Bob Roberts, Jr. often writes about lessons churches in the West could learn from churches in the East if we were more informed about what is happening in the world.  Pastors in particular are out of the loop, he writes, ”because church attendance in the West, unlike the rest of the world, is stagnant or declining.  So, in an attempt to “grow” we unintentionally short change our message and approach by looking in a context driven by sporadic consumerism and fads. The impact?  We cannot make long term gains for the church because we are too busy trying to fill it up too quickly with customers more than disciples.” 

Customers not disciples.  Ouch. 

Church and ministry is going to look different in the West than it does in the East, but that is no excuse for continuing to live and minister in “the bubble”, oblivious to what God is doing (and teaching his people) around the globe.

1. WORSHIP – would always conclude with “Here am I send me.”

2. BUDGET – the biggest line item would reflect the least/poor and the farthest.

3. SUNDAY EVENT – would be more gathering for motivation/training/mobilization – than inspiration/observation/indoctrination. 

4. PASTORING – Model/Mobilizer versus Preacher/Organizer

5. EVANGELISM – would be inherent in all we do – not a program or emphasis

6. DIVERSIFIED CHURCH PLANTING – would be the norm for the church, celebrating the church in all her forms and multiplying them like crazy.

7. DISCIPLESHIP – would not be a class but a life-style.  It would not be measured first by knowledge but by obedience.  It would not be seen in a chair but sweating in a field.

8. UNPREDICTABLE – this is all a journey so no matter what model or ministry you have, it will always need to be evolving, developing, expanding, experimenting . . . . 

I like to think this is a good description of our ministry.  That said, there is much for us to learn.

To read Bob Roberts, Jr.’s post in its entirety, click here:  http://www.glocal.net/blog/comments/the-world-as-we-see-it/

Categories: the how
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There is an advantage to living and ministering among immigrants who continue to receive news from and maintain relationships with people in their countries of origin.  So many of my neighbors “feel” it when stuff goes down in Pakistan, North Korea, Palestine, Nigeria, or Colombia, in a way that I don’t.  They feel it not only when important things happen in their home countries but in other parts of the world.  I find many folks who have lived outside the U.S. bring an appreciation for global news.  They are keenly aware of how inter-connected we are in the world. 

Categories: the how
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Please pray for my search for a “normal” job.  I’m looking for a job that blesses both my family and the mission.  Right now it seems my best option is to be a public school teacher again.  I’m in the process of renewing my expired teaching credential.  Pray I can get hired as a teacher for this fall.  But as they say in Spanish, “primero Dios.”  (If it’s the Lord’s will.) 

This weekend I’m taking a class in Downtown LA which fulfills one of the requirements to renew my credential.  Among my classmates is a man who teaches juvenile court school.  His job sounds cool so I went up to him to ask what his teaching experience has been like and if there are teacher positions available.  Also in my class is a young woman who, after serving as a police officer for awhile, decided to be a teacher because, in her words, “I thought it would be more exciting.”  She has taught gangsters in a tough neighborhood of South Los Angeles “where the cops didn’t respond to my 911 calls”.  Her stories of her teaching experiences really scared me but also left me with a desire to do this, too.  I talked with her as well on the break.  Please pray for my job search.  I don’t know where God will put me next. 

Lord, as I continue this mission work from the platform of a regular job, if it is your will for me to teach, guide me to the school and position you want me to take.  If not teaching, then show me where you want me to work in this city.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

—

When class was dismissed today, a cool thing happened.  I was walking to the Metro Rail (subway) and my friends Dave and Faye from my overseeing church in Bakersfield, CA happened to drive up out of the blue just as I was crossing the street.  They were visiting family in LA for the day.  I hopped in their car and we hung out for an hour in Downtown LA.  What an unexpected and fun visit! 

Categories: stories, stuff to pray for
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I’ve been asking God to show us how to use our remaining months as a paid missionary family. Will you please join me in praying about this? If you have suggestions for how we could use this time, please leave us a comment.  I’m open to your ideas. Here are mine:

I want to keep it simple and focused.  I want to get way more aggressive about praying, trying out some “new stuff”, meeting and sharing God’s Word with new people.  In all of this I’m focusing on reproducing myself in others. I’m trying to continually ask myself, “Who needs to be learning from what I’m doing right now? Who am I mentoring? And more importantly, who are they mentoring?” My hope is to see our “way of life village” grow in number, in the broader sense, across this city!

Most importantly, please pray I will follow God’s lead, not my own, and honor Him in everything I do.

Thanks in advance!

Categories: stuff to pray for
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I’m finding hardworking men in our community have trouble respecting me.  For example, a father is working two to three jobs to make ends meet for his household.  Meanwhile his wife is working one or two jobs as well, and they still are having trouble making rent.  So the family invites another family to live with them in their tiny one bedroom apartment and together they split the costs.  This story is common.

Then the dad looks at me.  It’s just my family living in our spacious apartment, and my household has one salary to provide for us all.  If I had a “real” job it might make things different but I’m clergy.  Once they find out churches are supporting us, it’s two steps backward. 

It is out of their love for us and God’s missing ones that our supporters are helping us.  They financially support us so that both Meredith and I both are freed up to devote ourselves full-time as missionaries.  But explain this situation to someone who already distrusts religion, much less clergy, and is working tooth and nail to barely make ends meet for his loved ones.  The general sentiment I get from folks is, “It must be nice to have a church paying for everything.”  That is why something has to change.

Categories: stories, the how
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Here is the news I promised: My family is transitioning away from funding and being clergy. We will continue the mission in Los Angeles, but I’m going to find a job in the community to meet our basic income needs. To help us make this transition, the Westside Church of Christ (Bakersfield, CA) and the Highland Oaks Church of Christ (Dallas, TX) will continue to provide us with full-time financial support for the first half of this year. Beginning in July they will pay us half-time support, so that by 2010 we will no longer be hired as paid missionaries.

This decision has come after much prayer and fasting, and seeking advice from others. This is NOT a situation where supporting churches cut us from their missions budget. My family is doing this to be more effective missionaries. We’ve found our clergy identity has been getting in the way when sharing Christ with people who distrust religion. By getting a “regular” job we can remove this obstacle. Also, like our kingdom friends Ed, Katie, and Wendy who have regular jobs, Meredith and I will get to model for new believers what we are asking them to do – that is, to be missionaries as a way of life. In East Hollywood most if not all of the leaders who emerge from the harvest will not go to seminary or leave their jobs to be a leader in Christ’s church.

Pray for us, this is both scary and exciting. I don’t have another job lined up yet, but we know this is what God wants us to do. He will provide. Also pray for our ministry. It will slow down at first, but we believe in the long run this will be an even more fruitful work because of this decision. At least it’s something we’re going to try out and see what happens.

We are grateful to our supporting churches for the financial support they provided these past two years. Many of you have made it possible for Meredith and me to devote ourselves full-time and lay the groundwork for a church planting movement. We will build on this foundation as we engage the community on a deeper level. To those of you who are supporting us financially, our relationship with you is not ending, just morphing. There are many ways we can continue to partner.

Please keep us on your prayer list as we continue this mission. Thank you for caring so deeply for us and for helping us reach the nations God is bringing to our country to be introduced to Jesus Christ.

Categories: stuff to pray for, the how
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My family will be heading to Bakersfield, CA this Sunday.  Please pray for our visit to our overseeing congregation Westside Church of Christ.  We’re going there to share exciting news about a change in how we are funded as missionaries.  Next week I will share this news in more detail with all of you as well.  Thanks!

Categories: stuff to pray for
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