Why Go?

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of hte Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."  Matthew 28:18-20

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."  
Mark 16:15-16

(Burundi Flag)

Well, I was hoping that this might be the first of at least a few posts related to my upcoming trip to Africa, but it looks like this will be the only one before I leave. Depending on internet access abroad, I hope to post a time or two while there if possible, and certainly upon my return.  We'll see what happens.

I'm leaving on Tuesday for a 12 day medical mission trip to Burundi, Africa. My child-bearing wife and 3-year-old daughter will be staying behind here in the good ol' U S of A.  I'm very excited, slightly nervous, and most likely completely clueless about what is in store for me on the other side of the world. I don't think I'd ever even heard of Burundi before I caught wind of this mission trip, so anything I've learned has been from a crash course of meetings and online searches.

First, just a little info about Burundi.  It is a tiny country that is surrounded by Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Congo. It's size is just under 28,000 square km with an estimated population of 8,700,000. Burundi is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, with the lowest per capita GDP of any nation in the world. This is due primarily to civil wars, corruption, poor access to education, and the effects of HIV/AIDS. It's tiny, it's extremely impoverished, and it has been marred by corruption, war, genocide, drugs, disease, and death for almost it's entire existence.

So on to the title of this post. Aside from it being the title of a great song by a little band I happen to like, it's a question that has hovered over this trip ever since I even considered going.  I've asked it of myself, and I've been asked by several other people as well. It's come in different variations, the main three being "why do I want to go to Africa?", "why can't you just help people here?", and "why spread the gospel to people who are doing just fine without it?". At the end of the day; however, the underlying question is, "Why go?"

Why do I want to go?

I'd be lying if I said that my initial attraction to going to Africa was anything other than it sounded awesome. That was almost a year ago and I knew very little of the trip, and certainly didn't think I'd actually be going. And honestly, it didn't really settle in until recently that this isn't about me having an awesome experience. This trip is not about me. Our most recent sermon series at church has been on prayer and focusing on trying to glorify God in everything that we do. John Piper said, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." I believe we are most satisfied in Him when we are in communication with Him through prayer and by being in the Word, and when we are obedient to Him when he calls. I have prayed for a long time for God to put me in situations that would force me out of my comfort zones. Matthew 9:38 says, "Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to throw out laborers into his harvest." I remember back in the day going to church and hearing stories about Christians doing radical things for God and always thinking "no way, not me."  Now I find myself often thinking "I want to do something like that."  And here I am, less than 48 hours away from getting on a plane to Africa for a 12 day medical mission trip. I've never been that far away from home, and certainly not for that long, and certainly not as a husband and father. I don't like being away from Em and Abbott for a weekend, much less 12 days. They are my ultimate "comfort zone". This trip is not going to be easy, it is not going to be plush. I've already received 5 shots, 3 in the right arm and 2 in the left. That was fun. I took my first of 42 doses of malaria medicine that I have to take daily until 4 weeks after I get home, because you know, nobody wants malaria. And I've got 2 anti-diarrhea meds that I'm taking with me... just in case I get some freakish African diarrhea.  It's going to be hot and there is a good chance that we are going to see some horrible stuff. But we are also going to see some amazing stuff. God shows up big when Christians let go of themselves and answer His call, whatever it may be. I'm going to Burundi because I want to be a part of taking the gospel to the other side of the world in a place where most of the people we will encounter have never even heard of God or Jesus. I'm going to Burundi because I want to be challenged, I want to be stretched, I want to be convicted, I want to be discipled, I want to be changed. A pastor named Thabiti Anyabwile talked about this, here are a few quotes paraphrased together...

"We take the good news of Jesus, resources to meet physical needs, and training to develop sustainable forms of living for the indigenous people of a culture, not just to change the nations, but so the nations can change us... If we want to see the fabric of American evangelism aligned to the heart of God, we have to go to the nations. We have to step outside of our individualistic, ethno-centric cultural grid and have our value systems shocked to the core, our perspectives wildly flipped upside down and our little worlds of comfort deeply rattled by the discomforting reality of a world population that desperately needs Jesus." 

I'm going to Burundi because I have been given the opportunity to be a part of something much bigger than myself.

Why can't I just help people here?

"If we only make disciples who make disciples in our cities, thousands of unengaged, un-discipled peoples of the earth will not hear the gospel." - Geoff Ashley

First of all, we do. There are Christians and churches, including mine, all over the place that are constantly "on mission" within their own communities. From helping the needy within their towns to providing for fellow church members in need, there is an outpouring of love, support, encouragement, prayer, and assistance that occurs when Christians do life together. Our church just finished Mission Bible School, or MBS, last week which was a different take on traditional VBS. Instead of having it at the church, we broke up into several different groups around the community in parks, apartment complexes, etc. and brought food, games, and the gospel to the people of our community in their comfort zones. It was fantastic and there were many children and parents whose lives were touched by the love of Christ. But there are people in this country and all over the world that don't know that love, and someone has to go to them. As Christians, we believe that God is very real, and that He sent Jesus to live the perfect life that we cannot. We believe that he actually died and actually rose from the grave. We believe that Jesus is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). We believe that before he ascended to Heaven, he instructed his disciples at the Great Commission to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:19). They were obedient in proclaiming the gospel and all but one died horrible deaths because of it, a radical change from the uncommitted, fickle, cowards that they were before Jesus died. Because of their faith and obedience, we have the bible, which we believe is the inerrant, inspired word of God. And as I've said before, it either is true or it is not true. Christians are followers of Christ... disciples... and we choose to believe that it is true and because of this the Great Commission applies to us every bit as much as it did to the disciples then. We are commanded to make disciples by telling the good news of Jesus to all nations, not just those here at home.

