Out of Context

From Shaw & Van Engen, Communicating God’s Word in a Complex World,

“Gospel presentation seeks to facilitate a process whereby people everywhere, belonging to every family, tribe, language and nation, may hear God speak in appropriate and relevant ways that impact the deep-level meaning of their worldview” (1).

Posted in Contextualization, Evangelism | Leave a comment

Wednesday Morning with Peter

On gray, drizzly days, I often find myself turning desperately to the Scriptures for encouragement.  Do you do that?  I’m pretty sure it’s not just me.  Today, I found myself reflecting on Peter.  What a guy.  His life offered me a couple of lessons early today.

I’m reminded of this ongoing dialogue between Peter and Jesus.  It went something like this:

Peter:  I’m ready, Lord.
Jesus:  No, Peter, you’re not (Matt 14, as he lifts Peter from the water)

Peter:  I’m ready, Lord.
Jesus:  Nope.  Not yet (Matt 16: “Get behind me, Satan…”)

Peter:  I’m ready, Lord.
Jesus:  No, Peter, you’re not (Matthew 26, as He told Peter of his coming denial of the Lord)

Then, things changed.  Jesus died but came back in victory.  But he left again. Imagine how Peter must have felt.  He had failed.  Bad decision after bad decision seemed to leave him in a place he didn’t want to be.  But Jesus had other plans.

Peter:  I’m not ready, Lord.
Jesus:  Yes, Peter, you are (Acts 2, the Holy Spirit falls, Peter preaches, and thousands respond).

I often think I’m ready.  Lord, I’m ready to do something big.  I’m ready to be what you made me to be.  I’m ready to go.  Like Peter, though, I’m on a journey of Jesus’ preparation — where he turns my pride to reliance, my little faith to mountain-moving faith, my self-trust to God-trust.

I’m not ready.  Use me, Lord Jesus.

You?

Posted in Faith, Missions | 1 Comment

Boyce on Theological Education for Missionaries

From his inaugural at Furman University, 31 July 1856:

“The results of past missionary efforts, appear to indicate that we, like the apostles, must adopt the system of home laborers, if we would evangelize the world. We must get natives to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. The men whom we send forth to missionary stations must then be qualified to instruct the native preachers in all the elements of theological education. They will not only have to put the Bible into their hands as a textbook, but they will have to prepare, in the native language, or translate into it such books of theology, as shall give them adequate instruction.”
– James Petigru Boyce, first President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Posted in History, Missiology | Leave a comment

Influencing Your City

This post originally appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of YOU!, published by LifeWay Christian Resources

The city where you live is a place of contrasts.  There is at the same time opportunity and brokenness, creativity and decay, wealth and poverty, plenty and suffering.  How does a believer or a church begin to influence a city like that?  Where do you start?  What does it look like to engage your community? Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Why Study the History of Missions?

History is one of my favorite subjects, so it is little wonder that I have frequently found myself drawn to the stories of past missionaries and evangelists.  Who can help but be moved by William Carey’s advocacy for the nations or Jim Elliot’s sacrifice on a jungle sandbar?  But history is not just for the historians.  History has value for all of us – most especially, perhaps, missionaries. Continue reading

Posted in History, Missiology | Leave a comment

Reviving the blog…

Today, for the umpteenth time, I am resurrecting the Dayspring Project blog.  After several months of article and dissertation writing, I have tried to focus my thoughts on “heart” territory:  connecting gospel-centered believers and local churches to gospel-hungry peoples around the world. Continue reading

Posted in History, Missiology | Leave a comment

Books a pastor should read, first installment

I’ve spent several days trying to figure out what books I would actually recommend to every pastor and seminarian.  One quick Amazon search reveals dozens of candidates — some good, some bad.  Some are highly academic, some more accessible.  I’ve had good feedback from a couple of colleagues about my choices and have made some revisions to the list.  Suffice it to say that I haven’t completely decided.

One thing, however, is sure:  you should read David Sills’ Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience (Moody, 2010).  I guess I should offer the disclaimer that Sills is one of my favorite professors at Southern Seminary and a member of my dissertation committee.  Even so, this his latest book offers a welcome voice (perhaps a corrective one) in contemporary mission theology and strategy. Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment