Are you shocked?

Are you shocked? Since you are here allow me to share a few statistics with you which should truly shock you.

Shocked at lostness: Out of the seven billion people in the world, only one-third claim to be Christian. That leaves us with 4.7 billion people in the world today who are on a road that leads to eternal hell. And two billion of those 4.7 billion unbelievers have no access to the gospel. That's a sobering reality. To put that into perspective, think of one particular region in northern India. Given that the death rate in this region is about five thousand per day and the number of evangelicals is estimated at less than .01 percent, about 9,999 people plunge into hell every two days. Are you shocked?

Shocked at physical need: Today over one billion people live and die in desperate poverty on less than one dollar per day. Close to a billion others live on less than two dollars per day. That means nearly half of the world is struggling to find food, shelter, and medical care for the same amount of money you and I spend on a soda for lunch! Consider that more than 20,000 children will die this very day due to starvation and preventable disease. These individuals are poor and powerless, and they are dying quietly in relative obscurity while we comfortable ignore them in our affluence. Are you shocked?

Shocked at amount of waste: Every year 1.3 billion tons of food-about one third of all food produced globally-ends up wasted. 870 million people worldwide do not have access to enough food to be healthy. Yet 28% of the worlds farmlands-area bigger than China- is used to produce food which is being thrown away. In the United States, alone we through away 1/3 of our food-equivalent of $160 billion and 220 pounds per person per year. Are you shocked?

Shocked at the church's lack of giving: In short, we in America and much of Western Europe are rich. If you make $25,000 per year, you are in the top 10 percent of the world's wealthiest people. Food, water, clothes-God has give us so much. But what are we doing with these great blessings? Christians give an average of 2.5 percent to their churches, and churches in North America give an average of 2 percent of their funds to overseas missions. Based on these averages, this means that for every one hundred dollars a North American Christian makes, he give five cents to the rest of the world. Five cents! Not only do we not give our finances to help those less fortunate, we don't even take the time to open our mouth and share the Gospel. On average only 2% of evangelical Christians in America share their faith. Only 2%! Are you shocked?

I wonder if followers of Christ one hundred years from now will look back at Christians in America today and wonder how we could live with such affluence while millions were dying of starvation, many of whom had never heard of Christ? Will they wonder, "How could they prioritize more things, more programs, more comforts, while individuals on the other side of the world were suffering with malnourished bodies and deformed brains?

*Statistics taken from Dr. David Platt, Christ Centered Exposition: 1 Timothy Commentary
*Statistics taken from blog: From the farms to garbage cans

An Open Letter to Every Christian:

Dear Christian,

I want you to prayerfully consider whether or not you agree or disagree with this statement...

Jesus Christ is coming again to judge the living and the dead (Acts 17:31;Rev. 19:11-21). Those who repent of their sins and believe in Christ (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 17:30) and those who overcome (Rev. 21:7) will live forever in eternal bliss with God in his holy heaven (Rev. 21:1-27) through the atoning work of Christ on the cross (Mark 10:45; Rom. 5:1-21; Cor. 5:21). Those who are not born again (John 3:5), do not believe in Christ (John 3:18), and continue to make practice of sinning (1 John 3:4-10) will face eternal punishment and the just wrath of God in hell (John 3:36;5:29). Among those who will face the second death in the lake that burns with fire are the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars (Rev. 21:8), and among the sins included in the category of sexual immorality is unrepentant sexual intercourse between persons of the same sex (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Jude 5-7).

