Living faithful, fruitful and fulfilled on the mission field
How did Jesus choose His disciples? They were an unlikely group. Fishermen, a tax collector, a random doctor thrown into the mix. What did He look for in those who would serve alongside Him? Throughout history, God has chosen unlikely people to do His work. …
“Knowing God is about a relationship, not religion,” we tell people. This is true! We believe it. If we are honest, though, there are times when our relationship with God can feel pretty religious. We go through the motions without much connection. Dryness creeps in, …
How do you share the gospel effectively with Buddhists? We have been posting recently on how to communicate the gospel to people of other religions. This week’s post is written by Jay Judson. He has seen thousands of Buddhists come to Christ. Through his team, a large Disciple Making Movement began in a primarily Buddhist land.
Sister Soe Soe is a semi-literate Buddhist Background Believer. She came to Christ through relief efforts in the Delta region of Burma in 2008. Cyclone Nargis brought a wall of water forty miles up the Irrawaddy Delta killing 140,000 Burmese in a single night.
During this time, Sister Soe Soe received relief aid and heard the good news of Christ. Within three months of her baptism, Soe Soe started a network of twenty house churches.
Her coach modeled how to use the Picture Bible to discuss Christ. This Picture Bible helps defer embarrassment. People looked at the pictures and not to the face of the often shy facilitator.
Soe Soe was trained to tell the Bible story orally. She then had the listeners repeat the story back to them before asking a few questions to pull out truths about Christ.
Through this, she first led her sister to Christ, then her husband. Several months later, her entire family believed. Her coach gave her a book that compared the claims of Christ to the laws of Buddha. Sister Soe Soe could repeat the simple presentation even though she could not read it very well. Any time anyone asked Soe Soe questions about Buddhism and Christianity that she was unable to answer, she showed them the book.
Most of the churches we work with have been started by women like Sister Soe Soe. The Four Noble Truths of Christ book gave the key spiritual terms that worked in her context. It also increased her confidence to proclaim the good news that:
1) Christ offered His life on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.
2) He was buried and rose from the dead. Luke 24:45-48, I Cor.15:1-5
3) Christ will set His followers free from the cycle of sin and suffering. Romans 8:2
4) Christ will take them to the Golden City of Nirvana. Revelation 21:4
We strongly suggest sharing Jesus’ life story first before going back to the Old Testament. See the nine barriers you can download here for the reason why. This movement started in 2004 and spread to every state in Burma as well as to surrounding countries.
A temporary training church was modeled for me by Dr. George Patterson. We used this for six months. Then, we developed an indigenous simple way to worship Christ in homes, one that fits Buddhist background believers.
Five years later the Holy Spirit taught us that healing is not merely descriptive, but is a command of Christ. We have seen every miracle in the book of Acts including three people raised from the dead. Praise God!
Miracles are key, but unless new believers are given a clear explanation of why they left their religion, they fall back. Previous patterns of unbelief return.
We have only seen three percent of the hundreds of thousands of baptized fall away. Healing plus a clear gospel bridge helps us retain new disciples. It provides an answer for their faith.
Both cultural outsiders and insiders can discover these bridges. Best practices of indigenous local believers need to be studied and reproduced.
Watch me present the basics of this presentation developed by “the Major” via this YouTube link.
After meditating five hours every day for three years, the Major, a lawyer, had an important insight. He saw in Buddha’s law (the Four Noble Truths) that he had no chance of escaping the endless cycle of sin and suffering. It is a result of one’s sin.
Honest Buddhists admit that they have no hope of hitting the mark of a hundred percent perfectly sinless life. Buddha’s law requires we extinguish the flame of sin that Buddha declared burns inside of every person.
Buddhism teaches these four primary truths. Anyone working with Buddhists needs to understand these foundational beliefs.
1st Truth: Life is suffering—dukkha.
All of life is caught up in a constant cycle of suffering called dukkha: we are born, get old, get sick, and die. After death, the cycle starts all over again: we return as a human or a low spirit or as a high spirit, an animal, or a demon.
2nd Truth: Suffering is from cravings—samudaya.
All are born craving, clinging to things that pass away. The Abidamma Pitaka scripture calls this evil craving a ‘black fire’—a burning inside of every person. The monks say every person is born with ten evil cravings.
