All of us have experienced trouble in our lives, and most of us have helped or tried to help others who were going through difficulties. When trouble comes—and it surely will—believers in Christ are to trust the perfect and completelyRead more…
Rejecting Popular Untruths – Forgiving Yourself and Forgetting Your Sins
Two of the most popular, unscriptural concepts accepted by many believers are the need to “forgive yourself” and the importance of “forgetting your sins.” Many Christian leaders continue to propagate these unbiblical ideas, and best-selling books have spread these untruthsRead more…
Confession – The Ultimate Test of Truthfulness
There are not many reliable avenues to gain insight into the “real you” . . . but your words, like a mirror, reflect what is in your heart. A confession is actually an acknowledgment of something, either good or bad. AnRead more…
Global Mental Health and Unreached People Groups
Mental disorders are a vastly overlooked area in considering our responsibilities and opportunities as the church. How do mental disorders affect those in Unreached People Groups–and other vulnerable groups? Let’s consider this quote first for some of the current andRead more…
Managing Stress for Mission/Aid Workers—Self Assessment Tools
Here is a stress assessment tool (13 items) from the International Federation of the Red Cross, Managing Stress in the Field (2001) http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_pubshealth.pl?stress.pdf (Based on: “The Relief Worker Burnout Questionnaire” in Coping with Disaster (1999) by John H. Ehrenreich) ShortRead more…
Invisible Realities: Member Care at Lausanne 3?
The providence of God has led us all into a new world of opportunity, danger, and duty. World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh, 1910 Your thoughts please–What are some of the ways that the international field of member care is part of Lausanne 3? HaveRead more…
Communicating the Sins of Others … When, Why, and How
Ministry involves dealing with sin and that sometimes involves communicating the sins of others. Perhaps surprisingly, the key element in communicating another’s sin is the spiritual maturity of the communicator. Scripture gives guidellines for communication that deals directly with theRead more…
What is Care and Counsel as Mission?
Author: Bradford M. Smith, Chair, Lausanne Care and Counsel as Mission Interest Group (LCCMIG) The Lausanne Care and Counsel as Mission Interest Group—the newest initiative within the Lausanne family of working and special interest groups is asking the question, “WhatRead more…
What is Care and Counsel as Mission?
Author: Bradford M. Smith, Chair, Lausanne Care and Counsel as Mission Interest Group (LCCMIG) The Lausanne Care and Counsel as Mission Interest Group—the newest initiative within the Lausanne family of working and special interest groups is asking the question, “WhatRead more…
One of Two Reasons are Behind Every Sin of a Believer
Spiritual ignorance (not knowing what to do) or willful disobedience (knowing what to do but not doing it) are behind every sin that a believer commits. Both of these hindrances to Christ-like development can be overcome as a believer commitsRead more…