We are witnessing a dramatic cultural shift in society's definition of marriage and sexuality. The LGBTS agenda is being pushed from every angle and has begun to pick up incredible momentum. Everything which stands in the way of the LGBTS agenda is demolished. Already we are witnessing Christians being called bigots, cut from the same mold as the KKK from non-Christians because we do not embrace their sexual perversion. Soon however, I fear, we are going to see a new shift for pro-homosexual lifestyle. There is coming a day when to agree with the above statement will cause "Christian" individuals to look at you with judgement and pronounce that you are no longer a Christian. They will say, "Jesus was nice; the Pharisees mean; you are mean and not nice; so you are a Pharisee and not like Jesus." Many will claim the name of Christ and pronounce that we do not know Christ because Christ is love and all we are spreading is hate. They will attempt to re-define the Bible's teaching on homosexuality; claiming Paul was not speaking against monogamous homosexuals, like in our day, but was only speaking against promiscuous homosexuals and pedophilia. They will claim Jesus's main message was one of tolerance; therefore, we should be tolerant of everyone's sexuality. Who are we to judge? Didn't Jesus say to judge not? They will kick us out of our churches and some who stand against homosexuality will be thrown in prison or killed. Our children will be mocked in school for our backward beliefs and will be punished for our stance.

Am I being dramatic? I hope so, but, I don't think so. If you disagree just spend fifteen minutes searching various Facebook posts concerning homosexuality and notice how "Christians" respond. It will make you weep. Thankfully, the future is not upon us yet. Below are several steps we must take:

1) While there is still time we must prayerfully consider the above statement and decide for ourselves whether we agree or disagree. Once we decide we must make a stand. This is a hill to die on!

2) We must speak out while we still have the freedom to do so in defense of traditional marriage.The redefinition of marriage is not a secondary issue; when marriage is redefined, the Gospel is redefined! If you claim to be a Christian and support traditional marriage but do not speak up you are a coward. The time to bury our head in the sand has long past and in love we must speak up.

3) We speak out against homosexuality because we know that all blasphemers, liars, homosexuals, murders and adulterers will have their part in the lake of fire. We MUST warn homosexuals to flee the wrath which is to come. To embrace homosexuals in their sinful lifestyle is to embrace them into Hell. In love we must speak out.

4) We must be involved in the political process. We must vote for and endorse candidates who stand up for religious freedom and traditional marriage.

5) Pray. Isaiah 66:1 says, "Heaven is God's throne and the Earth is His foot stool." God is in control. He holds the future. In the end every knee will bow to Jesus Christ whether willfully or woefully. We must remember God has always preserved a faithful remnant and He will continue to do the same in the future.

In conclusion, Christians, we must decide whether or not we affirm or deny the above statement. We must make our decision now before the winds of persecution come barreling down on us. Once we have made our decision we must in love speak out. I close this letter the way Paul closed his last letter to his beloved disciple Timothy. "I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they will have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Serving Him,

T Welch

Unity: Make us one Lord

Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel... -Philippians 1:27

In high school I played several different sports including football, cross country, and track and field. Regardless, of the sport our coach would seek to foster unity among the players. Our coach understood that if we were to be successful we had to be united towards a common goal. The goal of course being to win the game or meet. Unity is a major theme in Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. Paul understood that when the church is united; she will make the Gospel look BIG and impact the world.

Paul in 1:27 writes, "Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Paul utilizes a communication tool in which he highlights an important aspect of his letter with an emphasis on "one thing". It's as if he is saying, "if you only remember one thing from this letter; remember this." He proceeds to describe the one thing he wants us to remember which is, "live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ". When we read the one thing we should be doing is living our life in a manner worthy of the Gospel we should be asking; how? How do we life our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel? Paul's answer is found in verse 27 b, "stand firm in one Spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the Gospel." Paul understood that the church needs to be united together under the Lordship of Christ for the common goal of working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel.

The church must be united! When individuals hear the word unity they think of one of two scenarios. Number one: we should all hold hands, sing songs, and attempt to get along regardless of our differences or number two: we only unite around people who believe exactly like us and break unity with anyone who disagrees with us on ANY issue. Both of these scenarios involving unity are incorrect. Unity means living grace-filled lives that grant patience and mercy and gentleness for the spiritual journey of others and a respect for differences we all bring to the table. When we walk in unity as a church or team the Gospel looks BIG.

