Before you get the idea that I’m just a scrooge, please know that my caution is not just emotional.  In my sober moments, I do see at least two legitimate concerns.  To begin with; is it really the best use of funds?  My wife and I were shocked a few years ago when another friend who leads a mega church told us how much money they were putting into their next campus.  After we picked our jaws up off the floor and quickly crunched the numbers we realized that we could have planted at least 10 autonomous churches for the same chunk of change in different parts of the world.  One campus church recently was on life support and many “experts” would have recommended shutting it down if it were a traditional church plant.  But the reason the main campus didn’t close up shop was because they had sunk so much money into a building purchased for the campus and they didn’t want to lose it.  I wonder if they would have had that same amount of passion in keeping the doors open if the body in question were merely a daughter church meeting in a school.

But my main concern really deals with reproduction and further expansion of the Kingdom.  It may be that campuses actually put a lid on exponential possibilities as the outreach and vision can only go as far as the control of the mother ship.  But on the other hand, in simple church planting, when a mother church recognizes the calling of leaders, trains them, empowers them, blesses them, and releases them, then there is no end to the expansion. 

So while I do see the benefit of a campus and probably just need to lighten up a bit, I’m still cautious about the whole philosophy.  It may just be a passing phase anyway.  But what about you? Have you researched this issue and come to a conclusion on the matter?

White Space

I’ve been writing newsletters for over twenty years, mostly as a missionary but also the church newsletter when I was a pastor. One consistent piece of advice I’ve had over the years is that every newsletter should have wide margins and lots of white space. When the page is uncluttered it is easier for the reader to follow what’s being written rather than being distracted by the noise and visual dissonance on the page. As often as possible, even when I was tempted to write too many words and cram too much into a given space, I cut the verbiage down, simplified, and kept the message straightforward.

I’ve read a lot of newsletters over the years. The ones that don’t respect the rule of white space usually send a shiver through my soul and create an inner cringe. The writer’s all-too-important message is lost in the crowd (of words).

If the rule of white space is true for a newsletter, what does it look like when applied to a life? Your life is on display. People are following the lines of your life’s message. Do they see a bedraggled and bloodshot pastor barely making it from week to week, trying to put a good face on it but essentially drying up and burning out piecemeal?

In our increasingly chaotic society, it is vital that when people view our story, they see plenty of white space: God-ordained and –called order. As they see this, the likelihood that they will see the Word amidst the words of our lives is increased by a factor of 10? 100? 1,000? Who can say?

The reality check is that most of our friends aren’t used to seeing an uncluttered life. It may take them a while to adjust to it. Don’t let that stop you. Try a few things on for size and see what change they bring in your walk with Christ and your ministry.

First, reflect on the letter written to the church in Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2:1-6. What is the Spirit speaking to your heart about first love? Does this impact your view of busyness/margin?

Second, schedule in a Sabbath space in your week. Turn off the iPhone, leave the laptop at home, unplug from the digital and engage . . . quietness. Attune your ears to the still small voice. For me, that usually involves a park, the beach at sunset (I live in SW Florida), or journaling on a park bench. It may be different for you.

Third, schedule Sabbath spaces in your day. Take a few minutes every few hours to relax, meditate on a Scripture verse, or pray.

Give your “readers” the benefit of uncluttered message through the “white space” in your life.

 Can you Make it to God’s Finish Line?

A disturbing incident today.  A pastor I had approached to go to Africa as part of our teaching team, wanted time to think and pray before deciding.  Fair enough.  But now, I need answers and have to make my own decisions.  I consult their website to get his contact information, and there on the site is his resignation letter.  Sigh.  This man of God is dynamic.  The church under his leadership has experienced major growth.  But now, it turns out—at a price.  A very heavy price.  Gratefully, there was NO moral failure.  Just burnout, a burnout so complete, that recharging the batteries doesn’t evidently seem possible.  In his letter he referred to sleepless nights.  He spoke of the toll the ministry took on him and his family.  He concluded: “I knew it was time to draw a finish line…”  Sadly, although not absolutely foreclosing the possibility, he believes the pastoral ministry is not in his future.

