Fast Car

A while back, me and a friend was talking about another friend getting a fast car.  My friend made a comment...

You can't serve the poor driving a fast car.

While I was brushing my teeth, that comment and the thought of being missional popped into my head. Inevitably, someone might confused a church with an attractive model (draw people to the church with services and programs) equate to a missional church (for my definition, a missional church is one where the church and all its aspects: worship, fellowship, discipleship, are shaped with mission as the center).

So how would a missional church looks different?  Well, in regards of serving the poor, an attractive church model might provide services to the poor community. Sandwich run, soup kitchen, helping them with resume and finding a job.  It is serving focus and the association with those needy are within the program realm.

From a missional point of view, one would become the poor.  One's whole live will be immerse in the culture of the needy.  If the person had a fast car it is a no brainer that to associate with the poor, he will sell it.  When God's Mission takes precedent in one's life, anything (may literally) goes.

I still remembered what Jackie Pullinger shared in Chasing the Dragon.  She spent years in the poorest and broken area in Hong Kong, Kowloon Walled City.  She became one of them.  She didn't had fancy program or support.  No high tech or any resource focus.  She was accepted because she was part of them.  Through this, the locals accepted the message of the Gospel.

"Fine, " said Ah Ping to me savagely one day. "Fine for them, fine for us too, we wouldn't mind believing in Jesus too if we could get into a plane and fly away around the world like them. They can sing about love very nicely, but what do they know about us? They don't touch us - they know nothing."

An excerpt from Chasing the Dragon

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

...You can't serve the poor driving a fast car.

A journey into missions....

Tonight was a rough night.  I had to drop off groceries to three people.  One of the drop offs were missing a bag and there was an incident with someone receiving the wrong bag.  So I spent the night driving around Mississauga back and fourth  to make sure everyone got the right groceries.  I wasn't in the mood for this.  I often wonder why I do what I do.  Why is there such an emphasis on missions?  Why should I spend my Thurs evening driving around Mississauga when I can perfectly go and do some exercise.  Side note: I exercise now, I no longer train.  I am debating whether I still qualify myself as a triathlete....maybe Soul of a Christian sounds more appropriate.

I was irritated when I got the call from the food bank that so and so missed a bag.

Recently, I listened to Michael Frost on being missional.   Michael Frost is an Australian missiologist. I still remember the first time I read his book during an audit course at MacMaster Divinity.  It was very an eye opener.  Back then, the idea of missions was never high on my radar.  I was going to church. I was leading my fellowship.  I was doing the usual business.

I am always amaze at how a few years...three years, my heart is changed.  Right now, I never stop thinking about missions.  Never stop thinking to share the gospel in relevant and ways that non Church goers can understand.  The pursuit of missions has taken me to street in downtown Toronto. Where I come and get to know R, who is in a wheel chair and live in downtown.  The idea of missional just excite me and get my juice pumping. I can spend hours discuss about this and how we can go about being missional.

The past few years were my own experiments on being missional.   Going to downtown and hanging out with the homeless, going to Open Doors, driving around dropping off food, speaking at running clubs, trying to connect with a guy I got into a car accident....all these are just venues for me to connect with others from all different levels.  It's fun!

I remembered one night  I sat down next to another homeless person yapping about life.  He was causing quite a scene as he would try and struck a conversation at every pedestrian who walked by.  "Really cheap estate here!" as he pointed on the cardboard he was sitting on.  That was crazy....and fun!

I looked back and see those are moment where I desired to pursuit God.   In the Bible, Jesus spent a large part of the time with the lowly and outcast.  I asked myself, if Jesus is in Toronto, where would He be?  Surely He won't be just in a church, in a fellowship or in Christian events (conference, bands etc.) only.  He would be out proclaiming and bringing fourth the Kingdom. He would be out there. Wait, I should go too then.

...

As I drive around Mississauga, I often wonder how come this journey I am often by myself.   Yes, there is a sense of loneliness.  At the same time, those times when I was out on the street on my own...as I discovered (more like recover) missions and the aspect that God is a missional God (missio dei)....I started to see those are moments where I fully relied on the Holy Spirit.  I wasn't dependent on a program or someone to help me out.  This is my training program to rely purely on Him.

