Virtual marathon running

Yesterday (10th April 2015) the Wall Street Journal reported a new trend in North American distance running.

Runners bling!

No longer satisfied with boring their friends with tales of blisters and missed personal bests, its now all about the finisher's medal. Not only do competitors receive medals for completing the medal or half marathon, but they can now receive "frequent runner" medals for completing multiple races that belong to a series. One runner interviewed spoke of the 20 medals she had collected this season along. Runner's Magazines have "Top 10 races" tables based on the size and style of medal that finishers receive.

But this is America - of course there is more! Several companies will sell you custom built medal display stands (emblazoned with slogans like "Pain is the pathway to success") so you can discreetly brag when you friends come over.

That's all great - but my favourite was the "virtual race" medal. Capitalising on the modern desire to do-it-all-my-way-when-it-suits-me-but-I-still-want-everyone-to-know-about-it, entrepreneurial startups will now allow you (for around $30) to register for a "virtual race", in which as you run on your treadmill, around the block, or even just walk around your house, you can rack up the miles you need to complete you own personal marathon. When you cross your personal "finish line", our friendly .com startup will send you a medal, and no doubt an invitation to run another "race" (and pay another $30.)

I'm going to join out on a grumpy middle-aged man limb here, and I speak as someone who has run 20-odd marathon, but doesn't that should just sound a bit ridiculous and self-centred? It almost seems as if the key element in training for and running a marathon - that is, discipline, has been sacrificed at the altar of "everything is about me and my convenience."

I was thinking about this in terms of our life as Christians.

As Christians, we are disciples of Christ. Not consumers, not users, friends or colleagues. So often Jesus and the apostles use the language of discipleship, being a soldier, struggling, taking up your cross, to describe the christian life. They don't use the language of convenience, comfort or self-importance.

There is no doubt that in many aspects of life, from running to shopping to career, we are being encouraged to be self centred and to make things are "time convenient" as possible.

A great temptation is that we carry this attitude over into our Christian life, but we need to work against that, and rather, live as disciplined, hard working disciples of Christ.

Why so much more work is needed

Today I was reading a journal article entitled "The challenge to make extension education culturally relevant"*, written as a reflection about theological education in Latin America, with a particular focus on distance education.

Don't go back to your Facebook browsing - this is actually really interesting and gives a good insight into why what we are doing in Latin America is important.

The "classical" model of theological education is residential. You go to an institution, live there or there-abouts for 2-4 years, study full time, and come out at the end, returning home or going to a new place.

Reporting on a workshop in Bolivia, the author summaries several deficiencies / problems with this model of education in Latin America.

i. There are currently a very small number of students enrolled on most Bible institutes in Latin America.
ii. Very high cost of maintaining the infrastructure and faculty.
iii. Because of family circumstances and limited education, the option of living somewhere else for 2-4 years for training is not an option.
iv. Taking students out of their cultural "home" and transferring them into a residencial institution presents huge challenges.

In the context of these problems, distance education was presented as something of a panacea - because so many of these challenges can be addressed.

But - surveying a large denomination in Bolivia that uses distance education, the following problems were identified - showing clearly that distance education is not the "magic bullet". These include:
- failure of students to complete assignments (because someone is not "one their case"
- inadequate materials in the language of study (in this case Spanish)
- lack of resources written by local authors
- lack of sufficiently trained teachers
- lack of contact between the student and teacher
- pressure of the teacher to travel widely to visit students, thus creating pressure at home
- lack of high level theological preparation (MA, MTh level)
- lack of financial support from local churches. Programs largely funded from outside sources introduce problems of commitment.
- lack of being able to graduate in reasonable time. Because distance education is typically part time, a 2-4 year program can take 10+ years to complete, and people don't want to wait that long.

This all echoes my experience, and is a summary of many of the things we are trying to address in MOCLAM.

But here's the really interesting thing.

The workshop that the author is reporting on was held in 1968, and the journal paper written in 1976!

In 40 years we've been trying to solve pretty much the same problems - fortunately with some success - but there is a long way to go. The internet helps sometimes, but in many aspects it speeds material delivery and thats about it.

We, and others are giving it a go, and we appreciate your prayers and support.


*William J. Kornfield: The challenge to make extension education culturally relevant, EMQ Vol 12 No. 1, Jan 1976.

Definitely not dull days

The reality is, we all have days that are a bit dull. I don’t mean that in a negative sense – just that they are ordinary.

As director of MOCLAM I have days like that. Days when I just need to do the basic work of preparing classes, marking exams etc.

The last few days have not been those dull days.

For the last few days I’ve been travelling around a large island in the Caribbean that starts with C but can’t be named for security reasons. In 4 days of pre-dawn starts and late night finishes, I’ve driven 2000km on roads that varied from quite good to “is this actually a road?”. I’ve witnessed great joy and enthusiasm for God’s word in circumstances that many of us would find very difficult to tolerate, let alone be joyful in. And I’ve had the opportunity to witness the hunger for God’s word that occurs in a country where resources, including theological education resources are scarce.

The purpose of the trip was to visit many of the centres in which MOCLAM has students, to meet the group leaders, to present certificates to those who have completed their studies, and to encourage those who are still going.

It has been en encouraging, invigorating, edifying and humbling experience.