The Apostle Paul could declare, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished the race.”  I’ve heard pastors say, “I’d rather flame out than rust out”.  I respond, “Are those the only two choices?”  My ministry, Barnabas Factor, is predicated on the idea that preventative self-care will allow us to last all the way to God’s finish line.  Are you pacing yourself to do that?  Or are you ready to draw your own finish line?

Tom Salter

1. CLOSE 2011.  For some of us, 2011 was not our best year.  Maybe we made some big mistakes or even committed blatant sins against God and others.  Maybe we have experienced some huge heart aches.  But the thrilling thing of a new year is the promise a fresh start.  If that is your case, then a good idea may be to actually list the mistakes and pains on paper and then burn it after it’s been taken to God. Was there sin?  Then repent and ask for forgiveness. Pain?  Then give that to God, ask for healing, and then bury it and go forward.  For others, 2011 was a great year.  2011 may have been a huge blessing with many victories.  If that was your case, then celebrate them and give God the praise for it, but don’t stop there.  The condition of many folks and churches is that they are still living in the victories of yesterday while the world goes on without them.  We should celebrate our 2011 victories.  We should build on our 2011 victories.  But if we stay there and camp out on them, we will then become stagnant and cease to grow.  In short, the best way to begin 2012 is to finalize 2011.  In Philippians, Paul noted that he was “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is head, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for what God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  In business, the books will soon be closed on 2011.  Let’s do the same in our lives.

2. GROW in 2012.  We understand this with young children.  We feed them, cloth them, educate them, and then expect that they will grow.  However, this principle of growth with our spirits and our minds somehow gets lost as we grow older.  The challenge here is to grow in such a way that when 2013 rolls around we can honestly say that we are different than what we were a year ago.  For growth in 2012, I would encourage everyone to read through the Bible this year.  There are many bible reading schedules you can choose from.  My favorite one is from Good News Publishers.  With this program, you read from the Old Testament in the morning and then the New Testament in the evening.  Now you might be tempted to say that you don’t have time to do this.  But when you think about it; we all have time to do what we really want to do.  Though we may have to give up some time in front of the TV or other activities, I can 100% guarantee you that reading through the Bible in 2012 will definitely change you.  In addition to the Bible, I want to challenge everyone to pick up a book or two written by someone who has gone ahead of you in the journey.  Two books I would recommend would be Radical by David Platt and Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  Are there other books you would recommend?  If we all planted a seed in the ground this year we would expect some kind of growth by next December.  In the same way, we can plant spiritually and likewise expect growth.

3.  SERVE in 2012.  In the West and particularly in America we live in very self-absorbed societies.  Living a life of service is actually somewhat countercultural, but the very kind of life Christ followers are called to live.  One of the great things about being a Kingdom citizen is that we are all part of the game.  God does not call any of us to be bench warmers.  We are all equal in the site of God, but have different gifts and abilities.  The challenge here is to serve those around you in whatever means are possible for you.  One of the mottos we will be picking up this year at the Crossings is: “Every Person to their Post.”  Sometimes in the West we expect the preachers, pastors, ministers, or other “Professional Clergy” to do all the ‘religious’ stuff.  But that concept is very foreign to Biblical teaching.  The Bible refers to all of us as a “Priesthood” of believers.  We are all called to engage the world around us with the love of Christ.  So let me encourage you to take a step of faith this year.  Let me encourage you to tell someone the true story of Christ.  Let me encourage everyone to look around and find some way to plug in to help others around them.  Jesus Christ himself said that he “did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”

“Teach us to number our days aright!”  Wow, imagine for a moment that you only had this next year to live. How would you live differently?  Just imagine how life could be different for you, those around you, and for the world as a whole if we really lived with an eternal perspective.  Are you ready to step out in faith this year?  Are you ready for 2012?  I hope so because it’s here.  So let’s take 2012 by the horns and see what we and God will do with it.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Obviously I’m not supporting the Nation of Islam.  I am in no way agreeing with Islam in general.  Islam is a false religion and Mohamed was a false prophet. That statement does not mean that I hate Muslims, but is rather an assessment of the facts.  I am not endorsing the methodology Malcolm advocated through most of his public life.  But I am suggesting that we can learn a thing or two from the way the Nation of Islam influenced his life, and see an illustrative picture of how the true nature of the Kingdom of Heaven should be lived out today.  These are principles which many Christians in the West desperately need to eternalize today.  So I’ve listed five quick observations below to begin with.  Anything you would add?

