Posts tagged Missiology

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Medical Teams Are Moving Into Action In Haiti

Feb04
2010 Written by Warner Smith

The following was originally posted on Feb 3, 2010 by Mickey Noah at Baptist Press.  I received it in an e-mail from a friend.  I have summarized and posted it here.  Please keep praying for the people of Haiti.  If you can get trained in your state and go help them.

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) medical teams are among the first Baptists to minister in Haiti.

SBDR medical volunteers from Mississippi and Kentucky arrived on Feb 1, 2010 and treated 550 patients. The Mississippi team is operating a small hospital out of a Haitian Baptist church located on the edge of one of Port-Au-Prince. The Kentucky team is working at a clinic near the presidential palace.

An incident command team from the North American Mission Board will leave Atlanta today  Feb. 4, to serve in Haiti. They will link up with the Florida Baptist Convention, who are on the ground in Haiti for the second time since the earthquake.

This team will be busy planning logistics, lodging, transportation, feeding and communications for SBDR’s eventual “D Day” (the day dozens of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams will begin to be deployed to Haiti, a process that will extend over many months.

Persons who have returned from Haiti say nothing prepared them for their first drive through downtown Port-Au-Prince.   One has reported he thought he had seen it all after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but now says “I’ve never seen anything even close to this disaster, even Katrina,”

As additional SBDR teams arrive in the Haitian capital in the days and weeks to come, they need to know why they’re going before they get there. “The mission ought to be clear,” “Folks need to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually prepared.”

Another volunteer said: “I would tell disaster relief people that they need to be prayed up before they get here, because they don’t know what they’re going into and what they’re going to be dealing with.”

Initial funding for these relief efforts will come from the International Mission Board’s disaster relief fund. Contributions can be made online, www.imb.org, or by mail, International Mission Board, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230.

Regardless of the SBC channel, all funds received for this purpose will go to relief efforts; none will be used for administrative costs.

Southern Baptists can contribute to “Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief” through their local church or directly to their state convention, the North American Mission Board (www.namb.net) or the International Mission Board (www.imb.org).

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My Increasing Sense of Cultural Angst

Jan03
2010 Written by Warner Smith

As a Christian I increasingly feel disconnected from my own culture. A brief word of explanation before I continue.

The technical terminology E-1, E-2, and E-3 is used to differentiate the cultural distance across which evangelism occurs . E-1 (evangelism one) refers to monocultural evangelism. Both E-2 and E-3 involve cross-cultural evangelism, with E-3 crossing a more radical cultural bridge than E-2. E-2 and E-3 evangelistic ministries require different strategies, different planning, different gifts, different training, and different insights than E-1 ministries.

In the minds of most Christians leaders in America, the field of evangelism specializes in E-1, while the field of missions specializes in E-2 and E-3. I have earned a Ph.D. in Evangelism so that means I should have some expertise in accomplishing E-1 evangelism. Traditionally this meant the kind of evangelism that would most often be accomplished in the church and its surrounding community. Imagine my angst as I become more and more aware of the need for the church I lead to engage in E-2 and even E-3 evangelism. This means that I need an additional degree in Missiology.

Think about the cultural distance in your own family. It is not uncommon for individuals to have educational, political, economic, and generational cultural distance in their own nuclear and extended family. In my own family I have relatives who are M.D.’s, Ed,D.’s, D.V.M.’s, and Ph.D.’s, many others have Master’s degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees, and High School diploma’s. Others did not finish High School. (By the way the wealthiest member of my family did not finish High School). Politically there are very conservative, moderate and and very liberal members of my family. Economically we are all middle, upper middle class and above. Religiously, my family is primarily unchurched, with many committed evangelical Christians. Reaching my diverse family would all be E-1.

Today in my community, however, I am coming into contact with displaced northerners who have had the good sense to move south, and individuals from around the world. For example my neighbor across the street is from Wisconsin, and my next door neighbor is from Trinidad. Our predominantly white Anglo church has members from Haiti, Cuba, Columbia, and Peru.

It seems to me that the cultural distance is increasing between many of my son’s generation (teens and twenty’s) and me. This distance and the speed for which I need preparation to respond to it is also increasing.

I have just ordered two books to help me respond to this in my primary task of preaching. One is written by my friends Ed Stetzer and Richie Stanley, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them. You can order your own copy if you at http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-Younger-Unchurched-Churches. The other book, Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods is by Mark Driscoll can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Church-Timeless-Truths-Methods I will let you know what I learn on a later post.

