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Business with an “End Game”

Saturday, May 31st, 2008

The Scriptures say, “Without revelation (or vision) people cast off restraint.” (Proverbs 29:18.) Vision may be defined as “a perceived worthy result.” It is something far off or future in nature that draws us on toward it, an “end game.”

For Christians, our end game is, or should be, to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant!” Truly there can be no higher or better result of our lives than to hear those words. When our eye is clear, and our “end game” clearly in mind, it, in and of itself “restrains” us. It helps us focus on what Stephen Covey calls “First Things” as in “Keep First Things First.” First things are those that feed those things most important to us and help us accomplish our vision. They are strategies and tactics that support us and help us remain focused amid the noise and distractions that the world, the flesh, and the devil throw in our path.

Our end game is eternal, not to be realized in this life, but in eternal life with our Lord Jesus. He will be our judge and our effectiveness will be judged by His standards alone. Without “restraint” or focus distraction will cause diffusion of our efforts and diminution of our fruitfulness. Loss of focus will ultimately result in our eternal loss. So, what’s your vision? Is your business a means to an end, and is that end eternal? What “restrains” you?

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Take Aim At All the Right Targets

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

“AIM FOR PERFECTION”  (2 Cor. 13:11 )

The NIV 2 Corinthians 13:11 as “Aim for perfection”. The Greek word here is katartizo. However, that is the exact same word the NIV translates as “preparing” in Matthew 4:21 where Jesus found James and John “preparing their nets.” The ESV and NAS translate it “mending” their nets. In the Matthew 5:48 passage where Jesus calls us to be “perfect”.

Look at the Greek word “katartizo” translated “perfection” in 2 Corinthians 13:11 (”Aim for perfection”, NIV). A lexicon defines that word as “to render fit”. That means to “make functional”. James and John were making their nets “functional” so that they might be able to catch fish. That doesn’t mean they were making them “precisely exact”. I doubt that every knot was “precise” or “exact”. No one can really define a knot that is “precisely exact”. When I tie my shoe, I want to make it “functional” or make it the way it was intended, to restore. . When I do, it is “perfect” from this translation perspective. I can tie my shoe, smile and say “perfect” and go on about my business.

Now, if someone comes along and looks at my shoe laces and says, those shoes laces are not tied with “exactly precise” loops, then I can smile at them and say, “No, you’re right. They are merely perfect”.

Look at how this can make a difference in our understanding of the Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, we read the following from the NIV:

I have found five thoughts in the New Testament that will help us to take aim at the right targets. 1 Corinthians 9:26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

  • In your Christian walk, don’t run aimlessly. We need to Take aim at the right targets!
  • Many Christians live reactively. They are content to react, to respond, to life around them. Wise Christians live proactively. They take the initiative, rather than adopting a passive attitude, in their Christian walk.
  • The victorious Christian has purpose; he has objectives. And he stays focused on those purposes and objectives. He is careful to take aim at the right targets.
  • Take aim at some things in your Christian life. And be sure to take aim at meaningful targets. Set desirable, biblical goals, and deliberately structure your lives to press towards those goals.

Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

  • This is the origin of our proverbial expression in English – “the straight and narrow.”
  • The broad way appeals to many … and ends in destruction!
  • The narrow way does not appeal to the flesh as much. But it is God’s way, and it leads to life eternal!
  • You have to choose the narrow way. It seems less appealing. The broad way seems better:
  • “Sin is fun!” people declare.
  • Indulging my cravings is enjoyable.
  • More relaxed standards are easier to live up to.
  • But remember what’s at the end of that broad way – destruction for the many!
  • (1) So aim for the narrow road that leads to life.

2 Corinthians 5:8-10 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…

  • (2) Aim to please God in all that you do.
  • Jesus said, “I always do what pleases Him” (John 8:29).
  • This is an excellent standard for Christians to use in making decisions in their lives, conduct, thoughts, etc. Ask yourself: Will this please the Lord?

