Author: C. Anderson

A Lament In Time of Crisis

A Lament In Time of Crisis

I was reading through an old journal as I worked on a book I hope to publish one day. I came across this poem. It was written when we were trying to purchase land in India for a widow’s home.  Things had been tough.  The 

When Grief and Suffering Transform and Bring Life

When Grief and Suffering Transform and Bring Life

Sometimes our greatest transformation comes out of the moments of our deepest grief. Recently, YWAM around the world was rocked by the tragic news that eight key leaders were killed in a horrible bus accident. Our hearts go out to the families and staff who 

Why Sabbath Needs to Be One of Our Spiritual Disciplines

Why Sabbath Needs to Be One of Our Spiritual Disciplines

Is the Sabbath something we need to observe today? Didn’t Jesus ignore the Sabbath and do ministry on that day? Isn’t every day holy now? These questions about the Sabbath run through our thoughts. Why take Sabbath anyhow? Maybe when you think of Sabbath you think of a boring day with rules and regulations and sitting and doing nothing.

For years, I felt confused by the Sabbath. I knew it was one of the Ten Commandments. All the other 10 commandments were universal laws I held in high regard. “Do not murder” and “Do not steal” were listed right there with “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” Why was this command somehow less important to me than the others? I was baffled, so I ignored it. It certainly wasn’t convenient or easy to make room in my life for Sabbath! Sometimes I even wondered if talking about Sabbath was a trick we pastors used to get people to come to church!

After many years in ministry, God began to speak to me about the Sabbath. I started studying it in Scripture. I knew I needed rest in my life. My lifestyle as a busy stressed-out minister was not reflecting His Kingdom well.

Living Life From Rest

As I studied the Sabbath, I discovered that Jesus was not against the Sabbath. He didn’t tell us to stop practicing this spiritual discipline. Like tithing and other Old Testament laws, He didn’t get rid of the law, He took it to a new level. He took it beyond the law to the transformation of our hearts. Instead of only having a day of rest, Jesus wants us to live life from a place of internal rest. A great way to begin learning to do that is by observing a weekly day of Sabbath- a day when we stop our work and ministry activities.

Sabbath Isn’t Convenient

At that time, I was working in the slums. It wasn’t easy to take a day off. Sundays were our busiest day in ministry. It was the day when people were most available and likely to have time to talk to us. Not everyone in the slums got a day off, but some did. We spent the day leading house churches, visiting interested seekers, and doing well-baby checks. Saturday was also an important day for children’s ministry, clinics, and team meetings. On normal weekdays, I tried to take some time off. My kids were homeschooled though so I still had to work on doing that. Even when I took time off from ministry, there was laundry to be done, and emails to be caught up on.

Passionate about what I was called to do and highly committed, I plowed on through. “I’m fine without much rest,” I thought. I made sure my staff got a day off, but I rarely took one. There was so much to do! Honestly, I kind of took pride in not needing as much rest as other people.

Until God convicted me. “The model you are giving to others is not a Kingdom model. It doesn’t reflect me,” God said. “You are not taking care of your body or your family well. You are not living the life I paid a price to give you.” That stopped me in my tracks!

From that point, I began a journey of learning about the Sabbath and what it meant to enter the rest of God. Ten years later, I am still learning! This is not something a driven person like me masters quickly. I continue to pursue it, however, because I know that when I don’t, not only do I suffer, but those I lead do too.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Ex. 20:8-NIV

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ” Matt. 5:17- ESV

It Starts With STOP!

To observe the Sabbath, you have to stop. This is an important word to remember as you begin to practice a Sabbath discipline. Stop working. Stop doing things that drain you. Stop giving out.

Why do I call this a discipline? Because for many of us, stopping is difficult. We have a well-established habit of being busy. We’ve been on the treadmill so long, we don’t know how to get off of it. For some of us, we have what might be called workaholic tendencies. We feel good when we are productive and working hard. We feel important. Stopping work creates a sense of emptiness, even boredom.

If that is you, then, believe me, you desperately need Sabbath! Consider that longing for productivity a red flag waving before you saying “Stop! Slow down! Let God be God in your work and ministry!”

Sabbath drives us back to a place of realizing that God is bigger than we are. It forces us to realize that the ministry is His not ours to take care of. It makes us understand afresh that we are not God. We are limited and live in bodies that need to rest. God designed us to need to stop. We must sleep each day and Sabbath weekly. We need to shut down and cease our labor.