In 7 different locations I presented around 80 certificates, many of which were Certificates of Theology (ThC), awarded to those who have completed 18 subjects. To have the opportunity to meet students whose exams I have been marking for several years, and to hear them testify in front of their friends and family how the courses of MOCLAM have changed the way they minister was a rare privilege.

Each of the 7 groups was different. Some were meeting in large cities and denominational churches. Others, in small house groups. I met with one group who is in the process of planting 200 house churches across the central part of the island, as well as sending missionaries to other Spanish-speaking countries.

The most isolated group required us to drive 5 hours along beachside tracks and then eventually into a high mountain area, isolated from the most basic of services and facilities. Here the local pastors meet together for 5 days of intensive teaching from a MOCLAM tutor, and they are full of rejoicing that someone has bothered to come and help them, because their isolation means that any sort of theological education or training is virtually impossible.

The trip reinforced in my mind the great strength of MOCLAM. We are providing theological training resources that can be used in all sorts of contexts by all sorts of people.

But it also taught me something which I’d had an inkling of for a while, but is now confirmed in my mind. In this place we have a network of tutors who teach intensive courses in different locations. Over the last 5 years I have got to know each of these tutors individually, as well as a group and they have taught me that one of the key elements of theological education is relationship. They work together as a family, and it is clear from the testimony of the students that they treat their classes as a family conversation. Yes, there are things to be learnt, books to be read and exams to be done - but this happens in the context of a family relationship. And when the class is finished for the day, the family conversation continues as church matters and personal issues are discussed.

MOCLAM is not only providing a great theological training resource, but it is a mechanism by which pastors and church leaders are being supported in their often isolated and difficult work.

Why am I telling you about my “not at all dull” days?

Because many people who read this are our supporters through CMS, and I want you to share in the encouragement that I received in the last few days. It is because of your support that I can lead MOCLAM in this and other countries. Humanly speaking, without CMS supporting us in this ministry, none of this would be happening.

So thank you for your support.

I also want to share with you this experience, because it shows the value of long-term missionary investment. I have lost track of how many time I have been to this country – but it is more than a dozen since August 2009. As a result of this long-term investment in the relatively unspectacular work of teaching classes and producing resources, we are now seeing some profound fruit. In a world that is often dominated by the desire for “facebook-able” results and measureable (and preferably instant) KPIs , it is easy for theological education and training to seem slow – because it is. The shaping of people is like that.

But when the time is taken, the results can be profound, as my last few days have seen.

And so I ask you to keep on supporting this ministry, because the reality is, it is fragile, and needs our continuing support.

What I miss about pastoral ministry

I'm on the road at the moment - teaching several different classes in Chile. It is excellent. I've got enthusiastic students from different contexts and I get stretched as I teach a wide range of subjects. (This trip I'm teaching OT2 Joshua-2Kings, an introductory night on Creation to New Creation, and Doctrine1 in which we look at the knowledge of God.)

I also get to see fellow CMS missionaries from Australia which is always encouraging for me, and for them I hope.

Having said all that, I found that I agreed with much of what Trevin Wax said in this article, particularly his point about preaching to the same group of people week in and week out.

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2014/09/29/the-3-things-i-miss-most-about-pastoral-ministry/

Another observation about ministry in Latin America: Publishing

Here's another quick observation about ministry in Latin America. None of these are supposed to be definitive, but they give an interesting taste of the sorts of things that are happening.

Books / Publishing.

Good books are pretty hard to find in Spanish, especially books that you might consider "meaty" or "good for pushing people on." Self-help, Christian psychology is popular. Today I received a catalog from a publisher in Latin America promoting a series of books which gives a good indication of the sorts of books that are being made available.

¿Where did my money go?
¿12 keys to reach your dreams?
¿12 keys to succeed in your work?
Principles of success

(declaration: I haven't read any of these books, so don't know what they say, but to be honest, I'm not sure that I need to.)

Another reminder of why Biblical teaching, training and publishing is needed to feed God's people in Latin America.

An observation about Latin American ministry

Today I received an invitation to a series of workshops / conferences (think big organisation, lots of speakers, big deal) aimed at gospel ministry in Latin America. The organisation was one I hadn't heard of, I won't be going, and I wish them well.

But - the invitation gave an interesting insight into what they, and I suspect many others think of when they say "ministry to latin america".

By definition, Latin America is the Spanish-speaking part of the Americas. It includes the rapidly growing hispanic population in the United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (although because of Portuguese, Brazil is sometimes left out.) Think from the US/ Canada border to almost the south pole. That is a lot of countries and a lot of people.

The interesting thing is, this organisation is holding 4 major events next year to "take the gospel to Latin America" but 3 of those 4 events are in the United States. The 4th is in Mexico City.

It is interesting because it demonstrates a perception (and I have no reason to object to the perception) that the centre of latin america is the United States. The thinking is, if you want to do something to impact the latino world, you do it in the United States - probably somewhere like Miami, Houston or Los Angeles.

This has an interesting implication for ministry and theological education.

It means that the tendency is to look north of the border for resources, training and funding. For example, a common model for US churches to be involved in the "mission work" of training pastors is to try and find a US institution that will offer a scholarship, coach the guy like crazy so his English is good enough, and bring him to seminary in the US away from his home country for 3 or 4 or 5 years.