Acts 24:15-16 And I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

  • There will be a resurrection, and we will face the Lord.
  • (3) So aim now for a clear conscience before God and man.
  • We were taught a good thing in my early years in Roman Catholicism – that is, to “examine our conscience.”
  • How is your conscience before God? before man?
  • Take aim for a clear conscience. As Paul said, “Strive always” for a clear conscience. Target it; make it your objective and unrelenting desire.

1 Corinthians 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

  • (4) Aim to be men and women who love the church.
  • Jesus said He would build His Church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25). Paul prayed: “To Him [to God] be glory in the church…” (Ephesians 3:21).
  • Aim to use your talents, gifts, and ministries to build up Jesus’ beloved Church.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection…

  • Why do modern Christians have such a hard time with this? Why is it so easy to offer the blameshifting excuse: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
  • (5) “Aim for perfection!” – that’s the Word of God!
  • One day in the Lord’s presence we will become “the spirits of righteous men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23).
  • But here and now, in this life, Paul says (2 Corinthians 13:9), “our prayer is for your perfection.”

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Be Motivated!

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Being motivated truly seems to be a mystery. Some have it; some don’t. Without motivation, you can’t accomplish your God given goals or fulfill your God given potential for living.

  • Without motivation, you run carelessly and without enthusiasm.
  • Motivation determines your strength, your commitment, and your enthusiasm toward life.

Gas in the Tank

Motivation is what drives us. The word “motivate” means “a moving cause; an inner drive, impulse or intention that causes a person to do something or act in a certain way.”

  • Motivation is to a Christian what gas is to a tank; it gives the energy needed to reach the destination.
  • Motivation can’t be inherited. It’s not passed from parent to child. It doesn’t derive from family accomplishments.
  • Motivation differs with each person. You may be highly motivated, while other siblings may have no motivation at all.

Biblical Models of Motivation

The Bible contains many examples of men and women who were motivated to accomplish their God given goals.

  • God motivated Abraham by challenging him to trust in the vision that he – an old man – would become the Father of Many Nations.
  • God given dreams motivated Joseph, causing him to endure terrible trials, misunderstandings and disillusionment before the dreams ever came to pass.
  • The vision of the Promised Land motivated Joshua to fight for what was set before him.
  • Caleb was motivated to seeming impossible odds to go where others refused to venture.
  • Jesus, too, was motivated by a clear purpose and destiny: “Jesus…for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Hebrews 12:2.
  • Paul was motivated by the prize of the upward call of God, by the knowledge that he had a mission to accomplish. “I count all things but loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…” Philippians 3:8.
  • Timothy was motivated by the apostolic influence of his spiritual father, Paul, and by an understanding of what it meant to live in the light of eternity.

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God’s Strength is Our Strength

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

The following are some ways that God strengthens.

1. With the full armor of God, Ephesians 6:12-18. God wants every Christian to be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (6:10). This is possible when the believer trusts in the armor that God gives. If you want to be strengthened by the Lord, then put on the helmet of salvation, shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, gird your loins with truth, take up the shield of faith, put on the breastplate of righteousness, take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and pray. Once you have stood firm against the temptations of the Devil, you will have God to thank.

2. The Word of God, Matthew 7:24ff. In the last verses of what is called the “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus says that the wise man who builds a house that stands against the storm is the one that “hears his word and acts upon them.” It seems reasonable to conclude that everyone is building a house, and some people build upon a lasting foundation and some do not. The previous words in Matthew 7:13,14 shows that it is the majority who do not act upon his word because they are on the broad way that leads to destruction. By hearing the Words of Jesus, and acting upon them, it provides the material for a lasting structure. When the storms of life come and go, and you step out into the bright sunshine with a house that still stands, you can thank God for that.

3. God strengthens through His promises (see Matthew 5:3-12, Revelation 2:10, 1 Peter 1:4-6, etc.). When the Christians in Smyrna were facing persecution to the death, Jesus encouraged them to be faithful until death and they would receive from Him the crown of life. Christians know what is more valuable. It is more valuable to have treasures in heaven than to save ones’ life here. “Whoever saves his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:35). God’s reward helps the weak to have new courage. God also strengthens through relationships found in the church (Hebrews 10:24,25). God strengthens through prayer and providence. James shows that God gives wisdom to those who pray without doubting (1:5,6). He shows the importance of praying with pure motives (4:2,3) and if it is a righteous person who is praying, it is effective. God works His will and answers prayer to bless those that love Him. The Apostle showed that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Just knowing and trusting that God is working behind the scenes is a source of strength.

