Call it like it is-Ethics in leadership

There might be a need for more boldness in the church today in leadership. For many years leadership in the church has spiralled further and further downward, meaning, the ethics and morals of leaders. Now if we check out the New Testament we´re going to find that it was a problem back then too. Look at Corinth. Gee whiz!

What I mean by boldness is accountability in areas of ethics. I´m talking about holding each other to a higher standard, that of Christ. No way we can be perfect, not gonna happen. However, we can set our sights higher than those in the world or in the business world. If we as leaders look no different than men and women in the corporate world today, maybe something's gone terribly wrong. If we do the same things, use the same sleazy methods, and follow the same unethical principles as Mr. Madoff, then can we even call ourselves the church?

Now this all has to happen in relationship, close relationship. You sure don´t need some dude from Arizona who you don´t know coming into your office or home and saying, 'Man, you are a messed up guy.' We need brothers and sisters who know us well and call us friend and spend regular time with us to call us on the carpet. Spending regular time with one another in itself might straighten out many ethical issues rather quickly. When we know we are going to be sitting across the table eating lunch with a friend or shooting hoops we just might think twice about some things, you think? Having someone ask you face to face specific questions and the big word 'why' makes it much tougher to allow some of the things into our lives that have come in.

Mentors is the word some use for this. Discipleship is what some would call it. Accountability is another word. use what ever word you want but please let´s hold each other to a standard higher than Tiger Woods, David Letterman, and former President...what was his name? We simply cannot continue down this road that we have drifted. Christ called us to a higher standard, he called us to live a holy life, not perfect, not legalisic, holy. Set apart, called out.

Let´s give it a shot guys and gals. What have we got to lose? The world outside the church is full of people who are broken and hurting and they need to see a different model of lifestyle. Leaders, that´s what they need. Holy leaders who live authentic lives, who mess up, get forgiven, but live a higher calling. Set apart, that´s it.

Stick around/long and short term missions

In 1990 when I first went to Mexico for a 10 day mission trip I thought I was in heaven, except for the room temperature cantaloupe juice I drank. It was one of the highlights and turning points in my life. That trip changed where I was going in life to a whole new direction I would have never figured. I'm thankful my old pal Dwayne Hicks came up with the dream to take a bunch of kids down to Mexico to do a choir/work trip. I'm thankful Cris Garcia put up with all 29 of us.

From that point forward I traveled on many mission trips as a leader, co leader, or just flunkie. We went to more places in Southern Mexico with CIY, sent two groups to Juarez which I planned but did not go on, lead groups to Wash. DC, New Orleans, Atlanta, and who knows where else, LA. Each time I went on a trip I felt the need to go back to the same place and work with the same missionaries and see the same kids. I began to tell the people,'I'll be back', and I meant it. I did go back to most of the sites. For some reason each time the Lord made connections between me and the missionaries, workers, and kids in each of the places I traveled. For me it was more than a nice spiritual adventure, it was something more. It was about relationships.

I can honestly say I still keep in touch with many from those past trips. I wish I could have more contact, go back and visit all of them. I have been able to pop in on a few of them, like my friend Teri Mullens in DC. The thing that I loved most about each of those trips was the people, the relationships. Hearing the story of what God is doing in the lives of people did something to me. It made me hungry to know more of what God is doing all over the world.

I have to say that short term mission trips are a good idea if certain things are done well.

Number one, building of relationships by spending time with the missionaries and workers and kids while on a mission trip. Time, it takes time to get to know someone and talk with them and listen to them. Time equals love, because in spending time with these folks they can sense that someone really cares about them and loves them. I think possibly the most glaring weakness in short term mission work these days is the mentality of 'go, go, go' and 'do, do, do'. Get as much done as humanly possible and then leave.

The first trip I took to southern Mexico we worked with this incredible man of God named Gil Contreras. Now Gil knew how to take a mission trip, cause there was plenty of people time during this trip. We got to know him and his family and hear stories of what God had done in their lives. We got to laugh and tell jokes with him, his kids, and his crazy grandson, Adrian Sanchez. Time, lots of it, was what we had to be with them and enjoy them and get to know them.

The next trip I took to Southern Mexico was very similar and the next and the next. In fact, I went down to Mexico in 2002 after I finished up at a ministry in GA just so I could hang out with Gil and his family. What did we do? We wound up driving up to the border of Texas for a car. We had lots of time on that trip.

Relationship building is still a priority in missions, long term and short term. If you want to stick around on the mission field long term then you better plan on doing this one thing. The others are important too, but this is numero uno. Is it easy? Nope. Is it clean and tidy? No, it gets messy most times. Is it worth it? Definitely!

I'm back! I think...

If anyone actually reads this blog, sorry, I have slipped over to the darkside. I have been writing a wee bit on facebook. Like I said, the darkside.