At the end of that time, he may or may not return. There are plenty of churches in the US who want a well trained and well thought-out Spanish speaking pastor, and they are looking at these scholarship graduates. Remember that this is the guy who has won the scholarship and has got his English going  - so he is a good guy! But that creates a brain drain. The best and brightest often get taken away, and may never come back.

There are some that do, but they are the exception.

Its a tricky situation, because training institutions in Latin America that will do a good job of solidly preparing someone for word ministry are not common. A few exist, but they are not common. But a constant sucking away of the next generation of leaders and teachers is perpetuating that problem.

This is why in-country training, whether it be by distance or in a classroom is so important. It teaches people in their own context, it encourages them to serve in their own country once the training is over, and it builds the momentum of education and training in areas where it is needed.

Salty light

I'm preaching at our church this Sunday - always a daunting prospect in Spanish. Even more so this weekend, because the passage I've been give is Matthew 5:13-16 (you are the salt of the earth... you are the light of the world.)

Two things have come to my attention as I've worked on this passage and thought about how to explain and apply it.

1. The "you" is plural - is is "yous". Of course saying this in English makes you sound like a Collingwood supporter, but in Spanish there is a very normal plural you. Seeing this has made me think about the "corporate" aspect of what Jesus is saying here. He is not just addressing a whole lot of individuals as individuals - he is speaking to the group.

What that means is that the application questions "What does this passage mean for me?" changes slightly to "What does this passage mean for us?"

2. In the second image, which is the only one with an exhortation attached, we, being the light of the world, are told what to do with our light. No surprises here - we are to shine it.

But what was a little surprising for me, was the purpose for which the light should shine. It wasn't for us (the shiners), but for whom it shone upon (the shinees??)

The purpose of shining is the light is not so that we will be shiny, but so that those who are looking at the light will give glory to God.

Call me slow (thank you .... I heard that), but I hadn't really thought about that before. So often we want to concentrate our life on ourselves, how we can live better lives, be more godly etc, but here is an encouragement to do that so that others will benefit.

I like that.

Of course it is not some dazzling new theme in the Bible, Paul tells us to count others more significant than yourselves (Phil 2:3), but here is a great example of it.

Be salt, be light - so that others may glorify God.

A response to an immigration crisis

Immigration is a big issue in the world at the moment. There are debates happening in Australia as boats approach from Asia, in Europe as they come from North Africa, and in the Mexico/USA border region as a new crisis emerges.

In the next year, it is estimated that around 120,000 unaccompanied minors (under 18) will cross the USA/Mexico border illegally. Most of these kids will arrive in Texas and Arizona.

The sending / smuggling / paid transit of unaccompanied minors has gradually been increasing in the last 5 years, and although next year's numbers are much higher, the national profile of those coming is also changing. Numbers of children coming from Mexico are dropping, while those coming from Honduras and El Salvador are increasing.

The causes, responses and repercussions of this crisis are deep and massively complex and there are plenty of opportunities for political posturing and point scoring. But some comments are also displaying a sad depth of selfishness and lack of compassion.

Writing in the Dallas Morning News today, opinion writer Mark Davis argues(and I paraphrase) that the flood of illegally arriving children needs to be turned back, because if they are not, it means a whole lot of kids who don't speak English will end up sitting next to your child in class, and that of course, means your child's grades will be dragged down because the teacher will be too busy helping the new kid.

So kids who are from families so desperate that they send them on a long, dangerous overland journey to escape poverty, violence and civil war are to be denied a chance because it means our children might slip in their grade point average.

I might be doing Mr Davis a dis-service, but to me that sounds like "family values" and "the things that we hold most dear" being used as a cover for racism.

Who knows Mr Davis, if our children end up sitting next to a new immigrant at school, they might learn some words in another language? They might get an insight into another culture? They might learn how to help people? They might learn that they and their grades are not the centre of the universe.

The verse "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" (Phil 2:3) comes to mind.

As I read Mr Davis' column, my own family came to mind. We've sat on both side of "the kid who doesn't speak the language" fence.

A few days after arriving in Mexico, with no Spanish, our kids started going to a 100% Spanish speaking school. They were the kids who the teachers had to give extra attention to. They did, we are thankful and now our kids speak beautiful Spanish.

One of the reasons the school did such a good job is that they have a policy of helping special needs kids. Every class has a couple of kids in it that need extra help. Kids with Downs syndrome or physical disabilities are members of ever class. And you know what? Everyone wins. Especially the kids who give the help. They learn to help, they learn to care, they learn patience, they learn to look after people as people. I like that.

The school's average academic performance is lower because of this policy. I don't care about that.

What I care about is that one of our girls has a very deep friendship with a profoundly disabled boy in her class. We've had him over to do puzzles, to have dinner and it is a joy to see how our daughter cares for him. She's learnt to treat him as a friend, a person. That's more important than her academic average.

Immigration, illegal immigration, refugees, borders - they are complicated issues - very complicated issues. But they are people. We need to care for people, and we need to learn from people, rather than letting our selfishness dominate policy.

Would you like to plant a tree with that?

The caricature "suggestive-selling" line used to be "would you like fries with that?" but recently things have got a bit more sophisticated and environmentally aware.