I know I ain't the only one relying on Him.  Countless missionaries are alone.  I am sure there are many Christians, nameless, no recognition, just going out there following Him as well.

Tonight was a chilly one.  The wind is picking up again. As I dropped off the last bag and apologized to the lady that this might  not be what she wanted,  I found myself once again in joy.  I told A (the highschool student who come with me to visit R) that a while back my goal was to go out every night to serve.  A asked me if I am doing it now...I can say, I am.  And I try to push it more and more everyday.

Mission is fun, is exhilarating and it is exciting. I hope I never stop.

...

More side note...sometimes I hear people say you don't need to go to seminary because it is a waste of time.  You can read all the books that you need to read.  That's true. I can just sit home and read books.
Then again,  I am not much of an academic person or a thinker.  I am not the school type.  I never get high grades.  But I love being in seminary.  I love the fact that in a course I can really think about my faith.  I can go and dig and dig and dig.  I love how the professors encourage us to think and grow.   I still remember Lee Beach.  He was the prof which I took an audit course from. He encouraged me to take a program at Mac Div and I can benefit from more theology.

So good!

What is a Missional Church?

Missional Church made simple!

Christmas Lunch...

"Where's everyone?" My pastor asked as I was setting chairs and the tables in the social hall.

I replied, "I do not know. They should be coming."

Yesterday was an unusual Saturday. My normal routine was to go to the Y, swim, then bike for a few hours. Instead, I found myself in my church's social hall.

My church was having a lunch potluck. A brother worked at a shelter and he invited a number of guests to join us. For the past few Christmas our congregation had a celebration. Last year it was a buffet.

I reflected on Luke 14 when Jesus told the Pharisees...."do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors....when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind..."

Jesus' words ring loudly in my heart. And so, this year around, we invited those who we don't normally hang out with.

As my pastor and I continued to set up the tables, more people showed up. First those who prepared food. Then a few university students. As more and more showed up, we pray before we get started.

My heart was already racing by then. My mind was some where else. I was thinking the next step and next item to do. Get the cooks, prepare the food, find out how much cultery we need, get the drivers here, designate pick up locations.....

We pause for a few min and prayed. I was in a lost for words.

And we were off. We pulled the drivers together. It turned out one of the sisters had a van and I don't have to rent a van (YAY!). We picked the people from various locations.

Soon the social hall of my church were filled with people. People who normally don't come to my church. Maybe they have never went to a church before. What's even more spectacular were seeing my church engaging with them. We invited them. We chatted with them. We shared a meal. We laughed and talked.

This Sun Service, my pastor read out a response by one of the guests. He mentioned how he enjoyed our company and how we treat him with sincerity and dignity. I was in tears. I stopped and said:

"This is how a church suppose to be."

Albert Benjamin Simpson, founder of Christian and Missionary Alliance, once said...

"..a church that can be ... home of every form of help and blessing which Jesus came to give to lost and suffering men..."

I do not have much to stay or response. I am still soaking in the moment. I am joyful that my church was able to stand against the sad and sinful world and shared a meal. I know that this ain't just the end. Rather a beginning. Where we can re-imagine what a church can and meant to be. May the Spirit use this to move people's heart. To move my congregation's heart so we see ourselves as the light of Mississauga and the surrounding. And the heart of the guests, that they find shelter, comfort, hope and strength through You.

Here's a response from one of the brother who partake with the lunch yesterday:

"My prayer is God will open our church more times to the people in shelters and bless those who have come to the church and regenerate their soul with the gift of salvation from the Lord, and use us effectively so they will see the Lord Jesus in us and humble us to serve them with the love of Jesus, and build meaningful relationship with them so they will know the Lord and increase their faith in the Lord Christ Jesus. AMEN!"

I couldn't say it any better.

It's good to be used. Especially when the I am use for things that will not be lost by rust or moths.

Sharing with kids how to be missional

Today, I had the pleasure of speaking in my church's children worship.

It was the first time attending the service and I must admit it was quite a scene to see kids, the next generation, worshiping God.

