Lose the Selfies on Mission Trips

Costa Rica mission trip coming soon....

I recently read a very challenging article on Mission Trips and Selfies.  One of the take-aways from the article was this...... we should not take selfies on mission trips that make us feel good about ourselves and at the same time make others feel like they have lost their dignity.  While on mission/service trips, we are there to SERVE and not make ourselves feel better.  

So, what will I do differently now as a result of reading this article? Instead of posting selfies on Facebook, I will remember to instead share pictures that tell stories.  Instead of featuring my own efforts to help, I will take photos (with permission) and celebrate LOCAL people  (like Lalo - pictured above) who are faithfully working for change in their own neighborhoods/communities over the long haul.  

We must remember that when we venture on mission/service trips, we are there to learn and communicate stories of transformation rather then portray ourselves as the "savior."  Many of the missionaries and community leaders are there long before a mission team arrives and they will be there long after the mission team leaves.

I personally believe mission trips are beneficial in many ways when done in the right spirit and in partnership.  After every mission trip, I ask two questions - "What are you going to do differently now in your own community as a result of this experience?"  "How can you continue to support this ministry of which you have been a part?"  

Finally, we must remember that developing neighborhoods and developing countries do not need short term heroes - they need long term partners!

May God give us wisdom in our serving!

Don't be lazy - Be strong in the Lord!

A few weeks ago, I preached a message about Returning to Love from Indifference.  I haven't been able to let this message go because I see so much indifference - so much apathy in the people who call themselves Christian and that includes me.  This is a hard blog for me to write because it isn't the blog of positivity.

This past spring break, Wally, Elliott and I had the opportunity to serve at Loma De Luz in Honduras together.  Max decided he wanted to stay at Nana's house for the week and so he did! We missed him. God always challenges my comfortable Christianity when I am serving at Loma de Luz. While at Loma de Luz, there is no air conditioner, no hot water, no Wal-mart, no Lowes, no Kroger and believe it or not - there is no Chick-fil-a. And, there are no lazy days! Everyone is up at the crack of dawn.

Christianity has become quite comfortable for most of us. Coffee shops in church lobbies. Shuttles to the sanctuary from the parking lot on rainy days. Games to entertain our children and youth. Many parents don't want the responsibility of teaching their children about faith. It's the church's job.

The Breakfast Club '16

At Loma De Luz, we made our coffee every morning with our new breakfast club friends. Who really needs a Panera and Starbucks? We witnessed people walking miles and miles to receive medical care. We witnessed people walking miles to church. We witnessed communities sitting around tables talking and laughing without the use of a cell phone. We witnessed sacrifice and generosity day after day and hour after hour.  It was a wake-up call for me once again.

Each time I venture on a mission trip, I usually read one of Paul's letters to the churches. This time I read Ephesians and I especially reflected on Ephesians 6:10-20 - Be strong in the Lord...your struggle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers and powers of this dark world.  As I read Ephesians 6:10-20, I was reminded  that we can't ever allow the luxurious settings of our culture to dull our alertness to the powers of this dark world. We must refuse to allow comfort and ease to make us apathetic, indifferent, uninterested and in some cases unaware of injustice and the spiritual battle that is raging all around us.  The lazy days of Christian culture must come to an end.  And, this starts today and it starts with you and me. 

Our enemy celebrates our laziness to Christlike living.  Before we know it, we no longer care about racial reconciliation, we no longer welcome the refugee, we no longer fight for passion in our marriages, we no longer believe our children can be restored and redeemed, we no longer believe that there is a path to freedom from our addictions and we no longer believe in the power of prayer.  

Maybe you kind of don't care anymore. You aren't even sure you want to care.  I believe that through prayer  - you can begin the journey to getting your "want to" back.  At the end of this passage, Paul says to pray in the spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests.  My challenge to all of us is to pray for God to open our eyes and help us understand where we have become comfortable in our following Jesus.

The call to Christlike living is a wake-up call out of laziness - urging us to rise up and be strong in the Lord.  We have gotten comfortable in our consumerism - comfortable in our unhealthy patterns of eating - comfortable in our unhealthy patterns of addictions - comfortable in our sin.  We must be putting on the armor of God so that we can take our stand against the enemy who wants nothing more than to take our eyes off of Jesus and to keep our eyes on ourselves.

Ask God now to help you see where you have become comfortable in following Christ...

Ask God now to help you see where you need to execute justice in the world...

Ask God now to help you understand what you need to sacrifice to expand his Kingdom...

Ask God now to help you simplify so that you don't continue to consume things you don't need...

Ask God now to help you put on the armor of God so you can be strong in God's grace...