4. Let’s give God the glory for the power that He works out in our lives. We are not asking for Him to take us over, to suspend out freewill, and make us stop sinning. That would be asking God to do what He does not do. How silly it would be for someone to pray, “strengthen me, Lord, so that I do not sin again.” If our attitude is such that we still love to sin, God wil not make us stop. If we go on sinning, it is not because God has failed, it is because we have failed to trust Him. If we keep caving into temptation and sin, we have a lack of faith and trust in the will of God. It would be more productive in such cases to pray and meditate upon His word and then plan ways to put that into action. You will thank God for the newfound strength He has given.

5. And last, but definitely not least, the Gospel is the greatest power available to man. Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because “it is the power of God to save…” (Rom. 1:16). Without this power, all mankind would be lost and destined to the punishment of hell. I imagine we can all identify with Paul who said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7;24). Thanks to God for the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ through faith! If we have confidence in Jesus’ cross, we will strive to think on things above. Here’s how Paul put it in Colossians 3: “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” In the previous chapter, Paul says that the Christians were raised in Baptism to walk in newness of life (Colossians 2:12). It is not likely that we will give in to sin if we have our eyes on Christ. That is all the strength we need.

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God’s Grace Transforms

Saturday, April 26th, 2008

True transformation can only (and will only) take place if God’s Spirit does the work. Deep in our hearts we are changed more and more into His likeness by the move of His Spirit. As Jesus becomes more and we become less, our lives are marked more by Him than our plans, our agenda or our human strategy. This transformation takes place through the power of prayer and meditating on God’s Word. Feeding our soul with the reality of His love for us and then sharing this love with those around us is life-changing. Yes, we can be truly changed!

By daily encountering Jesus through prayer and interceding with the Holy Spirit, we will get to know more of God’s heart for our lives and for those around us. All marketplace believers have eternal assignments set aside by the Lord that require our joining with Him to fulfill. By unifying with other believers from all walks of life, in all marketplace sectors, from all the different denominations, throughout the world, representing every country on earth – we will stand together and partner with our bridegroom God in greater power as He transforms the earth in preparation for the last days and Jesus’ glorious return.

Having God infiltrate us more and more with His presence is a true gift and a miracle from the Lord. The understanding of God’s intimate love for YOU has the power to transform your life … your home, your neighborhood, your business or workplace, your city, your state … our country, our continent and all the nations of the world!

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Expanding God’s Kingdom In Our Everyday Living

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

PRAY- We cannot evangelize the world without God’s help, and we are seriously hindered in our contact with God’s power when we do not pray. I am not suggesting that God’s people do not pray…but only that we do not pray about evangelism all that much. Sure, we pray, “And, please save all of the lost people in the world.” But, often we do not pray for specific people by name. And, we do not expect to follow up our prayers with action, so we do not pray for ourselves, for courage, wisdom, and opportunities to evangelize. You can start doing this today. Pray everyday for five people that you know personally who are lost. Pray everyday that you will have opportunities to share the gospel with them.

STUDY- One of the biggest complaints from Christians regarding evangelism is that they do not have all the answers. There is certainly one way to solve that problem: study your Bible. Learn the questions that might be asked, and learn the scriptures to answer them. The types of questions that come up in Bible studies are fairly predictable. Just ask anyone who has done any personal evangelism for any significant length of time. It’s also important to keep in mind, though, that you don’t have to have all of the answers…at least not immediately. Actually it is a very effective method for you to respond to a question with, “Can we get together next week to talk about that?” It gives you time to find the answers, and it gives you more contact with the asker.

