Crossing Cultures Day 4: The Call Floyd and Tamra Stanley, authors “Hello, you don’t know me, but a mutual friend gave me your number. You see, my wife and I are beginning our work in marriage ministry, and they thought you might be interested in hearing about our work.” Have you ever received one of those phone calls (maybe it was an email or a letter) from someone asking for your support? The church in Rome received a similar letter from Paul. He was on his way to Spain to bring the name of Christ where it had not yet been heard. On his way to Spain, Paul would finally be able to visit the church in Rome. Paul was looking forward to the company of the believers there; however, he had a second reason for his visit. Let’s read it together: Romans 15:23-24 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Did you see the second reason? Paul said he was visiting, “to have you assist me on my journey there.” The phrase “assist me on my journey” is translating the Greek phrase προπέμπω (propempo), which refers to sending one on their way with the needed resources to make their journey a success; specifically including the things necessary to accomplish the mission. Paul was letting the church know in advance that he had a mission to continue and he expected their support. This expectation stemmed from two distinct places. First, Paul had this expectation of all believers in the church. As you have seen in your study guide this week, there are examples throughout the New Testament that demonstrate the biblical principle of sending God’s workers out fully prepared with everything needed to advance the gospel and increase God’s kingdom. As it was in the time of Paul, it is still justly expected that all Christians “should lay out themselves for the promoting and furthering of every good work, especially that blessed work of the conversion of souls” (Matthew Henry)[1]. Those are strong words, but let’s think about this in relation to a more modern concept. In our society it is a common idea to pay it forward when someone does something kind for you. There are movements dedicated to the idea of paying forward good deeds. If you have come to know Jesus Christ as your savior, it is most likely that someone shared in bringing you the good news. Perhaps they invited you to church or shared the gospel with you directly. Even if their example of a godly life compelled you to seek the Lord on your own, in a significant way, they helped you come to know the Lord. If the simple act of buying someone’s coffee at Starbucks is worthy of being paid forward, shouldn’t the greatest gift of all time be paid forward as well? If you have received the gift of being set free in Christ, there is no worthier gift to pay forward. This is what Matthew Henry is referring to, that it is justly expected that all Christians should pay it forward. Paul trusted that the Christians in Rome would want to participate in his mission work because he had received reports of their great faith. Paul understood the blessing that comes from giving. In his letter to the church at Philippi, he refers to their gifts as “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). Imagine if our faith was so well known that people knew we would respond to their need, and that we would want to further the news of Christ to all who haven’t heard. While we are all to share the gospel and be a light wherever we live, some are specifically called to places that are completely unreached or are undeveloped. Others are called to be the senders, the ones providing the necessary funding or supplies to make the mission possible. Those who are financially supporting the mission are spreading the gospel to places where they can’t or haven’t gone themselves. When Floyd took that unexpected phone call several years ago, our initial reaction was to let them know that we wouldn’t be much help. We had never sat down with a global worker before, but we knew that this conversation must have something to do with money. How could it not? Ministry takes money, that part we knew for sure. But money was something we didn’t have. We wanted to at least hear them out, so the four of us gathered around their laptop at a tiny table in Starbucks. Although money was tight, it didn’t take us long to know that God was calling us to get involved financially, so we did. Now, we’re making the phone calls, sending the letters, and sitting on the other side of the table. Over the course of nearly five years, God has led us on a journey to Uganda. In partnership with Victory Living Word Church, we will build community in Kapeeka, Uganda where we can share the gospel with those in serious need. The long-term project includes nearly 200 acres designated for an orphanage, housing for unwed mothers, schools, a hospital, business development and crop cultivation. We are seeking brothers and sisters in Christ to partner with us, just as Paul sought provision for his journey to Spain. How does Paul’s expectation of the Roman church in Romans 15:24 apply to you personally? Of all the ways God could have chosen to fund his global workers, why do you think he picked this way? In Romans 10:13-15, Paul writes: 13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? 15 And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? The question that remains is — who will you send? What is the place of money in our lives? Kristin Sale, author “What is the place of money in our lives? The importance of money is so tied up with relationships that it seems almost impossible to think about it without also thinking about how family life has influenced our relationship with money,” Henri Nouwen (A Spirituality of Fundraising). I love that question. “What is the place of money in our lives?” It’s a question we should be asking about every area of our lives in regards to Jesus. “What is the place of fitness in our lives?” “What is the place of social media in our lives?” “What is the place of solitude in our lives?” If we think about it, the resources we have and the choices we make all engage with the relationships in our lives – our families, co-workers, friends and loved ones. And it makes sense doesn’t it? If God is a relational God and we are created in his image, so we too are relational. It makes sense that everything would be connected. But for many of us, money is a hard one. It’s easy for us to fall into the mind and culture trap of, my money is mine and what I do with it is my own business – nobody else’s, not even God’s! I worked hard for that money and I will do with it what I please. But what does God have to say about the way we engage with money in our relationships? 