There are several ways disunity can develop in a church or on a team and we must war against disunity and fight for unity. Below are four ways disunity can develop:

1) Getting closed vs. open hand issues confused: The church for 2,000 years has held five core doctrines as vital for the Christian faith. These doctrines are: inerrancy of Scripture, virgin birth of Christ, substitutionary atonement of Christ, bodily resurrection, and 2nd coming of Christ. If an individual disagrees on these five issues he or she has forsaken the faith and must be removed from the fold. Christians through the ages have held these five doctrines as fundamental for the faith. We hold these issues with a closed hand; however, there are a plethora of issues which we must hold with an open hand; these include but are not limited to: baptism, Lords Supper, women in ministry, Calvinism, age of the Earth, drinking, Obamacare, Republican or Democrat. All of these issues must be held with an open-hand. Just because someone disagrees with you on Obamacare does not mean we have to break unity with him or her.

2) Overly critical of others: Disunity grows in a church when we are overly critical of others. For example, I get up every morning at 4:30 am. I am a morning person. I enjoy the quiet and peace of an early morning. I am tempted at times to be overly critical of those who sleep in; believing they are lazy. I must understand that being a morning person is a preference and I should not be critical of others who sleep in and work late into the night.

3) Gossip: Nothing spreads disunity faster than talking about others in the church. Usually, people disguise their gossip as a "prayer request" but in actuality they are enjoying talking about other people.

4) Pride: Pride can spread disunity and lead to no one asking for help and everyone believing they can make it on their own. We must remember that as a fish is made for water so we are made for community. 

In conclusion, as Christians we must war against disunity and fight for unity. We must repent and ask forgiveness where we have helped to foster disunity. We must remember unity means living grace-filled lives that grant patience and mercy and gentleness for the spiritual journey of others and a respect for differences we all bring to the table. When we (church) walks in unity the Gospel looks BIG.

So, you want to be a blogger

Occasionally, I will be asked by people, "how are you able to blog as consistently as you do"? People will want to know how to blog and/or how to be consistently writing new posts. There are a lot of people who begin blogging but are unable to continue to blog or blog inconsistently. Below are seven tips for consistent, quality blogging.

7) Write! I realize this should go without saying but you would be surprise at the number of people who only talk about blogging. (I guess you shouldn't be surprised it's human nature to talk about doing something and never actually do it). If you want to blog you must write. Write about anything and everything. Purchase a cheap notebook from Target and begin to write. Don't worry about grammar or writing the perfect post which will be read by thousands; just write. Do you have thoughts and ideas jumbled up in your head? Do you have an opinion on the latest news, sports, religious or pop culture? If so, write it down. Discipline yourself to write at least a paragraph a day on any topic. Once you begin to write on a daily basis you will be amazed at how easy it is to blog consistently.

6) Begin blogging with lists, like this one. Lists are easy to write and are helpful to people. Most individuals are intimidated because they can not think of a topic long enough to cover a blog post. Don't start with one topic, begin a list. One of my first posts was on top ten ways to reduce debt. Do a top ten, seven, or five list on anything and everything. You will be amazed at how quickly you are able to write a post.

5) Be consistent. Consistency breeds readership. Readers want consistent posts. Begin small. Don't attempt to publish a new blog everyday. Begin with every other week and work your way to everyday. By working your way to a goal you will be developing a habit and forming a discipline.

4) Wake up early. Blogging and writing can take up a lot of your time and keep you from being productive doing work Monday-Friday which pays the bills. Blogging is ONLY a hobby. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but chances are better that you will be struck by lightning than you will make a living as a blogger. Don't let blogging interfere with your work. Don't quit your day job to attempt to make it as a blogger. For example, I get up at 4:30 am every Saturday to have time to write before everyone gets up. If you want to blog you must make sacrifices.

3) Please, do not rant! It seems like everyone these days has a blog and loves to rant, rave and ramble against "the man". Please do not use your blog as a platform to speak negatively about individuals and institutions. Keep your blog positive and helpful. View your blog as a tool to serve others. The internet needs more bloggers attempting to help people up rather than pushing them down.

2) Publish your post during a time when most people will read it. You could have the worlds greatest post but if you publish during a bad time no-one will read it. Take time to research the best time/day to publish a blog in your area. A quick Google search will reveal the answer. If busy at work during the best time than invest in a free account at hootsuite.com. This site will link your blog to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc and will allow you to schedule posts. You are able to post on social media and still be working your 9-5 job. Your boss will never know. I utilize this tool and has increased my blog viewership.

