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.