Understanding Mission Funding

Theology should be practical. It should never be a purely intellectual exercise. Instead the things you believe should always find an expression in behavior. Whatever settles into your mind, will in some manner, also leak out your toes and fingertips. Doctrine hasn’t completed its purpose until it changes your work and walk.

One of the areas on my mind right now is how we fund missions. When I say it like that, it probably draws to mind the missionary offerings we take at this time of year. Whether your church has a missionary society or a board or whatever, Christmas is a great time to raise funds for missions. I love the Lottie Moon offering, which is my denomination’s major funding event for International Missions.

But special offerings have a serious weakness. After the Christmas offering is done missionaries need to continue their work from January to November, not just in December. So there needs to be a means of funding missions the rest of the year too. The need is year round, so the giving also needs to be year round. For my church this means giving a percentage of the churches income to missions.

But don’t forget that the work of the local church is also a part of the mission. The tithes of the church members pay for the work of the pastoral staff, and a whole lot more. The buildings, grounds, teaching programs, potlucks, and fellowship groups all are part of that mission carried out by the local church on the local level.

Yet I don’t think any of these are the most important way that missions are operate and are funded. Spreading the gospel is the heart of our purpose, and its best fulfillment is in the witness of individuals who personally sacrifice to tell others. In today’s world witness is very seldom a chance encounter but instead is developed through a personal relationship. The wise Christian will intentionally build bridges with their neighbors and acquaintances in order to earn the right to tell them about Jesus.

Every believer in the church should see themselves as a part of the purpose. They learn about it, they develop a pattern of giving to it, but also they begin doing it, and this where the mission really takes shape. A Christian man volunteers in a local school. A Christian woman takes neighbors out for coffee on a regular basis. A believing senior pays for his bushes to be trimmed, but also pays for the widow next door to have her bushes trimmed. All of these things are done intentionally in order to one day have the opportunity to share the gospel.

This is how it becomes a reality that every believer is a missionary. The most important and effective work of our mission is done by a believer reaching whomever happens to be right next to them, whether that person lives in rural America, the Bible belt, a great urban center, or anywhere else along the way to the ends of the earth.

 

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The Mission Field

The Mission Field

Micah 2:10 (HCSB)

Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest,

because defilement brings destruction—a grievous destruction!

Kit pulled the reigns back hard, stopping the horses short. Carolyn had been napping inside the wagon, but the shift woke her.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing, go back to sleep.” Kit knew it was a bold faced lie. He wanted to save his wife from the sight in front of the wagon.

“What is it?” Kit knew the question needed an answer, but what could he say? A moment later he heard a shrill gasp and he knew he was too late. Carolyn had seen it. Two poles crossed and with a dead man tied to them.

“Who would do such a thing?” It was another answer he would rather save her from hearing.

After a moment of silence, he glanced back and found her staring at him. He spoke quietly. “It’s the Apaches.” He turned back forward and drove silently. For a moment he wondered if she had heard. Then her sobs muffled in the blankets, confirmed she had. Even when she broke into hushed prayers he couldn’t turn aside the guilt he felt.

This was his fault. He was headed to the California mining camps. He wanted to bring God to the West. He had felt the call, but now he doubted himself. They were separated from their train. Alone. Afraid. They were beyond the point of no return, so what else could they do?

After another hour they came across a little Apache girl. She was dried up and called out to the wagon pitifully. Kit knew she was calling for help, but hesitated.

“Stop.” Carolyn said as she jumped. For about an hour Kit paced while Carolyn doctored. The girl improved with water, and improved more with food.

Kit thought aloud, “The Apaches will kill us if they find her with us.”

“We can’t leave her.”

“We can’t take her.”

“Would you rather stay here until she heals?” So they took her along, fearing discovery, but moving. Three days later they were found, and quickly surrounded by natives. Carolyn tried to hide the child, but it was impossible. She climbed out the back and into the arms of a chief.

Kit and Carolyn both cringed, but the girl interceded for them. Turns out the Navajo girl had been kidnapped by Apaches. The Navajo were grateful, not angry.

Kit got his wish to minister in the West. He started a mission in Northern Arizona.

 

This story was written as a sample for Christian Flash Weekly. This will be a new weekly flash fiction challenge, with a specifically Christian bent. The web site will be www.christianflashweekly.wordpress.com and it’s first challenge will run from Feb. 7-10.  Anyone and everyone interested in Christian writing is encouraged to enter. Winners will get an E-badge to display on their blog, website, Facebook or wherever. 

 

Two Missionaries

Dragon of Halong Bay (Vietnam). Photo by LoggaWiggler.

 

 

Two Missionaries

 

I have spent my life on this island, hiding behind these dragons. They were carved out of wood and spaced around the island to scare off any unwanted visitors.

Today the dragons are aging. The wood is cracked and broken; and so also, is the community behind them.

We were content to follow the old ways. We fished for food, made our tools, and worshipped our ancestors. We found comfort in these ancient patterns of life. Centuries back, my family was selected to be the guardians of our way of life. It is a sacred duty and we have always been zealous to keep it.

A man came from off island. I liked him, and became good friends with the man. But then I realized he was challenging the way of life I was called to protect. He was a missionary, attracted by the dragons.

I did my duty. But the incredible part was—when he knew he was about to die—he forgave me. He told me he was sorry he couldn’t prove to me his God was real.

He died well. He had no anger, no fear, and no regret. At that moment I wanted to be like him. Dying well, he had proven something to me. Loving his killer was proof enough for me.

Today I see the boats coming with more missionaries. He told me they would come. I have made a decision. I will not oppose them. When they arrive, I will encourage my people to listen to them. The power of their faith is stronger than death. I will no longer hide behind these toothless dragons. I have been protecting the wrong way of life.

But I also know my son is next in line as guardian of the dragon people. He is anxious to prove himself a faithful protector of the people. The minute I speak on behalf of the missionaries, it will be his responsibility to kill me. I trained him to know and love these traditions. I know he will proudly do his duty.

I hope I will die well, too.

 

The above piece of flash fiction was written for the one year anniversary contest for Flash!Friday.  The photo above is the prompt and this weeks instructions were to write exactly 350 words, not counting title. If you are interested in learning more follow the link.