What Do You Do on Sabbath?

why take sabbath

Okay, you’ve determined to take a Sabbath. But what do you do? Sleep. Play. Relax. Make love. Do things that refresh you! Play football or listen to music. Draw a picture. Plant some flowers. Read a novel or magazine. Listen to a sermon if you want. Sit and listen to the wind in the trees. Talk to (or even better, listen to) your spouse. Make special food. More than anything else, make sure you stop your normal activities.

Sabbath doesn’t have to be “spiritual” in what we normally call “spiritual.” It isn’t a day you spend in intercession and prayer or only reading your bible all day. You can do those things if they are refreshing to you. But don’t do them out of duty, or to once again perform. God is giving you a day off! Take it!

You will be surprised at how as we stop, and as we let ourselves rest, His joy, His peace, His Presence and often for me, His direction and inspiration come. The Sabbath gives space for our lives to settle. Things so often then become clearer.

Start This Week!

Are you observing a Sabbath day each week? Do you take a day to rest from your labor in ministry? Do you stop- really stop working, and allow yourself to rest?

If not, begin this week. I promise. This spiritual discipline will transform your life! Just as much as prayer, fasting, reading your Bible, or any of the other wonderful disciplines God has given us to practice – the Sabbath will do its good work.

4 Things to Do as You Begin:

1) Decide when you will Sabbath every week. It doesn’t have to be on Sunday if you are a pastor or minister and that is not a good day to rest. Make sure to take a full 24-hour period each week. What day will be your Sabbath?

2) Write down clear boundaries for yourself. What will you not do on the Sabbath?

3) Brainstorm a few things you will do. What refreshes your soul?

4) Prepare for the Sabbath by telling others when you are taking it. Then they can respect those boundaries and not give you work to do on that day.

Many blessings as you take this step forward in Kingdom living. As you practice this the answer to, “Why take Sabbath?” will become more and more clear!

Is Your Team’s Spiritual Gift Mix a Delight of Unique Flavors?

Is Your Team’s Spiritual Gift Mix a Delight of Unique Flavors?

Some flavors go together well. Others just don’t. Like lemongrass and coconut milk in Thai food. They complement each other and are delicious. Or palm butter and rice. Yum! But when you put minced chicken with ice cream it just doesn’t work, right? My husband 

Are You Working Hard For God? Or Working Well With God?

Are You Working Hard For God? Or Working Well With God?

Sabbath is a day for rest and intake. I try to do things that will refresh and renew my soul. One of these for me is listening to audiobooks. Recently, I’ve been listening to a book called More of God by R.T.Kendall. Something struck me 

How to “Jump Start” Your Success as a New Missionary

How to “Jump Start” Your Success as a New Missionary

A beautiful story is told in the movie Fly Away Home. It is about a young girl who raises a flock of geese. She is there when the goslings hatch. Thinking she is their mother, the growing birds follow her around everywhere she goes.

This film demonstrates what is called imprinting. Whatever an animal is exposed to, in the first days of its life, it bonds with. The animal will mimic its substitute “mother” and draw all social cues from them. If a kitten is cared for by a cat, it will learn to act like a cat. But if a kitten is cared for by a dog, it will begin to act like a dog, even though it is a cat. This is a strange but real phenomenon that creates interesting scenarios!

So how do these concepts apply to the cross-cultural missionary?

Who we are nurtured by, and how we enter our new culture is very important.

Bonding And The Missionary Task

Tom and Elizabeth Brewster introduced this concept in the missions world years ago. They developed in a book they wrote called, Bonding and the Missionary Task.

Their theory is still well worth paying attention to.

The Brewsters taught that a missionary bonds to the people they spend the most time with when entering the mission field. In their book, they encouraged cross-cultural workers to create emotional ties with nationals rather than other foreigners. This is especially vital in the weeks and months when you first arrive in a new culture.

I’ve experienced the power of the bonding principle in my own life. Awareness and application of this concept give new missionaries a powerful head-start. It moves you quickly toward greater effectiveness in your missionary endeavors.

A Mooda And A Mat

We arrived in Nepal in 1991, brand new missionaries. It was so exciting to be there, the land of our calling. We had prepared as much as we could. But nothing could fully prepare us for such a new and different culture and way of life.

Before arrival, we requested our leaders to find a host family for us to stay with. About a week after we landed in Kathmandu, we moved into a simple rented room next to the room of our hosts. We shared all our meals with them and their two boys.

