Yesterday I had the privilege of sitting with three representatives of SIM and to chat candidly about the issue of missions and the local church. We talked about the reasons for the decline in missions in the North American church. We talked about the usual suspects: things are too comfortable here, we don't pray enough, we don't talk about missions enough, etc. I then suggested that one reason was there was too much competition between churches. Churches feel that they have to put on a better show than the church down the street in order to keep their people. Shows cost money - hence less money for missions. Those around the table then discussed the latest mega-church plant coming to Brantford. It was then that one of SIM's people described this type of church plant. He called it a "non-evangelistic church plant." Missionaries say the darnedest things.
There are few days in my life when I am more pathetic than the first day back to work after vacation. My personal pity party is quite something to behold. What is lacking is a good old dose of perspective to remind me that my "griefs" pale in comparison to what most of the world faces each day. It took a comic strip to give me that perspective this morning.
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