Category: Kingdom of Heaven
Apr 17
To the Churches Whose Missionaries Have Come “Home”
It was 2001. My family had arrived in Kazakhstan in 1996, the first American family in our town, and been joined by other Americans and Aussies over the next several years. It was a fairly isolated place, and we certainly didn’t have Facebook and Zoom to remain connected to friends and family in our sending …
Aug 20
Humble Leadership (Part 3)
(Click Part 1 or Part 2 for the first two posts.) Leaders are influential not only through instruction of others, but by the example they set. One of the challenges of being in a position of authority is that every word and action is more carefully observed. As a result, many leaders feel they have …
Aug 12
Humble Leadership (Part 2)
(To read the intro, click Humble Leadership, Part 1) When we think of influential people, rarely do we get a picture of someone asking for help. From the perspective of the audience, a powerful speaker may seem to have everything under control, to be fully in charge, and to be confident that what he or …
Aug 05
Humble Leadership (Part 1)
Humility is the antithesis of worldly politics, where it is all about proving one’s strength, demanding respect, and elevating oneself above rivals.
Dec 28
Faith or Foolishness
Part 1: March 2017 It seemed like an awesome opportunity! I had connected with a non-profit organization working in Iraq and they expressed interest in bringing me out there to provide trauma training. Since I was already planning to go in the summer to Africa, I suggested coming “on the way.” But the heat of …
Aug 07
Trusting God’s Supply (The Perfect Prayer: Part 2)
Jesus started His “sample” prayer with centering on God, both in His holiness and His grace to accept us as children. He then shifts to the practical, where we often find at the forefront of our thoughts. The God of Provision Jesus continued (Matthew 6:11): “Give us this day our daily bread.” In many ways …
Jul 23
Love Your Neighbor (don’t assume he’s an enemy)
The day I arrived in the city two bombs went off, one by a restaurant and the other by a mosque; over 40 people were killed. It did nothing to deter the training of “frontline workers” whose ministry was in thick of persecution and unrest; in fact, it was barely mentioned. Instead, we spent the …
May 22
The Perfect Prayer (Part 1)
There are a wide range of prayerful traditions, and a great deal of value in everything including liturgy, psalms, intercession, and so much more. Having seen God at work in many difference prayerful contexts, I find it hard to say the there is a “best” way to pray. Yet Jesus’ disciples asked how to pray, …
Jan 04
Blessed are the Persecuted
It was the morning of Good Friday, almost 2000 years after Jesus was on trial. My father and other organization members had gone to the courthouse. I lived with my family in Central Asia, and for months our whole team had faced investigation from the government, court summons, attempts to sneak out of the country …
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