The room was simple, with unpainted cement walls. We slept on a mattress on the floor. Our only furniture was a mooda (a short Nepali woven stool) and a bamboo floor mat. It was fun and hard- all at the same time. But we learned so much about Nepalese life and culture!

We jumped straight into immersion-style language learning. Our language progressed rapidly. It was a huge adventure, but also a tough one!

When our six-week stay with the family was over, we breathed a sigh of relief and ate a big plate full of toast. It was so good to eat something different from rice, lentils, and curry!

That initial time of bonding with Nepalese people was vitally important. The insights we gained, and the relationships built, carried us forward in our missionary journey.

Jesus Our Example

Jesus is our great example of missionary entry. He was born as a baby and took on human likeness. He was completely dependent on Mary and Joseph for help, though He was God incarnate.

“He made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Phil. 2:7 NIV.

Placing yourself, like Jesus did, into a new culture as a dependent “infant” isn’t easy. We must lay down power and become like a child, relying on local people for our needs to be met.

As we follow Christ’s example of a humble entry into a new culture, we can understand local people better. We also demonstrate Christ to them in far greater ways.

Are you convinced? Do you want to be proactive about bonding with your new culture well? Here are some suggestions that will help you have a successful entry experience.

Practical Tips For A Missionary’s Entry Into A New Culture:

1) Prepare for your entry (both mentally and physically).

Learn all you can about your new place and culture before arrival. Read books, watch videos, and talk to others who have lived and worked there before. Be a student of the people and place, even before you arrive. Begin to also prepare yourself mentally for the sacrifices you will need to be ready to make. You will need to be prepared for some major adjustments in food, comforts, and habits.

2) Immediately jump into language and culture study full-time.

Don’t ease into it, or try to “get set up first,” then start language study. If at all possible, arrange a place to stay that will not require you to “set up your house” for the first weeks and months.

That can come later after the initial bonding period is completed.

Determine which language study method you will use (see my e-book about this) prior to arriving. Then you can start immediately.

3) Limit hanging out with other foreigners (first 3-6 months).

Recognize that you are in a very critical bonding time. It is a season. This is not forever. Eventually, you will need relationships with people from your own culture too. But for now, restrict your engagement with other foreigners.

4) Intentionally depend on local people for your needs.

At all costs, avoid bonding primarily with other Koreans, Brazilians, or Americans to get your needs met. Instead, be intentional about looking to local people to help you.

Do you need someone to take you to the doctor? Ask a local friend to show you how to navigate the system at the hospital. Need to buy stamps and mail a package, ask a local person to help you understand how the post office works.

This can be difficult when your language is limited, and it’s not a hard-fast rule. Asking for help from indigenous people will help you become a part of their community.

5) Consider living with a host family for a few weeks or longer.

There is great value in staying with a family who is from the culture you are now living in. Staying in their home and being with them 24-7 will give you valuable insights into their way of life.

There are some good articles available on how to choose a good host family if you decide to pursue this.

You Will Never Fully Become One Of Them, But…

Even with imprinting, a dog might act like a cat, but it will never actually become a cat. That is impossible! Neither will you ever fully become an Uzbek, Nepali, or a Fulani. Initial cultural bonding will help you be much more a part of them than you would be otherwise! You will learn how to act like them, speak like them, eat like them. These cultural bridges will greatly help when you have enough language ability to begin sharing the gospel.  They will jump-start your success as a missionary.

Are you already working cross-culturally? Perhaps you didn’t do what I described above. What could you do this week to make yourself more dependent on local people?

Not yet on the field? If you are preparing for entry, what questions do you have about preparing to culturally bond?

Let me know in the comments below or on the Missionary Life Facebook Page.

Take Notice! This Small Change Could Open More Than Just Your Eyes…

Take Notice! This Small Change Could Open More Than Just Your Eyes…

It is so easy to walk right past people, to not even notice them. I almost did that yesterday. He was standing out in front of his food stall. Looking for customers. About fifty years old, balding, and with a roundish figure to match his 

Why Importing Cultural Christian Forms Is an Ineffective Practice

Why Importing Cultural Christian Forms Is an Ineffective Practice

We sang the translated song with its complicated chords and transitions. The words were Nepali, but the tune (loi) was not at all Nepali in style. “Prabhu ouchalchu tapaiko nao” (Lord, I lift your name on high)…we sang. The first part isn’t so hard, though 

Is Your World a Noisy One? 4 Reasons to Practice Silence

Is Your World a Noisy One? 4 Reasons to Practice Silence

Our world is increasingly noisy. I’m not talking about the traffic noise we became used to when living in India. Nor the barking dogs and blaring puja chanting…though that was there too. I’m referring to the noise inside our heads. Finding silence is not easy. When we finally can escape external noise, our inner thoughts increase in volume.

