What have I done to serve the global church today?
Honestly, not much. The grand total of my contribution might be about ten seconds of prayer and 30 seconds of contemplation as Ethan showed me pictures from Bangladesh. I didn't give any money. I didn't really sacrifice any time. I didn't change any part of my day, in any way, despite the knowledge that billions of people have never heard the Gospel and countless Christians around the world are dying for their faith every day.
The rest of my week didn't fare much better. I mostly do what I want, when I want, without consideration of God's overarching plan for humanity. After all, this is the American way.
The pages about a "call" to missions being a threat really struck a chord. Many of the people I love and respect deeply treat global missions as something they are not "called" to do. In my day to day, I often act in the same way. Our reticence to relinquish our small plans for His glory must grieve God's heart. He wants to give us countless riches, and we settle for trinkets and trifles.
This chapter was a difficult one. In fact, I suspect by this point that many people who began to read this book (with conviction) have stopped before or during the reading of this chapter (out of conviction). The message is a hard one. American Christianity, as Platt points out, has become comfortable "assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all. In this way we choose to send off other people to carry out the global purpose of Christianity while the rest of us sit back because we're 'just not called to that' (73)."
Those of us raised in middle class families were taught to pursue higher education and admirable careers, while stowing away treasures on earth for "someday" (our own, or our children's futures). Is it possible that this American dream has led us away from God's plan? As the retiree who worked abroad said, "What else am I going to do with my retirement? I just want to tell as many people about the gospel as I can." I literally got choked up as I read his words. If only God would give me a heart so faithful and steadfast. If only God's glory was my first, last, and dominant thought every day. I pray that someday it would be.
Questions:
1. Respond to the following quote:
"[Statements about being called to the United States] are smoke screens because most of us really are not very concerned about the needs right around us. Most Christians rarely share the gospel, and most Christians' schedules are not heavily weighted to feeding the hungry, helping the sick, and strengthening the church in the neediest places in our country. But even if we were doing these things, we would still be overlooking a foundational biblical truth when we say our hearts are for the United States. As we have seen all over Scripture, God's heart is for the world (76)."
2. Have you viewed missions as an either/or phenomenon? Or have you agreed with Platt that we are to have a heart for both here (America) and there (everywhere else)?
3. Have you been open to the possibility of leaving everything you consider "comfortable" to bring the Gospel to places it has not been proclaimed? What would global, radical abandonment to Christ look like in your life?
1. I have heard this repeated too, about having a heart of the US. (This was actually Ann Coulter's response to the doctor who contracted Ebola in Liberia that he should avoid "those" places and help in the US). I would like to say I that I am above this argument, but my words may not say this but my actions would lean in this direction.
ReplyDelete2. I will say that I do believe we can have a heart for both. Especially in our time. There are so so many awesome NGOs and organizations i.e. World Vision, Compassion International etc that create great opportunities for us to give in meaningful ways not to mention missions trips etc. We need to only take the time and finances to do it!
3. I really don't know. I don't want to cheapen this time in my life, raising small children and the time and calling that involves. I'm not really sure, but I will be thinking and praying on it. I think it is something we need to keep in constant forefront because it changes as our life changes.