My job involves a reasonable amount of travel, and as a result I am frequently booking flights / trains / hotels and other bits and pieces online. And it is very common that as part of the payment process, I'm invited pay a bit more for an extra bag or lounge access, but also there is another box to tick to plant a few trees / donate to the company's charitable foundation / donate to a well know charity group etc.

In fact, here in Mexico, when you withdraw money from an ATM, the last question you are asked before you get your card back is whether you would like to donate to a charity - with a suggested amount (usually about $0.50).

I think its a great idea, and the "charity marketers" have realised that if you make the donation process part of an already existing transaction, it is probably more likely that a donation will be made.

That got me thinking about the fundraising I'm involved in - raising money to support theological education in Latin America. How could I encourage those who are "already making a transaction" to add a bit more for the sake of being a donor to a worthy cause?

Here's what I came up with.

Generally, the registration process for a conference or an event is out of my control (unless of course I am running it), but what if each time we went to a conference or a training event where we were going to be fed we thought - "I'll give $25 to Latin America for Christ so a Latin American pastor can have a similar experience"?

I've chosen $25 as the figure because for that I can meet the costs of one pastor doing one subject through MOCLAM in one of the countries Latin America for Christ supports.

So if you're going to a conference this year - can I "suggestively sell" www.latinamericaforchrist.org to you?

A new job (and I'm keeping my old one)

I've got a new job! (as well as keeping my old one).

I'm now the President and Executive Director of Latin America for Christ Inc., a Texas based non-profit organisation.

LAC (as it is known) has been established for the purpose of raising money to fund theological education in Latin America. This is a huge need, because the majority of pastors and church leaders have little or no theological training, and therefore have to face the responsibility of teaching and leading their congregations without some of the basic tools that pastors in other parts of the world take for granted.

This leaves the pastors very susceptible to burnout and frustration, and they often look to the latest fads or trends for a "quick fix" - which on many occasions takes them away from the gospel, rather than to it.

We've taken the deliberate decision to identify and fund theological education that happens in, or near the home country of the pastor, rather than giving them a scholarship to go and study in another country (like the United States). There are several reasons for this.

- To send someone to a foreign country and study is a very expensive exercise - tens of thousands of dollars. Local education is always much cheaper and therefore we get more "bang for our buck".

- Experience has shown that those who receive scholarships to study overseas often do not return. This is particularly the case in the United States, where there are plenty of churches who want to employ well trained Spanish speakers. This results in a "brain drain" for the local Latin American church.

- Moving to another country is an enormous ask (I know!) If we can train people in their home context, it is often a much easier proposition to "sell".

- Local training means the leaders can stay connected to their home ministries while they are studying - which is particularly important for Latinos.

And so - given all that - we're trying to raise funds to allow Latin American pastors to study in Latin America.

At the moment we are concentrating on funding MOCLAM courses in countries where the students do not have the resources to pay for themselves, and we are also investigating the possibility of providing scholarship for students who are studying in seminaries that we are connected with, for example the CEP in Chile.

If you would like to find out more, or contribute to this fund, please visit our website and/or contac me through the website.

http://latinamericaforchrist.org/

Is Australia over the limit?

They say it is hard to see your own blind spot when you are living in the culture.

Australians look across the Pacific and say the Americans have a blind spot when it comes to guns. True enough.

But here's an observation looking west across the date line.

Australians have a blind spot when it comes to alcohol.

Yes - I know the issue has been getting some press recently with various violent assaults, but as a nation, very little, if anything is being done about it. (In the same way that a couple of awful gun "events" in the US generated a lot of angst and debate for a few months, but in the long run politics and the power of lobby groups meant nothing of any substance has changed.)

Why?

Because it seems that Australians are just blind to the pervasiveness of alcohol in everyday, neighbourhood culture - and until that is addressed, nothing will change.

Here's just one anecdotal observation which I think illustrates the point.

Over our winter holidays we've been enjoying watching the ABC series "The Time of our Lives." We've enjoyed the "normal-ness" of the people involved, their dealings with relationship successes and failures, kids, just the coming and going of life. We also enjoy the setting in Melbourne as it reminds us of 6 great months we had living there.

But for a show about a group of "normal" people, there is an enormous amount of alcohol consumed.

Admittedly, a couple of the characters manage an comedy club where there is a bar, so scenes there tend to be in the evening and there is alcohol being served - OK - that is the scene.

But every time the two partners have a chat about the business or a get together there is beer.

When one of the characters comes home from work after a tough day she is routinely offered a glass of wine to "make things better" in the way the English would offer a cup of tea.

Character x arrives unexpectedly at the house of character y at dinner time, is invited to stay and needs to go and get a bottle of wine to "contribute".

Two characters need to talk through a relational issue - they go out for a drink to do it (rather than going out for a coffee or a meal.)

When family members wrestle with the consequences of family breakdown, pre-teen angst and unemployment, it is dealt with sensitively, compassionately and with careful and expressive writing. When a character deals with her relational pain by regularly getting drunk, everyone giggles at her.

When a character is done for low range drink driving, it is laughed off and seen as an opportunity for bike riding and broadening his horizons.


Yes - the government needs to step in an enact Newcastle style lockouts and shot bans and all that stuff, but for any of that to happen, or to work, it seems to me that society needs to ask the question. As a society, are we over the limit?

