In case we’re not friends yet, go to my Facebook page and press “Like” Look up Jackson Wu Read more
In case we’re not friends yet, go to my Facebook page and press “Like” Look up Jackson Wu Read more
Craig Thompson, over at Clearing Customs, has a helpful article with “Eleven Tips for Helping Someone with Cross-Cultural Transition Loss.” It’s worth passing along to those you know who have made or will make a cross-cultural move. Here are a few of his suggestions: Remember that grieving is a long process. Don’t minimize the loss. Give advice cautiously. Help your [friend] create new traditions/rituals/activities. He also give a number of links and resource suggestions that some may want to check... Read more
Originally Posted at Desiring God. Read more
In the last post, I said that while I love the emergence of missional language, I don’t think it’s helpful for people to say, “Every Christian is a missionary.” Missionaries are missional but missional people are not necessarily missionaries. Think of concentric circles. The big circle represents those who should be missonal (i.e. all Christians). The inner circle represents missionaries (i.e. those crossing cultures). First of all, I want to respond upfront to an assumption I’ve heard voiced many times.... Read more
(This is a follow-up to an on-going series “Death by a Thousand Cuts“) chinese traffic Brakes. I feel nauseous more times than I don’t when in a taxi. Perhaps, it is due to some inherent desire to harmonize the yin-yang that drivers seemingly drive with both feet, alternating in rapid succession between brake and accelerator. I guess i just prefer either-or driving to a both-and approach. My stomach is not so culturally tolerant as if crosses back and forth, front... Read more
Werner Mischke, Executive Vice President and Director of Training Ministries at Mission ONE, has designed a new evangelistic booklet (“tract”) that uses an honor and shame perspective. It’s called The Father’s Love Booklet. I plan on writing up a review on it before long. From my initial survey of it, it looks promising. I’ve looked at a number of proposals for honor-shame tracts/booklets and have found it hard to find many that do more than trade out a few new... Read more
If you want to cause a stir among people in the ministry word, one way is to distinguish between “mission” and “missions” or contrast being “missional” with being a “missionary.” This is more than arguing semantics. Words matter. Words import all kinds of implied theology since words carry assumptions, many of which are subtle and hidden. Perhaps, our wording of things may contradict our stated theology and values; over time, certain ways of speaking undermine sound thinking. Unpacking this would... Read more
Here are some good words for those who seek to live a missional life: Balance is bunk. Here are a few words from the post: “Here’s the hard reality. All of us have multiple priorities. Each of these priorities has multiple and competing demands. Not only that, but most of these demands are mutually exclusive. That is, if you choose to do one thing, you’re also choosing not to do something else. . . .” I would add one thing.... Read more
Here’s a ministry more people should become familiar with. They focus on doing theological education internationally. They’re called Training Leaders International. Here’s their own self introduction: Throughout the world there are millions of pastors who are doing the difficult work of leading the church with little or no sound theological training. Training Leaders International is meeting this need in three ways. We send short-term teams to provide theological education. Our short-term trips partner with a variety of ministries around the... Read more
Shame and guilt are similar but have different orientations. It's important we clarify our definitions. Read more
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