1) Keep it short! Your blog is not the place to publish your PhD dissertation or your book which never got published. Keep your posts short and your viewership will increase. If a blog appears to be running long break it up into multiple sections.

In conclusion, consistent, quality blogging is a habit and disciplined which can be formed over time. I wish you the best as you venture out as a blogger.

God's grace at the BMC

God has been moving these past couple weeks in Nalerigu. Below are three stories of His grace.

1) Julia and I recently discovered that the laundry detergent we were using in our front-load washer was clogging the water pipes and water was not draining out of the machine fully. We are only able to get two kinds of laundry detergent and both kinds are not for front-load machines and will clog the machines over time. We didn't know what to do and began praying to God to help our machine last until July. Shortly, after discovering our problem we went down to say good-bye to a volunteer family who was leaving Nalerigu. While at their house they presented us with gifts which they were unable to take back to America with them. One of the gifts was a LARGE bag of Tide laundry detergent which would work in our washing machine. We were overjoyed. God provided for our problem!

2) Recently, there was a lady at the hospital who had been admitted after giving birth to twins in her home. She did not deliver her placenta and was incredibly sick. The doctors examined the patient and provided the best medical care for her; however, her condition was not improving in fact it took a turn for the worse. One of the doctors asked me to go and pray with her. When I went to visit her and saw her condition I thought there is no way this woman is going to be alive in the morning. The other chaplains and missionary personnel on the compound also went and prayed over the woman. That night; the doctor who was treating her could not sleep because she was worried for her patient and began to pray to God for her healing. The next morning the doctor who was treating her went to see how she was doing and she was doing better. Over the next several days the lady began to make a turn for the better and she was healed and discharged six days after everyone thought she was going to die. When I saw her on the day she was discharged she was feeding her babies and looked like a new person. I hardly recognized her. Everyone at the hospital; including Muslims and Traditionalists were praising the Christian God for healing this woman. God is mighty to heal!

3) Every week I have tea and attempt to share the Gospel with a group of fifteen-twenty Muslim men. The work has been slow. Most of the time the men do not want to hear about Christ but would rather hear about America. Last week when I was having tea with them they received word that someone they knew had died. Everyone was very sad and discouraged. Everyone began to speak at once talking about how life is suffering, everyone dies, no one knows how to beat death, and no one knows how to be right with Allah. The Holy Spirit began to convict me and I could not shake the overwhelming desire to open my mouth and speak the Gospel. I said a quick prayer and in my best Mamprulli I began to share verses from the Bible; including, the Romans Road, John 3:16, and John 14:5. Everyone was listening and hanging on my every word. In the year and a half which I have been having tea with these men there has never been a time in which everyone was listening to my every word. God was moving! I also shared with them the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and the story of Zachaeus. No-one repented of the sins and trusted in Christ but all heard the Gospel and have begun to think about what was shared. God is mighty to save!

God is doing incredible things at the BMC in our last days. Please pray He continues to move and draw people to Himself.

Gender Roles: Are women able to serve as Pastors?

Thesis: God created men and women equal. This equality involves different roles in the marriage relationship. Different roles do not imply inequality, and the distinct roles in marriage are pictures of distinct roles in the church.

There are several issues which I deal with on a daily basis. One of the issues I deal with is the role of husband and wife within a family and whether or not women are able to serve as Pastors. I am a complementarian, and have outlined my position on roles in marriage and ministry below.

Created Equal:

            Complementarians affirm that men and women are both created in the image of God. Men and women have equal value and dignity before God. Nowhere in the Bible does it state that any gender is created more in the image of God than the other, both are created equally in the image of God. Genesis 1:27, 31 states, “Male and female he created them…and behold it was very good.”[2] Dr. Grudem writes, “If God thinks us to be equal in value, then that settles forever the question of personal worth, for God’s evaluation is the true standard of personal value for all eternity.”[3] Paul writes in Galatians 3:26-29, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Men and women are both equally filled with the Holy Spirit at conversion, and men and women are both given spiritual gifts which are useful for the edification of the church. Complementarians treat women with respect because women are created equally in the image of God.

