Enjoyable Slides
It's cliche in Christian circles. Missionaries and their "slide shows." People go out in the world and then report back to the people who supported them (another cliche: "by giving prayer, time and finances"). It's also cliche in Christian circles to make jokes about slide shows. Not me. If it's somebody I really did support by giving my prayers, time and/or finances, I'm usually pretty stoked about seeing how that investment played out.
Pre-show entertainment: I came home from work to the always enjoyable Rudds (of RearviewWindow fame) in all their former-occupant-of-the-guest-room and pierced-and-tatooed neo-hippie glory. In tow were the low-down peripatetic offspring Judah and the gender-impaired dog Corky. They're uniquely urban missionaries... and I often covet that situation.
The first stop was a reunion of teams from two mission trips to Holland I led in 2000 and 2003. Our host family, the Hays, are really good at keeping us up to speed on the progress of the work we started. Most people don't realize that there are significant changes in mission these days:
The idea that you can go for a few days, hand out some flyers/do some dramas, and have lots of "conversions" are long gone (and I suggest that they're long gone with young people here in the U.S., too). It's all about sharing the gospel in the context of relationships these days, and that process takes time. Good photos, good laughs, good seeds beginning to sprout in the soil in Holland.
We had to leave that meeting early as the next stop was a review of the year Mike and Katie spent in the Czech Republic teaching English, building relationships and living out the Christian life (see the motif developing here?). We saw "slides" and I enjoyed hearing about this experience from them because you could tell they enjoyed the friendships they made and it broadened their horizons in amazing ways. It was even cooler when someone asked them what their current plans for ministry are. They're off to the Pacific Northwest to build relationships and live the Christian life with intent among the natives. Seed planting. Again. Dig it.
I also got to see another missionary, Lizbuddy, at that meeting. She spent a large portion of her summer in Africa and filled me in on her ambitions for (maybe) career mission work. I've been over 30,000 miles with Lizbuddy on missions work and that was one of the few she's been on without me involved. She was very kind with words in talking about my influence on how she views what an effective mission trip truly entails. Results of personal seed planting. Dig it.
So, lemme count this up: Dinner with one guy I discipled and his wife who are building relationships and affecting lives. Seeing the results of 4 years of short-term work (not to mention the growth in the individuals on those teams in that span). Seeing two others I discipled heading off with a plan so nebulous God has to be involved in it. Hearing another have very definitive views on what she wants in an organization to work for as a career telling others about Christ.
Hmmm. I'd say it was well worth giving up the free primo seats to the baseball game.
And could someone tell me again why they think I don't have the best job in the world?
It's cliche in Christian circles. Missionaries and their "slide shows." People go out in the world and then report back to the people who supported them (another cliche: "by giving prayer, time and finances"). It's also cliche in Christian circles to make jokes about slide shows. Not me. If it's somebody I really did support by giving my prayers, time and/or finances, I'm usually pretty stoked about seeing how that investment played out.
Pre-show entertainment: I came home from work to the always enjoyable Rudds (of RearviewWindow fame) in all their former-occupant-of-the-guest-room and pierced-and-tatooed neo-hippie glory. In tow were the low-down peripatetic offspring Judah and the gender-impaired dog Corky. They're uniquely urban missionaries... and I often covet that situation.
The first stop was a reunion of teams from two mission trips to Holland I led in 2000 and 2003. Our host family, the Hays, are really good at keeping us up to speed on the progress of the work we started. Most people don't realize that there are significant changes in mission these days:
The idea that you can go for a few days, hand out some flyers/do some dramas, and have lots of "conversions" are long gone (and I suggest that they're long gone with young people here in the U.S., too). It's all about sharing the gospel in the context of relationships these days, and that process takes time. Good photos, good laughs, good seeds beginning to sprout in the soil in Holland.
We had to leave that meeting early as the next stop was a review of the year Mike and Katie spent in the Czech Republic teaching English, building relationships and living out the Christian life (see the motif developing here?). We saw "slides" and I enjoyed hearing about this experience from them because you could tell they enjoyed the friendships they made and it broadened their horizons in amazing ways. It was even cooler when someone asked them what their current plans for ministry are. They're off to the Pacific Northwest to build relationships and live the Christian life with intent among the natives. Seed planting. Again. Dig it.
I also got to see another missionary, Lizbuddy, at that meeting. She spent a large portion of her summer in Africa and filled me in on her ambitions for (maybe) career mission work. I've been over 30,000 miles with Lizbuddy on missions work and that was one of the few she's been on without me involved. She was very kind with words in talking about my influence on how she views what an effective mission trip truly entails. Results of personal seed planting. Dig it.
So, lemme count this up: Dinner with one guy I discipled and his wife who are building relationships and affecting lives. Seeing the results of 4 years of short-term work (not to mention the growth in the individuals on those teams in that span). Seeing two others I discipled heading off with a plan so nebulous God has to be involved in it. Hearing another have very definitive views on what she wants in an organization to work for as a career telling others about Christ.
Hmmm. I'd say it was well worth giving up the free primo seats to the baseball game.
And could someone tell me again why they think I don't have the best job in the world?
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