They are called the Ten Fires of Kilesa. According to Buddhist teaching, the ten flames of the ‘black fire’ defile our mind and body. They are: killing, stealing, committing adultery, lies, dissension, greed, planning to destroy others by trickery, verbal abuse, wrong thinking, and idleness.
The purpose of meditation is to get rid of sin. The Tripitaka states that there are thirty-one levels of existence. One must remain sinless for eons and eons of time to escape the cycle of sin and suffering. The thirty-one abodes are like a ladder, but you must be born in this world before attaining Nirvana.
If you commit one sin then you will never become a saint and enter Nirvana (A Buddhist version of a heaven-see below). This is the bad news of Buddha’s law. The Major says that Buddhists need to understand this bad news before they will be ready to engage with the good news of Christ’s salvation.
3rd Truth: Stop the cravings, and suffering will cease.
Samudaya (evil cravings, obsessions)—the ‘black fire’ in your heart— must be put out, and extinguished. Nibanna (Nirvana) is a place of no sin, no suffering.
Nibanna can only be attained by extinguishing the black fires of cravings kilesa. You must completely extinguish all evil yearnings, without any exception whatsoever.
4th Truth: The path for cravings to stop has eight steps.
The eight steps to the place of Nirvana (No Sin-No Suffering) are absolute, comprehensive, and require total perfection in each. They are (1) perspectives, (2) intentions, (3) speech, (4) abstinence, (5) livelihoods, (6) efforts, (7) contemplation, and (8) meditation.
The only one free from the cycle of suffering is the One who is 100% free. Jesus is absolutely, comprehensively, and totally free—of any flame from the black fire within. He is the One who alone can lead us over the bridge to the City, the place of no sin and no suffering…to Nirvana. This is the good news we have to share with Buddhists!
Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path are taught in all forms of Buddhism. They teach that; the cycle of suffering and death, (i.e. reincarnation) is not merely a “second chance” as many Hollywood Buddhists express. Buddhism teaches that one should do religious ceremonies and live a life of perfection. This is how you can escape the cycle of reincarnation. These principles apply to all.
We made a movie showing indigenous forms of worship called “The Golden City”. Watching it will give you many more insights.
For some, these principles are very new. What questions or comments do you have? Place them in the comments below or email us and we will put you in touch with the author of this guest post. Check out his website Obedience Life. Jay has written further about nine barriers for sharing the gospel with Buddhists. Download the pdf of those via the link below.
“Flex!” the team leader said loudly. My friend, Tim, led many short-term mission trips. Flex is his favorite word. When we received teams he was leading, we noticed this word used often. Learning how to be flexible, being willing to adapt, and able to adjust, …
In missions (and life), I’m not big on formulas. I’ve found that often A+ B just doesn’t equal C. But in John 15, Jesus gives us a simple answer for how to become more fruitful. Spiritual Rituals Bring Life After returning from a long trip, …
My heart pounded as I approached the immigration line. What would they say? Would I be allowed to enter the country? Would my bags be searched? I’d shared my testimony with someone on the plane feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit. Had I been courageous or stupid?
Trying to act like a relaxed, carefree tourist wasn’t easy. I knew they could pull me aside and interrogate further. Silent, but fervent prayers, went up to Heaven.
Courage is not the absence of fear. It is overcoming that fear and moving forward in spite of it.
I thought to myself, “I’m not feeling very bahadur right now!” Bahadur is the Nepalese word for brave. It is the middle name of many Nepalese men. Tik Bahadur, Man Bahadur, Ram Bahadur these are some of my friend’s names.
Nepalese make amazing Gurkha soldiers because of their bravery. The British army has hired them as mercenaries for years. They are fearless in battle. It is also why they make great missionaries. God is redeeming that beautiful aspect of who the Nepalese people are and using it for His glory. Not only Nepalis need to be bahadur. Any effort to complete the Great Commission requires courage, boldness, and faith.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome anxiety. It’s that willingness to step out of the boat and walk with God on water. Courageous faith forces us to keep walking when we seem to be sinking and fast. Without courage, boldness, and faith, you will not live a fulfilling life on mission with God. These three things must be actively cultivated in our lives.
I was doing a YouTube weight training workout recently. Don’t be too impressed. My weights are 1 kilo, 3 kilos and 5 kilos. Strength training is important, even if you start small. It helps with muscle tone as you get older, or so I am told!