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The Urgency of Time

Jan01
2010 Written by Warner Smith

Welcome to the second decade of the twenty-first century! Much has changed over the past two millenniums, yet Jesus’ life, death and resurrection still have changed all time. The church recognized this truth and began to mark time from his birth. The current system for marking years from Jesus’ birth was devised in 525 by Dionysius Exiguusut. Although most scholars believe that his original calculations were of by six years, the intent to show that all time was changed by Christ is still understood by all Christians.

Today, however, in an effort to be sensitive to non-Christians scholars in the Western world have begun to use the abbreviation CE (common era) following the year instead of AD (Anno Domini ‘In the year of Our Lord’”). While the Gregorian calendar is the defacto global standard recognized by the United Nations. Ours is not the only system for marking time.

Today, January 1, 2010 is the 15th of the month Tevet in the year 5770 according to the Jewish calendar, and 15th of the month Ashura in the year 1431 as kept by the Islamic calendar.

In the New Testament there are two words used for marking time. The most common word for time in the Greek NT is “kronos” from which our English word “chronology” is derived. It is most closely aligned with our concept of calendar time. The other word for time which is used less frequently has great spiritual significance. The Greek word “kairos” means “the appointed time in the purpose of God,” the time when God acts. It is used in the following texts and is the subject of today’s devotion .

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— 2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. 11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. 13 Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also. 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:13

17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. 1 Peter 4:17-19

As American Christians we place great significance in celebrating New Year’s Day and making New Year resolutions. Most often we do this from a “kronos” understanding of time. I want to challenge you instead to consider each day of each year from a “kairos” understanding of time. If every Christian viewed each day as “the time when God acts” our lives would be lived with a greater sense of urgency. These texts teach us that each day is the acceptable time for salvation and that judgment will be severe even for the saved. Therefore each of us who are saved should be living our lives with a great sense of urgency as Christ’s ambassador so that when all time is at an end we and as many people as possible will be prepared to meet our Lord.

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When Did Being Cool Become a Requirement for Ministry?

Dec15
2009 Written by Warner Smith

I recently told someone who does several youth events annually that someday he would no longer be cool. Further I explained he would not be able to pinpoint when, how, or why it happened, but he would most certainly know that it had happened.

Like many in ministry I was once a youth pastor. It was then that I first encountered the advantages being cool has for ministry. I learned that I could effectively use my positive experiences from being popular in high school to my own ministry advantage. This was also when I first learned the limitations and problems associated with a “coolcentric” ministry philosophy.

1. Coolness changes rapidly and capriciously.
As a male who came of age during the Carter and Reagan administrations, my preppie look and jock physique made being cool in the early 80′s easy for me. Something happened, that changed what was called cool. The punk rock movement changed the definition of cool in my circle.
2. By definition everyone cannot be cool.
As someone who came to faith in Christ while in college I discovered that many of my cool friends were not interested in being inclusive of my newly made (non-cool) church friends. Please note that during this time much of our college life was spent separating ourselves into Greeks or Geeks. (This was before Bill Gates made being a rich geek cool). The church is the only institution in our society where everyone (cool or not) theoretically has the opportunity to be accepted. While we do not yet meet this potential at the very least it should be a ministerial goal.
3. The pride that is necessarily associated with being cool is spiritually problematic.
After my salvation I remember that as I grew spiritually I had to face my own pride. Being considered cool within your circle of influence can be used by Satan to lead you away from the cross-bearing necessary for spiritual growth and obedience.

The moment I had my greatest cool crisis was when after my wife became pregnant with our third child I purchased a minivan. Driving off the dealers lot I new I had permanently emptied my cool tank.

4. Is Christlikeness considered cool?

Here’s the thing I have learned. Being a devoted follower of Christ, a Dad, and happily married makes me the coolest I have ever been. This coolness, however, now hidden under almost totally grey hair and a less than athletic physique, is less and less visible to the world.

This makes me question why so many who do ministry today continue to seek coolness. Perhaps a better goal for our natural maleness would be to seek godly authenticity.

5. Can coolness and godliness coexist?
I know that many who are occupied with being cool are missiologically engaging a culture whom they are trying to reach for Christ. My point is two fold. First, we need to remember that the world we are engaging is increasingly pagan! Therefore, while we definitely need to proceed, we need to proceed cautiously. Secondly, the natural desires in each male to be popular (cool) and accepted on a manly level by other males can lead to pride, arrogance, and non-Christlikeness. We need to be careful not to allow our natural self to lead us astray.

Personally I need to be reminded not to forget that godliness is not optional for ministry but is foundational for ministry. I am increasingly aware that I need to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help me be more accepting of all people (cool or not) while at the same time becoming increasingly vigilant in keeping myself unspotted by the world (even at the expense of my own personal coolness).

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