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Holy Guacamole

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Click here to view this article adapted for Connection magazine Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phi 1:6.) Avocados do not grow in Berlin, Germany, where I currently live, but years ago I lived in southern California where they grew in abundance. Our next-door neighbor had a grove and allowed us to take as many avocados as we wanted. Warm, sun-ripened avocados were the main ingredient for many sandwiches, salads, and, of course, guacamole. Now I have a hard time bringing myself to spend nearly two Euros on one fruit. The other day I found a great bargain: three avocados for two Euros at a little vegetable stand near the bustling subway station. I got them and immediately started dreaming of the guacamole I would make out of them. Guacamole is one of those comfort foods that reminds me of the warm climate in which I grew up, the hot sun that both the avocados and my body so re...
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Missional or Confessional?

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Spiritual Gifts and Missiology in a Post-Christian Context based on 1 Peter Church-planting in a post-Christian context certainly has its challenges. Not only is the ground hard, there is also much confusion about missiology and where to start. The church-planter, often untrained in theology or missiology, is left scratching his head, wondering what it is that Jesus would have him do.Trial and error end up being the primary tools in the church-planter's toolbox. Unfortunately, the newest trends of theological fashion, with a one size fits all design, are not always helpful, leaving missionaries wondering what could possibly be wrong with them. If they were doing it right, they would surely see more fruit. And then there's that pesky little truth that the Spirit of God blows when and where He wills, not where methods are perfect. The church-planter is always re-evaluating methods, hoping to find one that will finally work . Some seem to have found a trendy, more se...
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Motherhood: The Introvert’s Challenge

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Motherhood: The Introvert’s Challenge (Click on title above to view this post on The Aquila Report where it was first published) A few years ago, our family went on vacation with another family for a week. Perplexed, I watched my extroverted friend play one game after the next with her children, all day long. She kept saying things like, “I love my kids so much, I never get tired of spending time with them!” It was wonderful to see her experience so much joy with her kids and they were clearly having a great time with her…BUT I was feeling worse and worse about myself as the days went on. Was I a bad mother? Did I not love my kids as much as my friend loved hers? Why was it that I couldn’t muster up the energy to be more like her?  I started second-guessing myself and made myself miserable for the rest of the vacation. The Tug Motherhood is a challenge for every type of woman but I believe it is harder for the introvert. Why?  It is a 24/7 job with very litt...
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Missions Exists Because Worship Doesn’t

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Photo:worshipunashamed.org   1.       Introduction: The Core Misunderstanding This title may sound provocative, and it is. But let me explain why I think this statement is true. It is because we do not understand the nature of biblical worship that we fail to understand the nature of missions. When I say missions, I include under this broad category: home evangelism, cross-cultural and foreign missions, and any ministry which has to do with the proclamation of the good news of Christ. Christians need to first understand biblical worship if they want to be “missionaries” in any sense. So if our understanding of missions hinges on our understanding of worship, we need to first start by looking at what worship is. 2.       Definition of worship Proskuneo: “Worship, fall down, fall down and worship, kneel, bow down low, fall at another’s feet” This was a physical act in OT worship. It was also done in s...
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