Tag: Mission
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You Are Always the Answer to Someone’s Prayers
A Chance for God to Show Himself Strong Being in full-time Christian ministry is not for the faint-hearted, nor the inflexible! You need to make sure you’re stretching regularly, especially when you are in limbo seasons of searching out new opportunities. Why so? Because there will undoubtedly be times where you will have more than…
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Oh, for Eyes to See the Greatest in the Kingdom
A couple of months ago I stood in a little village in rural Ireland, with my father in the faith, staring out across the rolling drumlins interspersed by the many lakes that fill the gaps in undulating landscape. Lakes like the one in which I and many others have been baptised. A long summer evening…
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One Term In
We are currently back in the packing stage. This time to head back to the field after our first visit home. For some reason, nowadays missionaries call each stint on the field/particular season on the field, a “term”. Sounds quite like a politician, but perhaps it is therefore fitting for those called to be “ambassadors…
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No Longer Divided
There is an Irish TV show which was (and I believe still is) aired yearly when we were growing up. Its name was Reeling in the Years, and each episode would contain footage from both international and Irish events from one year in history, over which would be set some music from that time. In…
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In Praise of a Sending Church
I have come to realise that not all sending churches are created equal. As I’ve interacted with other missionaries in our area, and with those serving in other places, an unfortunate number have had cause to speak negatively about their home church and their involvement in the mission. Many have expressed a feeling of not…
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Deadly Pineapples and Dependence on the Spirit
Did you know that if you eat pineapple and drink milk consecutively that you will, in fact, die? Furthermore, it is one of many dangerous foods for pregnant women to eat. My wife (very obviously expecting our third child) has been asked by fruit sellers, with a note of serious concern in their voices, “Are…
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Better Than All The Stories
Last week we had some visitors from Ireland staying with us. One evening, as we were putting the kids to bed, we all sat on the floor and did that day’s devotional from a book. One of the questions that day was, “what is your favourite Bible story?” One-by-one we went around, telling our favourite…
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The Labourers’ View of the Field
This is a little different in style to my usual posts, but something that I hope will be interesting to chew on as you consider the world in which we live, where 42% have little to no access to the good news of Jesus. Over the past year, several long-term workers in our area have…
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What I Do Have I Give To You
Living here in South Asia places a huge burden on the heart, that does not exist to the same extent in Ireland/the West. Poverty. Now of course, we have poor people in Ireland, and we try to help them as we can. Yes, there are those on the streets looking for money, sad scenes of…
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Fools of a Unique Culture
In a couple of weeks it will be one year since landing in our host country in South Asia. As I sit here enjoying Andrew Peterson’s new cover album of Rich Mullin’s legendary “A Liturgy, A Legacy and A Ragamuffin Band”, there is definitely much to give thanks for. A few weeks back a new…
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A Father Before the Altar
Last night my daughter snuggled into my shoulder as I read to her the ending of Book 3 of the Wingfeather Saga. My eyes grew wet as I spoke to her of a father’s mighty act of heroism and strength for the hour – giving of his complete self for the sake of his children.…
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The Son of Man Came Not To Be Served, But…
Christians are a servant-hearted bunch. At least, we ought to be! And usually we are, to one degree or another. We love our King who humbled himself, took on the form of a servant and died a humiliating death on a cross for us. This event has gripped our hearts, and we want to likewise…
Imitators of Those 