1 Timothy 6:2-10 These are the things you are to teach and insist on. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” The book 1 Timothy is a letter written from Paul to one of the young men he had raised up in the faith and had left to care for and instruct a body of believers. In the time since Paul left, Timothy has experienced hardship for various reasons. Since Paul could come to Timothy’s aid, he wrote him a letter addressing some of the false teachings in efforts to encourage Timothy. One of the false teachings Paul argues against is what we would call the prosperity gospel. People who strive in godliness because they believe it will lead to financial gain – not because they desire to love and honor God. In fact Paul calls these people “robbed of the truth” and “people of corrupt mind” (verse 5). They have lost the idea that finances are connected to relationships—the relationships with those around us and with God. It is important to note, that Paul is not condemning the wealthy as we often interpret him to be doing. In verse 9 he says, “Those who want to get rich” meaning, those who live with plenty are not necessarily corrupt or robbed of their truth. Paul takes it deeper than that – the issue is in our hearts. What does it mean to desire something? It means to strongly want or wish for something. And when we have a strong desire that goes unchecked by God, it’s not long before everything slowly orients around the possible fulfillment of that desire. Our thoughts, our actions, the way we engage in our relationships, and they way we allocate our finances and other resources. As believers, our strongest desire should be to honor God, and live a life of love-filled obedience to him. The moment our desires become something else we enter a road filled with temptations and traps that lead to ruin and destruction (verse 9). I have to confess, my first thought is often that all people who chase after financial gain do so in order to live lavish lifestyles. While sometimes that’s true, there is another side, one that I found myself on. As I grew up, moving from high school to college to entering the professional working world, the very idea of financially giving to the church or committing to giving to God’s work by supporting global workers was ludicrous to me. It was difficult for me to watch so much of what was mine on paper, go straight through my hands to someone else. I was a chronic saver because if something terrible happened I wanted to make sure that I could financially deal with it. I thought if I kept giving my money away to people I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be prepared if something unexpected happened on my end. I was incredibly frugal – in ways that harmed my relationship with God and hindered the kingdom work God wanted to do in and through my life because my heart was hardened. I wanted to be in control of God’s provision in my life, and I did not trust God to take care of me when hard times struck (because they would) – so I wanted to be prepared just in case for when those times happened. I desired financial gain above all things. I clung to this desire so tightly it was impossible for me to honor God and live in obedience to him because I could not walk in faith with him. Paul says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that” (1 Tim. 6-7). My friends, those words could not be more true. As I have grown in our community at Christ Fellowship with faithful friends, I have learned to prayerfully give of my finances joyfully and keep a kingdom perspective in this area of my life. God’s kingdom is not about the physical wealth we store up on this earth, but about the souls we will see in heaven, the relationships we engage in and the wonderful ways God loves to use us in that process! We are designed for community, with God and with each other, and part of that is using our resources to help meet needs of our own. As I began to trust God, I began to learn the art of budgeting, delayed gratification and using money as a resource and a gift from God. Things have turned around 180 degrees as I am now serving as a global worker myself. If I’m honest, there have been seasons when I have not wanted to give to the church or the global workers I have helped raise up and sent out because things have been tight, but as I have remembered God’s faithfulness to his people in the Bible and his faithfulness in providing for me as a global worker, how can I not trust him in this way? I have learned contentment as I grow in godliness and trust God deeply – in every area of my life. His ways are not always our ways, but we have seen in scripture and in our lives that he is trustworthy and true. Think and Respond Think of a time when you really desired something in life. Did you get it? How did that effect the way you organized your life (relationships, time, money, etc.)? Do you seek God with equal intensity and perseverance? Read through 1 Timothy 6:2-10 again and make two lists. One with the way Paul describes false teachers and desiring financial gain above all things, and the other on the way Paul talks about godliness with contentment. Look at the words on these lists. Do any of them describe you currently? Spend time in prayer with the Lord today. Ask him how you can honor him with your finances and give space to listen. Think through the different parts of your budget and surrender the heart behind those categories to the Lord.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 00:06:35 +0000
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