Monday Musings: Are home-based missionaries irrelevant?

Pardon me here, I don’t mean to undermine or question the good work done by those who unselfishly travel overseas, sacrificing themselves and their families in the name of spreading goodwill and the gospel.   Overseas missions are very important in reaching the hard-to-reach places and bringing them hope.  Saying this, I do however, have some questions.

Recently, I was talking to friend about his church and he boasted to me that they had missionaries in 23 countries around the world.  I casually asked him, with no intent to judge, if they had any in Winnipeg, their backyard.  He thought about it and said he doubted it.  I wasn’t about to start a debate on where and how missionaries should answer their calling but I thought to myself,   “Why does it seem that much cooler to do missionary work abroad than in your own backyard?”  The same thing can be said of adopting.  It’s more trendy to adopt say an Ethiopian child than an aboriginal kid from the reservation.  It even sounds cooler too.  Admit it.  It’s gone Hollywood.

So, is sending aid to poor people in Africa worth double or triple that of giving  our local homeless man or woman money to buy food?  I know many of us do so with altruistic purposes while some of us have personal goals and egos to feed.  but again, it’s not for me to judge and that’s not what this blog is about.

We are usually bombarded with photos and televisions broadcasts of the millions of people starving in the Africa but rarely of the guy down the street.  If I step over that guy to reach out the ones that are across the ocean, would that make me a better missionary?  Is it still considered missionary if it’s only practiced in my neighborhood?  If I don’t adopt my cousin’s kid that she abuses and starves, but instead travel to Uganda to adopt the little girl I always wanted, am I still considered an effective missionary?  Also, is it ok if I maintain the outside of my house, keeping it clean and spotless, while inside looks like it was hit by a tornado?

Just my take.

Related articles

• Living as a Missionary in Your Community (christianitymatters.com)
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Cheapskate Pastor Says Yes To Tithing But No To Tipping

Sometimes even well-meaning Christians forget what it actually means to be Christians.  Yes,  I do too.   We start focusing on serving ourselves and forget it is more than just us.  It’s serving those we share the earth with.  In this case, it’s serving those who serve us.

I read of a pastor who along with eight friends went out dining at Applebee’s Restaurant.  Because of the size of her party, there was an auto-tip of 18% added to her bill.  The pastor resented this and showed her resentment by writing on the bill, “I give God 10% why do you get 18?”  Now some cheapskates people might agree with the pastor’s take and stiff the poor minimum-wage-earning waitress whose job it is to cater to the whims of her diners.  To me, I think…well you know by now what I think.

To one server, it was insulting and comical.  So much that she took a photo of the bill and posted it online where it went viral.  Well of course it will.  People pounce on that kind of stuff.

Was the pastor right?  In my opinion, no she wasn’t.  I think she was being a miserable cheapskate and should have exercised her Godliness in a more positive way than she did.  Was the waitress right in posting the offending receipt?  Well I probably would have done the same thing.  Unfortunately, her manager didn’t see it that way and fired her.   She apparently breached an unwritten confidentiality law that made it illegal to post bills that diners wrote on online.  The pastor wasn’t a happy camper went she found out her autographed receipt was viral online.   Serves her right!  She should have thought of that before she did what she did.

The thing is lately is that many of us think that going to church, tithing and reading the bible make us perfect Christians.  Somewhere along the way, we forget the ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ part.  Sorry if I step on any toes but it’s my take and my opinion.

Related reads:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/applebees-waitress-fired-pastor-receipt-193820748.html

Selfish Christians

Pastors and Gays

Amazing Grace

Music of Grace: Amazing Grace (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A few days ago, while listening to a Christian Radio, (chvn 95.1 fm),  the song Amazing Grace started playing.  For some reason, I found myself pondering the song and  the origin.  This is one of the most recognizable of all songs,  religious or otherwise.  I think even the devil sings it.  It is so popular that I’m sure many if not all of us,  sing it from memory without really paying much attention to the lyrics.  Here’s a little blog about the man behind the song and its origin.

English man John Newton,  was the songwriter of this historic song.  For such a deep and soul baring song, one would think that he must have been a deeply devout christian, testifying to the saving grace of God.  Well sort of.

John was forced into military service and later, on his own volition, became a slave trader.  Apparently, he had one of the worst sailors’ vocabulary that his captain had ever heard.  (He was the most profane man the captain had ever met). In other words, he cursed like a sailor and more than a sailor.

John Newton was not always religious, even though his mother tried to instill it in him.  In fact, he denounced God at one part in his life.  It took a near-death experience for him to return to the fold.  (He cried out for God’s intervention when the ship he was on was caught in a storm).  That incident marked a turning point in his life and one that he would remember for the rest of his life.

Contrary to claims, Newton did not write the song in a moment of clarity while on a slave ship.  In fact, after his conversion he continued to dabble in slave trading and only gave it up after being ill.  He wrote Amazing Grace some years after his last voyage.