1. Malcolm believed, truly believed and read the Koran as being the word of “Allah.” To him the Koran was not just an intellectual book to ponder, but rather the direct word that came from God and thus should be believed and practiced as such.  For Christians, we have hundreds of proofs for the authenticity of the Bible.  Our problem in the West is not evidence, but conviction.  When people criticize the Bible, it is not from having checked the evidence and found it wanting, but rather a fear of having to come under the authority of the Bible.  We can have certainty in the Bible, but often in West we take it for granted.  Today there are people in places like China who risk their very lives for a copy of the Bible or even a portion of it.  The Bible is real.  So the challenge for Kingdom Citizens today is what I’ve said in many sermons, “we must read and heed the word of God.”

2. Malcolm was lost and found his identity in the Nation of Islam.  The significance to the “X” following his name goes back to the fact that many slaves who were brought to America were forced to take on their masters’ last name.  Thus their true tribal last name and ultimately their identity were lost.  The connection with the X was simply that Malcolm was rejecting his American last name.  In the “X” he was creating a new identity.  For followers of Christ, we can remember that Jesus came that we might have “life to the fullest.”  One of the hopes of authentic Christianity is that our true identity is found in Christ which is greater than whatever name appears on our birth certificate.  We can have confidence in knowing that we are children of God.

3. The Nation of Islam brought Malcolm into a larger picture and brotherhood.  In Islam, Malcolm was no longer an island unto his own scratching for his own needs.  He was now part of something bigger.  For the Christ follower, we can know that we are indeed part of something greater than even what Malcolm could have ever imagined.  The Kingdom of God stretches across time from the resurrection of Christ to today.  The Kingdom of Heaven exists all across the globe defying national boundary lines.  That’s why I can travel anywhere on the face of the earth and be in unity with people of different races, cultures, and tongues.  While authentic Christians are lovers of all mankind, our true brotherhood is found in Christ first.  As an American citizen, I pay my taxes and obey the laws of the land, but my highest allegiance is to Christ and His eternal Kingdom.

4. As noted, it was in prison that Malcolm came to Islam.  The reason why he was sent up the river in the first place was due to his crime and loose living.  But when he witnessed the higher moral character of Muslims, something inside him was drawn to the power of order and discipline that he had been unable to secure in his former life.  The Bible tells us that we are to be “Holy, because He is Holy.”  The point there is not working for salvation.  The point is not another moral code.  Rather we are saved by God’s grace and we are free in Christ from the curse of the written law.  But in the Kingdom of God, we should be driven by the Law of Christ within our hearts.  When we truly love Christ, we live for Him.  It is so easy to be loose in America today.  The sad reality is that sometimes Christians live in such a way that society notices no difference between them and those who don’t know Jesus.  As Kingdom Citizens however, we are called to live a higher standard.

5. Malcolm lived his life with purpose.  Unlike some leaders in the Nation of Islam, Malcolm apparently didn’t make a ton of money off folks.  He was not driven by the buck, but by an inner purpose.  I thought this one was huge.  We were all created with and for a purpose.  It was not God’s desire that we merely exist, but live for a reason.  God created all of us for something greater than just passing our days for an elusive retirement.  There is reason and purpose for our being.  A new slogan that I’m developing states “Every Person to their Post.”  In other words, in Christ we all have a position in the Kingdom of Heaven to be worked out.  For that reason, we can no longer sit on the sidelines watching the experts “do church.” We all have a job and the Kingdom is waiting on us.

In conclusion, Malcolm Little was a lost young man in search of meaning.  At a point of desperation and openness, someone from the Nation of Islam picked him up and he found purpose in Allah and a new identity in Malcolm X.  Unfortunately this great man was led astray by a lie and his ultimate potential was never realized.  After I watched the film last week I wondered how things might have been different if a Christian man had reached out to Malcolm in his hour of need instead of a Muslim.  I wondered how America and the world might have been different if Malcolm X had experienced the true power of the Resurrected Jesus Christ.  How different things might have been.  But what about our future?  I wonder how life today and tomorrow might be different when true Christ followers live for Jesus and His Kingdom with the same devotion that Malcolm did for what he thought to be true.  I wonder how many other Malcolms are out there who might be transformed when we all reach out with the love of Christ as he called us to.