Back to my topic. As I was doing the workout, the trainer said something that caught my attention. As you lift the weights, focus your mind on the muscle you are using. The muscle you think about as you lift the weights is the one that will grow.
Lying on the mat, weights in my hands, I focused on my muscles. Groaning, I pushed my arms into the air yet again.
Hmm. What you focus on as you push yourself grows stronger. Could that be true of our faith as well?
In Acts fourteen, Paul and Barnabas were ministering in a place called Iconium. They initially saw a lot of fruit. It says, “a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.” Not long after, there was a backlash. Some who refused to believe their message stirred up others against them. What had started well, looked like it might end in disaster. Paul and Barnabas, however, didn’t run away. They didn’t give up. It says they spent considerable time in that place and spoke boldly. God showed up and confirmed their words by releasing miracles.
It took courage to stay, boldness to speak, and faith to believe God would show up and do His part in that situation.
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
Acts 14:3 NIV.
Miriam-Webster defines these three words as follows.
The only genuine source of these three things is our relationship with God. As we are connected to Him, these things flow into our lives in increasing measure.
It takes courage to step into new things, such as new relationships, a new country, or a new situation. As the definition states, it also takes courage to stay there.
We need wisdom with our courage. Courage is not doing stupid and reckless things. It is obeying God and stepping out of the easy into the uncomfortable. We are courageous when we choose to obey His command to reach all nations. It is also being willing to have uncomfortable conversations rather than pulling away. It is showing up in a dialogue when you are the minority opinion, and being willing to express your perspective.
Most things worth doing demand courage of us. What do you know you need to do, but lack courage for today?
This is an absolutely critical characteristic in the life of a disciple, and even more so a cross-cultural missionary. Take a moment and ask yourself. How bold am I?
Some personalities are naturally more risk-taking. You may not have that kind of nature. That is okay. God Himself can place a boldness within us that pushes us to dare to do the things we could never do apart from Him.
Bold witness is a consistent factor in the launching of Disciple Making Movements. It’s vital if we want to pioneer new things God has put dreams in our hearts about. It must be nurtured within us.
When I’m feeling timid, I know I need two things; the Holy Spirit’s filling, and community. These strengthen us. Read Acts Chapter Two. Do you recall the difference in Peter’s life when the Holy Spirit filled him? Having a team of people you share both struggles and victories with increases boldness too.
We know the text from Hebrews, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” At times our faith is strong and fervent, other times it feels shaky. Faith is both a fruit of the Spirit and a spiritual gift. It is placed there by God Himself, not by our efforts. At the same time, we can be intentional about developing faith.
The Bible says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Meditating on what God’s Word says rather than focusing on what people say, breathes life into your faith like a balloon gaining air. It expands it.
Silence the voices of doubt. Listen to the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe. What is He saying to you? Nothing is too hard for Him. Rise up in faith my friend. Receive a new gift of faith from God today. He is able to overcome any challenge you face.
If you’ve noticed your courage, boldness, and faith have diminished, don’t despair. It’s okay to struggle. What is dangerous, is staying in that place without taking action. Invite the Holy Spirit to work in your life today. Ask Him to fill you again with renewed courage, boldness, and faith. He will meet you there.
Do you need prayer for this area? Reach out to us and the Missionary Life community. We’d love to stand with you for a fresh infusion of hope in these areas. Share your need below or on the Missionary Life Facebook group.
Have you ever met a missionary who seemed angry with the people of the country they worked in? Their mouths are always spouting off negative comments about the traffic, the food, and the way of life of the people in their host country? It’s an …
Reverse culture shock…it’s real. I’d returned to the United States after many years in India. Why do we need to make appointments two weeks in advance to see our friends? When I stop by, why am I not invited in for tea? I felt confused. …
The Lord’s Prayer is a wonderful model. We use it to teach new disciples how to pray. There are other prayers our Lord prayed that can be instructive to us as missionaries as well. In this article, we will spend time looking at the prayer Jesus prayed for His disciples. It is found in John chapter seventeen.
As we study this prayer of Jesus, we discover key concepts for life, ministry, and intercession. Our Lord’s prayers were outward focused. They were based on a deep love for His disciples. His prayers focused on God’s glory and Kingdom coming to earth.
