Category: Thanksgiving

Happy Holidays!

On By 2tim2.1-3In Christmas, Family, Life on life discipleship, New Years, Thanksgiving, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Since we missed wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year earlier, please know that even in our silence you were never far from our thoughts and prayers.

Typically the last quarter of the year is our busiest time of travel, and that was certainly the case in 2016. Since the end of August we were traveling away from home for 97 days, in 15 different cities and in 4 different countries.

You may wonder what we do that takes us away from our home so often. In addition to our local on-going ministry involvement, which we have written about extensively in the past, we have also been involved in numerous training events across the Americas. These training events would not have been possible if it had not been for the generous contributions that many of you have made over the course of year to the International Mission Board. Through regular tithes and offerings (in Southern Baptist churches which participate in the Cooperative Program), through one-time gifts, and through your contributions to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, we have had the financial resources to make this kind of wide spread training a reality in 2016. For that, we say “Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”

Teaching truth, transforming lives and touching the world—that’s what we have been focusing on in 2016.

Looking back on the year 2016, we can actually count 925 people whom we have taught, mentored and/or discipled. These are not just numbers to us. They are real people. In addition to teaching content, we have spent time together, shared a meal or a cup of coffee together and prayed together. If you keep up with us on FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram you can see that we have taken lots of pictures together as well. These pictures are more than just something to fill space on our social media accounts. They serve as tangible reminders of our precious time together. I think Paul sums it up best in Philippians 3:3-7a

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace…(HCSB)

So, as we have taught truth, we have done so with the vision of lives being transformed—making a difference—and the impact those transformed lives have on the world around them. That, my friends, is something worthy of giving thanks to God for. Truly, it does give us great joy as we pray for those whom we have had the privilege to walk alongside during the year 2016.

As we look back on 2016, we have so much to be thankful for in our own family as well. We added a new member to the family with the birth of our youngest grandson, Elliot James Landers last January. Its hard to believe he will celebrate his first birthday here soon. We also had the privilege of meeting the Mullinax family in November, the parents of Rebecca, our soon to be “daughter-in-love” (Wedding scheduled for May of 2017). We were able to spend a couple weeks of vacation with our kids, grandkids and both our mothers (and even some of our extended family) around Thanksgiving. Returning to Brazil in time for Christmas, we were blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas Eve with precious Brazilian friends and open our home on Christmas Day to others who were far away from their families.

Teaching truth, transforming lives and touching the world—that’s what we continue to focus on in 2017.

Just because it’s a new year, doesn’t necessarily mean our focus needs to change. Granted, some of the details change—location, people involved, topics, etc. But, the purpose remains the same. We continue to use the skill set, talents and abilities God has equipped us with to reach those whom He brings into our path with the Good News, the life transforming news of the Gospel.

How can you be involved?

  1. Continue to pray for us as we make plans for 2017 and the new and exciting challenges in the months to come. (More about that next time.)
  2. Ask the Lord of the Harvest how you can be more personally involved in the ministry of your local church, in your community, and in support of local, national and international missions. Maybe 2017 is the year for you do something you’ve never done before. Ask Him!
  3. Don’t wait to “go somewhere new” to get started. It’s a new year; it’s a good time to begin a new commitment. There is no greater investment you can make than to invest in discipling a new believer. Begin with your most natural relationships: family members, friends, and neighbors. Then ask your pastor if there are others new to your church that you can help to disciple as well.

Check out the article Mark just wrote, “3 Ingredients for Discipling New Believers in Any Context”. You can access it through this link from International Mission Board:

https://www.imb.org/2017/01/03/training-new-believers-in-any-context/

 

On being a pilgrim people

On By 2tim2.1-3In Thanksgiving, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“But now we are all, in all places, stranger’s and pilgrims, travelers, and sojourners…”—Robert Cushman, Pilgrim Leader, 1622. I read these words on April 21, 2015 while visiting the Pieterskerk Cathedral in Leiden, Holland. My interest in and love for the Pilgrims was first whetted when I read Dr. Timothy George’s Harvard dissertation on Pilgrim Father, John Robinson, John Robinson and the English Separatist Tradition, http://www.amazon.com/John-Robinson-English-Separatist-Tradition/dp/0865540438.

You might remember from grade school history that the Pilgrims fled from England to Holland seeking religious liberty. From Holland, they went and settled in what was to become the Plymouth Colony in present day Massachusetts. For this reason, during a recent visit to Leiden, it was only natural that I searched for the historic remnants of the United States’ spiritual “Founding Fathers” in the European city in which they last had residence before sailing to the New World. That search led me to the plaque on the side of the Pieterskerk and the quote with which I started this post. This quote in turns leads me to three simple questions:

  1. What is a pilgrim people?
  2. Why are we a pilgrim people?
  3. How can we be a pilgrim people?

What is a Pilgrim people? Scripture best answers that question in 1 Peter 2: 11 where Christians are described as “aliens and strangers.” 1 Peter 1:17 states clearly that the believer has a limited and brief time while on earth. It speaks of the believer’s “time of your stay on earth.” The ESV actually translates the word “stay” as “exile”, “throughout the time of your exile.” The Reformation Study Bible boldly states, “The Greek word suggests those who live in a place as unnaturalized aliens, and emphasizes the Christian’s temporary, pilgrim status in the world.”