Sometimes I find myself saying things like, “Why didn’t I get that done yesterday? I should have worked harder. So and so was distant to me, I bet they don’t like me. Why did I wear that outfit yesterday, I looked ridiculous. Was my message boring? That lady on the front row seemed sleepy….

Maybe these aren’t the things your inner voice says. I’m pretty sure, though, that it says something the moment you stop and sit still before the Lord. Am I right? We have to learn, not only to remove external noise but to shut down our inner voices too.

The practice of silence and solitude is essential to our relationship with God. Unless we quiet the voices screaming in our head, we will not hear our Master speak. Oh, how we need His voice! His conviction leads us to repentance. His direction leads us to fruitful, meaningful ministry.

When 42 Seconds Feels Like 5 Minutes

We were on a retreat. “Go outside and find a quiet place to sit,” they said. “Try to be quiet before God. Don’t pray. Don’t read your Bible. Just be still.” It sounded easy. It was not.

Finding the quiet bench in the garden of the Catholic retreat center where we had gathered…was not so hard. But I was so accustomed to talking to God. I’d not learned to be silent. Or at least not very well.

I set a timer on my watch. I was going to do this for five minutes.

Concentrating, when my inner voices began to speak, I pushed them away and focused on my breathing. In…out. In…out. Looking at my watch I thought the five minutes must be over. Nope. Only 42 seconds had passed.

Practicing silence is a discipline. It takes time to learn and grow in this habit. Well worth the work to learn, it can bear great fruit in our lives. Silence is essential to the development of our inner life.

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13 NKJV.

Why Do We Need To Practice Silence?

1) Silence is where God convicts.

I’ve sometimes wondered why it’s possible for Christians, who love God, read their Bibles daily, and go to church, to get so off track. Why do ministers and leaders fall into sin? How are we so easily deceived?

Part of the reason is we don’t take time to be still and silent before God. We are so busy working for Him. There is no space for His Spirit to convict. We do not give room for Him to shine His light on our hearts. This is not only unhealthy, but it is also dangerous.

Daily repentance, cleansing the soul before the Lord, is as essential as brushing your teeth and washing your face.

2) Silence is where God heals.

We live in a broken world and are surrounded by wounded people. Inevitably, we get bumped and bruised as we make our way through life. God wants to heal these wounds. Some are surficial and some go deep. Childhood pain also makes us stuck. We can’t move forward until God touches and ministers to those things in our lives.

I often find myself avoiding silence when I’m in pain. I don’t want to feel what’s going on inside my heart. I’d rather suppress and avoid it.

That habit; working more, and distracting myself with things like TV or social media, never leads to healing. Honestly, nor does praying. I need silence. To sit before the Lord and allow Him to come into that place of pain and touch me. Silence is where that happens.

3) Silence is where God directs.

In John 15, Jesus said, “Abide in me and you’ll bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing.” Silence is part of abiding. It’s just being with God, without words. Silence gives God a chance to guide us. Are we on the right path? Are our priorities in alignment with His for the day?

Regularly, when I am silent, God reveals answers to me. Solutions I never could have found, apart from that time of stillness before Him, rise to the surface.

4) Silence restores the soul.

Our hearts were not made for 24-7 noise. Yet the moment we awake, the radio or TV goes on. The noise in our world is relentless. Psalm 23 says, “He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” The quiet, the stillness, it renews us. Are you weary? Come to Him and rest. Don’t pray. Don’t work. Don’t read. Just rest before Him and let Him touch your tired soul.

A Call To Silence

Start small. Don’t think you need to begin with 20 minutes in silence. Start with two or three minutes each day. Then add to that.

This week, would you take 3 to 5 minutes each day and be silent before the Lord? No praying. Quiet your own inner voice and simply be there with God.

Let us know how it goes on the Missionary Life Facebook group, or in the comments below.

Navigating Tricky Cross-Cultural Relationships

Navigating Tricky Cross-Cultural Relationships

Some relationships are just plain difficult. No matter what you do, it feels like lose/lose. This is particularly painful when those relationships are with the people you came to serve. Navigating cross-cultural relationships can be a rough road. How do we do it well? It