More often than not, “partnering in missions,” means small churches give what little money they think they can afford to a larger church or a missions sending agency that will handle mobilization, screening, indoctrination, training, sending, and maintenance of missionaries on the field. This is not “partnering,” it’s outsourcing.

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Prophecy by (Credible) Proxy

Posted January 30th, 2008 by Ernest

A key part of our ministry is building relationships with the people God brings to us. God has often used us in ways similar to His use of Joseph in the Old Testament. Not so much in the “Pharaoh-naming-us-Vice-Pharaoh” sort of way; more in the sense of “I had a dream, what do you suppose [...]

Filed under:Communication, Culture, Incarnation, Missiology, Truth

Takes One To Know One

Posted December 14th, 2007 by Ernest

As I talk with other Christians about life and society and current events, it strikes me how suspicious we are of everyone. The atheists have taken over the public school system. The homosexuals want to turn all boys gay. The Mexicans are invading. The Muslims want to outlaw Christianity. Universal health care is communism. Don’t watch The [...]

Filed under:Christianity, Communication, Evangelism, Relationships, Truth

It’s Really Quite Difficult

Posted June 4th, 2007 by Ernest

Sometimes when I talk to people about missional/relational ministry and church planting (you know, as opposed to program-oriented, attractional, subculture growth), and what my work here in Western Europe looks like, they are left with the question: “So you get paid to hang out with people and drink coffee?” “Yes,” I reply. “Actually, I do.” [...]

Filed under:Communication, Ministry

Encore

Posted September 15th, 2006 by Ernest

In my last post, Welcome to the Big Show, I tried to stress the importance of making ministry as personal as possible by keeping events small and culturally appropriate. Still, there is something I’d like to add: I’m not against big events because they don’t “work.” Many people have come to faith in Christ through [...]

Filed under:Communication, Evangelism

Vocabulary Exchange

Posted August 2nd, 2006 by Ernest

It’s time to change the lingo of missions. (Including the word “missions.”) Really. Hardly any of the words that we use to talk about cross-cultural ministry accurately describe the work of our people on the field. Many of our words actually work against us. Take, for example, the idea of “reaching” people. What does that [...]

Filed under:Communication, Definitions, Missions, Misunderstood

Kill Your Church

Posted July 26th, 2006 by Ernest

Steve McCoy killed his Missional Baptist Blog last week. It was a great forum for missional folks to connect with likeminded people and discuss everything from theology, ministry, culture, and whatever else we wanted. I am thankful for Steve’s hard work in maintaining it, and always keeping the discussion fresh and interesting. While I admit [...]

Filed under:Christianity, Communication

I Wish You Knew

Posted July 23rd, 2006 by Ernest

I’ve just finished answering D Birchfiel’s “Seven Questions.” You can read my responses at OKpreacher, assuming that he decides to post them. One of the questions he asks is, “What do you wish Southern Baptists knew about your ministry?” That was the most difficult question for me to answer; not because I didn’t have anything [...]

Filed under:Communication, Misunderstood

Thank You

Posted July 13th, 2006 by Ernest

It happens every week. The shiny silver saucer floats down the pew, picking up fingerprint smudges and wadded-up bills. Or maybe your church uses those velvet bags with the wooden handle horns that jingles with change and does cartwheels as it’s passed from hand to hand. We call it the “offering.” You put in some [...]

Filed under:Communication, Finances, SBC

Losing My Accent

Posted May 31st, 2006 by Ernest

Learning a second language is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. It’s frustrating and humiliating, and the more you learn, the more you realize how little you know. Sometimes, you just want to give up. But we put forth the effort in order that we might be able to share our lives [...]

Filed under:Communication, Missions, Strategy

A Package Deal

Posted May 2nd, 2006 by Ernest

Lately I’ve been accused (and by “I,” I mean someone else entirely, but with whom I mostly agree) of wanting to “pick and choose” from contradictory “systems” of belief. The accusation sounded a little bit like this: “Your concern for social justice is clearly “Social Gospel.”Your anti-death penalty stance is taken from the Liberal’s political [...]

Filed under:Christianity, Communication, Definitions, Misunderstood