I did a Q&A with my youth pastor. We talked about my experience with God. Talked about Open Doors. Talked about going out to Nathan Phillip Square and feeding those in need.

To be honest, I do not know how it go. Last night, I re-read this blog. Re-read a few posts. I prayed and just want to let the Holy Spirit lead.

A few things I hammer out was Jesus would go out for those who do not know Him. He would go after those who we will never hang out with because difference in social, economical and/or political status (Zecheus the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10), the Samaritan Woman at the well (John 4), the leper, the beggers). In fact, we might hate (repeat HATE) to hang out with because we are uncomfortable with those people. I say, it is unthinkable!

I told the kids we have to remind that all of us once are like that to God. Yet God still loves us. If we follow Jesus, we better do what He does.

I end off the Q&A challenging the kid, if they are in school, perhaps they should love those who they bully or pick up. If they are bully upon, they should love the bully. A sorta love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48) in their context.

It ain't hard. It is straightforward. But I can say it is very very uncomfortable. This is when I really focus on Jesus. He didn't died on the cross for me because I am smart or I am a good guy. Because I once hated Him and rebel against Him (Romans 5:6).

One of the kids told me I had a great sermon. Praise the Lord. I am thankful that God can use my brokenness and pray that this will be a small step in helping them grow in Christ.

On a side note, next Sat, I am taking one of the kids out to downtown Toronto and share a meal with the needy....EXCITING!

Go

Tonight, I met up with a friend that I hadn't seen for a while. She is getting ready to go to Australia to check out a few Universities. I shared all the great sights and experiences down south. She was making a decision whether to stay here to study for her Masters (and save some money) or go to Oz. I told her once she went down she would never want to come back. Hehe :P

The conversation ended off with discussing about PMS and getting piss off and depress. Not that I am an expert in this area. Though lately, looking at some of my posts, I can clearly not in a positive mood. I understand and be grateful of the salvation that I received. But I cannot stop thinking about going out.

I thought about my city. Those who do not know our Lord. Is someone out there bringing them to Christ? Is the Gospel being preach?

I look at my life. Have I really give up something for our Lord? Am I really following the Lord? Or am I paying lip service? Do I go to church on Sun praising the Lord and spend the rest of my time, energy, and money investing in things that don't last (self seeking pleasure, comfort etc.)?

So here I stand. Looking at my city, sheep without a shepherd. The grief and sadness and the hopelessness the city that they dwell among. The desire to show them that REAL hope is not a myth but a reality. The fear of the task that I was bestowed upon. The magnitude of the evil that is fill in the air. The uncertainty and doubt creeps in my mind.

So where do I turn? Does someone understand? Is anyone out there feel the same urgency? Does anyone not only have the urgent desire but seeing the futileness of people living without Christ in their lives? Does anyone feel the pain and the sadness of those who do not know Christ?

There is One. The One who is sending me (Matthew 28:18-20). The One who have compassion for the lost (Mark 6:34). Who goes to save the sick. Not the righteous (Mark 2:17).

And this is who I seek (Matthew 7:7)

When He commands, GO!

Operation Bring The Kids Back to School (recap)

Hi everyone,

I just want to say thanks for everyone who pitch in and help out to supply school supplies to help kids to go back to school.

Tomorrow, I will be dropping the supplies off.

Just want to say praise the Lord for there is a great need out there and HE answers...

Thank you for helping our (little) neighbours =DD

cheers,

Cliff

Engage the culture

I was thinking the way I share the gospel. I rather how often I use church terms and lingos to talk to unbelievers. I remember one time I use the word fellowship and the other person scroff and said, 'What was that...Lord of the rings?'

Too true too true. I don't think non-believers care about the term fellowship. I mean, they don't understand it. Or devotional or praise night or Sunday School.

I reflected on Acts 17 when Paul went to Athens. There were full of idols and other gods.

Paul can start of saying...'repent, you are a sinner and believe in Christ.'

Instead, he took the idols situation and use it to direct toward Christ.

"Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. ²³For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

²⁴"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. ²⁵And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. ²⁶From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

²⁹"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. ³⁰In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. ³¹For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

I highligted verse 23 and 28 because Paul is using the idols and their poets and bring Christ to them through that. As Canada, Mississauga is becoming more diverse and pluarlism is on the rise, how can we use our culture and bring people toward Christ?

People no longer understand the role of the church or a desire to go to one. This is not to say the church is not useful. They simply don't grasp the idea of going to church. Especially for those living outside of Canada and migrate from parts around the world. Church is a foreign territory.

As I start conversing with others, I need to discern from the Holy Spirit. And more importantly, I need to see from their eyes and where they are from. How do they view religion? What about church? Do they know who Jesus is? Do their beliefs have salvation? Do people even grasp the idea of sin?

This is what we call contextualize. And I am just learning...

My King is moving

Today I attended BASIC Toronto's Conference call Heart Matters in the City. It is a youth worship conference to rally them to love the city as Jesus would.

Through the worship, all I can think about is Open Door and Mississauga.

I was listening to Reggie McNeal the other day. He was talking about the King is on the move and the church in AD 30 was trying to catch up.

Sometimes, when I sit still, I can tell you the King is moving. In quietness I can almost feel the Kingdom of God is coming down.

And I am move with different emotions. I am joyful because I can partake in seeing the Kingdom coming down. Jesus once said the sick will be heal and the lame can walk. I am joyful for my King who is mercy and full of love will rescue and free the oppress. And I cried to think of the many people who are in my city who have nothing but hope coming to Canada and struggling to make ends meet. I cried because of all the wealth we have, we are lonely. We still have people who are living on marginlize means. And I am angry. Sometimes I don't understand the gap between rich and poor are so wide. I don't understand why there is so much poverty. And sometimes how I am much weak and helpless in changing anything.

And beyond my weakness, I yearn for Christ to come. I desire Him to move among us. I want to experience the Kingdom coming down. I want others to feel the persence of the Kingdom. There is no greater joy then when the poor and the weary find rest upon our Lord. The mustard seed. The yeast in the dough. To be the guy who sell everything for the pearl.

Recently , I am reminded of the contract I signed with God. Let's go deep. Love our neighbours. Go crazy. For there is much at stake and my King is moving. So I better start following.

Prayer Jog...walk!?!

Yesterday, I decided to go out for a jog.

I am very out of shape. I haven't run since the Half Ironman I did a week and a half ago. Fitness drops sharply when we don't exercise.

A jog quickly become a puffing content and I decided to walk instead.

As I walked around my neighborhood, I asked many things.

I was thinking how to reach those who live in Mississauga. My city. There were families of diverse culture and race in the playground. A couple was in front of their driveway describing the workers who were laying bricks. A bunch of kids in their soccer uniforms gathered around a basketball net. A cat sat quietly underneath a car without a care in the world.

There were many people taking an evening stroll. Kids were riding their bikes. Teenagers on their cell phone laughing and chatting.

I wondered how many of them know who Jesus is. How many of them are being reach or pray upon? How many of them are seeking? Do they know the Kingdom is coming?

So I walked and I prayed. I seek and ask. Where my King goes and I will go.

Kingdom of God: It's AD 30 all over again

Got this video from Subversive Influence blog. I still think in very small terms. My King goes and does mighty things..gotta open my eyes and follow.

A passion for the city

Tonight I had a great privilege to be part of the a short term mission training in my church.

It was a spirit-filled time. Lots of laughter, sharing and praying. The team is made up of majority youths and I am excited to see the values we are instilling among the youths (that prayer is key in mission, all Christians are missionary, going to church, tithing, does not make you a Christian etc.)

Great times...as I hear them pray, they are focus on letting God to transform them and lead by the Holy Spirit.

We went onto a discussion about revival. The question was ask...how come there is no revival in Mississauga..

and the answer is very clear (if not painful).

- we don't pray enough
- we don't think it is important
- we don't care
- we are too busy

.....

so as I was riding my bike back home. In my city. In my neighborhood. I cannot stop and wonder...when was the last time I pray for Mississauga? Rare was the answer....