PRACTICE- You don’t have to worry about sounding like an idiot sharing the gospel with lost people because you have plenty of Christian friends that you can practice with. Find a Bible study that you like and are comfortable with…something that covers the basics of the gospel and salvation…and practice teaching it to a Christian friend. There are many well-put-together studies to choose from. You don’t have to do all the work of organizing lessons. Ask your preacher for recommendations.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS- Nearly every Christian has a good relationship with at least one lost person. If you don’t, you urgently need to start now pursuing relationships. But, for the rest of us, our circle of lost friends, family, and acquaintances represents a goldmine of evangelistic potential. One of the best things you can do is build your relationships with these people. Have them over for dinner. Go fishing or golfing together. Just spend time together, and help them build trust in you. You will be much more effective in sharing the gospel when the time comes if they trust you. And, as a bonus, the more time you spend with them, the more likely it is that they will ask spiritual questions, want to know about your relationship with God, or will approach you in some other way that makes evangelism as easy as it gets.

ASK FOR BIBLE STUDIES- This is where we fail the most. This is the missing domino that keeps the chain falling. We have to put this back into our evangelism (or put it in for the first time for many Christians). People are saved only as a result of hearing the gospel. People only hear the gospel when Christians take time to share it. Christians usually only have opportunities to share when they ask for Bible studies. It is very rare for a lost person to ask a Christian for a study. It happens, but we can’t let thousands slip by us while we wait for the one who asks us. If you care for the lost, you need to approach them. There are great ways to go about this, and one of the most effective is this: if a spiritual topic comes up in everyday conversation, rather than throwing out scriptures and answers as we often do, a brief answer followed by an invitation to see what God says about the issue can do wonders for evangelism. Make sure that if they accept your invitation you set up a specific time and place to study…do not walk away with at least getting an idea of some possibile times and places, and do not let more than a week go by without contacting them again to set up the time. This approach does two things for you: it gives you a potential opportunity to share the gospel, and it gives you an idea about how interested they are in spiritual matters. If they accept your invitation, they are probably good soil for teaching. If they don’t accept, they may not be ready yet…but don’t give up on them. Wait for another opportunity and ask again. Many people do not accept invitations to study the first time around, but do later. Keep asking. Love lost souls enough to keep asking.

CLEAN UP YOUR LIFE- Is there sin in your life that needs to be addressed? Address it. Lost people do not respond well to what they perceive as hypocrites. You can’t convince a person to change their life and follow Christ if you are not willing and trying to do the same.

GO ALONG WITH AN EVANGELIST- Find out who in your congregation is active in evangelism (or someone from a nearby congregation if you can’t find anyone in your church), and ask to join them as they evangelize. The quickest way to learn is through experience, but if you are still afraid or unsure, then the next best thing is watching someone else. Offer to be a “silent partner,” and sit in, listen, take notes, and nod to show your affirmation of what the evangelist says. This not only helps you, but will help the evangelist with his confidence, and will help the potential convert see that more than one person agrees with what is said, making the decisions that must be made easier to make.

There are many more suggestions that could be made. There are many simple things you can do. Please just do them. Simply evangelize. You can take the gospel to the whole world starting in your own neighborhood.

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Win, Build, Send

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

Jesus’ keynote address to the core disciples is foundational to healthy and fruitful ministry. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ ” (Matthew 28:18-20). The Great Commission includes the six components are needed to develop a great story: who, what, when, where, how, and why.

Who – “you”

What – “make disciples”

When – “always, to the very end of the age”

Where – “all nations”

How – “baptizing them” and “teaching them”

Why – “to obey everything I have commanded”

The modern emphasis of the church in obeying the Great Commission has been to “go.” However, the central imperative is to “make disciples.” “Go(ing)” is part of normal life. “Go” is an aorist passive deponent participle in the original Greek text. A literal translation could be “in your going.” “Go(ing)” was the natural order of Jesus’ day as it is now. People would go to the synagogue, the market, or even to the Sea of Galilee to fish. When one becomes a believer, he immediately begins a journey called the Great Commission. Jesus said, “in going, make disciples.” In going to work, make disciples; in going to church, make disciples; in all going, make disciples.