Christmas in Mexico

Christmas eve here in Mexico, which means Christmas Day in Australia. As we sit in our winter clothes on a cold, crisp day, it is a slightly strange experience reading the reports of carols in the carpark wearing shorts and eating ice creams, midnight carols services and various stages of feast preparation.

All the Christmas action happens on the night of Christmas eve here. Our church has a Christmas service at 6pm, although traditionally there aren't many people at it because the big family get together is getting underway. A huge family feast followed by present giving at midnight is the traditional way. For the adventurous, there are often amateur fireworks, and then Santa presents on Christmas morning. And thats it. The 25th is about recuperating.

Most churches do not have anything on Christmas Day - ours tried it a couple of years ago but so few people came it wasn't worth the effort.

What will Christmas look like for us?

Christmas Eve - I'm working. I've got a stack of exams to be marking and various bits and pieces to do for the new year. During the afternoon we'll skype with the Christmas early birds in Australia. We'll go to church at 6pm where a few of us will probably play music. Then we'll come home and have a quiet dinner. We'll have our traditional family breakfast of pancakes, strawberries and ice cream (strawberries are great here!) do presents on Christmas morning while the turkey is cooking, and enjoy a big Christmas lunch - even with Christmas pudding!

Christmas is one of the times of the year when I think we feel most strongly that we are foreigners living in a foreign land. It is very different here. Yes - there are different Christmas traditions, foods etc - no big deal. But most clearly, we are relationally foreigners. The majority of Mexicans are at big family celebrations tonight - as are many Australian friends - but for us, it'll be just us.

Have a great day celebrating Christmas. Enjoy the family, the food, the presents, all the good ways in which God blesses us. But most of all, remember the saviour.

A great and important read

If you are looking for a "thinking" book to read this Christmas break, can I recommend Dr Megan Best's "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - Ethics and the beginning of human life" (2012, Matthias Media).

It is a great book - I've just finished it.

I highly recommend it because it gives the average person like me a thoughtful and perceptive insight into the ethics involving the beginning of human life. Dr Best is a committed Christian, a very smart lady, has a sensitive pastoral heart and writes brilliantly. Her desire for people to understand the science, the history, the theology and the pastoral implications of the ethics of reproduction, assisted reproduction technology, experimentation, stem cells and all sorts of other related topics is clear and helpful.

Megan writes clearly and in a really engaging way - the book is 500 pages and I read it while on a couple of flights this week - it is that sort of deep, but in an engaging sort of way book. You don't need a degree in embryology / ethics / law / theology to understand what she's saying.

For me, a few things stood out, and these are the reasons why I think you should buy and read this book.

- The science of the beginning of life is complicated. We need someone like Megan to explain what is going on. I learnt things that perhaps I should have known earlier... (It has actually been a really useful reference book for us to give to daughters growing up in our house.)

- The ethics associated with the science are equally complicated, but cannot be ignored or distilled into "soundbites". It is clear that the debate regarding these issues has often descended into "Who can produce the best one-liner or the most emotive story". As a society we can't make decisions about human life on this basis. This book opens to door to the possibility of an informed discussion.

- From the statistics presented in the book, the ethics of the beginning of life touch an extraordinary number of people. We are living in dreamland if we think these issues have not / do not / will not touch our lives or the lives of those close to us. This book will help us help them.

- The pastoral advice Megan gives is sensitive, wise, careful and based on many years of experience. Great advice for those walking in the pain and fog of infertility or suffering loss, or for those who are wanting to support those who are.

I urge you to read this book. It will help you think carefully, act wisely and in a godly way and encourage those around you in their walk.

PS For those who are blessed to have children, I think it will also encourage you to love them more deeply.

PPS  Don Carson says this is the "must read" book in the field. Who am I to argue?

One of many Copernican revolutions in Romans

I've enjoyed teaching Romans this semester in our little seminary here. I think the students have enjoyed it as well...

One of the great things about Romans is the number of times Paul takes a concept - often from the history or traditions of Israel - and turns it on its head, Copernicus style. And after he's "done a Copernicus" to the concept, it is almost impossible to think about it any other way but the new way.

In our studies of chapters 9-11 last week we came across one of these beautiful moments.

In the history of Israel, being a descendent of Abraham is one of the key concepts. To be in the line of Abraham means you are in the line of God's promises, you can look forward to his blessings and the great inheritance that awaits his people. The Israelites were very proud of their "bloodline" and the benefits that "being in the family" brought.

But look at what Paul does with this.

"For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." (Rom 9:6-8 ESV)

See how he turns the definition of "descendent" on its head? The thing that matters is not your "flesh" line, but your "promise" line.

He then goes on demonstrate the existence and importance of this re-definition by using two examples from Israel's history.

First - Abraham himself. In verse 9 Paul quotes Genesis 18, when God visits Abraham and Sarai and promises that this time next year they will have a son, the son who will carry on their name, despite their advanced years. The key fact is that at this point in Abraham's life, he already has a son, Ishmael. In "bloodline" thinking, the descendent exists because Abraham has taken things into his own hands and had a son with his servant. But that son is not the son of the promise. Isaac is yet to be born. Promise "trumps" bloodline.

