1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,900 Welcome back to the grace church members podcast. 2 00:00:05,900 --> 00:00:09,300 My name is Shannon Foster and I'm filling in for our host 3 00:00:09,300 --> 00:00:12,200 Chris rivers. With each episode, we try to 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,100 address the discipleship issue in the life of Grace Church and 5 00:00:15,100 --> 00:00:16,900 discuss. How to be more fully devoted to 6 00:00:16,900 --> 00:00:19,400 God. In this episode, I was 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,100 encouraged by our interview with Robbie, Richard mostly through 8 00:00:22,100 --> 00:00:24,500 the personal and practical examples, he shares about 9 00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:27,700 growing up in a multicultural family and how those experiences 10 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:29,500 shaped his relationship with God. 11 00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:32,800 And Has view of missions. We also unpacked. 12 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,400 Why missions is important and essential for all believers as 13 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,500 well as some practical ideas to live Mission Ali in our homes, 14 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,800 and neighboring, state or even another country. 15 00:00:42,500 --> 00:00:44,200 Okay, let's listen in this interview. 16 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:45,900 I had with Chris Scott and Robbie. 17 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,200 Well, Robbie, it's good to see you today and be at the table 18 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,200 with you, man. It's good to be here. 19 00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:56,300 Yeah, it's you've had some transition here at our staff and 20 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,200 I'm interested. We're interested in hearing more 21 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,000 about your role and just some of the Things that you're doing and 22 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,300 how that fits within the Outreach Department. 23 00:01:03,300 --> 00:01:06,300 Yeah. So I guess August stepped into 24 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:09,700 our Outreach department is particularly with the 25 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:11,400 international Partnerships, okay? 26 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,600 So it was exciting. I was finishing up at español 27 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,300 pass that on to Brandon Garcia. We still attend their get to 28 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:23,900 teach two or three times a month still so still big part of what 29 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:28,500 we're doing but wanted to try to you know, do something else? 30 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,700 Yeah I think Gods made me in a certain way where I like to be 31 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:37,100 doing anything. So, Derek Nelson, he leads our 32 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:39,900 research department and he had resize the hey, Robbie, what do 33 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:42,100 you think about this? So, actually, as I started as I 34 00:01:42,108 --> 00:01:45,200 step into it, I was also helping another organization. 35 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,600 My dad's organization outside of Grace at the same time. 36 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,900 So I've been doing both for the last six months or so. 37 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Okay. And very quickly decided it was 38 00:01:55,100 --> 00:01:56,500 a little bit too much. So yeah. 39 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,900 You know, Focus just on we're doing here at Grace, tell us. 40 00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:03,200 About maybe a few bullet points on what what that entails. 41 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,500 Well Circle back to that at the end but tell us give us a little 42 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,199 preview of what what kind of things you're helping our 43 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:12,200 church. Yeah, so we have Partners in 44 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:17,300 different countries all over the world and so when you look at 45 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,800 our partners, we try to identify those who are already doing what 46 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,200 they're doing in their context. Anytime we go anywhere, we're 47 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,600 going to be Outsiders. And there are insiders in 48 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,600 different cultures. Yes, but you can come alongside 49 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:37,100 them as Outsiders and resource. Equip learn from anyone who's 50 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:39,400 doing that work. And unfortunately or 51 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,900 fortunately, the majority of the world's resources are focused 52 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:47,800 where we are, whereas there's a lot of large amount of God's 53 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,400 Church. Particularly where the church 54 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,200 is? Growing Africa, Asia Latin 55 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,300 America. They're under resource and so 56 00:02:54,300 --> 00:02:56,900 and I'm not just talking about economical resources, I'm 57 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:59,100 talking about everything. So when you think of my 58 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:01,100 contexts, Spanish-speaking world. 59 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:09,500 I believe it is the most Spoken language Spanish by Christians 60 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:11,400 in the world. Maybe manner is more. 61 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,400 But, you know, that's just one country, right? 62 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,900 But the amount of resources that we have in Spanish, are, you 63 00:03:18,908 --> 00:03:22,100 know, it's a small percentage of what we have in English. 64 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,800 And so that's just one of those areas that we, you know, there's 65 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,900 a huge lack of churches. Groin, how do you step in and 66 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:29,800 help that? And we've gotten to do that. 67 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,900 Actually through Grayson a swing on through Grace Church, as 68 00:03:31,900 --> 00:03:33,600 well, awesome. So you're looking at trying to 69 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,600 leverage some of these. Resources that we already have 70 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,500 into places that need them. The most, and we're Grace 71 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:43,500 Church, could be strategically partnered with other 72 00:03:43,700 --> 00:03:46,900 organizations, is that? Yeah, that's a, that's a good 73 00:03:46,900 --> 00:03:50,700 summary. So you have different different 74 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:52,600 types. When you go overseas, there's 75 00:03:52,900 --> 00:03:54,600 this place that have the gospel. This place of the, don't know, 76 00:03:54,608 --> 00:03:56,400 the gospel. And the places that have the 77 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:01,000 gospel, you don't know how well they've been trained, or what 78 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,300 kind of resources that they've had. 79 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:07,700 So, when we go in, there are Rule pastors who need basic 80 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:10,900 theological training and you're saying, okay, overview Old 81 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:14,400 Testament, overview New Testament, then there's guys who 82 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,700 are in the main cities, you know, these massive cities. 