All great things start with prayer....and from our knees (ain't my quote...i summarize from another missionary).

Ingredients for a good conversation

I am meeting with a prof from Mac Div tomorrow for coffee. I never sat down with a prof off hours and chat.

Today I made up a few questions to ask. Not really questions but thoughts that have been going off my mind. There is nothing like picking brains from those smarter than you and see what they think. If you are me, that wouldn't pose much of a problem as my intelligence is no better than an average bear :D

Ingredients:

1 Cup of:

Mississauga - Share the gospel
- surbuban
- pockets of diverse communities
- rich and the poor live in close proximity physically (how to reach to both?)
- yet between neighbours, we do not know each other (physical closeness does not equate to relationship closeness)

2 teaspoons of:
- where do the gospel fit in?
- where do the church fit in?
- where do the institutionalized church fit in?

For added flavor, add 150 ml of:

- how does reach out/local evangelism look like?
- from a chinese christian culture, how does that look?
- MCAC perspective?
- where's God already working in our church and in the lives of others (inside and outside of church)?

Add a pinch of third culture, third place, post-modernism and post-Christiandom

Shake for 15 min. Add water until it softens. Stir and serve. :D

Darrin Patrick - Life with Non-Christians

Got this from Missio Dei Suburbia:



For me, there are two area which I am intentionally at. Triathlon and Open Door.

Off the bat, Darrin stresses do you like hanging out with non-Christians. This strike a cord. For me, there is always a tendency to hang out with Christians and live life. And often, people get offended when I made such a statement. Evangelism/outreach/missional is not a one day or two week a year phenomenon. It is a everyday living breathing sharing lives attitude.

---

Btw, early birthday present for myself :D

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What's the Ordinary Radicals?

In the margins of the United States, there lives a revolutionary Christianity. One with a quiet disposition that seeks to do "small things with great love," and in so doing is breaking 21st Century stereotypes surrounding this 2000 years old faith. "The Ordinary Radicals" is set against the modern American political and social backdrop of the next Great Awakening. Sharing a relevant outlook for people with all faith perspectives, director Jamie Moffett examines this growing movement.

Check out the following trailer:

Tribe or Mission?

Got this from Matt Adair's blog which he quote from Tullian's (reference of a reference :)

There’s a radical difference between tribal and missionary mindsets. The highest value of the tribal-minded is self-protection. Since these people feel safest around those just like them, they ask, “How can I protect myself from those who are different?” They intentionally surround themselves with those who think the way they think, like the things they like, and despise the things they despise.

We all seek out sameness, as John Seel notes: “We cope by settling into our safe intellectual cliques—our favorite blog, cable channel, or e-zine—where our own views are reinforced and applauded. Without really trying, we can easily lose sight of the wider horizon and fail to listen to those who do not think as we do.”

As a result, tribally minded people live with a sense of superiority, looking down on those who are unlike them. This is the “fashionable” posture of our culture.

In contrast, the highest aim of mission-minded people is not self-protection but self-sacrifice. Mission-minded people exist not primarily for themselves but for others. They’re willing to set aside personal preferences in service to those with different preferences. They’re willing to be inconvenienced, discomforted, and spent for the well-being of others.

....
This difference between mission-mindedness and tribal-mindedness is illustrated well in a note I received recently from my good friend Mike about a recent conversation he had with his wife, Nicole:

Nicole and I were in downtown Fort Lauderdale today. As we were leaving, we passed a park. It was a really nice park, but there was a whole group of homeless people hanging out there. I commented to Nicole that, as nice as the park was, I wouldn’t be able to just walk the kids through the park if we lived down there. Her response to me stung. She said, “Yes you would. You’d just have to go into the park for a different reason. You could go in and pass out bag lunches.” Then she said, “Christians need to remember that, given God’s mission, they exist for the city; the city doesn’t exist for them.” Ouch!

Nicole understands rightly the gospel’s demand for this unfashionable mindset, because the gospel is the story of God sacrificing himself for others.

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Nicole's statement is a great reminder of our role as Christians in the world. We are to serve the city. The city doesn't serve me. I am a living sacrifice for those around me.