Quote of the Week

Our quote this week comes from James Calvert.  This quote came to mind the other day while helping to prepare the staff for the SOFM this fall. Rev. Calvert was an Australian missionary sent to work with a cannibalistic tribe on the Fiji Islands. Before disembarking the ship's captain attempted to dissuade him saying, "You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages."  Calvert's reply was simple and powerful.

"We died before we came here." James Calvert

 

Thangka Project 4

Today we come to the conclusion of the Hope Project Thangkas.  If you recall, the third thangka ended with the crucifixion of Jesus.  The fourth one starts with the resurrection and ascension.  It continues on to Jesus sending the Holy Spirit and then shows how the Gospel is for all peoples, not just the Jews.  You'll notice our nomad friend has joined with the circle of believers.  The bottom of this thangka depicts the second coming of Christ.   I really love how this traditional art form was used to communicate things in a way the audience could easily understand.

Quote of the Week

Our quote this week comes from David Livingstone.  It is slightly longer than our usual quotes, but no less powerful.  I love the attitude that Livingstone displays.  It goes very counter to the attitude that a lot of people have towards cross-cultural ministers, at times pitying them for all they've had to give up to be involved in ministry.

"People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply paid back as a small part of a great debt owing to our God, which we can never repay? Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice." - David Livingstone

Tongue Twisters

While there are many barriers to bringing the Gospel to the unreached, one of the more difficult is linguistic differences.  There is no better way to reach people than in their own language. As Cameron Townsend, the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators said, "The greatest missionary is the Bible is the mother tongue.  It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner."  I feel that this concept also applies to any sharing - it is best received when someone hears the good news in the language they grew up speaking/hearing. To illustrate the challenge presented by languages click on the map below.  It shows a breakdown of the different languages just within the Middle East and Central Asia.

Quote of the Week

Our quote this week is in honor of Lyla's return to school.  I must say I don't agree completely with this quote, as I love spending time with my girls, but I do find it quite humorous.  I also realize it is August and not September :p

"Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day.  It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken." - Bill Dodds

 

Happy Birthday

Today is our sweet little Lyla's 6th birthday.  She is such an amazing blessing to our family.  We feel blessed to be her parents. 

Quote of the Week

Our quote today comes from an unknown source.  I wish I knew who had said it so I could shake their hand.  I think this applies in more areas than just missions.  From my point of view, people should be able to look at followers of Christ and see something that draws them.

"The reason some folks don't believe in missions is that the 

brand of religion they have isn't worth propagating."