Second - Jacob and Esau (v10-12). Perhaps the most famous demonstration of God's electing power. Twins, whose birth order defines their "bloodline" standing, and yet, the divine promise reverses the order. Instead of the younger serving the older as would be expected, the older serves the younger. The promise of God again trumps the bloodline.

So what's the point of all this?

To make it clear that it is not your mum, your dad or your family heritage that saves you. It is your inclusion in the promises of God. And Romans makes it abundantly clear that this inclusion is achieved through faith in the saving work of Christ - which in fact is not an achievement of ours, but of God.

Giving the right impression matters.

In the last few days, the new Prime Minister of Australia, and several other members of parliament have got themselves into a spot of bother with the way they have used (and some say, mis-used) their travel entitlements. It seems to be a case of "one man's junket for a sporting event is another man's opportunity to meet members of the electorate at a community event."

Who knows what will come of it? Probably not much. (and living in a country where rip-offs of the system usually involve figures containing many more zeros, it hardly seems big bikkies).

However, there is an important lesson to be learnt for those of us who have the privilege of being paid from donations, and there have an important level of accountability to our donors. (To fit in with my opening argument, I'm using the term "donation" in a very broad sense, to include tax! But I think the issue of accountability still stands.)

The lesson is, we need to do the right thing, but more than that, we need to be seen to be doing the right thing. The impression we give is just as important as the fact.

Christian workers, pastors, missionaries - we need to take notice of this, because the dangers that this issue can cause to us personally and to the ministries we are involved in are real and severe.

First, there is the danger to the reputation of the gospel. There are those who will want to tear Christians down at the slightest hint of us misusing the system. Opponents of the gospel would like nothing more than to highlight the moral, legal or personal failure of a Christian to further their cause. From time to time articles are written and fingers are pointed at the way churches and christian organisations use or misuse their tax status. Failures, or perceived failures in this area do not recommend the gospel.

Second, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the money that has been given to us by our supporters and church members. In response to our requests, many people give sacrificially and generously, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our care in spending matches their care in giving, both in what we actually do, but also in the impression we give of how we do it. Because no matter how many audit reports and bank statements and scrutinised budgets are presented at the annual meeting, if the beneficiary of the donations is perceived to be wasting the funds, it will leave a bad taste in the mouth of the donor.

Let me share a personal example. I was recently on a multi-stop trip, a long one, paid for totally by generous donors to CMS Australia, the mission organisation that does a great job looking after us here in Mexico. I had been at a conference of theological educators - people like me who are directors of seminaries, leaders of training institutions etc. A group of us caught the bus to the airport and so we were checking in for our various flights together.

Two things happened which made me think carefully about this issue.

1. Earlier this year, a generous supporter gave me a one year membership to the Qantas Club. This means in some airports and with some airlines I can enjoy the benefits of their "VIP departure lounges" (basically free wifi, comfy chairs and snacks). It is really nice and it was generous of him to give it to me. He knows that I have a lot of trips and that small things like this make the experience a bit more comfortable. One of the benefits of this membership is that it allows me to skip the check-in line and use the business class desk.

So, off I went, checked in at the business class desk and met up with the group again later on.

A few of them said - wow - your organisation must be doing OK - you get to fly business! (said with not a particularly positive tone of voice!) So I explained the situation and their attitude immediately changed. What if I hadn't have had the opportunity to explain myself? I think their perception of "overseas funded missionaries" might not have been so good.

I know this because of the second thing that happened.

2. As I was leaving the check in line, a couple of others from the conference also went to the business counter to check in. And I couldn't help noticing that when they finished, they had boarding passes with those magic words "Business class" written on them.

What was my impression? Well, they must be doing alright to be able to waste money like that. What can't they fly economy like the rest of us? Are they better than us?

Wow - maybe they had used some points to upgrade? Maybe they had a sore back and had asked nicely? Maybe a generous person had given them a membership that gave them an upgrade? Who knows - but my reaction to what I saw was at the same time severe, jealous and judgemental.


For me, it reinforced the need to be seen to be doing the right thing as well as actually doing the right thing. Sure, maybe we need to work harder at educating our donors how we spend our money and being as open as we can about doing the right thing, but we also have a responsibility to be seen to be doing the right thing.

As world travel becomes easier, and as opportunities and invitations for travel become more frequent, here's a few things I've learnt along the way about doing the right thing, and making sure the impression you give is also that you are doing the right thing.

1. Make sure your accounting and reporting structure is accurate and externally audited - whether it is an official "government required" audit or just someone external who can check it for you. It is an insurance policy for you and for your organisation against any accusation of impropriety.

2. Don't not use the system for small transactions. If you are willing to fudge a bit on small amounts, the temptation is to change the definition of "small". When I'm travelling, I keep a small notebook with me and jot down all expenses, with receipts where possible. (I understand there are apps for that!)

3. You won't have the opportunity to explain your circumstances to everyone, so be humble and circumspect about it. Enjoy the opportunities you have, but don't brag about them.

4. If you must post "travel reports" on facebook, consider the impression you are giving. Inevitably, the photos at the beach, in the game park or at the national monuments are more interesting than your time in the library, giving the conference talk or meeting the pastor's group, so they'll end up dominating your postings. Think about the impression this gives.

5. Don't just give reports of your "extraordinary" activities. Talk about your day to day life with the same enthusiasm as the exciting bits.

