This question sounds strange, to me at least, and I think it might for you as well. But let me tell a couple of stories before I flesh this out. Story #1. A friend of our family in the Philippines is a single female missionary. She had adopted an at-risk child in the Philippines and …
Category: Missions as Vocation
When Is One No Longer a Missionary?
So let me give you my story: My wife and I moved to the Philippines in 2004. In my wife's case, she was moving back after 24 years living in the United States. Anyway, for many years (early 2004 to mid-2021) we spent 10-12 months a year in the Philippines doing ministry. For all of …
A Ministerial Version of the Moth Joke
A few years ago the comedian Norm MacDonald passed away, and I had taken one of his jokes, "The Moth Story" and reworked it. The reworking it gives it a bit of a Christian ministry message. I don't think Norm would disapprove (that much). I put in on our ministerial website for Bukal Life Care. …
Can Evangelical Missionaries Work with Catholic Ministers?
The TLDR is that my wife and I, as Evangelical/Baptist missionaries, often work with Catholic ministers (priests, nuns, chaplains) in the Philippines. So my answer to the question above is "Yes." Now, here is the longer answer. My wife and I don't get many questions about why we do certain things and not other things. …
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In Missions, Awesome Stats Can Be a Big Problem
Many years ago, my wife and I were involved in medical mission events in the Philippines. At these events, we would also evangelize. I would track the responses. Commonly, around half of the people who come would "say the Sinner's Prayer," which in Evangelical circles is often equated with converting from unsaved to saved. Should …
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What Should a Missions Pastor Do?
I was talking to a friend of mine. He was a missionary for many years and is still semi-active in that role. However, upon returning to the US, he looked into the possibility of serving as a Missions Pastor. That was something I had thought about at least on a couple of occasions. What he …
The MK Song
Tom Shaw was kind enough to put the Grady Toland concert held at Cedarville University (nee College) back in the 1980s onto YouTube. Grady was not a music professional. He was a missionary who was invited to do a bit of a music show at Cedarville. That may have been the first and last time …
My Interview on YouTube
Barry Phillips, a long-time friend of mine, interviewed me for his YouTube channel, "Not Finished Yet." Apparently, it will also be made available on his Podcast (of the same name) in a few days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVofodX7ay8
Importance of Training For Ministers
A friend of mine is a pastor of a church in Sierra Leone. He asked me to provide a video training on the topic of the importance of training for ministry. Video is not my strength, but I tried to provide something. https://player.vimeo.com/video/1125053019?h=00eada9d9c&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479
Where Should One “Retire” After Serving as a Missionary in the Field?
The above question has become more relevant to me of late as I have reached the traditional age for retirement in the Philippines, and my wife has reached the traditional age for retirement in the US. Some argue that there is "No retirement in the ministry." That may be motivational, but it is also not …
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