most important thing. Every person is an individual. I'm trying while in India to see people as individuals instead of just part of the teeming masses. Every one of these people needs Christ. Bridging the cultural gap, which in this case includes skin color, is one of the challenges.

One other thing: life is easier when you are part of the skin color majority. Again, I'm not sure about the missions-impact of this, but it is the case. Back in 'Merica I'm part of that majority. Because I'm part of that numerical group that makes up over 50% of the population, people tend to not notice my skin. I wonder how I would feel if my skin was a different color.

To sum up, let's just remember that skin color is an important thing, but it is not the most important thing.

False Gods, False Gods Everywhere

India is a fascinating land because the worship of false gods is so blatant.

During my two weeks here I’m staying in a hotel that is about a forty minute drive from where I’m working. As I make that exciting and frenetic voyage back and forth each day I pass many, many Hindu temples. While they vary somewhat in the details, the architecture is essentially the same. Just as a Baptist church building sits on every street corner in Texas, there’s a Hindu temple in every neighborhood in India. Additionally, Islamic mosques – easy to spot because of their distinctive minarets – are sprinkled here and there between the temples.

The facility where I’m working is similar to the JCB plant back home in Savannah. The heavy equipment, tools, machines, offices, and even building color schemes are the same. The one main difference is that small Hindu shrines sit inside each assembly area. If I want to cross from one side of the skid steer building to the other I have to walk past pictures of Krishna, Vishnu, and Shiva to do so.

Last night I had the privilege of visiting with a co-worker’s family. He is a very friendly Indian man who I just met two day ago. To use an expression from the American South, his family “put on the dog.” Not literally mind you. This means that they prepared much nice food. I was stuffed with all sorts of wonderful Indian cuisine by the time I left. The only sad part is the false god worship. Not long after I first entered his home, my co-worker pointed to a picture up on a wall and said, “This is our family god Krishna.”

India has 800 million Hindus and 200 million Muslims (other religions, including Christianity, make up small percentages). For comparison, the entire United States only has 300 million people. The Indian religious scene is refreshing in a sense in that the people are at least honest and up front about the false gods they worship. There’s no hiding it. Of course they do not think of it as idolatry, but that’s what it is nonetheless.

We residents of the United States know that the worship of false gods is alive and well in our country. Just as numerous false gods exist in India, there are many others in the USA. The difference is that those in America are a little more subtle. What are they? Let’s name a few: money, power, status, privilege, comfort, food, sports, sex, cars, clothing, technology in general, Facebook, smart phones, exercise, politics, vacations, movies, houses, and even pets. You could probably add many more to this list. The American false god smorgasbord is as thriving as it is varied. I’m not sure which is sadder: Indians intentionally worshiping false gods or Americans cluelessly doing the same.

I realize that I’m painting with broad strokes here. There are doubtlessly many Indians who worship from the American list above. Also, some Americans do worship the more traditional false gods; I can think of a Hindu temple, Islamic mosque, and Buddhist place of worship in our relatively small city of Savannah.

My primary point in this post is that false gods take many forms. They are everywhere. We must all be vigilant to rid these from our own lives. Also, these realities should spur us to share the gospel widely and abundantly. While India has a vast population that needs the good news of Christ, let’s not forget about the need back in the USA.

As I write this post I can hear what sounds like some sort of Hindu chanting in the background. I’m not sure if it is coming from inside or outside the hotel. Regardless, someone is doing his morning puja (worship). We live in a world in desperate need of the only good news. Let’s be liberal sharers of the one message that can combat everpresent false gods.

India and Lostness

Please click on this link and then look at India on the map.

I'm not suggesting that any lost person in India is somehow more important than others apart from Christ around the globe. What I am suggesting is that India's need for the gospel is statistically speaking quite possibly the greatest in the world.

The Great Commission is something that we believers in Christ should be able to unite around. Yes, we likely have differences over other issues. Let's put those aside for the great cause of taking the gospel where it isn't - whether that be in India or elsewhere.

It Requires Everybody's Involvement, Simple Methods, and Perseverence

The above map clearly shows both where the people live and who's heard the good news. India has almost as many residents as China (at the current rate it will pass China later this century). Also, India is far less evangelized than China is. As someone once said, "India is the Mount Everest of the Great Commission."