Different roles in Marriage:

            Men and women are both created equally in the image of God; however, this equality involves different roles within the marriage relationship. Men are responsible to lead, provide for, and protect their family. Paul outlines the role of men in several places in the Bible including Ephesians 5:25-33. Paul argues that men should exercise servant leadership in their protection and provision of their families. Dr. John Piper writes, “at the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women in ways appropriate to a man’s differing relationships.”[4] Adam was created first and exercised his headship over the animals by naming each of the animals. Adam exercises his headship over the woman when He gives her the name Eve. Dr. Grudem writes, “Genesis 1-2, the original readers would have recognized that the person doing the naming of created things is always the person who has authority over those things.”[5] Also, God holds Adam responsible for Eve’s sin, showing that Adam had the responsibility to lead and protect his wife. Adam was humanities representative in the fall and he is our example of male headship which existed before the fall.

Women’s roles within marriage are outlined by Paul in Ephesians 5:22-24. Paul argues for submission by the wife to her husband. Paul also explains that respect and honor should be given by the wife to her husband. Dr John Piper once again writes, “at the heart of mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive, and nurture, strength, and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate to a woman’s differing relationship.”[6] Women are not required to submit to every male member of society, rather, a woman’s submission is strictly tied to her relationship with her husband or father. Furthermore, a woman’s role within the family is directly tied to a man’s ability to lead. If a husband does not lead his family than a woman is unable to submit; and must step into a role she was never intended to fulfill. Male leadership in the home is necessary for a woman to fulfill her God given role. For a woman to submit and practice honoring and respecting her husband than a husband must step up to the plate and lead his wife and children. There are differing roles within the marriage relationship but these roles do not imply inequality.

Distinct, but, Complementary:

            The roles within a marriage relationship are distinct but distinction does not imply inequality. Examples of distinct but complementary roles are seen within the Trinity. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” Paul is referring to the fact that a husband is head of his wife in the same manner as God is head over Christ. The Trinity consists of three members, who are equal in deity and attributes, but each fulfills different roles. The Trinity is a picture of the relationship which exists within marriage. Men and women are equal in personhood and worth but differ in the roles which have been given to them by God. Dr Grudem writes, “(j)ust as the Father and Son are equal in deity and equal in their attributes, but different in role, so husband and wife are equal in personhood and value, but they are different in the roles God has given them.”[7] The idea of headship, submission, and complementary roles was not thought up initially in Danvers, Massachusetts; rather, headship and submission have always existed within the Trinity.

Roles in the Church:

            The distinct roles within the marriage relationship and the distinct roles found within the Trinity are pictures of the distinct roles which exist within the church. One of the most prominent texts in the Bible which deals with the role of women within a local church is found in 1 Timothy 2:11-12. Paul writes, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather she is to remain quiet.” Paul definitively argues for male eldership within a local church. Dr. Schreiner writes, “Women should not teach men or exercise authority over them because this would violate God’s intention in creation.”[8] Adam was created first and then Eve, signifying Adam’s headship over Eve. In the same manner as creation, a woman’s role of submission is pictured as she submits to the male teaching in a local congregation. Paul’s teaching on submission does not suppress women but allows women an opportunity to be taught and learn. Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Paul is commanding that women be taught in the church. That was a novel concept, since neither first-century Judaism nor Greek culture held women in high esteem.”[9] Women are not to be shut out of the learning process but rather are to be taught and equipped in the local church.

            In 1 Timothy 3:2-4 Paul gives the qualifications for an overseer in the church. Paul writes that the overseer must be the husband of one wife. If Paul intended for women as well as men to serve as overseers he would have included something about women being the wife of one husband. Dr Schreiner writes, “Paul says that an overseer must be the husband of one wife and he must be able to rule his house will. These are both roles that are specific to men.”[10] Paul intends for men to lead and pastor a local congregation as opposed to women.