The ultimate challenge in every generation of the church is to make disciples. While every culture has its obstacles, the imperative remains to win, build, and send disciples – disciplined followers of Jesus Christ.

The goal of Mountain Movers International  is to equip the church to make disciples using the three-fold philosophy of “Win, Build, Send.” Win, build, and send is grounded in Matthew 28:19,20. Yet, Jesus spoke of this earlier: ” ‘Come, follow me,’ … ‘and I will make you fishers of men’ ” (Matthew 4:19). Christians are called to win, build, and send.

Mountain Mover’s organizational structure is built around this mission.

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The Calling

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

The confusion over whether a person is called into the ministry or the mission field has been a major source of discouragement for some to pursue a mountain moving ministry.  Often people tell me that they don’t feel called into missions so have never considered that they may have a role to play in God’s plan.  There are three views on this issue: a mystical call, being a volunteer, and an invitation to a fulltime position in ministry.

First of all, the mystical call is the most common belief.  It presupposes that Christ began to call His disciples to follow Him in the Gospels, and has continued to call His servants throughout the ages.  As He called His disciples in Matt 4:18-22 to follow Him and they immediately left their fishing and became His disciples, so many expect such a “call” today.  Perhaps some are fearful of getting close to the Lord, for fear of sensing such a call, which they might not want to face.

Reportedly it may take a number of different forms such as listening to someone preach on world missions and the Holy Spirit brings a deep conviction to a person’s heart that he must go to the foreign field, to a variety of ways that providentially God indicates he should go overseas. This can include a feeling of “heart peace” about going to a foreign country, a voice calling a person or an inner urging to go to an unreached area.

Secondly, a call is interpreted in one’s willingness to volunteer to take on the task of reaching a part of the unevangelized world.  Paul referred to the first requirement for going into the ministry as one who “desires, aspires, strives for” or wants to be an overseer or pastor (1 Tim 3:1), without any indication of a subjective call.   Peter made it clear that the chief motivation of an elder or pastor was to serve willingly (Gk. “of one’s own accord, deliberately, intentionally,” 1 Pet 5:2).  That is, someone perceives a need that the Lord said He wanted to be met (a church needing leadership, or a people group that needs to hear the gospel) and volunteers to commit himself to meet that need for Christ’s glory.

When Paul referred to being responsible for the gospel becoming known throughout the Roman Empire, he stated that “if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward…” (Gk. “unforced, of one’s own free will,” 1 Cor 9:17).  This perspective is similar to Isaiah’s response to hearing God say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf? Then I said “Here am I! Send me” (Isa 6:8).  Most of the decisions that Paul made for strategic steps in evangelizing his world have no indication of any subjective voice or feeling, just a recognition of his responsibility that was followed by a commitment to do something voluntarily.

This decision should be wisely made following an analysis of your GRASP (Groundings, Roles, Abilities, Spiritual Gifts, and Passions ).  Likewise it should follow an analysis of the world situation to determine where the evangelistic needs are that you could meet, if you were willing.  Then an analysis of the circumstances to determine which of the existing opportunities would be the most strategic to attempt through the grace and power of God on your life.  If there is nothing impeding you from reaching an unevangelized people for Christ, why not volunteer?  Make every effort to go to that people and if you have yielded God full responsible for your life, then He will open doors, close doors and guide you just where He wants you.

Thirdly, the chief way a person should move into a ministry position is by invitation.  This view sees the calling of the disciples by Jesus as a model for leaders to follow.  This means that Jesus is not continuing an on-going process of calling individuals through mystical means, but rather present leaders should follow Jesus’ model by looking for “faithful people who will be competent to teach others” (2 Tim 2:2) then disciple, teach and mentor them into key ministries, especially global ministries.

In the NT outside of the twelve (Matt 10:1), the seventy (Lk 10:1) and Paul (Acts 9), who else was called directly by Jesus into the ministry?  Is there any indication that anyone else had a subjective feeling that motivated them into the ministry?  Quite the contrary, everyone else was either invited by their local church or another ministry leader to join them in a broader ministry.

