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Responding Well

As my daughter was telling me how someone had said something that had hurt her feelings and was unkind, I once again had the opportunity of teaching her the principle that we can not control how people treat us but we can control how we treat people.  Someone may say unkind things to you, but that does not give you the right to say unkind things back.  Jesus when he was reviled….He reviled not.  When he was threatened…He threatened not. How at times I have been so challenged with this in my own life.  I find myself wanting to go toe to toe and “throwing down”.  How unlike Christ. I am ashamed.

I hear missionaries share with me how they said this or wanted to say that to a pastor or church member and I am thinking, “that is not Bible.”  How we laugh at them, make fun of them or say, “If I pastored, this is what I would do.  My church would never be like….” Where has death to ourselves and the Christ life gone? Have we grown bitter? Do we deserve their time, money and prayers? Do we feel that when a meeting is cancelled that it is a personal attack against us? Have we become so focused on ourselves that we can not see others?  

I can not control the economy.  I can not control love offerings or the lack thereof.  I can not control what people say about me.  I really can not control much. There is one thing which I do have control, myself.  May we make a commitment today to take care how we respond and react that it may be such as would bring glory to our Savior. 

May the missionaries of Macedonia have the testimony that they respond well. 

Bro. Tony

Does the Man Match Up to the Material?

Pastor “Smith” (not his real name, obviously) asked me one day, “Bro. Tony do you ever come across missionaries whose material looks great but when you meet them they are not what you expect?” Now you want to talk about a loaded question!

Do you match up to your material?  If we are not careful in this day and age of techno advancement where missionaries seem to be better off knowing photoshop than First Peter, people can project themselves in quite a wonderful way.  Now I am all for having first class material.  I teach it and expect it from the missionaries with our board.  Just make sure you match up to your material.

Learn how to communicate your burden.  Learn about your field.  Love God’s men and the churches they pastor. Dress sharp (sharp and expensive are not the same). Look at your material.  Do you match up to your material?  Look at your material, does it match up to you?  There may be changes that need to be made. Make sure your material reflects you and that you reflect your material.

Hope this one makes sense.  If not email me and I will try to elaborate further.

Love you guys,

Bro. Tony

Learning a lesson from a shoe company

I am not advocating this company but wanted to share with you something they are doing that we should do. Read the following and see what you think. Zappos.com Rocks Jeff: “Hello?” My office phone’s display shows it’s my mom calling from her office nearby. “Did Ali-girl ever get any shoes from Zappos?” My mom had recently turned Ali, my twelve-year-old, on to Zappos.com, a web site with an unparalleled selection of shoes.  “No, not yet. But she’s been looking.”  “I just ordered mine the other day, and they’re already here!”  She was delighted. A few minutes later she came bouncing into my office. “Look!” She handed me an amazing hand-decorated, personalized thank-you card from Corina, a customer service rep at Zappos.  “Wow, that’s impressive.” “Tell Ali she’s got to get some shoes from Zappos. They have great service, and if you don’t like your shoes, you simply send them back!”  For a $50 pair of shoes this lady took time to create an artistic thank-you card. In doing so, she created a connection with my mother that probably took her thirty seconds and the cost of postage.  This, my friend Shane, is what many missionaries don’t do. Many, who every month receive from a donor more money than the cost of a pair of shoes at Zappos, never make a point to personally say “thank you.”  Shane: Hang on a second. Zappos does that because they want the next sale. I don’t want to say “thank you” just to get the next check. That feels manipulative to me.  Jeff: Being grateful is biblical, right? Then take thirty seconds to say “thank you” to your donors in a personal way. Do people know that we are thankful for their sacrifice? May it be so today. Bro. Tony

Wake Up Call

I received the following and wanted to share it with you.  This is food for thought and preparation.  I think that time on deputation should not be for raising money but for preparation in your life for the field. Think the following points through and do a personal evaluation.  Very challenging material.

We just recently had a good friend of mine with me.  His name is Pastor Aké.  He is a pastor of a totally indigenous church inIvory Coast(very rare).  They are located a few miles out of Abidjan.  His church gives him a good salary, they support missions at about $250 a month and they are building some of their own buildings.  I was letting my young men ask him a few questions the other day.  They didn’t ask too many so I asked him, why he thought the work in West Africa is weak?  Not every church is but the majority is.  He replied with a great attitude and here are his remarks.

 

1. The beginning of the work is usually very bad.
2. Most missionaries lack vision.  They have no plan and set no goals.
3. Most missionaries come here and haven’t been a pastor of even a leader in a church in America.  They come to the mission field and are now learning.  Many mistakes are made because of this.
4. The older missionaries don’t help the younger missionaries learn and be effective.
5. The missionary leaves the church too early.  They don’t have a strong church and they leave is weak.
6. When they do leave, they haven’t left a good trained leader.
7. A good bible college has never been started.  Fundamental Baptist missionaries have been in the Ivory Coast for many years and this year the only Bible College (that I know about) that is running in the Ivory Coast is one that Jason Hamby started.

