We recently hosted our very first missions team here in Thailand.

The team was drawn together individually and separately from each other, but they all came together at the same time with a heart to serve!

It was a God ordained moment.

I didn’t really know what would take shape as we formed up, but we moved forward by faith anyway.

I was very pleased with what God did in and through each of us.

Here is the story of how each came: Continue Reading…

A Special Breed: Out of 6.5 billion people on the planet, there are only 430,000 Missionaries from ALL branches of “Christendom.”

Even more precious: Only between 2 and 3% of these 430k missionaries work among unreached peoples. Of the 2-3% of all missionaries working among unreached people groups, not all are strongly evangelical or believe in operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

*Here in Thailand, according to a recent study on church growth, 1/3 of all Thai who came to Christ came because of a miracle, sign, or wonder! Truly the Kingdom of God is not merely a matter of talk, but of power! (I Cor 4:20)

It is estimated that most long term missionaries will not make it past the five year mark in service. ”Missionary attrition” is a big problem which begs questions about how we are preparing and caring for these precious servants of God once they decide to “Go.”

With much of the church in the West talking about “restoring honor,” I believe we need to restore honor to our modern heroes of faith, our long term cross cultural missionaries. The famous preacher C.H. Spurgeon was quoted as saying, Continue Reading…

One of the aspects of missionary life among the “unreached” that I didn’t think a whole lot about before arriving overseas is the education of my children.  I had certain assumptions and had to learn through experience and time what would work and what would not.

Thinking Through the Issues:

Of course we gave some though about schooling for our kids while oversees, but we just assumed that we would homeschool them just like millions of other American families have been doing successfully.

Many of the available curriculum are solid and varied and we know of other examples missionary families that are doing it well.  But there are alot of challenges we faced that forced us to look into other options including private schools, both Thai and International standard.

We had to work through this thing for ourselves.  I guess you will have to face these issues too if you are coming to serve cross culturally as a family or as one that will be a future family.

One of the first questions that may pop into your mind if you have never lived overseas among another people is

“why wouldn’t you just put your kids in the public schools there, just like any native would”?

That’s a good question, but the answer is a difficult one.

I wrote a little about the complexity in my post, “The Challenge of Living Between Two Worlds.”

But in short, the educational standards and focus are not the same as they are in the West.

Here are just a few ways schools can be different oversees:

Discipline and Correction:

Even modes of correction and discipline given by teachers is different.  For instance, in one Thai private school when a teacher was correcting our then six year old son she told him, “If you don’t behave you will have to go into the dark room alone…where the devils and ghosts are.”

You can imagine how traumatic this could be for any kid that age, much less a Christian worker’s kid!  When we asked our Thai friends about this scenario, they were a little embarrassed but admitted that this is type of “discipline” is common.

Recently in the news here in Thailand, a teacher was caught on video paddling students in front of the class.  This man is shown leaning into the student’s backside with a full swing that would make A-Rod proud! Continue Reading…

You see the need.  You are stirred.  You hear the call.  You begin to prepare.

But what can keep you from your cross cultural mission?

Here are a few things I had to personally overcome.

As you read this, be encouraged to walk free and move toward the burning desire God has placed in your heart!

Crippling Debt-

The average American carries an average of anywhere from $7,000-$15,788 (14.5% average rate) in credit card debt; add to that high student loans (anywhere from an average of $5k to well over $100k), and you are putting yourself in a position to be forced to wait until you have knocked most of that, if not all of it down, before you are sent.

Is this one of the reasons we are seeing less and less young people from America coming overseas?

We in the West have to learn the principle of “delayed gratification.”  This is a tough thing for us since we are bombarded with constant media telling us to not be satisfied.  But I believe that if we faithfully practice the principles of finance found in God’s word, we will be able to free ourselves from the debt. We will also find that we not only have enough for our real needs, but we also have an abundance for every good work.

Incompatibility -

Once you are married you are in a life long covenant.  That’s why its important to know before you are married whether or not you want to be a missionary.

One of the first questions I used to ask my former girlfriends is “how do you feel about living in another country…as a missionary.”  If they were not interested I knew it wouldn’t work!

If you are already married, don’t give up on your partner if you want to serve overseas.  Take them along with you in the journey slowly.  As you move forward together, God can open their heart and show you his plan that includes both of you in all of your individual giftings and personality working together overseas.

If you are single, and want to stay that way, skip down to #6! Continue Reading…

How do you tell you if you are involved in a “Kingdom” work or an “Organizational” work when it concerns the Gospel, or more specifically, when it comes to church and/or cross cultural work?

Here are some insights from one of my favorite practicioners, David Watson:

Following are some filter questions I use to determine if I am involved in Kingdom work instead of organizational work.

• Is the work founded on Scripture-only or is it doctrine-based?
• Is the work obedience-based, insight-based, or knowledge-based?  (Obedience-based and knowledge-based are probably familiar terms.  Insight-based is about discovering all the nuances of Scripture, but may not lead to obedience if insight is the goal.  Most expositors and commentators are insight-based.) Continue Reading…

With our generation being bombarded by so much slick marketing and social media driven causes, it seems as if we may be drifting away from the core of what missions is.

Missions is losing its moorings, its definition, and is adrift.

Matthew 28:18-20 is the core of verse of cross cultural missions work.  It is the reason we go.  The last will and testament from the Lord Jesus Christ to the church of all generations.

Go.

Where?

Into all the world.

What should we do?

Preach the Gospel (so that it is clearly understood within that person’s own cultural context and language.  Shouting in the streets unintelligibly and simply quoting something to yourself like “God’s word won’t return to him void!” doesn’t count.)

What is the Gospel?

It is the Good News of Jesus’ death for sin and His resurrection; which is the defeat of sin, death, and Satan for all who believe and turn from the things that got us here there in the first place.

Then what?

Baptize those who believe in the name and authority of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.)

What is our confidence?

The Lord Jesus himself promises, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the age.”

Yet, with the simplicity of this one command being lost, it is being replaced with Christian “causes.”  Continue Reading…