6. Consider the way you talk about the people you are working with / serving alongside. In your excitement and enthusiasm, try not to come across as the saviour. Admit your difficulties and hardships, be honest about your homesickness, feelings of being out of your depth, loneliness. Real reflections help give the impression that you are working, not just having a fantastic holiday.

7. If you do have a holiday - be honest and open about it! Don't be a gospel tourist. Just be a tourist! Enjoy the opportunity to work, enjoy the opportunity to be a tourist, and do what you can to not confuse the two.

High emotions, higher certainty

Latin America is a very emotional place – keep an eye out for the Latin American teams and their supporters in the World Cup next year and you’ll soon get the idea.

This “high octane emotion” is not only evident in the stands of the football stadium, but in church as well. Prayers in our church often involve tears genuine tears – both of joy and sorrow. There are churches here where I have experienced a level of genuine and authentic Christian joy not often seen in “the west”. For a pretty reserved bloke like me, this can be a bit of a challenge (although I can now give strangers a warm hug like a local!)

Of course emotions come with a warning. Emotions come and emotions go. They can be manipulated or turned on and off for show. You can feel great because you’re well fed, have a comfy seat and your favourite song is on the radio. You can feel bad because there was no milk in the fridge, the bus was late and there’s something wrong with the wifi. As I write this I am at the end of a long multi-location road trip and my feelings are “I’ve pretty much had enough and the next time I have to stand in an immigration or check in line, the groan may be more on the audible end of the spectrum than quietly internal!”

If we consider this rollercoaster of feelings in the context of the way we feel about God, whether we feel valued or loved by him, it doesn’t take long to see that we’re going to have good days and bad days, high times and low times. That is the reality of our life. The question is, what do we do about it? How do we respond, especially in the low times?

One of the reasons for the trip is that the GBU (IFES in Chile) asked me to speak on Romans at their annual training camp, and I’m thankful to them because it gave me the incentive I needed to get stuck into some careful reading and thinking.

As I was preparing to explain Romans 6 I noticed that we have something greater than emotions. In the context of explaining the new life that we have because we are justified by faith in Christ and not by the law, Paul uses these words and phrases.

“Do you not know…?” (v3)

“We shall certainly be…” (v5)

“We know that…” (v6)

“We believe (trust) that…” (v8)

“We know that…” (v9)

“Do you not know…” (v16)

“you have become…” (v17)

The chapter is driven by a whole lot of facts, things that we know, things that we can be sure of.

I’d say that Paul’s main idea in the chapter is not that we know things, but that the things we know (ie: the work of Christ on the cross) are very important – but I think Paul’s appeal for us to be living as people who have new life comes not from something that comes and goes, nor is based on whether we feel warm or cold towards God, but of facts, of knowledge, of sure things.

We know we are loved by God, we know we are a new creation, we know we are not slaves to sin. Therefore, we can be confident of our relationship with God, despite the way we currently feel.

That is great news, especially when you’re in a trough rather than a peak.

So if you’re in a trough, be encouraged – your closeness to God is not proportional to your feelings. Fortunately, we can be much more secure than that. 

The world's most most liveable city is...

The results of the 2013 survey of the World's most liveable cities have just been released. Melbourne won, and three other Australian cities - Sydney, Adelaide and Perth all made it into the top 10.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/28/travel/melbourne-most-livable-city/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Whether you agree or not with the Economist Intelligence Unit's criteria and the associated accusations of "anglo-centricity" (ie: a liveable city means an English speaking city), I think most would agree with the general tone of the list. On a sunny spring day where would you rather be? Melbourne or Douala?

Of course we would rather be strolling around the waterfront on the harbour or Port Hacking or taking in the new blooms in the botanical gardens. Who doesn't enjoy the afternoon sunshine watching the AFL finals at "The G" or the distinctive smell of the freshly cut lawn of our suburban block.

All these things are great - and we miss them. But with their goodness and pleasure comes a trap.

The trap is, that living in one of the most liveable cities in the world can lull us into thinking, we've got it all. Heaven is here for us now. We're living in "God's country."

That has a lot of implications for us - including where we put our hope and what we think is important. But it also makes it difficult to leave.

Let's be frank - there are not many moments when I'm working here or driving around the city when I'm tempted to think "This is heaven on earth". Life here is harder than it is in Sydney. Not just because we are foreigners - it is harder for our local friends as well.

So if you're living in Sydney or Melbourne, leaving to go somewhere else for the sake of the gospel might well be harder - because the "differential" between the life you have and the life you will have is so great.

But here's the thing. Living a happy "liveable" life is not the main game.

Remember when Jesus was talking to his disciples about wealth and riches. He said

"I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing ... Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom and these things will be added to you." (Luke 12:22-23, 29-31)

I wonder if Jesus was speaking to Aussies today he'd say don't be anxious about what you will eat or what you will put on or the liveability of your city?

But what are we to seek? The kingdom of God. And that includes people from all nations, tribes and tongues. And to reach them, we need to go to them. That means we need to give up our desire for liveability, and pursue the priorities of God.

For some, that means leaving a top 10 city?

You?

A (very important) difference I only just realised

The list I could write of things that are different about living here compared to living in Australia is very long and would range from the trivial but kindof interesting (there is a guy on each petrol bowser who we tip after he has filled us up) to the jealousy-inducing (I take our car to be fully serviced and it cost less than $150) to the ridiculous (items of stationery are really expensive here).