            In the Old Testament, priests were responsible for teaching the Israelites about God both who He is; as well as what is expected of the Israelites in order to have a relationship with God. Malachi 2:6-7, “True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness and he turned away many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 2:6-7 emphasizes the male leadership of the priests which was found within the Old Testament. In the New Testament when Jesus chooses those who will be His followers; and one day the leaders in the church, he chooses 12 men. Dr. Schreiner writes, “(i)f the church was supposed to have female leadership, than Jesus would have chosen six males and six female apostles.”[11] Jesus’ choosing of 12 men emphasizes the role of men in leading, serving and teaching in the local church.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, God created men and women equal. This equality involves different roles in the marriage relationship. Different roles do not imply inequality, and the distinct roles in marriage are pictures of distinct roles in the church.

---

[1] Wayne Grudem, “Danvers Statement,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, ed. John Piper and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton: Crossway, 1991), 470.

[2] All Bible references are taken from the English Standard Version.

[3] Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth. (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Publishers, 2004), 27.

[4] John Piper, “A Vision of Biblical Complementary.” in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, ed. John Piper and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton: Crossway, 1991), 37.

[5] Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth. (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Publishers, 2004), 31.

[6] John Piper, “A Vision of Biblical Complementary.” in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, ed. John Piper and Wayne Grudem (Wheaton: Crossway, 1991), 46.

[7] Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth. (Colorado Springs: Multnomah Publishers, 2004), 46.

[8] Thomas R. Schreiner, “Women in Ministry.” In Two Views on Women in Ministry, ed. James Beck and Craig Blomberg (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 224.

[9] John MacArthur, “1 Timothy.” In The MacArthur Bible Commentary, ed. John MacArthur (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 1783.

[10] Thomas R. Schreiner, “Women in Ministry.” In Two Views on Women in Ministry, ed. James Beck and Craig Blomberg (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001),  225.

[11] Ibid., 230.

Dependency: Not just in Africa

DEPENDENCY! A ten-letter word which I have more disdain for than the "F"-word. Dependency refers to the mind-set prevalent in third-world countries in which individuals depend on the white man to provide, take care of, and work for the improvement of their country.

A dependent mind-set was established by early western explorers and missionaries who came to African countries and instead of equipping individuals to improve their country took the initiative and did everything themselves. Africans were happy to receive goods which they did not work for and gladly allowed the western explorers and missionaries do everything. Over-time a mind-set was developed which killed enterprise, ingenuity, creativity and hard-work. This mind-set is continually taught when Western Countries provide hand-outs (shoes, clothes, food, etc) instead of training and equipping countries to produce their own goods and services. White skin has become synonymous with one who gives gifts, provides goods and does all the work. Whenever an individual attempts to step-up and break free of the dependency mind-set he or she is silenced by the crowd and told to sit down, shut up and allow someone else to do the work. Dependency is holding Africa back. Africa could be a major player on the world-stage but because of a dependent mind-set they are in bondage.

Less, we be quick to judge Africa, let us turn the mirror on ourselves. I fear that America is being led by the liberal left to a dependency mind-set. The large, liberal government has taken the place of the "western explorer" and is providing free hand-outs. Americans, happy to receive goods which they did not work for are gladly allowing the government to gain more and more control. We are sacrificing are freedoms for a "bowl of stew"!

Don't have health insurance? Don't worry the government will provide. Don't have a job? Don't worry here is money as long as you make a half-hearted attempt to find a job the government will pay you. Don't have food? Don't worry the government will give you money and they will even make it look like a credit card so you don't feel bad. Want to marry whoever you want? Don't worry, government will go against the wishes of the people and allow you to marry. Want to have children, but don't have the money? Don't worry, the government will pay you for each child. How will we get all this money? Don't worry, we will tax the rich more and punish them for their hard-work and give to the poor. Country doesn't have enough money? Don't worry we will just raise the debt ceiling, who cares who has to one day pay the bill. Need I go on?