How can we possibly tell all these people in India about Jesus? Three things come to mind:

First, this will require everybody being involved. Christians from around the globe must come together to make this happen. It CANNOT be left up to salaried missionaries. Not enough exist. Although the church within India probably needs to take the lead, we must all work together, putting aside denominational boundaries, and labor together to get the gospel out.

Second, this task must be attacked with simple methods. Too many people need to hear for us to spend time on complicated issues. For example, there is not enough money or space available to build special church buildings for all those in need of Christ. Therefore, believers need to gather simply, wherever they can. Additionally, leadership (servanthood) should come from the elders within the local bodies. While robust theology is important, specialized theological training is not.

Third, we must persevere in this endeavor. Spreading the gospel to hundreds of millions of people is not quick nor easy. It will require much effort, a decent amount of money, a significant amount of suffering, and a commitment to never give up.

My prayer is that we, Christ's church, will in fact commit and persevere to the end.

A Graphic Reminder for Missions

I may have previously shared this map, but because I'm in India for the next two weeks I want to post it again. The stunning amount of people in this part of the world is overwhelming. Let's keep this in mind when we think about global missions priorities.

This Map Should Impact Our Missions Strategy

Five Beneficial Reasons Why Pastors Should Switch to Bi-Vocational

Bi-vocational ministry is something that has been around for a long time. It basically amounts to pastors working two part-time jobs: one as pastor and one out in the normal job sector. I realize that most pastors aren't going to quit their pastoral jobs like I did. However, full-time salaried pastors should at least strive to become bi-vocational. This change benefits both them individually and the church as a whole.

Five reasons why this change is beneficial:

1. Bi-vocational ministry shows and/or reminds pastors just how difficult it is to work a normal job.

2. Bi-vocational ministry forces pastors into regular contact with the real world.

3. Bi-vocational ministry demands that the rest of the church body perform more ministry.

4. Bi-vocational ministry relieves some of the financial burden on the church.

5. Bi-vocational ministry frees up more money to be given to those in need and toward missions work.


The big issue is that when pastors become bi-vocational it improves the health and vitality of the church as a whole. This alone is enough reason for pastors and churches to pursue it.

Only Two Kinds of People

"There are two kinds of people in this world: followers of Jesus Christ and potential followers of Jesus Christ."

A few minutes ago it struck me that only two kinds of people really exist. I posted it on Facebook, but I wanted to write about it briefly here, too. The two kinds are those who are in Christ and those who are potentially in Him.

The greatest difference between people is not skin color, socioeconomic status, language, geographical location, political party, favorite sports team, or even whether or not they like bacon. The largest difference carries significance far beyond all the others. That difference is one of eternal salvation.

Our tendency is often to think in terms of "Christian" and "non-Christian." I think it is more helpful to think about people as those who know Jesus and those who potentially know Jesus. This is not simply a matter of semantics. Rather, the words we use often hint at our frame of reference and even shape it to some degree. When we think of unbelievers as potential believers, it also helps us think about how we can influence them positively for Christ.

I believe that God predestines all he chooses to salvation. I also believe that the gospel message is for anyone and everyone; all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Exactly how these truths fit together is beyond my small brain. Therefore, I want to remember and I encourage you to remember that anyone who doesn't know Jesus Christ as Lord has the great potential to do so.

Not All Mission Trips Are Created Equal

Mission trips have the potential for much good. However, not all mission trips are created equal.

While mission trips almost always begin with good intentions, the end results vary quite a bit. Some mission trips leave much accomplished in the area visited. Others leave no visible imprint. Because mission trips often require quite a bit of time and money, it's important that much thought goes into the trips prior to departure.

My wife Alice and I took part in a two week mission trip to India in 2005. I've also been on trips to Huntington, WV and Rochester, NY. Having been in the church almost all my life, I've seen and heard about many, many different mission trips. Below I've listed seven principles that, if followed, can help almost any mission trip do much good.