And, don't be lazy! Pray daily. Pray Consistently, Pray Faithfully for God to help you not become indifferent and apathetic!

What was finished?

Lenten Reflection

Scripture:  John 19:30 "It is finished."

Observation:  The fighter still remains.  Those who can remain like the boxer are a rare breed.  I don't necessarily mean win, I just mean remain.  Hang in there. Finish. Stick to it until it is done.  But unfortunately, very few do that.  Our human tendency is to quit too soon.  Our human tendency is to stop before we cross the finish line.  

Jesus didn't quit.  Can you imagine the cry from the cross?  The sky is dark.  There is weeping.  Then Jesus draws in a deep breath, pushes his feet down on that Roman nail and cried "It is finished."

What was finished?  The history long plan of redeeming humankind was finished.  The message of God to man was finished. The works of Jesus as a man on earth were finished. The task of selecting and training ambassadors was finished.  The blood had been poured. The sacrifice had been made. The sting of death was removed. It was over.

Application:  Remember, a finisher is not one with no wounds or weariness.  Mother Teresa is credited with saying, "God didn't call us to be successful, just faithful."  Blessed is the person who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12).

Kneel:  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for teaching us to remain, to endure and in the end, to finish! Amen!

Maundy Thursday Reflection

John 13:1-17

To allow Jesus to cleanse our feet is to remove all that prevents us from using our feet to follow him. To scrub away our insecurities, to wash away our weariness, to buff off our bitterness.

What do you need to allow Jesus to wash off of your feet?

Together

Lenten Reflection


Scripture:  Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another...


Observation:  It is the will of Christ, I believe, that his disciples should meet regularly together.  Why?  They meet together to pray, to praise, to sing, to read God's Holy Word, to remember the night Jesus was betrayed, to remember the way to the cross, to remember that God sent his only son into the world, to remember that Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again, to remember that we have eternal and abundant life in Christ, to remember that we have someone who calls us his beloved, to remember that we have forgiveness of sins, to remember that his mercies are new every morning, to remember that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength, to encourage one another to live vibrant lives of faith and service...


Application:  Together is a powerful word.  I'm an extrovert.  I love the word together.  Although I need my quiet space each day, people energize me!  Together is a powerful word for the church!  We need each other. We cannot make it on our own. We need the different gifts and abilites that are lived out through the Body of Christ (1 Corinthains 12!) With the day of Jesus' return and our ultimate victory on the horizon, we should be motivated even more to help and to encourage each other.


Kneel:  Gracious God, when we want to give up on the church, help us to remember we are all sinners in need of a Savior.  Help us to open our eyes and look around.  Help us to ask ourselves - who needs encouragement today?  Help us to remember that we need one another and most importantly, we need you!  Amen!

Personal Space

Lenten Reflection

Scripture: Luke 9:11 "he welcomed them..." (NIV)

Observation: This is a familiar passage of scripture for me. The phrase that stood out tonight was "he welcomed them." Crowds continued to follow him yet Jesus did not become frustrated by their presence. He welcomed them.

Application: We as Christ followers must not become bothered by those who get into our personal space! There's a reason for it and we have to look down deep to meet their need. I think Jesus fed many souls that day with spiritual food and not just physical food. Because of his welcoming spirit, people could not help but gather around him.

Kneel: God, help us to welcome those who get in our personal space! Amen!

A Long Way Off...

Lenten Reflection

Scripture:  Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32  - "But while he was still a long way off..." (verse 20 - BibleGateway.com)

Observation:  This is a very familiar passage of scripture to me.  Each time I read it, I pray for God to show me something new.  The phrase that spoke to me this time around is "But while he was still a long way off..."  While the son who had squandered everything was still a long way off - his father ran to him and had compassion on him.

Application:  Have you ever been a long way off?  I mean so far off that you thought there was no hope.  There may be people in your life who are trying to get back on track.  They once walked with Christ but because of hard times, addictions, divorce, adultery, lying and/or resentment, bitterness, hatred - they decided to go down the wide road.  It is very easy when we see him a long way off - down the road - for us to condemn or to say that there's no chance for him to get back on track.  However, in this passage we see that the father places no blame and instead shows compassion.  This is why we see sinners and outcasts being drawn to Jesus at the beginning of this chapter.  Jesus placed no blame but was always filled with compassion - grace and truth!  Jesus did not want to sit around and remind the tax collectors and sinners of how they had done wrong; instead Jesus wanted every sinner sitting around him to know that the lost can be found - the dead can rise again - that there's a resurrection going on!

Kneel:  Give us the courage to run to those in need!  Fill us up with your spirit and send us out with compassion!  Amen!