mission here and there
Tim and Erik began a conversation regarding mission in this country and mission out of this country that got me thinking a little bit.....see their comments here.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the costs of doing mission development. Advent continues to be an amazing blessing- to this community and to us- but the reality of it is that it costs money to be able to do the things we are doing. We have to pay rent, pay musicians, pay the other "staff" their stipends, cover my salary and benefits, and the list goes on and on. We also are trying to secure a lease on a fire- garage which them will cost money to fix-up for our use until we outgrow that and find land to buy- again costing money. Part of my call has been to find mission partners from within the Synod and out and to be honest it has not been the most exciting part of my job, nor the most productive. There are a lot of churches around here that have excess money, but who are not willing to get in our camp at this point. I do not wish to rag on them for not giving us money because the things they do support are important (LSS, Global Mission, etc), but do wonder why the conversation never really get beyond a request to check into possibilities. My prayer and hope continues to be that God will provide for the needs of Advent so that we can walk this journey for a long, long time.
Now, on the flip side I must say that I have been very lifted up by the work of my Synod. They have started a campaign entitled "To Whom Shall We Go" taken from our Alleluia around the gospel. I have been able to be part of three events which take place in homes and have conversations regarding the three-tier approach of this campaign. Usually, there is a seminary student present to talk about the needs of students and the incredible debt load we graduate with, I have been there to speak on Mission Developent (and debt!), and the bishop is there to talk about the plans for a new mission support center and office for the synod. The gatherings have been incredible and thus-far the response has been pretty good. These folks that gather, as well as the synod seem to get the importance of raising money for two things I hold very close to my heart- development and seminary debt. what will it take for us to help others realize the importance of the work that needs to be done on our own soil (not to downgrade global mission because I think it is sooooo important but feel there needs to be more of a both/and approach).
What does it mean to be missional? someone help me with that please- how are we as a church doing at it? we are still in a place where upwards of 70 percent don't go to church on a regular basis.....now has to be the time eh? what are we presenting, where are we presenting (pubs- as tim points out,malls, streets?)
On a personal note- Anna still has the baby in her oven....hopefully that will change soon- and our worship continues to grow back to the our initial numbers- today we had around 80 and about 25 new faces- I am so blessed to be part of this.
Peace
JG
I have been thinking a lot lately about the costs of doing mission development. Advent continues to be an amazing blessing- to this community and to us- but the reality of it is that it costs money to be able to do the things we are doing. We have to pay rent, pay musicians, pay the other "staff" their stipends, cover my salary and benefits, and the list goes on and on. We also are trying to secure a lease on a fire- garage which them will cost money to fix-up for our use until we outgrow that and find land to buy- again costing money. Part of my call has been to find mission partners from within the Synod and out and to be honest it has not been the most exciting part of my job, nor the most productive. There are a lot of churches around here that have excess money, but who are not willing to get in our camp at this point. I do not wish to rag on them for not giving us money because the things they do support are important (LSS, Global Mission, etc), but do wonder why the conversation never really get beyond a request to check into possibilities. My prayer and hope continues to be that God will provide for the needs of Advent so that we can walk this journey for a long, long time.
Now, on the flip side I must say that I have been very lifted up by the work of my Synod. They have started a campaign entitled "To Whom Shall We Go" taken from our Alleluia around the gospel. I have been able to be part of three events which take place in homes and have conversations regarding the three-tier approach of this campaign. Usually, there is a seminary student present to talk about the needs of students and the incredible debt load we graduate with, I have been there to speak on Mission Developent (and debt!), and the bishop is there to talk about the plans for a new mission support center and office for the synod. The gatherings have been incredible and thus-far the response has been pretty good. These folks that gather, as well as the synod seem to get the importance of raising money for two things I hold very close to my heart- development and seminary debt. what will it take for us to help others realize the importance of the work that needs to be done on our own soil (not to downgrade global mission because I think it is sooooo important but feel there needs to be more of a both/and approach).
