Category: Missions

Christmas and the Mission of God, Part 1

On By 2tim2.1-3In Christmas, Family, Missions, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Reasons to Keep Celebrating Christmas

It is said that confession is good for the soul, so here it goes: I am a part of that evangelical generation that actually questioned some time ago, and to an extent still in a healthy way, the wisest and best way to celebrate Christmas. You might be among those who find it hard to imagine in the present cultural moment that there are those of us who have, and still do, question the rightness (yes, even the necessity), of celebrating Christmas.

It is obvious that the Christmas juggernaut continues to roll unabated and gathering ever greater mass and velocity in a rapidly secularizing American culture. “American Christmas” continues to win converts in all parts of the world to a secular, sentimentalist vision of good will and joy to all men via consumerist spending. Christmas is now celebrated in places you would least expect it. It is celebrated in secular, Buddhist Japan and in Islamic Turkey. In these places, and many more, it is seen as a harmless, definitely non-religious, moment for good-hearted family fun. It is this very point that concerned many evangelicals in the past and should still concern evangelicals today.

In light of the rampant secularization of Christmas today, should Christmas still be celebrated by sincere evangelicals?

In all honesty, Christmas’ origins bring with it a wooly and unsavory past. For example, most Bible scholars do not believe that Jesus was born on December 25. Much has been written on this subject. The best article of which I am aware is Colin Humphrey’s “The Star of Bethlehem, A Comet in 5 BC and The Date of Christ’s Birth[1]” Professor Humphrey’s concludes:

The birth of Christ was in the Spring, in the period 9 March–4 May 5 BC. Tentatively the period around Passover time is suggested (13–27 April 5 BC). This date is consistent with the available evidence including a reference in Luke to there being shepherds out in the fields at night. Although today Christmas is celebrated on 25 December in the west and on 8 January in the east, we suggest that the evidence of astronomy, the bible and other ancient literature points to the Spring of 5 BC as being the time of the first Christmas.[2]

December 25 is most likely not the correct historical date for the actual birth of Christ. This leads to some logical questions then:

  • What is so special about December 25?
  • Why is it celebrated as a special date?

December 25 is normally associated with the ancient Feast of Saturnalia. George Fisher wrote in the Princeton Review last century:

In connection with the close of the year there had existed a series of heathen festivals into which the Romans entered with extreme delight. First were the Saturnalia, the jubilee of Saturn or Kronos, which marked the close of farm-work for the year, when the reins were given to merriment, when slaves could put on the clothes of gentlemen, and wear the badge of freemen, and sit at a banquet, being waited on by their masters.[3]

It is a fact that December 25 as a festival date has deep roots in a pagan and sensual past. An evangelical Christian is not to be faulted if they find themselves uncomfortable with December 25 as the preferred date for celebrating Jesus’ birthday.

What is to be made of this Christmas conundrum?

It is not historical; it has become a tool for promoting secularism; it has profoundly questionable origins in a dark pagan past. For centuries Anglo-Saxon/Celtic protestants knew exactly what to make of it: avoid it. Christmas was illegal in Massachusetts until the 19th century. There is little indication that this prohibition provoked an offended outcry on the part of the general American populous. All indications seem to point to the Dutch as being the first to introduce Christmas to the United States in the 17th via the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas. (If interested in a book for your children and grandchildren, I could not recommend a finer text than Pieter Spier’s “The Legend of New Amsterdam”, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NI2CR5S/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1.) B. B. Warfield, one of Americas greatest Protestant theologians, speaks for many centuries of Protestant thought when he wrote just last century:

There is a certain passionate intensity in the way in which Christmas is now celebrated among us. But after all, what can be said for the customs to which we have committed ourselves? There is no reason to believe that our Lord wished His birthday to be celebrated by His followers. There is no reason to believe that the day on which we are celebrating it is His birthday. There is no reason to believe that the way in which we currently celebrate it would meet His approval. Are we not in some danger of making of what we fondly tell ourselves is a celebration of the Advent of our Lord, on the one side something much more like the Saturnalia of old Rome than is becoming in a sober Christian life; and, on the other something much more like a shopkeeper’s carnival than can comport with the dignity of even a sober secular life?[4]

Rather, than cavalierly dismissing Warfield concerns as the theological spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge, we would do well to consider his probing question:  Is the experience of Christmas for many not more akin to a pagan celebration of old than to the values reflective of a sober Christian life?

I offer you some questions for your reflection:

  • Does my conduct during Christmas reflect my Christian confession? The fact is that Christmas is often the occasion for some notoriously bad behavior.
  • Do my fiscal expenditures reflect my Christian commitments? For some, Christmas is a time in which families enter further and further into consumer debt. At times, actual purchases of some products (often media related) actually undermine the very beliefs and values reflected in the Cristian understanding of Christmas.
  • Do my time commitments during Christmas reflect my Christian commitments? Yes, Christmas is a wonderful time for families to be together. Yes, it is a special time for children. But, neither family nor children is to be the primary focus of Christmas. It is the worship of and the reflection upon the Incarnate Lord that should be the primary focus of the Christmas season. Make sure that you give time to your local church to be fully involved in its life during this Christmas Season.
  • Finally, does my experience cause me to treasure Christ more or to treasure my treasure more? How you answer this last question determines what you should make of Christmas as you look to the future.