In Acts 6 the church invited seven men to a ministry of serving in the church.  In Acts 11 Barnabas was sent by his church to Antioch (11:22) with no hint of any prerequisite of a subjective call by Barnabas.  In Acts 11:25 Barnabas goes to Tarsus to seek out Saul [Paul] to invite him to join him in the ministry. In Acts 13 the church sent Paul and Barnabas out to evangelize the Gentiles.  In Acts 16 the brethren “spoke well” (Gk. “confirm, or approve”) to Paul about Timothy’s local ministry so Paul invited him to join him in the spreading of the gospel throughout the known world, etc., etc.

Everyone is commanded to be a part of the ministry of evangelism, discipleship and their church edification.  Those who are faithful locally should be encouraged by everyone to pursue further training and/or be given broader opportunities to expand their ministries.

This presupposes that existing leaders have a clear vision of world evangelism and personally sense the responsibility of choosing people, seeing to their training and then recruiting the most talented, mature and gifted people to the task which best fits them with the priority of fulfilling the Great Commission.  This is the model Jesus left to evangelize the world.

The subjective call leaves God responsible for evangelizing the world, the volunteer call makes individuals responsible for fulfilling the Great Commission and the invitation call makes the existing church/ministry leadership responsible for recruiting people to build His Church among every tongue, tribe and nation.  Jesus told his disciples to “Go into all the world and make disciples …” (Matt 28:19).

Don’t hide behind an excuse waiting for a feeling.  Get involved now in learning God’s heart for the lost, experience the joy of leading someone to Christ, and seek to make a difference in a local church.  Then ask God to guide you to someone in order to repeat this experience somewhere else in the world. Start the chain and it will encircle the globe.

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Passionate Ponderings on Prayer

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

1. We should pray boldly knowing that the worth of our prayer will not be denied us. We cannot pray a prayer too big for God. He may not answer our prayer in word but he will answer it in worth. Do not let the uncertainty of God answering our prayer exactly as we pray it be a hindrance to deep and hearty prayer. God is not a department store. He will not give us an answer at equal or lesser value. Instead he will give us the worth of our prayer at equal or greater value.

2. Learn from God’s answered prayers his will for our growth in grace. If we have a prayer that is apparently going unanswered, we need to examine our life to discern other ways that God is graciously growing us more in Christ.

3. See the gospel in this. The gospel is, at its root, renewing sinful backward people to want the things that God wants, first and foremost God himself. This equal or greater theology of prayer flows from God’s gospel love for his people. He is only content to give his people that which contributes most to his glory and their good.

4. Realize that suffering, illness, and death may be the best thing. This is no easy lesson to learn. The Lord’s plan for us or for our loved ones may not always include comfort, health, or old age, despite that which we pray. Let us learn as a people to see in the life of Christ an example for our life on earth: sacrificial love displayed in humble suffering leading to a crown and glory that cannot be tarnished or taken away. Let us see in Christ a savior who loves us and bears our burdens because he cares for us.

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Putting Our Money Where Our Faith Is…

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Churches seem to be turning inward. They seem to be emphasizing the comfort and happiness of members over the transformation of those members. The amount of money flowing through many church offering plates has increased 112 percent in the last 15 years, but the amount of money churches give to missions causes has increased at only half that rate.

An analysis of financial data shows congregations nationwide are sending smaller percentages of their undesignated offerings to missions. Designated giving to special missions offerings also has increased at only half the pace of increases in undesignated giving to church causes.

These trends are common to the church in the United States, churches seem to be turning inward. They seem to be emphasizing the comfort and happiness of members over the transformation of those members.

The church, and particularly missions, is shrinking as a market share of people’s spending. The average member of a Christian church in the United States gives only 2.6 percent of his or her income to the church.

Perhaps there has been a vacuum of leadership on the national level to raise people’s eyes off their own individual needs. There has been a lack of comprehensive vision to challenge people to be willing to invest in the kingdom of God.

We don’t really believe what we say we do, because if we did, we’d be spending our money differently.

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