Amazing Grace is a strong song.  It speaks volumes about God’s love and his forgiveness.  This blog is not to take anything away from John Newton or to judge him in any way for his participation in one of the darkest era of humanity, (Although I think he should have given it up after he found God but maybe his conviction and conversion was not fully completed).  He left us with a great song.

Years after hanging up his slave trader hat, Newton joined forces with abolitionist William Wilberforce in his fight against slavery.  For such a person like John Newton, it would have taken an amount of saving grace to redeem him from what he was.  A bad boy, a slave trader and a man who turned his back on God.  It must have really been an Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like him.  And me.  And you.

Amazing grace, how sweet thou art…

Related reads:

http://www.texasfasola.org/biographies/johnnewton.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton

Thursday’s Thoughts: Winnipeg’s Praying Police Chief

A few weeks ago, the City of Winnipeg got its first black police chief when Jamaican born Devon Clunis got the nod for the position.  Devon, who has over 20 years of service, also served as the police chaplain.  Since his selection, his strong Christian faith has been a topic of discussion.

In one of his first meeting with the media,  (A Christian news magazine), Clunis wore his faith on his sleeve and said the following:

EXCERPTS from the ChristianWeek story, New police chief: prayer will play a role in reducing violent crime

– “I’m a little tired of us… being ‘(the) murder capital of Canada,’ ” says Devon Clunis, who was appointed chief of police at the beginning of October. “People consistently say, ‘How are you going to solve that?’ It’s not simply going to be because we’re going to go out there and police it away. I truly believe that prayer will be a significant piece of that.

“What would happen if we all just truly — I’m talking about all religious stripes here — started praying for the peace of this city and then actually started putting some action behind that?” he adds. “I believe something phenomenal is going to happen in our city. I truly believe it’s coming. I don’t think I’ve arrived at this position just by chance.”

– Clunis attributes his success to God. He says he has never asked God to make him a powerful person, but rather he has prayed that God make him a leader who treats people with dignity and respect and who is successful in his endeavours.

– Clunis says at the end of the day, he just wants to give of himself to help the community.

– “God still cares, He’s still involved in our lives,” Clunis says, “and I believe without a shadow of a doubt the only reason that I am in this position is because God is involved in it. Without a shadow of a doubt.”

Yesterday, the media was in a frenzy.  ’Chief urges prayer to fight crime’ was the general headline, his words sadly taken out of context.

Chief Clunis has my support.  I am happy to see a man of strong christian values in his position.  I have seen, read and heard of too many ‘bad cops’ and ‘dirty cops” that I, for the most part, have lost faith in them.   Clunis has given me a reason to have at least a glimmer of hope.

As for using prayer as part of his arsenal, why not?  With Winnipeg the nation’s crime capital, what do we have to lose? And while you kneel in prayer for our city,  don’t forget to say one for Clunis.  He needs our prayers and support and we need him to stay strong in his faith no matter what comes.

Oh, and like him, I also believe that the only reason he’s in this position is ‘because God is involved in it’.

All the best, Chief!  Keep the faith!

Just my take.

 

Related articles

• Winnipeg police chief proposes prayer to help combat crime (cbc.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief says comments on prayer and crime misconstrued (ctvnews.ca)
• Combat crime with prayer urges Winnipeg police chief (metronews.ca)
• Local Hero: Devon Clunis preaches the power of prayer (stjohnscathedral.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief to speak to media (cbc.ca)
• Police chief ‘misconstrued’ on controversial prayer statement (theglobeandmail.com)

It’s never a bad day, even when it snows early

On Tuesday, I went to the hospital to visit a friend who recently suffered a massive stroke that paralyzed the entire right side of his body.  I sat with him for a while even though we couldn’t communicate with each other.  He sometimes struggled for a breath of air and tried to speak during his brief moments of consciousness but was mostly incoherent. This was a man who was never lacking for words.  He was intelligent and a great debater.  Now here he was, reduced to a mumbling baby.

As I watched him, feeling useless and wondering if there was something I could do or say, I thought of my frailty.  I thought of how I would feel with my mind trapped in a body that refused to answer its will.  It was a dreadful thought that scared me.

The next day it snowed, prematurely by our expectations as we hadn’t seen snow before December for some time.  I joined the voices of the malcontents and questioned God’s bad timing.  It’s just the beginning of October! What kind of joke is this? How long is winter going to last this year?  This really sucks!  It was just a knee-jerk reaction as I am never one to really complain about too much snow, rain, heat or otherwise.

Then I thought of my friend in the hospital, (See the good thing about having an overactive mind is that it sometimes counters the negative thoughts by coming up with other thoughts, even while thinking).  I suspected that my friend would rather be out here navigating the snowy roads and feeling cold than lying on a hospital bed not knowing what his future holds.  That was a sobering thought that righted my ship.

Later, I was surfing Facebook and came upon the photo above, it was about being thankful for each day as someone somewhere is fighting to survive.  Coincidence?