What then are the conclusions to be drawn? I invite you to read the second part of this article, which will be posted in the next couple of days. If you find this helpful, feel free to share it with someone who might find it to be of interest.

God bless you and Merry Christmas,

Mark and Caron

[1] (1992). Tyndale Bulletin, 43(1), 30. [2] (1992). Tyndale Bulletin, 43(1), 55–56.[3] Fisher, G. P. (1880). The Old Roman Spirit and Religion in Latin Christianity. The Princeton Review, 1, 167.[4] Warfield, B. B. (1903). Historical Theology. Review of WEIHNACHTEN IN KIRCHE, KUNST UND VOLKSLEBEN by Georg Rietschel. The Princeton Theological Review, I(1–4), 490.

Do you have what money cannot buy?

On By 2tim2.1-3In Evangelism and Serving others, Missions, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“You are never rich until you have something that money cannot buy.”

The Beatles once sang, “money can’t buy me love”.  MasterCard commercials remind us that certain experiences are “priceless”. There are some things we simply cannot be expressed monetarily.

Recently, I attended a missions banquet where items were being auctioned off and the proceeds directed to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The auctioneer reminded folks that the items they were buying were not really worth the price, but the cause was a worthy one. He reminded folks that they have something that money cannot buy and the Good News they have needs to be shared with others. His words words struck a chord within my American soul. As an American, I struggle with ingratitude. I know that there is more and I find myself wanting. It does not matter that I know how much less others have, my soul wants more. J. R. R. Tolkien described this condition as “dragon sickness”, a heart driven by “delusional greed” http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-fight-dragon-sickness.  In that article, David Mathis gives the following definition of greed:

Greed is our inordinate desire, our excessive love, for wealth and possessions, for money and the things money can buy — and even for self-esteem, security, status, and power. Greed’s object is money and things, but it is not to be identified with those things. Greed is a misplaced craving in the heart. It is good desire gone wrong. God made us to have and to hold, to desire possessions and things as his creatures in fitting relation to him. The problem of greed is not that we desire things, but that our desires are misdirected and out of proportion.

We desire success, even riches. However, many people feel they never  fully attain either. Why? Quite simply, the human soul seeks for that which cannot satisfy. Sin stained hearts are filled with misdirected cravings. It is only when human hearts find that which money cannot buy that souls find their deepest satisfaction. Saint Augustine famously wrote in the Confession, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” We were made to know God. He has placed us in this world.  Bishop J. C. Ryle says it well, “You were placed here to train for eternity.” This is the key to true joy in this world: find your joy in God, the Gospel, and the mission of God to All Peoples in All Places. If you do this, you will be rich. You will have that which money cannot buy. You will have joy in the God of the Gospel.

Live simply and give generously.

When you consider giving that makes an eternal impact, I would ask you to consider giving to the International Mission Board’s (IMB) Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/default.asp. Your generous sacrificial giving to the LMCO is important for three simple reasons:

  • The LMCO is essential. Funds from the LMCO are essential for Great Commission advance. Without these funds, the work of International Mission Board (IMB) field missionaries grinds to a halt.
  • The LMCO is effective: 100% of LMCO funds are used for Great Commission ministry among the nations. No funds are used for administrative costs. The monies go to where the needs exist, among the peoples of the world.
  • The LMCO is efficient: 100% of funds given go to fund ministry expenses for field missionaries. There is no administrative or organizational overhead. There is no middle-man. Administrative costs of the International Mission Board are paid for by the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Your mission offering goes to directly support the work of missions and missionaries.

May this Christmas season your heart find joy in that which money cannot buy, knowing that lives are being changed for all of eternity.

Thank you for your support of the LMCO. From our family to your family, Merry Christmas!

Ready, Set, Go Pray!

On By 2tim2.1-3In Family, Missions, Prayer1 Comment

Ready, Set, Go Pray!

Do you ever spend so much time thinking about how to begin something that its seems you never get around to actually, well, you know, beginning it? If you are like me (wishing I weren’t quite so much of a perfectionist) its hard to step forward with something new until you feel its “just right”. However, here is what the Lord is teaching me: If I wait until I feel ready, I will never do anything! I never feel totally “ready”. So, with that disclaimer, I now begin, ready or not!

In thinking about what to write for our first real posting, I’ve decided just to begin with what’s on my mind this morning. The topic is PRAYER. I know…you’ve heard about that before. In fact, you probably can recite some “prayers” by heart.

  • “Now I lay me down to sleep….”
  • “God is good, God is great….”
  • “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name….”

But that is not the kind of prayer I am talking about. I’m talking about the kind of prayer that is more like a conversation. You know…the kind where you take turns both speaking and listening.

I’m currently reading the book, Praying the Bible, by Donald Whitney. I’d heard about the book for some time, and have read other books by the same author, so I purchased a copy and settled into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee for a good read. I wasn’t disappointed. However, I did more than read. I prayed! I’m not going to do a book review here, but I do suggest you get a copy and read it for yourself. I think it will transform your prayer life!