Lessons From Jesus’ John 17 Prayer
John 17:15-19 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus prayed that we would stay in the world, not be extracted from it. We are called to live in the world and shine as bright lights, reflecting His glory. So often as Christians, and even missionaries, we build a Christian space (bubble) where we “live.” Jesus said He has sent us into the world, to live as those who are different, those who are being made whole. He uses the word sanctified.
What is sanctification? It seems like a heavy theological word we would use in seminary not everyday life. Dictionary.com defines sanctification this way, “to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.” Again, more big religious words.
Ruth Haley Barton explained this on a recent podcast. She said consecration, or holiness, has to do with wholeness, more than with doing everything perfectly. I love that! Yes! This happens as Jesus lives in and transforms us. We are being made whole. His life in us brings healing to our brokenness. We are sanctified.
As Jesus said, He was sanctified so his disciples could be sanctified. Missionaries and disciple makers must pursue ongoing wholeness and transformation. Only as we do this, are those we are training and ministering to are also going to enter that same wholeness. Jesus did this for us, we must do it for others as well.
John 17:20 My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.
A church planting coach I know often asks his coachees this question. “How are your disciple’s disciples doing?” If we want to see the rapid growth of God’s Kingdom, we need to think beyond the person we are sharing Christ with or training as a disciple. We need to think and pray for their disciples too.
This morning, in my quiet time, I prayed for my children. I also prayed for my grandson. He is my daughter’s son. I take great delight in praying for him. It’s a generational prayer.
How often do you pray for those you are investing in? Fairly often I would guess! It’s far less likely that you pray regularly for those they are now, or will one day disciple in the future. Maybe they aren’t even witnessing to others yet. Jesus prayed for “those who will believe in me through their message” John 17:20 NIV. He prayed for His disciple’s disciples.
We get what we pray for! Begin to pray not only for your disciples, but for those who will believe in Jesus through their message, through their witness. As you do that, you will begin to see a multiplication of disciples. God answers our prayers!
John 17:21-23 “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
It’s an incredible prayer Jesus prays over us! That we would be one as He and the Father are one. Perfect unity is not easy to achieve. It can only happen as Christ lives in us.
Notice the word “glory” in this passage. As we reflect the unity of the God-head, there is glory present. Glory is the manifest Presence of God reflected and demonstrated to the world. Nothing shows off who God is in a greater way, then when His people walk in loving submission to one another, honoring and serving each other. In a world so filled with self-centeredness, we stand out. Unity is noticeable and attractive. It is worth pursuing. It is worth praying for.
What does this unity look like? Its not sameness. It’s loving relationships that are deep and genuine. This means overlooking one another’s irritating personality traits. It is choosing to believe the best, choosing to honor rather than criticize. We overlook a “multitude of sins” (1 Cor. 13).
John 17:24-26 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
We must ask God to renew our passion to see His glory! We ask the Father, as Jesus did, for the grace to have fresh revelation of who He is, each and every day. When we see Him anew, we are able to enter His Presence. We draw near.
Jesus said, “I know you and they know that you have sent me…” How will the world recognize that God Himself has sent us to them? It is as we continue to draw close, as we continue to pursue Him. Jesus makes Him known to us, so we too can make the Father known to the world.
Pray for yourself and those you train or lead to have fresh revelation of God in their lives today. Pray that they will be able to see His glory, who He is in new ways. The result will be that the world will see Him too as He lives more fully within us.
I take great comfort in knowing that Jesus intercedes for me. Not only did He pray this prayer so many years ago, today He lives as our intercessor today. He prays for you. He prays for those who will come to know the Father through your message.
Why not join Jesus and pray with Him this week? Take this passage and pray it. Insert your name or the name of your disciples into the text. For example, pray like this, “Sanctify Francis by your truth; your word is truth. As you sent me, C. Anderson, into the world, I have sent Francis into the world. For Francis, I sanctify myself so he too may be truly sanctified….” Get the idea?
Let me know how that goes in the comments below or on the Missionary Life Facebook group.
Scripture sometimes frustrates me. I get annoyed when the realities of scripture don’t seem to match my life. Ever happen to you? Like the verse found in Isaiah 40:31, “they will run and not grow weary…” Hmmm. I get tired, really tired, sometimes. Perhaps you …