God’s Story of Change

I would like to wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.  But if you are like me, I have a very hard time in getting into a celebratory mode this time of year.  I do not want to be a modern day “Bah Humbug” Scrooge, but all this smiling and laughter and joviality is annoying.  That’s why I hate to go through the “two times circling around the building” drive-thru at Chick-fil-A – those people standing out in the rain and cold are just too darned happy.

One sure cure for my Christmas celebratory weariness is to find some children with whom to celebrate.  Their joy and excitement, their laughing, jumping, and squealing is always contagious, life infusing, capable of spreading a smile across even this old wrinkled face.

The other cure is to invest my Advent time in the Word of God and in Advent authors who are intent on deciphering the meaning of Jesus’ first coming into the world as a flesh and blood innocent, vulnerable baby, one who grew in wisdom and stature as a child, one who is calling you and me to advance His Kingdom, even now.

So, how might you and I grow in wisdom this Advent Season?

My current most favorite ministry/theology book is A Field Guide to Becoming Whole, Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministries, by Brian Fikkert & Kelly M. Kapic.

A few years ago, Christian Flights reappraised all aspects of our ministry due to the call on our organization to evaluate the motives and effectiveness of international short term ministry “missions as usual” as compared to the principles outlined by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert in “When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor.. . and Yourself”.  The following excerpt will help you see the problems associated with traditional short-term mission work:

“Finally, consider the fact that most contexts require development – not relief or rehabilitation – in light of the cultural differences discussed earlier.  Short term mission teams are typically monochronic and are looking at the two-week trip as a chance to ‘do missions.’  The team wants to use its time ‘wisely,’ getting as much done as possible.  The team’s expectation is that many evangelistic meetings will take place, that the building project will be completed, or that health checkups will be given to hundreds or even thousands of people.  But getting things done quickly is simply not what development is all about!  Development is a lifelong process, not a two-week product.”

“And while the short-term missions team is in monochronic high gear, the receiving culture is in polychronic mode, working at a slower pace.  Getting the job done is less important than being together and getting to know one another.  This can quickly cause frustrations for the short-term mission team members, as they watch the seconds tick away while little is getting ‘done.’  It is not long before many of us start to look down on our polychronic brothers and sisters, quickly deciding that they are inept or even lazy.  And then the paternalism kicks in.  We take over and do everything because otherwise it just won’t get done, at least not before the two weeks are over, which would be a disaster form the perspective of many short term mission teams…….Projects become more important than people…”  (Short Term Missions and the Relief-Rehabilitation-Development Continuum, Chapter 7, “When Helping Hurts”)

A couple of definitions will help with the above discourse.

Monochronic concept of time – “Time is a limited and valuable resource.  Time can be lost or saved.  Good stewardship of time means getting the most out of every minute.  The favorite monochronic proverb is “Time is money.” (Chapter 7, “When Helping Hurts”)

Polychronic concept of time – “In this understanding time is a somewhat unlimited resource.  There is always more time.  Schedules and plans are mere guidelines that have little authority in shaping how one spends one’s day.  Tasks typically take a backseat to forming and deepening relationships.  While fewer goods and services might get produced in a polychronic culture, people in such cultures often have a deep sense of community and belonging.”  (Chapter 7, “When Helping Hurts”)

My friend Timothy Kiogora from Kenya shared this illustration of “African Time.”  Say I am walking to work at 7:30 in the morning for my 8:00 AM shift at the local factory.  I run into John who asks if he can speak with me for a minute.  I stop my journey so I can find out what is troubling or concerning my friend John.  Not until that trouble or concern is resolved will I go on to work.  I am on “John time” for nothing is more important in the universe at that moment than being a friend.

You can see the problem with trying to run a factory, a railroad, or most other timed first-world businesses if everyone is on “African time”, but you can also see that task oriented cultures like America get a lot done but the secondary effects will most certainly result in weak relationships, weak communities, with exorbitant rates of loneliness, unhappiness, and despair……if….people and community time is not made a priority.

There is great beauty when different cultures with contradictory views of time and a well-spent life discuss, debate, and try out other viewpoints and traditions.  We who are fully committed to monochronic concepts of time can learn from the polychronic cultures.  We who judge poverty as deficit of material resources can surely learn from those who judge poverty as a deficit of friendships, a lack of community, or the lack of another human soul who cares.

It calls to my mind Jesus’ discussion with the woman at the Samaritan well, each was quite sure of their place, calling, and purpose in the world but only one prevailed – Jesus.  And perhaps each of us needs persons of another viewpoint to see clearly.  Perhaps cross-cultural missions is not about “fixing” anything but in re-evaluating our concepts of what is truly eternal, what lasts, and in what/who is worth investing a life’s work.  .

The next time you pick up the Word of God, notice how many “we” and “us” pronouns  are used, and how few “I” and “me” pronouns are present.

The first of the above two books was written in 2009 – “When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor.. . and Yourself”, even the title hints that the missionaries themselves may be afflicted with a poverty that needs alleviating.

Jesus addressed this in His Sermon on the Mount –  Matthew 5:3 (NIV)  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” as the traditional interpretation of the Greek.  Pastors use this “poor in spirit” to make sure their parishioners realize their need for humility, and deference to God’s demands on their life when encountering the Spirit of God in daily living.

But look for a minute at the New Living Translation of Matthew 5:3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”  Notice again the “those”, “their” and “theirs” in these verses.  Once again American’s read this like a “this is how you do Jesus” manual for the individual, while most of the majority world sees this as “this is how we do” spiritual formation.

The second pivotal lesson for me out of these books is that God is on the move.  God’s story of change includes an advancing Kingdom of God that is making the world into His image.  His Spirit is changing lives and relationships with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   Galatians 5:22, 23 (NLTse)  His work is from the inside out.

Paul observed the same thing in the Corinthian Church,  “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”  (2 Corinthians 4:6  NLTse)   You and I know the glory of God because we know Christ and we have experienced His power in changing our lives and relationships, we feel the pull of the Holy Spirit remaking us into the image of Christ.

Paul wanted this awareness of God’s working to “flood” his brothers and sisters in Christ with light.

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NLTse) I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called–his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.  [19] I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power [20] that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. [21] Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else–not only in this world but also in the world to come. [22] God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. [23] And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.  (Ephesians 1:18-23 NLTse)

And so, I pray that, this Christmas, you will be flooded with light, seeing the world as Jesus the Victor sees the world.  He is not deceived by the empty threats of the evil one.  His hope for each soul is never discouraged by current drama or unfortunate or even tragic circumstances.  For our Lord has overcome the world …and He invites us to join Him in that overcoming.  We need to commit daily to God’s story of change and not become deceived by the counterfeit world that invests their lives in that which will not last.

We at Christian Flights have come to understand that this overcoming in the world……involves listening and hearing and understanding and experiencing Christ’s presence in all souls…. as well as actively looking for what other cultures and souls and cultures can uniquely teach us.

This overcoming requires us to invite others to shine light on our blind spots, encourage and correct our own weak faith, heal our poverty, helping us to see the joy and power of embracing community and relationships over “getRdone” tasks.

This Christmas I pray that you will find new ways to love God with new parts of your heart, and soul and spirit.  I pray that this Christmas you will find new neighbors to love ….

God’s Peace,

Ray Jackson

Pray for your Pastor.  Pray for your Church.  Pray for Revival.