I recently interviewed a missionary while traveling in Central America.  Her name is Jennifer Vesterburg and she and her husband have taken a unique approach to mission work in Honduras.  Most missionaries are Bible College graduates.  They are not.  Most missionaries plant churches.  They do not.  However, they are still preaching the Word of God and they are still making disciples.  But they are doing it in a radical new way. 

Aaron and Jennifer came to Honduras in 2003 with their four children.  They started with a missionary organization that was not a good fit.  After a year they decided that God was calling them to serve with another team.  They ended up calling Jim and Teri Riley who have served in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for almost 18 years.  The Riley’s eventually directed them to a village in the country.  Earlier they had stumbled across this village and discovered children who did not even know simple Bible stories.  Once the Vesterburgs visited the village of Las Botijas, they felt that they were exactly where God wanted them to be. Before they had gone to the village, they had done 3 years of itinerate pastor training around Tegucigalpa.  They wanted to continue this kind of work in the village.   But they discovered that the men were very basic in their knowledge and Aaron did not have the villager’s respect because they did not see him “working”.  So the Vesterburg’s made a decision to change their approach.  They decided to buy land, build a house, and farm alongside the people.  While both having farming backgrounds, this seemed a logical step to be “all things to all people”.  Along with their house, they built two dorms.  These dorms will host men who come from the surrounding villages to study the Bible.  The men will walk from 4 to 8 hours and then stay for a week learning about the Bible.  But they will also be learning about something else: farming.  All of the native pastors must be bi-vocational.   Many of them do not have an agricultural education.  So along with the Bible, these men will study crop rotation, fertilizers, pesticide prevention, and best practices to running a successful farm. 

At this time, the Vesterburgs are just in the beginning stages of their vision.  They have already completed their house, dorm, and have begun farming the land.  They have been in contact with a gentleman who has 8 men who would like to study with them.  The vision is coming to fruition.  Jennifer said that none of these steps have been easy.  But once they were committed to this new approach, God has opened doors for them.  The villager’s who did not have any respect for Aaron; now call him “Don”.  This is the highest level of respect in their culture. 

But how do you live in a village with no water or electricity?   How do you build buildings that will withstand the jungle humidity and insects?   How in the world do you run a Bible training center and educational farm in a third world country?    It starts with a lot of patience.  The Vesterburgs have now lived a year without electricity.   Jennifer is very excited about the solar panels that are coming next month.  For water, they run over 2 miles of pipe from a mountain stream.  Unfortunately their supply can be interrupted by heaving rains bringing mud and the occasional villager who just wants a drink and doesn’t put the pipe back together!  They also have a water storage cistern that sits above their home that they may use during the rainy season.  They would also like to design a whole house water filter with sand and gravel.  They built the walls of their home with Styrofoam, rebar, and cement.  Their farm consists of 38 acres.  They grow coffee and vegetables.   They would like to try wheat, but at this time they have no way of thrashing it.  They need to invent or acquire a miniature combine.  They plow with oxen.  Since much of the farming is done by hand, they have seven full-time employees who work 6 hours a day.  Jennifer cooks them a big lunch every day and Aaron leads them in devotions.  None of the men are Christians and now they are starting to ask questions about the Lord. 

Even though this new approach has been very lonely and difficult, Jennifer says they are right where God wants them.  They are making a huge impact in a village that needs Jesus, as well as a region that needs pastors and churches.  They are symbolically and literally planting seeds for the Kingdom of God.   They are doing it in a way that most traditional missionaries are not able to do.  But God is using their hearts and their gifts to reach an unreached area for the gospel.  And the harvest will be plentiful.

1. Vision. 

The vision of Jobs has affected all of us.  He was not out just to make a buck, but to change the way life is done and he succeeded.  I can travel just about anywhere in the world today and connect with my wife and kids before bed time through tech and that’s because of the vision of Steve Jobs and guys like him.  Our God is a creative and visionary God.  The creation is testimony of God’s vision and we as His children are endowed with at least some of that entrepreneurial spirit.  Are there God given ideas pent up within you that have been forgotten or lay dormant?  Why not dig those dreams up and take another stab at them.  The book, Visioneering by Andy Stanly is a great resource on this.