The Liberal left is fostering a dependent mind-set in the lives of 1,000's of Americans. This dependency is killing ingenuity, creativity and hard work. People dependent on the government will quickly sell their freedoms for another hand out. America will cease to function as a world power if the government continues to foster dependency.

How do we stop dependency in Africa and America? The answer is the same for both places: in Africa westerners must step back and equip/encourage Africans towards producing goods and services themselves. We must encourage creativity, ingenuity, and hard-work. In the same sense the liberal, left needs to step back from affairs that do not concern them. Providing hand-outs to every group does not foster creativity but only creates dependency. The government must equip/encourage Americans to return to hard-work and enterprise to grow the economy and jettison the dependent mindset.

In conclusion, dependency is destroying Africa and if we aren't careful will also destroy America. The Western world and Government must step-back from their hands on involvement and must equip/encourage creativity, ingenuity and hard-work without providing hand outs.


  

What happens to those who've never heard the Gospel?:

I’ve heard the question more times than I can count: “If people are only saved by believing the gospel, what about those who have never heard the gospel?”The idea that God would throw people into hell who have never heard about Jesus seems unfair, almost arbitrary. It’s like the moment they die, God appears and says, “You didn’t receive Jesus!” And when they say, “Jesus who?” God answers, “It’s too late now!”

So the question inevitably comes up: “What about the innocent native in Africa who has never heard about God? How could God hold him accountable for what he didn’t even know?”

Most Americans have developed a “functional universalism,” where they kind of assume it’s all going to work out in the end.  Just about everybody will make it to heaven, except maybe Adolf Hitler and child molesters. Others, including some prominent Christians, opt for a position called “inclusivism.” They say that even though Jesus is the only way of being saved, that if people respond rightly to the good things in their religion, it’s as if they were obeying Christ.

I understand why people want to believe in universalism or inclusivism. But the Bible, particularly Romans 1, paints a different picture of the situation:

1. All people have heard about God.

Paul says that what can be known about God has been made plain to all people (Rom 1:19). Every human being, everywhere, has been made aware of God in two ways.

First, the glory and beauty of creation teaches us that there is a Creator. There is a natural, innate sense of awe and wonder as we look at creation. We look around and instinctively we know that we don’t come from nowhere. Creation screams at us the presence of a glorious, all-powerful Creator.

Second, the presence of a conscience in each of us teaches us that there is a Lawgiver. We know, innately, that there is a right and wrong. When your conscience tells you, “That’s wrong,” that’s an indication that there is someone to whom you ultimately must answer.

2. All people have rejected God.

Since the fall, the human race has been in a posture of rebellion. Even when we reject God’s commands and set our own standards, we don’t keep them because we resist what is right and love what is wrong.

All of us have rejected the glory of God (Rom 1:21–25). We don’t seek God’s glory above all things; we seek our own glory and our own pleasure. Even people who believe in God don’t pay as much attention to him as they do their jobs or what others think of them.

So, because of this posture of rebellion and idolatry, Paul says, our foolish hearts have been darkened, which means that we distort the truth about God when it is presented to us (Rom 1:18). Scripture leaves no ambiguity about how universal this rebellion is: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1–3).

This rejection comes in various forms: outright atheism, in which we refuse to acknowledge God; idolatry, in which we give other things in our lives God-like priority; works-righteousness, in which we keep a list of rules, so that we feel like God owes us good things. All of these have one thing in common: they are expressions of humanity rejecting the authority and goodness of God.

3. All people are guilty before God.

Our hearts naturally hate God and reject his rule, a rejection that culminated in the murder of God’s Son. We hate God so badly that we put him on a cross and say, “Go to hell, God.” Because of this, is it any surprise that we deserve his wrath?

Sometimes we underestimate the wickedness of our sin, as if sin is only really bad if we’re doing drugs or having sex with people we shouldn’t. Those things are wrong, but the core of sin is hatred of God. We’d rather murder him and have him out of the way than submit to him.

All of this means that we are guilty, not because of things we haven’t heard, but because of what we have heard and rejected. The “innocent native in Africa” doesn’t exist. We have all rejected God. Would it be unfair if God condemned us for not hearing about Jesus? Yes. But that’s not why we are condemned: we are condemned because we have rejected the rule of God.