But in the last few days I've realised a very big, and important difference.

That is, there are a huge number of people who live in Mexico who are taking steps to go and live somewhere else - and by that I mean, in another country. Most often, in the United States, but there are other places considered as well - Canada, France, Germany.

Just in the last two days I have spoken to three different people who are about to move, are waiting for their papers so they can move, or are going to move anyway whether they get their papers or not. Interestingly, these three people are from quite different "levels" of society. Two of them you would say have "respectable" and secure jobs.

But as I've thought about other people I have met over the last couple of years, the list of those wanting and planning to leave rapidly grows.

And so I got thinking about these people. Are there generalisations that can be drawn about them as a group?

Some of them have children, others don't. Some have close family members who they will leave behind, others don't. Some have a clear place and job to go to, others will go somewhere and work it out when they get there. Some speak the language of the country they hope to go to, others don't. Some have a relative already in the place they want to go, some will arrive on their own. Some of them have personally experienced a threat to their security, others not.

And so - no, it is very hard to say "the people who want to leave are like ..."

Except in one way. When you get into conversation with people who want to leave Mexico and move north (or somewhere else) there is one word that always comes up in conversation. Opportunity.

They see that moving to the US or beyond will bring new opportunities. In education, training, wealth, security, travel, status - it is all about opportunity.

This is a huge difference to life in Australia. Think about your circle of friends, or your church, or your neighbourhood in Australia. How many people do you know who want to move to another country so they have more opportunity? Virtually none I'd imagine. People move to Australia because of opportunity, not away from it.

I have to admit that realising this has made me sad. It is sad to know so many people want to leave their country because they think (and I suspect in many cases they are right) that another country will give them more opportunities.

It is also a challenge for us here, because those who are leaders in churches are not immune from this desire for opportunities on the other side of the border. Whether they get lucky and are awarded a scholarship to study in the US or find a position in a church there, the reality is that just as some countries suffer a "brain drain" as their best and brightest go overseas to study and research and work, there are countries in Latin America that are, and will continue to suffer a "ministry drain", as those who are busy serving in their local churches head north.

In the face of this challenge, there are two immediate responses.

1. We need to do what we can to train people in their context, without requiring them to leave (and therefore opening the door for the option to never return). The work I am doing here with MOCLAM is critical with that.

2. We need to do what we can to be training up the next generation of ministry workers, because even without planting new churches and ministries, there is a reasonable chance they will be needed in their local church just because of the people who are waiting for a greencard.

The best leader of a church service I have ever met

Last Sunday I had the privilege of being part of a church service that was led by my friend, who is (IMHO) the best leaders of church services I have ever met. Here’s 10 reasons why.

1. Everything he says oozes the gospel.

Whether he is saying a few words of welcome, directing us to the notices for the week or interviewing a visitor, everything he says oozes the gospel. The vocabulary and themes of grace, forgiveness, joy and peace are everywhere.

2. He is friendly

You can’t help but like this guy. He makes you think that he is glad you are there. And before or after church when you speak to him you realise he actually thinks that.

3. He is structured, and the structure is instructive

The way he leads church indicates that he has thought about what he is doing, and has structured all the elements to achieve various ends. Each element teaches us something, but in fact the way in which the elements are ordered teaches us as well. For example, we confess and hear the gospel message of forgiveness before we celebrate the Lord’s supper together. Very 1 Corinthians 11.

4. There is lots of Bible.

Not only do we read big chunks of the Bible in preparation for the sermon, but also as part of the general flow of church. We are welcomed with words from scripture, encouraged, rebuked and prayers use the language of scripture. This is clearly a consequence of his Anglican and BCP heritage, and relates closely to point 3.

5. He is informal, but not casual.

When he leads, we are made to feel like we are doing this together and we are all “normal”, but not in a way which makes us think what we are doing is unimportant.  There is something special about the gathering we are participating in. We are meeting with God and with each other. And yet there is nothing “priestly” or “different level” to who he is. When we are meeting together he points us to our heavenly father, rather than “the big guy upstairs who we can call mate.”

6. He is welcoming and values everyone being there.

A consequence of point 2. He welcomes some people by name, says “it is good to see you” – things like that. He has a great knack for names.

7. What he does up front matches what he says and who he is.

The man has a lots of words to say, and his words ooze the gospel, but so do his actions and personality. From his body language to the way he treats others, everything he says is reinforced by what he does.

8. The values the participation of others.

He is not a control freak or a “I need to do it all” sort of guy. He welcomes others to preach, read, lead in prayer, give announcements etc and visibly and audibly appreciates their contribution.

9. He is unapologetic

He tells us what why we are here, what we are going to do and what we might like to do in response – and is unapologetic about it. There is no sense of “I know this might make you feel awkward and so I’m going to tone it down a bit”. No, it is all clear (while considering 2,5 and 6.)

10. He is instructive

He wants us to learn from what he does, and so he should. He is not just leading us through the service, he is teaching us how to respond to what we are hearing. As the service leader, he has realised that he has an important teaching role, and he has taken on that role with great consideration and care.

I hope you have a service leader like this. If not – feel free to pass this on!