This is a follow-up to my last post, Back Burner. I believe that relationships are the context in which the gospel should be shared. Real relationships. This means that the only filter I apply to my ministry is my trust that the people that God brings our way are the people in whom He is working. I pursue natural friendships [...]

Sometimes missionaries struggle with the reach of our influence. In their efforts to start a church planting movement, they see it as a good thing to interact with as many people as possible. This is the basic mentality behind most of the “broad seed sowing” activities our people do. Tracts, door-to-door visits, and drama in the park are all efforts [...]

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is how very dependent ministry tends to be on authority. Pastors preach with the authority given to them by their calling, position, and seminary education. Church planters operate out of the authority of the Great Commission and of the agency that sends them. We teach our people to evangelize out of the authority [...]

I’ve had plenty of time now to think though the Board’s new hiring policies regarding baptism and tongues. I’ve decided that I don’t like them, but it’s probably not for the reasons you might think. The trustees have made it clear that the new restrictions are not retroactive; that is to say, they don’t apply to those of us that [...]

A couple of days ago Ryan DeBarr blogged about an IMB couple that was asked to resign over something they wrote that stated their disagreement with the new IMB policies. I’m suprised that I haven’t heard anything else about this. Anyone know anything more?

I haven’t posted anything about the newly adopted IMB policies concerning tongues and baptism of missionary candidates. If you want some background on this issue, check out SBC Outpost, Wade Burleson’s blog, or the Associated Baptist Press. For the record, I am against them. What’s more, I have yet to find any IMB missionary on the field who agrees with [...]

Marty Duren at SBC Outpost has written a short note about planning. I really liked what he had to say. Though he isn’t specifically talking about missions, his words got me thinking about everything I’ve been writing here. In my criticism of the Board’s current strategy, and my call for more step-by-step following of the Holy Spirit, do I sound [...]

When it comes to missions, we often hear reference to “The Unfinished Task,” or, sometimes just “The Task.” I’ve heard it presented as our mission agency’s slogan, other times it seems to be offered as the key to mission strategies. This term is often left undefined, but its implications are disconcerting. What is our task? As individuals, we are accountable [...]

My last post was about the Board’s current missiology; specifically, Jeff Lewis’ study posted on the imb.org website. I need to start by saying that I’m questioning the Board’s philosophy here. I don’t have anything against Jeff Lewis, and I don’t want to offend anyone. Again, I’m just looking for people who will discuss the questions I have. Now, most [...]

When I was in college, my friends that wanted to be missionaries were really into John Piper. He wrote a book called “Let the Nations Be Glad” in 1993 that really challenged popular thought concerning missions and God’s gloy. The basic premise was the God is mostly concerned with His glory. God is a jealous God, and His greatest desire, [...]