I am going to make a feeble effort to blog once again and see where it goes. I encourage and am open to comments and ideas for blog subjects. I am also open to anyone copying anything I write, just tell me or whatever. If I write something that makes you think about writing something along the same line, do it and tell me about it.

I really write this for two or three reasons. I like to write and it gives me a vehicle to do so. I like to challenge others to think, or try to do so. I like to share struggles and glories of the mission field so others can pray, can get interested in missions, or can get ideas of ways to serve in the kingdom.

So, I'm back....watch out!

Tanks, guns, and soldiers

So, last Saturday after running a few errands with Martin my friend we turned the bend down near our house and guess what we saw? An armored vehicle with a high caliber gun strapped on top manned by a guy that looked about 18 years old and on the other side of the road a military truck that carries troops half full of soldiers, the other half being in the road and on the side of the road. So we took a detour to my house that was only a couple blocks away.

Martin said,'You have a neighbor that is a very bad guy.' That was putting it mildly. Those soldiers were waiting on someone to come that way and then the hammer was going to fall.

Most of the day we kind of hung around the house, partly because we needed to rest a little, and partly because I didnt want to find that very bady guy who is a neighbor. Kind of weird to see armored vehicles, soldiers, and automatic weapons right around the corner, right? But it's life here in Mexico.

Then Monday I mailed some packages to Hungary for a missionary friend Rusty. I commented to the lady behind the counter that one day soon I hoped to go there, maybe this summer if God works it all out. She said, 'Why do you want to go there? Aren't you afraid of the terrorists?'
I didn't know they were there. I also commented to her that I lived in Matamoros, no big deal, right?

I guess one day I will get used to seeing tanks, weapons, big guns and soldiers. Maybe I should start learning their names?

Receive food from a prostitute?

Sometimes when you receive food from someone who has a checkered past, like a prostitute, you should just pray. And I don´t mean pray a blessing for the food, although that is a good idea. No, I mean you should pray for the woman who sells herself, who is holding out a plate to you. You should pray for her that God will show her a different way, a better way, a hope and a light. You should pray for her two children who you see playing in the street and the empty canal nearby with other kids. You should pray that any blessing you receive will be passed onto that lady who lives a life of pain.

Why would you ever be in a situation where a lady like this could even offer you food? Well, it´s simple, live in Matamoros, go visit a friend, sit outside on a bucket or old chair. Then when the fiesta for a birthday gets started, just wait and finally a plate of food will come your way. Sounds simple enough, right?

Isn't this like some of the situations Jesus found himself in while he lived on earth? Didn't he get in trouble by the religious right, I mean religious leaders of the day because of whom he associated with? But how else was he supposed to give away mercy, grace and love, compassion and forgiveness to those who needed it most? How else can a doctor heal the sick if he is not among the ill and infirmed?

I did not plan to be sitting right where I was at that moment last Saturday, but I was there. I think a lot of living for God is just being in the right place at the right time. Being, as opposed to doing, someone once told me. We can do and do and do, and go and go and go, but if we never 'be' where God wants us to be then we might miss out on some pretty incredible things in this life.

I could have turned the food down, but I didn't because here that is an offense, especially from someone whose family has so little. So I ate and I said a prayer and Martin did too. In fact, I am still praying for this lady and her family, her two boys, that they desire and seek after God. That they SEARCH for truth.

I am praying that her son who is 3 years old will come back to preschool again. The door is open....

Tired, but what do you do, part 2

I just received news from my friend that his family member who was at risk has decided to follow Christ's path of truth and light and not fall prey to the enemy. She has returned home and is choosing the way of God over the way of pain and lies.

This is why we do what we do and we keep making an effort to help those who seem to have no hope, live in poverty and desperation and will try anything to escape their situation. Simply put, we do what we do because of those who get God and His way and walk in it. The ones who don´t we give over to God regularly that some day, near or faroff, they will find His path.

Amen!

Tired, but what do you do

If you are like me there are certain times when you just get tired of stuff piling up and up and up. Maybe it's the junk we hear over the news online, on tv, radio, does anyone still listen to a radio? Maybe it's the load of work in your job that keeps coming at you. Maybe it's the struggle to balance family, work, hobbies, rest, and life in general.

I get tired of what I see or what I hear about the bad choices in people's lives here in Mexico. The past two weeks I have heard of three different situations where a young woman was making terrible decisions that could totally destroy any hope of a good life or future. Two of them I know, but one I have never seen or met. So, what do you do? Pray first. Well, at least it's a good idea to start there. Then what? Talk to them, support them, what????

Sometimes talking works in these situations. Some people actually listen to the counsel of others and make an attempt to salvage their life from the mess they have made. Some think it's just too hard, they've gone too far or messed up too badly. Some just don't care anymore, they are too far gone. So, what do you do?

Try. Do something. Don't quit. Pray again. Try. There are those few who do want more than a life of pain. They listen. Pray again.