Why spread the gospel to those that are doing fine without it?

On December 27th, 2008, a UK-based journalist and self-described atheist wrote an article for The Times of London entitled "As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God". It is a fascinating and powerful read that I believe addresses this question. This link leads to a commentary on the article, as well as access to the full article itself. I highly recommend reading it. Here is a snippet to give you an idea...

"Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good..."

The fact is, they are not doing fine without it. These people know nothing but poverty, prostitution, drug addiction, rape, genocide, disease, and death. The word "hope" does not fit in to this equation. The gospel of Jesus Christ brings a kind of hope that all the humanitarian aide on the planet cannot provide. A hope of freedom from the bondage of sin and a promise that no matter how amazing or how atrocious our circumstances are here on this earth, when it's all over, when the end comes, there is an eternity with God that noone can fathom waiting for us. This is why it "changes people's hearts" as Parris put it. Because it doesn't have anything to do with meeting a list of requirements or being a good person. To-do lists are exhausting and good is subjective, and it's all wicked when compared against a Holy God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." There is great freedom in this, a freedom that can be found in nothing else. And I go to make sure that they have it. (shameless Braveheart quote... in flawless Scottish accent)

So Why Go?

"Our lives are not lived for the sake of self, but rather for the good of others to the glory of God... Therefore, all who have been called to belief in the gospel have also been called to ministry. We are all partakers in the mission which is the glory of God accomplished through the means of the gospel... The glory of God should transcend all that we do. Our hope and passion is for Him to receive worship from those who have been drastically and eternally affected by the gospel of His Son. In order for this to happen, we must live with the mission in heart, head and hand." - Geoff Ashley

We all have different callings, different gifts, different talents, different passions, different goals. But as followers of Christ, God's will for all of us is the same... to proclaim the gospel for the glory of His name. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" In conjunction with the Great Commission, the call is clear and undeniable. I don't know what is going to happen in Burundi. I'm nervous because I've never done anything like this before. I've shared the gospel one time that I can think of. I've called myself a Christian for almost my entire life, but I'm not sure I believe that I actually was one. I certainly wasn't following Christ and I certainly had no understanding whatsoever of the gospel. But something happened to me in October 2009 and my heart changed, and there has been a growing desire to know and understand Him more and to share it with others ever since. It's been a bumpy, inconsistent, and quite ugly road at times, but that's sanctification noone ever said it was going to be easy. Matt Chandler calls it the upward spiral. I've worried a lot lately that I'm not ready, not prepared. Like I haven't read enough, or studied enough, or prayed enough. But then I remember that I'm not going to Africa because God thinks I'm awesome and He really needs me to get this thing done. I'm going to Africa because, for reasons that are beyond me, He has chosen to use me to get it done. It probably wouldn't make sense at all if not for the fact that the entire bible is full of stories about God using complete morons to accomplish His will. It's humbling that despite my wicked heart and my inconsistent, and often lukewarm faith, He has blessed me with this opportunity. And it's comforting that no matter how prepared or "prayed up" I may or may not be, whatever God is planning to accomplish over there isn't going to jump the tracks because of it.

If you have read to this point, thank you. It means a lot. If you have supported me financially or with prayer, I also thank you. You will never know how much it truly means to me. I would appreciate continued prayer. Please pray for safe travels. Pray for the families that are staying behind. Pray for Emily and Abbott and baby Hannah who's trucking right along in Momma's womb. Pray that the gospel gets proclaimed boldly and fearlessly and that God uses us in a big way to make His name great to a people group that has likely never heard of Him. Pray that our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds are opened to the reality of the socioeconomic status and overall way of life for the people of Burundi and around the world, and that our hearts would be motivated by it to proclaim and share the hope we have in Christ everywhere that we go. And pray that I would come back a better, bolder, more courageous man to lead and love my wife and kids as Christ leads and loves the church, and to sieze every opportunity to share the gospel. See you on the other side.

Double Standard

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

These are my thoughts on an article about Chick-fil-A and Northeastern University, and the recent Kirk Cameron interview on Piers Morgan. You can rest assured that this will not be a short entry, because let's be honest, I'm simply not capable of it...