1. Understand the culture. A mission trip to India will look different from a trip to Tanzania. A trip to England will not be the same as a trip to the Czech Republic. Additionally, tribal groups within countries often have vast differences between them. The best way to handle this is to learn as much as possible before the trip, and then engage the culture with humility when arriving. Be willing to learn from the moment you reach your destination.

2. Determine a specific purpose. Trips differ widely based on why they are occurring. Ensure that a clear definition is in place before making the trip. Wasted time is a terrible thing once on the ground in another part of the world.

3. Assist the missionaries already in country. Follow their lead. If Christian missionaries are already on the ground, they will know far more about the needs of the people than will anyone back here. The best mission trips ask the missionaries how they can be helped, and then do exactly what the missionaries say. Be willing to work across denominational lines. Those differences matter little when the gospel is at stake.

4. Partner with local churches. If possible, partner with Christians in the place where you are headed (if you know of any there). The nationals will know infinitely more about the culture than anyone else. They may have specific, concrete needs that can be met. Take their advice.

5. Set a goal of lasting service. Determine to do something that matters. Serve in a real way. Ask for ideas from the missionaries and/or national Christians. Try to relieve suffering. While doing these things, proclaim the gospel whenever the Spirit leads.

6. Remember that a mission trip is not a sightseeing venture. Mission trips are times of hard work, semi-discomfort, and potential tummy trouble. They are are full of spiritual warfare. Be on guard spiritually, and be ready to work hard. You can sleep a lot after getting home. Set aside some limited time for visiting somewhere fun (if available), but the rest of the time should be full of serving others.

7. Avoid creating dependency. We in the West live fairly comfortable, wealthy lives (at least compared to the majority of the world's population). When serving overseas, we must avoid doing anything to create dependency. The local believers must be able to sustain any changes by themselves. This can be complicated. However, it is a must.


Not all mission trips are created equal. Following the above seven principles will help do some lasting good.

Church Unity and World Missions

Christ has granted his church the privilege and duty of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. We will only accomplish this great task if we are united in doing it. Below is the series of posts I recently wrote on this topic:

Church Unity and World Missions
Unity and Missions: United in One Mission
Unity and Missions: United in One Gospel
Unity and Missions: United as One People and for One People
Unity and Missions: United in One Practice
Unity and Missions: United in One Person

Islam and Homosexuality: Two Great Gospel Challenges

As I look at the world today, many challenges stand in the way of the spread of the gospel. Various belief systems and/or lifestyles are at odds with the good news of Jesus Christ. They are too many to list here. However, when I think about the big picture of missions, two great challenges in particular come to mind: Islam and homosexuality. Both are worldviews. Both are lifestyle choices. Both are directly at odds with the gospel of Christ.

My purpose is not to equate Islam and homosexuality. They have some obvious differences. Islam is a world religion that is hundreds of years old. It has set beliefs and practices. Muslims is general are very much against homosexuality.

Homosexuality is more a lifestyle choice than an organized religion. Its adherents are generally more focused upon embracing specific sexual behaviors than they are on specific beliefs about God. Some homosexuals even claim to be Christians (I'll leave that one for another blog post).

Despite their differences, Islam and homosexuality have one thing in common: they are at odds with Christianity. Specifically, both Muslims and homosexuals have a heart problem - a spiritual heart problem. That problem is the most significant problem anyone can have. Their heart problem is that they do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thus, their hearts are still far from God.

What are we, therefore, to do?

First, let's avoid the trap of letting politics confuse us. I'm determined to steer clear of any sort of Republican vs. Democrat fighting on these topics. I have no interest in fighting foreign wars in Muslim nations or in fighting culture wars against homosexuals here in the USA.

The important war is in the spiritual realm. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ultimately, the gospel is a war that God has already won over Satan.

Our duty, then, is to endlessly love and pray for both Muslims and homosexuals. Let's develop relationships with them. Let's lovingly and truthfully tell them all about Jesus Christ. Let's treat them with respect as humans made in God's image. Let's love them even if they hate us.

Muslims and homosexuals need Jesus Christ just like everyone else. Only Jesus is powerful enough to break their chains of sin. He did it for us. Let us literally pray that he does it for them as well.