 

He also shared many problems with the nationals.  He said that too many of them were lazy, lacked vision, got too greedy(he told my young men that they didn’t need to try to live like an American but live like an African, work hard and don’t complain). 

 

He said also that many of them were uncommitted to giving sacrificially to the work.  They always expected the missionaries to supply the needs of the church.  They didn’t like to get off the baby bottle.  They liked sucking from the missionary to long.  He told them that they needed to grow up and be men.

 

They also lacked a missionary vision.  Only about 4 or 5 of the fundamental Baptist churches that I know about in Ivory Coastsupport missions. 

 

I am sure that I missed some things but I thought that he gave many truths and appreciated his attitude in giving them.

 

Have a wonderful and blessed day,

Keith Shumaker

Bro. Keith is a missionary with Macedonia serving in Africa.  He is a fine man of God doing an exceptional work. Thank you Bro. Keith for sharing this.

I love you guys.

Bro. Tony

God Knows

What a joy it is to serve a God in heaven that knows our every need even before we do! Below is a letter from missionary Ron Link that blessed my heart.  I pray that it will bless your as well.  May we weep with those that weep and rejoice with those that rejoice.

The Amoson Family

I have the joy of meeting and being associated with some of the finest people in the world…..literally! Bro. Russell Amoson is a fine man that is a missionary in Mexico.  He is a hard worker and has a true heart for the Lord.  His wife Karrie is as sweet a woman of God as you will ever meet.  They have such a beautiful (and big!) family.  My how the Lord has blessed.

Bro. Russell is about to finish up his furlough but still lacks the funds to replenish support that has been dropped.  If it is where you could help this man of God and his family, please email him at amosonfamily@netzero.net  They would be very worthy of your help and a great addition to your missionary family.

 

Thank you for your kind consideration of this fine family.

Bro. Tony

Heart For The Harvest

I was recently at Mt.Zion Baptist Church in Ashville, NC and loved their theme and decorations for this time of year.  Pastor Cecil Robinson and the church family did an outstanding job.  I am also excited about the fact that they went over their faith promise goal for this year.  Praise the Lord.

 

 

May God truly give us a heart for the Harvest!!

Bro. Tony

Does Sending Post Cards Work?

I have tried to keep the idea of sending post cards to pastor’s before you for quite a while now.  Some do it….some do not.  For many that I speak with, the see fruit from this labor.

A few reasons why I like sending post cards:

1.  They are cheaper to mail than a regular sized letter.

2.  They are more efficient. Post cards only require a brief note that would look lost on a full letter head.

3.  They are more effective. Pastor’s receive so many letters each month it is nearly impossible to read thm all thoroughly.  Even a very mission minded pastor will probably only scan the material sent. When I pastored, I tried to read them all.  The only problem is that my mind could only hold so much information!!

4.  They are more personal.  Let the pastor know that you are praying for them. (and REALLY pray for them!) Establish your relationship on more than money.  Missionaries get upset with churches that do not pray for them but I wonder how many churches should get upset with us for the same reason?

5.  They are a constant reminder.  Send post cards on a monthly basis. If by chance the church does not support you, this will keep your name before them so that when they are able you are on their mind.  

Below is a letter sent by one a Macedonia missionary from a pastor he has been sending post cards to:

Hi Bro. Jeremy,

Thank you for your updates and post cards that you’ve been sending to let us
know how you’re doing. Congratulations on getting married, I am very happy
for the both of you. In your post card, you mentioned that you have set a
date to leave for Peru, when do you plan to leave? Also, will you be
anywhere in the west coast before you take off? We are going to be going
through a few changes in our missions budget and as we prepare for that,
I’ve been praying about taking you on. We currently don’t have anyone in a
Latin America….

This pastor is in California and got in touch with Bro. Jeremy because of the post cards he sends monthly.  If you do five post cards a day you can send out 150+ a month. May God bless you greatly.

Bro. Tony

Is Your Meditation In The Lord Sweet?

Great News From Blythewood Baptist Church

I got off the phone with pastor Horst Trojahn and had a fit.  

The missions conference was a sweet touch of revival from Sunday thru Wednesday.  God moved in a way that only God can move.  I love it when there is no way man can take credit for how God works. After the church service Wednesday night, the pastor was at the church till around 10:30 p.m.  People were talking with the pastor about how to get involved in missions.  He said that half the church wants to go to the field and visit!

Please pray for Pastor Trojahn and the wonderful people of Blythewood Baptit Church.

May God bless you as you serve Him.

Bro. Tony