Let me preface this by saying that I love Jesus. Before you scoff or roll your eyes, let me explain what I mean by this. I recognize the fact that I have a wicked heart. There are plenty of people who know me that would probably say "NO! You're a good guy. A nice person". And there are probably a few people that are privy to my capacity for wickedness. This is in the context of the fallen, broken world that we live in where sin has fractured what is right and good. So in my recognition of my own brokenness, my own wickedness, my own sin, I also recognize my need for Jesus. I have been saved from my sin, not because I'm awesome, and not because I did anything awesome, but because of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. And because of this, I am thankful and I love Him. Does this mean that I am perfect now or that I am somehow immuned to sin? No. It just means that I'm washed clean, and when I stumble (notice I said when, not if) I can fall at the foot of the cross, bask in God's mercy and grace, and turn from my sin. Does this mean that I can just do whatever I want because I'm saved? No! It just means that I no longer have to be bound or controlled by my sin. The point that I'm trying to make is that Christians are NOT perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There is a lot of misunderstanding and misrepresentation concerning this, which kind of leads in to the whole reason for this post. So my reason for prefacing this post is to make it clear that I have no intention of offending anyone, and I am not attacking any particular individual or group.  That said, I'm sure that someone will be offended or feel attacked by this, and I'm sorry if you feel that way. But I believe that I have the right to my beliefs and my opinions just as much as the next person, as well as the right to express them. This is America right? My hope and prayer; however, is that I do so in a manner that gives glory to God.

I read an article today about how the student senate at Northeastern University in Boston has voted against bringing Chick-fil-A to campus due to their affiliation with several Christian organizations that have "anti-gay" agendas. I also read about Kirk Cameron being interviewed on Piers Morgan where he was asked if he believed if homosexuality is a sin. He answered honestly saying that he believed it was "unnatural", "defined by God as one man and one woman", and therefore he does not support the idea of gay marriage. Chick-fil-A has been accused of homophobia and Cameron has been called "antiquated" and a bigot. The bible is full of warnings and disclaimers about what Christians can expect from the world. In John 15:18-25, Jesus warns that following him will be costly stating that because the world hated him, it will hate those who follow him. So while these reactions shouldn't really surprise us, I believe that they should move us to "stand firm in the faith." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

What the bible is not full of is bigotry, intolerance and/or hate speech. If you believe that it is, I would venture to say that you either have not read it, or you misunderstand what you have read. The bible is not "anti-gay", the bible is "anti-sin". The world is full of sin and sinners including you and me. God hates sin, all sin. It is disgusting to Him. And He has to, and will, deal with it, one way or the other. Christians believe the bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God, given to the authors by God. You can roll you eyes if you want, but here's the deal... it either is or it isn't. There either is a God or there isn't. Our (Christians) belief in God does not make His existence true, nor does our belief in the bible determine whether or not it is true. In the same way, you choosing not to believe in God and/or the bible does not make them any less real or true. If God exists and if He revealed His design through scripture for the way He intended things to be, including marriage, then our belief, one way or the other, is irrelevant in determining what is true, right, and good. We can choose to follow His design or not. So as bible-believing followers of Christ, we have no choice but to hold to what we believe truth to be. This is not hate.

Terms such as hate, hate speech, tolerance/intolerance, bigotry, and racism get tossed around far too loosely in our culture today and it has reached a point where people are being attacked for simply answering questions about their beliefs. Kirk Cameron was asked to be a guest on Piers Morgan's show to talk about a documentary he has coming out. In the interview Piers asked the question about his view on homosexuality, which was not a part of the agreed-upon interview, and now the media has turned it into a circus about Cameron's "controversial" hate of homosexuals. It's highly unlikely that this question would have even been asked if Cameron were not a Christian, so it seems a little "ambush-ish" to me. Rather than having a rational, adult conversation about pressing or controversial issues, we resort to finger-pointing, name calling, and character assassination.

Labeling someone a bigot because they do not support gay marriage is like labeling someone a racist if they don't support Obamacare. And while the media, the government, and certain "advocacy" groups have pushed these ideas with full force , they are absurd notions. Not to mention the fact that in today's technological age of information "going viral", labeling someone a "bigot" or "racist" can be just as detrimental and destructive as bigotry and racism themselves. Similarly absurd is the statement made by Northeastern University's administrator's in support of their decision about Chick-fil-A that the company's principles contradict their "commitment to be an inclusive, diverse community that is respectful of all". It seems like a double-standard to me. We want tolerance for all, but we will not tolerate you disagreeing with our beliefs. Surely I can't be the only one that sees a contradiction here.

As Christians, we are commanded to love, care for, and forgive others as we have been loved, cared for, and forgiven in Christ. We are also commanded to stand firm in our faith and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus. We are not commanded to tuck our tails, shut our mouths, remain silent, or compromise our views for fear of being attacked and ridiculed or because our culture is changing. Jesus said that "...whoever is ashamed of me and of my words... of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed..." (Mark 8:38). So Kirk Cameron found himself in a situation on the international media stage where he had to make a choice. He could stand firm in his belief and proclaim it boldly, or he could tuck his tail and pander to the "Tinkerbell Jesus", "anything goes" culture being pushed in our society where we make our God into whatever makes us feel good. He chose to be faithful to his beliefs and now he's being raked over the coals... just like Jesus said would happen.  Hmmm....

Kirk's response to all controversy can be seen here.