Stranger in a Strange Land

6 responses so far ↓

• 1 M54 // Jun 13, 2008 at 4:27 pm

  I have always found it confusing why people spend thousands of dollars just travleing to a remote destination to evangelize.

  The command to go ye therefiore into all the nations…

  I’m pretty sure that the USA is a nation! I’m pretty sure your close family, extended family, friends, etc are part of the ones that need to hear the Gosple.

  So let us be better stewards of our (His) money and go into the neighborhoods in our own country!

  But then you wouldn’t have all those nice pics to show your friends about hou you made this sacrifice or how difficult this or that was and how scared you were when the soldiers were along the road with their guns.

  Ewwwww.

  Remember you asked for input.

• 2 Matthew // Jun 13, 2008 at 4:44 pm

  M54 ~

  I think that you and I, perhaps for the first time, agree completely.

  I have issues with the emphasis in the Evangelical church on over seas missions to the detriment of meeting the needs of our friends and neighbors.

  SDG,
  Matt

• 3 M54 // Jun 13, 2008 at 4:57 pm

  Matty…. please delete my original post before someone knows that we agree on this! jk jk

  I mean just think of the money alone.

  Imagine, all of the homeless and hungry that could be ministered to with just one round trip ticket to (insert foreign land here). Now multiply that by the number of people going on a single “Mission Trip”! Now multiply that times all the churches going over one summer in a single city!

  My goodness how we “Christians” are such good stewards!

  I think if God wanted me to evangelize in Nicaragua I probably wouild have been born there!

• 4 littletiger // Jun 14, 2008 at 6:15 am

  Hey Matty - I guess this is one time when I have to disagree with you. I was a missionary in Japan for 3 years and I feel it’s just as important to reach people who’ve never heard the gospel as it is those who have access to it anytime.

  Here in the US people have ample opportunity to hear the gospel - there are churches everywhere, tele-evangelists on the TV and heck you can find all you need on the internet too if you have any questions. However, Japan has less than 1% of the country Christian and that number is actually shrinking. When Christ gave that commandment, he didn’t do so as a suggestion to stay in your safe place and do so - He meant to sacrifice and reach the WHOLE world.

  Just my two cents FWIW
  Tracy

• 5 andi // Jun 14, 2008 at 6:23 am

  Sometimes the missions trip is more about the work God is doing in the missionary and less about “saving lost souls” in a foreign country.

  In high school I went on a summer missions trip. I stretched and grew on that trip. It wasn’t about the work I was doing there - it was about me. I am who I am now because of that experience.

  I agree that money can and does get wasted on trips. But then I think of how God can and does bless people through missions trips. Little Johnny’s trip to Nicaragua might be the only time that Aunt Mildred parts with her money and God can use the opportunity to reach Auntie. Or maybe Little Johnny learns that it’s not so scary to share his faith and so when he comes home he’s able to talk to his neighbor and share the Gospel. Or maybe this will be the only time Little Johnny ever openly shares his faith.

  My point is, don’t be too quick to bash overseas missions.

• 6 Matthew // Jun 14, 2008 at 12:10 pm

  M54/Andi/LittleTIger/others ~

  First, thanks so much, everyone for commenting. I love the feedback and discussions; makes me happy!

  Second, my intention is never and was never to bash overseas missions. Obviously, the “Great Commission” says “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” I have great respect and admiration for those who go overseas to minister. I have a good friend who is serving in So. Germany and another friend who is living in Indonesia, running a couple of businesses and being a light in the world. My own experiences with cross-cultural ministry as been so very valuable; be it the Mexico trip Sr. year of High School, teaching English at Tecate Mission, or ministering to homeless people through various secular and religious urban relief efforts. My point is, many in Evangelicalism have emphasized overseas missions to the exclusion of local missions opportunities and needs.

  The United States citizen or resident may have access to more religious input than many in the 2/3 world, but this myth we labor under that the US is somehow a Christian nation causes many to say, “There is no ministry opportunity here.” I find that to be a problem. I saw a theo-political cartoon some years ago which showed a beggar on the street and two well-to-do gentlemen walking by. One of these gentleman had fallen; tripped over the beggar on the street. The other gentleman has turned back to speak to the one who had fallen and says, “Would you hurry up, we’re late for the missions conference.”

  I am not against overseas missions; but please, understand me when I write this: Just because you haven’t been called overseas, you are NOT off the hook.

  Blessings to all

  SDG,
  Matty

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