Mission Misconceptions

"Missional" has become a favorite term among leaders in the 21st Century church. But what is becoming of "Missions". Stan Guthrie identifies six misconceptions regarding missions in a brief article in Christianity Today on-line, entitled: "Missionary Myths".

The six misconceptions are:

"There are pressing needs right here."
"Short-termers can do it."
"Let the nationals do it."
"The task has been completed."
"Maybe there are other ways to God."
"Missionaries have been poor witnesses of the gospel."

What do you say about these?

The Gospel & Disciple-making

I recently completed an article entitled (in pre-published form, "The Design of Discipleship".) In it, I explore the biblical foundations for discipleship, disciple-making and spiritual multiplication. In one section, I reflect on the gospel and disciple-making, including the following paragraph:

The other essential ingredient for a healthy growth environment is the gospel. In its simplest form (what you might call, the essence), the gospel is the good news about Jesus—who he is and what he has done. (See for instance, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; compare Luke 24:45-48.) It is through this gospel that you came to know and experience Jesus as your Savior and Lord by faith (Romans 1:16, 17). But the Christian life doesn’t start with the gospel and then graduate to something else, to some deeper truth. No, you don’t move on; you go deeper and experience more. The gospel, in its fullness, is the whole truth about Jesus and all that his salvation and kingdom has for us. It is like a vein of gold, the deeper you go the richer you become, not because you are finding something else, but because you are experiencing something more. So, whether the gospel is summarized in its essence through a brief booklet like, Would You Like to Know God Personally? or expounded in its fullness through Paul’s theologically rich letter to the Romans, it is transforming message through which we encounter Jesus Christ our Lord. In the gospel, we find Christ to be the only solution for our fallen condition—our brokenness, sin and shame. In the gospel, we discover Christ to be our life and through his Spirit to be the power we need to live that life. Jesus transforms us, and he does so with his gospel. Therefore, making disciples means helping others to understand and experience the gospel.

Thoughts?

DNA & Tracking Origins

I have had a mild interest in DNA lately, as many (including myself) have spoken of the DNA of ministry -- those fundamental truths, principles or practices that shape life and guide reproduction. There are some fascinating analogies and parallels between actual DNA and what ministry leaders dub "DNA".

So here is a fascinating article from science:

Person's Geographic Origins Located from DNA

Makes the mind wander...