I have lived in Brazil for 23 years. I love the country. I love the people. I love the culture. I love the food. I am very happy there, but I am not a Brazilian. I am a legal alien. I hope to give the best of my life to my missionary calling. However, I realize that there will be an inevitable end to my missionary ministry when I leave Brazil at the end of my missionary service. I am an alien.What is true of some of us politically, Scripture says is true of all us spiritually. The Greek word translated “stay” or exile is Parepidemoi. Dr. Tim Keller notes about this word the following:

Parepidemoi were citizens of one country and yet full-time residents of another. Their primary allegiance was to another country, and that country’s culture was formative for their beliefs and practices. Yet they lived in their country of residence as full participants in its life. In other words, “resident aliens” lived neither as natives nor as tourists. Though they were not permanently rooted, neither were they merely travelers who were just passing through.

The Pilgrim Fathers, and all mature Christians, have always realized that Christians are citizens of two cities: the City of God and the City of Man. As faithful Christians, we love the City of Man. Personally, I love Brazil and I deeply love the United States of America. Still yet, primarily, I am a citizen of the New Jerusalem, the coming eschatological City of God. Thanksgiving is a special time for the Christian to renew his or her commitment to their primary citizenship, the Kingdom of God.

Why are we a Pilgrim people? We have been made not for time, but for eternity. The Pilgrims’ community suffered a devastating loss of life due to the ravages of sickness and starvation upon their first arriving in the New World. It was tragic circumstances, by any account, but not beyond the realm of the possible in the 17th century. For most of human history, humanity has faced a life that is short, painful, and defined by deep suffering. There is reason to give thanks to God for advances in technology and medicine that have allowed so many in this day to experience longer, reasonably health lives. The problem is that often a spirit of humble gratitude is replaced by a sense of arrogant entitlement that feels, “I deserve to live long and prosper”, to roughly paraphrase Mr. Spock’s Vulcan blessing.

It has been said that American Christians are the first generation of Christians no longer to pray, “Maranata. Come Lord Jesus.” For many, life is so good, that some ask, “how could it get better?” The fact is that many faithful Christians worldwide are suffering the ravages of suffering and persecution. Even in the United States, the future cannot be predicted with absolute clarity. Christians are pilgrims because they know there is only one city whose foundations will never crumble, the City of God. While in this world, we love and serve the City of Man, but Christian hope is ultimately fixed on the unwavering firmness of the City of God.

How can we be a pilgrim people? Or stated otherwise, how does one live a Pilgrim’s lifestyle in this world? Much could be said, but I will share with you only a few suggestions:

  • Live with fiscal frugality. You really cannot have it all, so don’t spend like you can. Your check book and your date book reveal your true priorities. Fiscally invest in what truly matters, people and God’s Kingdom.
  • Have focused priorities. Time is a precious commodity. Scripture says “Man knows not his time.” Because it is limited, time needs to be stewarded carefully. Give time to that which is most important: God and your relationship with him, your family, and God’s work both through your local church and the ministries of your local church and in your community.
  • Be guided by Biblical realism. The Bible views this universe as glorious, yet imperfect. Humanity is made in God’s image, the apex of His creation. Yet, human nature is flawed deeply by sin’s all pervasive presence. This means our lives will not always be what we hope in every area: work, relationships, health, and accomplishments. However, the Christian knows that there are certain levels of perfection, attainment, and satisfaction that will never be attained in this world. For this reason, Christians long for the Coming Kingdom of God.
  • Finally, live in the expectation that the Day will come when you see Christ face to face, either as Judge or as Redeemer. The Pilgrim knows that the sorrows of painful good-byes in this world will be comforted and consoled by the joy of eternal “hellos” to be enjoyed in the world that is to come.

With these things in our hearts, life can be faced with resolution, courage, grace, and faith. I conclude with a brief story of my trying to find the grave of the famous John Robinson, Pastor of the Pilgrims in Leiden, Holland. Caron and I entered the Pieterskerk Cathedral looking for Pastor Robinson’s sepulcher. It should be noted that the Pieterskerk Cathedral was decommissioned as a church in 1976. I searched the entire church, but could not find Pastor Robinson’s crypt. Finally, Caron leaned against a piano. Inadvertently, looking underneath it she said, “I think I have found him.” Sure enough, to my surprise, the spiritual father of the United States was hiding underneath a baby grand piano in complete obscurity in the back corner of the church. Sad? Yes, in a sense it is. However, it is not devastating. This is why we are called to be Biblical realists.

The Pilgrim knows that the forgotten saint in this life will be remembered before the throne of God and will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into your Master’s reward.” Happy Thanksgiving to all.