What does it mean to be missional? someone help me with that please- how are we as a church doing at it? we are still in a place where upwards of 70 percent don't go to church on a regular basis.....now has to be the time eh? what are we presenting, where are we presenting (pubs- as tim points out,malls, streets?)
On a personal note- Anna still has the baby in her oven....hopefully that will change soon- and our worship continues to grow back to the our initial numbers- today we had around 80 and about 25 new faces- I am so blessed to be part of this.
Peace
JG
Everything in life seems to come down to money. That makes me sad, but it's also the reality. (so if a=b and b=c then a=c)
Erik had brought up an interesting point at Chianti Grill over wingy...we were discussing tithing and how there was an ad to buy a boat - only $200 a month! WOW! SO inexpensive! But ask someone to put $200 a month toward the church it's like you're asking them to put a gun in their mouth and pull the trigger til it goes 'click'.
As Erik said, people will tithe. It's just a question of to what do they tithe.
This is the same with mission. I'm all for global mission, but I have to agree with Tim. Our hardest battles seem to be the ones at home. "There are people starving in (insert 3rd world country here)!" No kidding, there a people starving in Mississippi, or Georgia, or California or Minnesota, or - (insert every state and district here). Why can't we start at home first?
Tomorrow is MLK, Jr. Day. I caught a bit of an interview this morning with MLK III. Someone had asked him about the poverty levels in New Orleans that 'suddenly' became apparent to the US and how would his father think about that. I missed his reply but I can only imagine what the good Rev. Dr. would say. And it's not just African-Am's - it's SO many people.
I wonder if it's easier for people to help globally instead of locally b/c it's the selfishness we have come to live. It's easier to send $50 to GMI or LWR which will spread that money to no end to help 100's but knowing that $50 will barely help 1 person here in this country makes it seem hardly worth it.
So what do we do? I don't know. I wish I did. I'm sure if we put our heads together we can come up with something. For now, I continue to pray.
love you man. Love to Anna and Logan. Can't wait for the new Grimm to join our family. ;)
Posted by
~moe~ |
4:18 PM
Thanks JG~more later...
Posted by
Chad K |
7:27 PM
Oh my...Chris Nelson lives- so good to hear from you.
jg
Posted by
Justin G |
4:11 PM
local versus global
this is an issue that plays out in all the arenas of our lives. we debate this topic politically in the context of local jobs becoming global jobs. we debate this environmentally with the catch phrase think globally act locally. where i live this is an issue because we import more grain products than we export and so we lose out economically each year.
i believe in the sense of mission of the church the debate takes on a new meaning. let me clarify that for me the world is the mission field.
that said i agree that for many in america the idea of sending a missionary off into the wilds is our classic view of mission work for a number of reasons. t pointed out the patron client relationship - that is definitely part of it. i think it is deeper than that though. look at the spanish conquests of 'savages' in the colonial era. the spaniards took their government and their religion with them everywhere they went. to be spanish at the time meant to be catholic (by force if necessary on both accounts). some of that same mentality plays out today - we are taking our religion and our sense of right and wrong to those 'savages' who aren't enlightened as we are. this has two parts to it - 1.we want them to how much God loves them, 2.in order to understand God the way we do, they need to have a culture like we do.
the other reason i believe global mission is easier for people to get behind is the realization that if america is a mission field that means there are 'savages' here too. what does this mean for my neighborhood that there are people who don't believe like i do. it is easier to push the idea that different people live in a different place. it also means we would have to recognize ourselves for who we really are - flawed, broken humans who need God's love and compassion just as much as the rest of the world does. the idea that america is a mission field levels the playing field so to speak.
while international mission usually costs less up front, my concern is the costs down the road. and while this is an altruisitic thought i'll say it anyway...doesn't the gift of the gospel outweigh any monetary expense?
Posted by
Leland |
10:23 AM