Missionaries were sent forth into a poor country where few people knew of the salvation made possible through the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary. They went with much zeal and enthusiasm and had no trouble finding people who wanted to hear the gospel. Before long they had gathered many converts. In fact, it seemed … Continue reading A tale of two missions
Faith and life
The impossibility of the missionary’s task
We have this delightful mythology of the middle class white Christian who goes to some “dark heathen land” to preach the gospel and finds people who respond to the message with enthusiasm. He reports large numbers of conversions and baptisms, he establishes churches and all is wonderful. This mythology is fed by missionary hymns and … Continue reading The impossibility of the missionary’s task
Beware of empty religion
A universalist preacher, a gifted speaker, was holding meetings in a certain town and many came to hear him. At the close of the last meeting he asked if they wished him to come back every week to hold services. No one responded. Finally he asked if anyone objected to him coming back. Again there … Continue reading Beware of empty religion
To see as God sees
By virtue of my birth into this world, I am of the earth, earthy. This means that I have a natural affinity for all that is earthy. I gauge success the way the world gauges success; I gauge failure the way the world gauges failure. I expect governments to care for the elderly, the mentally … Continue reading To see as God sees
Ghosts and goblins
Today is Hallowe'en, when little children will be decked out in scary costumes and sent to collect candy from kindly folks in the neighbourhood. Many people consider this innocent fun and the children truly are innocent of any real understanding of the symbolism. However, there are elements in our society who revel in celebrating the … Continue reading Ghosts and goblins
Feral Soul
Defenceless Christians
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and … Continue reading Defenceless Christians
What do we have inside?
Ravi Zacharias, in one of his books, quotes an African proverb which says: "A man shows what he has inside by what spills out when he is bumped." Much as we might wish to avoid it, we are going to be bumped, by circumstances that we did not foresee and by people who do not … Continue reading What do we have inside?
Where have all the doctrines gone?
There were three churches in the town where I grew up. The doctrinal position of each was well understood and inflexible; none of them would have been considered evangelical. About the time I began high school, an itinerant evangelist held meetings in a rented hall and people’s hearts were sufficiently stirred that a Baptist congregation … Continue reading Where have all the doctrines gone?
Marriage
We have invitations to three weddings posted on our fridge. We would like to be at all of them, but the only one we will for sure attend is the one that takes place tomorrow in our home congregation. This one involves a young man from Mississippi who is marrying a sister of our son-in-law. … Continue reading Marriage
Flatlander Faith 