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 …
Category: Missions as Vocation
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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If We Don’t Use the Term “Missionary,” What Should We Replace It With?
A few years ago, one of my daughters was working as a caregiver for a Jewish family. This family treated her very well. But when they found out that her parents were "missionaries" their response was immediate and perhaps best described as "distaste." They gave a verbal response that I don't remember now, but it …
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Should a Missionary Love their Ministry Home More than Their Homeland?
There is a well-known story of David Livingstone the missionary/explorer, that when he died, locals prepared his body and carried it a great distance, around 1500 kilometers, so that it could be shipped back to England. This was by the request of the British government. However, his heart did not go with the rest of …
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Character of a Missionary Candidate (In 1944)
I have been reading a book on Southern Baptist missions history ("Make Disciples of All Nations," edited by Massey, Morris, and Grace. Review will be posted in a few days). In it, they quote from and summarize the characteristics sought for a missionary candidate drawn from the 1944 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention. I …
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In Tepid Praise of Independent Missionaries (Part 2)
Over the night, I feel like there is one more area of praise when it comes to Independent Missionaries. E. Finances. I have seen the budgets set aside for a missionary family to serve overseas through an American mission agency. The numbers can be pretty staggering, at least compared to what many independent missionaries have. …
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In Tepid Praise of Independent Missionaries (Part 1)
My wife and I are independent missionaries. By this I mean that we are not under a traditional mission agency. We were sent out by a single church... who serves as our primary accountability partner. We also serve in and with a seminary in the Philippines. Neither of these (nor the counseling center or accreditation …
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Is It Okay for a Missionary or Minister to Retire?
I serve as a professor of missions in the Philippines, and administrate a Christian counseling center. Some would say that this makes me a "missionary." Others might say that this makes me a "cross-cultural minister." I don't really care what term one wants to use--- I hardly care about the term that I myself use. …
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