So, why am I thinking about prayer so much these days? Several things are going on in our life and ministry, which have caused us to pray more fervently recently.

Many of you know about the Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI) that our sending agency, the International Mission Board (IMB) recently announced. Mark and I spent the better part of 6 weeks praying intensely about whether to accept the offer for early retirement and return to the USA or to remain on active career missionary status. With the pulls of family on one continent and ministry on the other, it was not an easy decision! But, we feel God’s peace about our decision to return to Brazil in February, 2016. We prayed for wisdom and peace and God answered our prayers.

What do I mean when I say praying intensely? I mean a focused time of pouring our hearts out to God, expressing our fears and concerns and seeking His will (which He reveals to us through the reading of His word and often, the circumstances He orchestrates around us). It means praising Him for all He has already done and trusting that He knows the future. It is this experience of focused praying, and the reading of the book I mentioned above, that has me thinking more about prayer these days.

As Christmas approaches, Southern Baptists focus on their annual missions awareness emphasis, so we have numerous speaking engagements in the weeks to come. Often we are asked, “How can we pray for you?” What a great question! 🙂

When praying for missionaries it’s really not fundamentally different than praying for yourself, or anyone else you know. Think about these four categories:

  1. Physical
  2. Spiritual
  3. Emotional
  4. Relational

Physical—that’s the one we most often think of. Church prayer lists are full of physical needs of the congregation. When one part of the body is not functioning as it ought, our entire being is affected. We cry out for relief from our pain and our suffering. When you pray for missionaries, pray for physical strength and stamina, the body’s ability to fight off disease and infections, protection from harm (not everyone loves to see an American living abroad) and safety in travels. If we can’t keep going physically we are not as effective in ministry. Pray for the missionaries’ physical surroundings. Pray for the country they serve in and the political climate.

Spiritual—in this category we often jump right to praying for the lost to be saved, as well we should. However, don’t forget to pray for the many intricate parts of that process: the missionary’s daily quiet time and their healthy relationship with their Lord. Missionaries deal with sin in their lives, just like you do. Missionaries need to forgive and seek forgiveness. Pray that your missionaries will not being distracted from the primary tasks of evangelism and discipleship. Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel and for those who are open to hear the message of the Gospel and respond. Pray also for the ability to clearly communicate theological truth in another language and in a culture that distorts and often redefines the message in order to make it more “appealing” or politically correct.

Emotional—your missionaries are not superheroes. We get tired, grumpy, lonely and yes, even discouraged and depressed, just like you do. Every range of emotion you feel your missionaries feel as well. The next time you find yourself frustrated in traffic, pray for a missionary who is stuck in traffic too and probably thinking the same things you are. If you find yourself feeling left out or lonely, pray for a missionary who may be feeling the same thing. If you are apprehensive waiting for test results, remind yourself to trust in the Lord, yes. And also pray that your missionaries will remember that truth too.

Relational—If your missionaries were superheroes (which I have already mentioned they are not), then you would not have to even pray about this. But the truth is, relationships are challenging. Where two or more are gathered, there will be conflict! 🙂 Pray for long distance relationships with extended family members in another country. Pray for relationships between husbands, wives and children. Did you know that many missionaries live in small apartments with private living space being shared with office space, home schooling space, and ministry space? Now add to that the fact that often all members of the family are in the home together for the bulk of the day, day after day (think about that Christmas vacation when you were all snowed in and the kids were restless being home and you were ready for them to be back in school). No matter how much I love working with my husband and having my kids with me, there are days the relationships feel a bit frayed and we all feel we need a bit more space and time away from each other. Pray also for relationships between national colleagues. Just because one studies culture and language doesn’t always mean there is clear understanding. Those misunderstandings can damage relationships if not handled carefully. Even when working with other American colleagues, there can be a difference of opinions that influence the effectiveness of the ministry.

Finally, remember in your prayers don’t just speak to God. Listen! That’s what makes it a conversation, right? As you pray through these categories, read God’s Word—that’s how He speaks to you. Look at the circumstances around you—God may be speaking to you through your circumstances too. Can you begin to see things from a different perspective? Do you notice that there are others around you who would benefit from your prayers as well? Is God speaking to you, not only about your personal prayer life, but also showing you how you can pray for others? Pray for yourself, your family and work/school relationships. Pray for your missionaries. Pray for the lost. Pray for that annoying neighbor or difficult person you know. We all have the same needs. Pray and listen to what God is telling you to do. Then do it. It’s just that simple.

Truth that Transforms

Something new

On By 2tim2.1-3In Evangelism and Serving others, Family, Gardening, Life on life discipleship, Missions, Small group ministry, Teaching and TrainingLeave a comment

Bear with us as this is our maiden voyage into the blog world.  For the past 23 years  Mark and Caron and chronicled their lives on mission in Brazil through a periodic newsletter entitled Johnson’s Journal.  This blog is intended to replace that journal.     We invite you to join us here and interact with us.  We look forward to hearing from you!