2. Leadership. 

One thing that interested me about Jobs was not just his visionary creativity, but his ability to lead the corporate side of Apple as well.  Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal noted that Jobs did “what a CEO should.  He hired and inspired great people; managed for the long term, not the quarter or short-term stock price; made big bets and took big risks . . .”  I would say that this is one thing that is sorely needed in many struggling churches today.  We need men and women who treat kingdom work like the eternal thing it is and not just another hobby to pass the time with on a weekends.  We need leaders who will lead.  This principle is not reserved for the Church, but for every aspect of life.  Do you see a need in your sphere of influence wherever that is?  Why not take a step out of the comfort zone today and take someone with you?

3. Focus.

Jobs noted in 2005 that “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”  This reminds me of the occasion in John 9 where Jesus taught that we must do the work God has given us while we have the time to do it.  What projects are you putting off for ‘another day’ which may or may not come?

4. Determination.

Jobs was actually pushed out of Apple in 1985.  However, 11 years later, Steve came back as Apple was crumbling and turned the company around to become the giant it is today producing some $65.2 billion annually.  Depending on how you count things, I’ve read that Lincoln experienced somewhere between 10 to 16 major upsets in his life before becoming president of the United States.  From Jobs, we can learn to fix our eyes on the finish line and never give up.  Is there a saddle you need to get back into and keep riding to the end? Note also Philippians 3:13-14

5. Mortality. 

Plain and simple; Steve Jobs just died.  Yes, this is similar to point three.  But the emphasis here is on the spiritual outcome or eternal fruit of a life.  I don’t know where Steve stood with God in his final moments on this earth, but it does raise the question of what we’re investing for.  I can’t imagine how much cash Steve died with, but none of that will do him any good in eternity.  Our mortality is a reminder to us that we must invest in the Kingdom of God now because things of this world will ultimately pass away. Now is the time; what are you investing in?

Deb and Teri Riley

Well the Hinton house is much happier these days with Deb home from Central America.  She got back into Houston on Tuesday from Honduras and is presently sending out a newsletter to some of our supporters.  So I wanted to include part of her report here for the Kingdomology Crew.  Thanks to everyone who lifted her up in prayer this past week. 

International Conference

The trip to Honduras and Costa Rica was amazing. When we first arrived we had a day of rest to see Tegucigalpa, tour the church building that the Riley’s are working on, and get ready for the 38 women who were spending the night with us before our long bus ride south. We ended up riding in a school bus for 22 hours, going through two border crossings, and all with only six bathroom breaks. The retreat center in Costa Rica was beautiful. It was set high on a mountain overlooking the city of San Jose. I spoke three times the first day, and another lady, Roma Backus, spoke on Saturday. The content of our talks was celebrating being a woman, understanding your wounding, and becoming restored in Christ. The women were receptive and many started on a road to healing. There were times that we had to stop during our talks and pray because of women who were weeping. I had the opportunity to meet with many women one on one and to share scripture and pray with them. They were so hungry for the Lord and His will in their lives. We ended the retreat with a spa for all of the ladies. After our 22 hour ride back to Honduras, I spent time with Jim and Teri Riley and their family. It was so good to reconnect with old friends in Honduras and Costa Rica and encourage each other in the Lord.

Thank You

The Gringo Gals

I want to thank everyone for your sacrificial help in making this trip happen. Thanks to all who gave financially. The recession is wide and deep and I appreciate your open hands. Thank you to everyone who stood with me in prayer. I could feel your intercession all along my journey. You prayed, and heaven answered. On the day I arrived in Honduras, I was mugged. But even though I lost my camera, I was unharmed and the mugger did not steal any of my cash or documents. We traveled safely on the road for 44 hours on a school bus. The women were receptive to God’s leading, and all of us who spoke or led workshops were amazed at how the women received us. I have already been asked to come again next year. We will see where God leads me. Thanks again for your support and encouragement of our ministry.

Love,

Debi.

PS From Steve, Look for a further report from Deb in coming weeks.