Okay. So I started out with the intent of discussing (complaining) about a well-known quote by John Piper. It goes like this: Mission Exists Because Worship Doesn't The statement has a certain appeal to it from a position of pietism. However, it feels to me as if it does not really stand up to scrutiny. …
Month: August 2022
Looking at Spiritual Abuse
Today, I gave a short lecture on Spiritual Abuse (one of my favorite topics). I was asked about other materials I have. Anyway, thought I would share the presentations I put together years ago. I am sure I need to update these... but they will do for now. <I used to have these presentations on …
Does the Great Commission of John Imply We Must Do Social Ministry?
Many missionaries will say that the reason they do missions is because of the Great Commission. Personally, I would prefer to say that we do it because of the Great Commandment. To me, the Great Commission simply gives one specific example of how we carry out the Great Commandment.The Golden Rule would be another example. …
Continue reading Does the Great Commission of John Imply We Must Do Social Ministry?
A New Era of Philippine Missions?
National Missions Conference 2022 (Koronadal City, Philippines) I don't have my finger on the pulse of Philippine Missions. As an independent missionary, I don't go to a lot of missions meetings--- especially those involving mission agencies or mobilizers. Nevertheless, it seems like there have been some changes lately in Philippine Missions... for the good. I …
WYSIATI
I have been reading the book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. He came up with this awkward acronym (he freely admits this awkwardness). It stands for: What You See Is All There Is Kahneman speaks of two Systems of Thinking--- System 1 and System 2. System 1 is intuitive and unconscious (Fast). System …
Are There Concerns With Linking the Sinner’s Prayer with Salvation?
Today, I was in a Bible Study. It was an evangelistic bible study. It was rather interesting. For one thing, the facilitator used Ecclesiastes. He focused on our need for purpose in life--- about what truly gives life meaning. That was, I believe a far superior strategy to, for example, the ones that try to …
Continue reading Are There Concerns With Linking the Sinner’s Prayer with Salvation?
Contemporary Issues in Missions— Part Two
Continuation of Part One. I am speaking of issues to deal with in a class I will be teaching in a couple of weeks. So what are very relevant issues that are contemporary and worth focusing on? This is only an eight-week course, and the final two weeks are for students to share a contemporary …
Contemporary Issues in Missions– Part One
I will be teaching a class called “Contemporary Issues in Missions” at Asia Graduate Theological Seminary (ABGTS). Although I teach a lot of missions, and have been involved in a few types of missions, that doesn’t mean that I am on the cutting edge of the missions movement. For a number of years I had …
Good “Missional Grumpiness”?
As one who has been a missionary for closing in on 20 years, I can get grumpy on things for various reasons. For example, I feel the temptation to say, "THE JOSHUA PROJECT IS A WASTE OF TIME!!" That may not be totally true. Focusing on people groups is not necessarily the most valuable thing …