4. Only Christ can save.

The resounding theme of the entire Bible is that salvation is found in God alone. Any mention of religion apart from the one true God is consistently disparaged, even mocked throughout the Old Testament. When Jesus comes on the scene in the New Testament, that theme is crystallized, and we see salvation is found in God alone, through the work of Christ alone.

Many in our culture today hate any mention of exclusivity, but all religious or moral viewpoints are inherently exclusive. Even those who claim to have no religious opinions whatsoever have standards by which they judge certain people “good” and others “bad.” We all have a line for who is in and who is out.

But the gospel of Jesus is a different kind of exclusivity. The gospel teaches us that our acceptance with God is not based on anything about us—not our morality, or our heritage, or our reputation with others. No one who is “in” has any ground to boast about it. God gives salvation as a gift to all who will repent and receive it. As Tim Keller has said, “All religions are exclusive, but Christianity is the most inclusive exclusivity there is.

5. We must take the Gospel to those who haven't heard:

     According to Joshua Projects there are 6,897 people groups who have no access to the     Gospel. The total number of people among the people groups are roughly 90,397,000       souls who are loved by God. Individuals within these groups could live there entire life       and never hear about Jesus. In fact, even if they wanted to hear about Jesus there             would be no one who could tell them about Christ. If points 1-4 are true than we must      do everything within our power to take the Gospel to these unreached people groups.        We must sacrifice to send missionaries to take the Gospel to the Nations. 

In conclusion, those who have never heard the Gospel will spend an eternity in Hell because they have sinned against a Holy God. God's holiness, justice and love dictates that they will be separated from Him. God in His grace, sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. There are 90,397,000 people who have yet to hear of Christ's first coming, yet, we spend a lot of time focusing on His second coming. We must work hard, sacrifice hard and commit to taking the Gospel to the unreached, unengaged people groups of the world. May our generation be the generation which completes the Great Commission.

*Various points and quotes taken from JD Grear: The Doctrine of Hell

Tips for adapting to new cultures:

Living in a foreign culture is like playing a game you have never played before and for which the rules haven't been explained very well. The challenge is to enjoy the game without missing too many plays and learning the rules and developing skills as you go along.-L. Robert Kohls

Volunteers are an important part of our ministry in Nalerigu. We have seen volunteers thrive, survive, and barely make it out alive. The volunteers who thrive have learned how to adapt to new cultures. Below are several tips for adapting to a new culture.

• Pray through it. Remember that your struggles are not always cultural but also spiritual. Ephesians 6:2, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm."
• Know the host country. The more you understand about your host country, region, mission organization, people group, etc., the more prepared you will be for the cultural challenges you will face.
• Get involved. This take effort, but get to know the nationals: your co-workers, housekeeper, shopkeepers, etc. Express interest in what they do and how they live. They are often as interested in where you have come from and your culture as you are in theirs.
• Attempt to view the situation from the perspective of your hosts. Put yourself in their shoes and attempt to understand and find a logical explanation and the values behind what you see in the culture.
• Find a missionary who is sensitive to the struggles you are facing and talk openly about your feelings.
• Journal. This is a great way to express your thoughts and track your feelings and experiences throughout your cross-cultural journey.
• Laugh. Don't take yourself too seriously. In culture shock the old adage is true, "laughter is the best medicine," but don't do it at the expense of the country and people you are there to serve. The challenges you will face generally produce enough good material and memories to keep you laughing for a while.
• You own culture can provide encouragement, but do this with caution because it can become habitual. E-mail, instant messaging, Skype, and cell phones are all great advances in communication, but they can also become a barrier for you in making deep and lasting relationships.
• Have faith in yourself, in the essential goodwill of your hosts, and in the positive outcome of the experience. As you spend more and more time in a country, cross-cultural adaptation has a way of slowly sneaking up on you. Remember, you will learn something from this experience.

It is my prayer that you would implement these tips on your next short-term trip and thrive in the culture you are visiting.