As Thanksgiving approaches, there’s no better time to think of the things that are taken for granted.  The things that we feel we have earned.  A breath of air, health, possessions.  We feel that no thanks are necessary or saying thanks once should be good enough.

When we have our health and our lives, there is no such thing as a bad day.  Snow falling when we think it’s not supposed to, does not constitute a tragedy.  So now I am thankful that I could experience another winter.  I could feel the cold and trudge through the snow and that’s  more than some could say.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

The Lord's Prayer with a unique twist

Reblogged from Musings Of A Daddy:

I really love this:

"Our Father Who Art In Heaven.

Yes?

Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

But -- you called ME!

Called you?
No, I didn't call you..
I'm praying.
Our Father who art in Heaven.

There -- you did it again!

Did what?

Called ME.
You said,
"Our Father who art in Heaven"
Well, here I am..
What's on your mind?

Read more… 891 more words

I just had to reblog, especially since I have been blogging on The Lord's Prayer lately

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Hats off to volunteers!

During a recent banquet at a personal care home in honor of its volunteers, I was touched by the selfless act of the other volunteers around me.  Some were putting in thousands of hours of their time helping the residents.  Considering it is a small nursing home, the number of volunteers present at the banquet was impressive.

I volunteer as a an entertainer on the fourth Friday of every month for one hour.  Because the home is ran by the Seventh Day Adventist Church , Friday evenings is spent celebrating the start of Sabbath.  My job is to lead the residents in song service.

As I sat there listening to the names of volunteers who had put in hundreds and thousands of hours, I felt guilty.  You may ask why would I feel guilty if I am also a volunteer.  Well the reason is that some days I do not feel like fulfilling my obligations.  I know that I only have to show up just one Friday a month but sometimes it seems like so much.  I know it isn’t, especially the fact that it is for just one hour but the effort of leaving the house to go there just doesn’t seem appealing. So that’s why I feel guilty.  Guilty for thinking like that. Guilty for thinking one hour is my limit.

When I do show up, as I do I always do even if’s it’s not always willingly, I do have a great time with the residents. They show their appreciation for my being there and I feel as though I am adding something to their lives.   The look on their faces is priceless.  The hour usually comes way too soon.

Life is about being there for others.  Helping those less fortunate, even if their situation is hopeless.  It’s the reason we are here. Sometimes we may think that as long as we are here for our families and our friends, we are doing our part.  I would not agree with this. There is nothing more fulfilling than time spent helping others.  A nursing home, an animal shelter, no matter where you volunteer, you will go home feeling blessed.   Try it.

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CrefloDOLLARministries

How do you build a successful ministry?  Apparently DOLLAR by DOLLAR.

While walking on the treadmill this morning, I watched a televangelist do his bit on the television.  I had never seen or heard about him before and after watching for a bit, found out his name was Creflo Dollar.  “What a name to have in this business?” is what I thought.  At one point in his broadcast, he asked for a donation of $120 which would entitle the donor to some of his cds.  I thought, “Here comes the DOLLAR part of his name”.  I was watching this show as part of my morning devotion so I did not allow myself to be sidetracked by whatever suspicions the devil was trying to throw my way.

After I was done exercising, I made it a point of Googling Mr. Dollar to see where he was coming from.  I found this out, “Dollar is known for his controversial teachings of Prosperity theology.^[9] He has been criticized for his lavish lifestyle as he owns two Rolls-Royces, a private jet, a million dollar home in Atlanta, and a 2.5 million dollar home in Manhattan.^[9] Dollar has refused to disclose his salary and Creflo Dollar Ministries received a grade of “F” for financial transparency by the organization MinistryWatch.^“ 

Seriously? During his show, Mr. Moneybags was telling me that one shouldn’t worry about money and job etc. but just have faith.  Shame on you, Dollar!  Talk about living a humble life…It’s so easy for someone who possesses what he does to preach to the minions like us about not wanting  running after money. Of course we shouldn’t, we should send it all to you in the name of donation…

This is my take. Mr. Dollar could very well be innocent of all these allegations so do not side with me on my vent.  I speak it as I see it. That’s all.  Remember, it’s not the messenger, it’s the message that he brings.

 

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A Time To Pray

This morning on the drive to work, I was listening to my favorite Christian Radio.  The announcer said, “We have a prayer request for ‘blah blah blah’ so let’s all pray for this person.”  As I am programmed to do, I promptly dropped my head onto my chest in the prayer position.  Don’t worry, I promptly lifted it up again when I realized where I was.

I could see me explaining the accident to the cops. If I could still breathe, that is.  ”Well officer, I was just praying for some poor sap who lost everything and had nothing to live for.  Just an innocent little prayer.”  ”Were your eyes closed, sir?” “Officer, of course my eyes were closed. It’s a prayer and you are supposed to close your eyes to shut out distractions as you pray to God.”  ”Even while driving?” “That was a slip-up officer and would never happen again. I forgot where I was.”  ”Ok sir, go in peace and keep your chin up.”

If only it was that simple but I just wanted to share with you that little incident. I found it funny at the time.

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