83 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:18,399 Maybe not so much in Latin America. 84 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:19,899 Although they're big, you know, 5 million. 85 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,800 Plus you go to Asia and you're talking ten twelve Seventeen, 86 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,600 twenty million people in the city and they have opportunities 87 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,000 to study at seminaries or even come over to the US and studying 88 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,900 go back. So they don't need necessarily 89 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:36,600 the theological training, they do need Has a tional training 90 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,600 leadership training and we actually can step into that. 91 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,700 A lot of what we do is as great stretch to the step into that. 92 00:04:42,700 --> 00:04:45,800 And then there's another side obviously where there's people 93 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,600 that just need help, you know, there's a lot of need a lot of 94 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,800 poverty, justice issues, refugees immigration. 95 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,600 I mean the list just goes on and on. 96 00:04:55,700 --> 00:05:00,700 So we get to identify where we can best help identify 97 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,200 organizations that we think is are already doing a good job 98 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,600 with that. And Then see how we can partner 99 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,300 in helping them, do what God's called them to do, or the 100 00:05:09,300 --> 00:05:11,000 ministry God's given them to do. Hmm. 101 00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:15,700 So it sounds like you've had lots of experiences. 102 00:05:15,700 --> 00:05:20,100 So, would you share some that have been informative and the 103 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:22,400 ones that have really shaped your view of missions and 104 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:30,200 Outreach? Yeah, so I think just Even the 105 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:34,400 way that I was raised has a big impact on how I see things. 106 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,800 And so, even as I was stepping in this position, I was 107 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:37,900 thinking. This is the first time I think 108 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:41,100 I'm on the sending and things. And so I'm having to learn his 109 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:45,700 steep learning curve for me. So I grew up in a more 110 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:50,800 Multicultural context is, I was born in India and then but you 111 00:05:50,808 --> 00:05:53,100 know, at three or four moved to the states. 112 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,800 And so we grew up in a time where, you know, is is Dallas 113 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,400 Texas. It's still actually very 114 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,900 Multicultural and but my parents, my dad is from India. 115 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:06,800 My mom is actually white. People are like that's her my 116 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,900 even they see her still like haired. 117 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:13,800 And, and so, and at that time, I don't think I mean, very rarely 118 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,000 you'd see couples that were Indian and white. 119 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,700 And and so I grew up in that environment and then when I was 120 00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:21,200 18, actually, I ended up moving to Costa Rica. 121 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:25,600 It was like a three-month deal, and at the end of that, I 122 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:27,700 decided I want to come back to the US. 123 00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:31,800 So, Our way to stay there, go to school there, and eventually met 124 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:32,500 my wife. There. 125 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:36,600 And so, as soon as we were out of Seminary, we actually moved 126 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,900 to another part of very rural part of the country and God 127 00:06:39,900 --> 00:06:42,300 opened up doors. We planted a church. 128 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:44,900 It wasn't intentional. It was just a Bible study and 129 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:50,200 the started growing her family. Also her brother-in-law does 130 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,300 church planting up and down the coast of Costa Rica and so we 131 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:58,000 got to just experience a lot of that and then also my part of my 132 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,800 childhood. As I grew up, like I mentioned 133 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,900 that my father has a Ministry where he travels quite a bit 134 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:05,300 that special training. So we would get to go once a 135 00:07:05,308 --> 00:07:11,200 year on the trip with him. And so we got to see a lot, a 136 00:07:11,208 --> 00:07:15,400 lot of the culture shock that comes being exposed to just 137 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,700 different environments, completely different languages, 138 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:24,000 food all, that it was just very normal part of our green. 139 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,900 So we'd go over. I mean, even just growing up and 140 00:07:25,900 --> 00:07:29,100 downs, run over to my aunt's house and have Whatever, 141 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:32,200 Crabtree something like that. I think we coming back and we're 142 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,600 having McDonald. Says he does is very, very, it 143 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,600 is very normal for us to switch back and forth between cultures 144 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,700 and then getting to travel quite a bit. 145 00:07:41,100 --> 00:07:42,900 That was that was just part of the experience. 146 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:47,900 So, I actually a lot of times feel more comfortable outside of 147 00:07:47,900 --> 00:07:52,700 the US or in an uncomfortable environment because of that I 148 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:54,900 was thinking a couple weeks ago. So I got to be in India. 149 00:07:54,900 --> 00:07:58,700 It was first time I feel like 12 years and I was thinking, Place 150 00:07:58,700 --> 00:08:01,900 where I look the most, like, the people around me is the way I'm 151 00:08:01,900 --> 00:08:04,300 the farthest, right? Culturally? 152 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:07,700 From sure the culture where I feel most comfortable, which is 153 00:08:07,708 --> 00:08:11,000 probably Hispanic culture, like, I still sound like a foreigner 154 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,900 to them, probably in, some, in some sense and then, we the 155 00:08:13,900 --> 00:08:15,600 culture. I actually grew up in, I look 156 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,100 probably the most different, so, I mean, it's just a way that I 157 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:23,200 think, as a kid, it affected me quite a bit. 158 00:08:23,300 --> 00:08:26,300 Now, looking back. It's a huge blessing and you are 159 00:08:26,300 --> 00:08:28,200 a man without a country for sure. 160 00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:32,000 And just because a lot of us have not had the same kind of 161 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,600 international travel experience, just take off a few places that 162 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,000 you've been able to seeing and that people might be like, oh 163 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:40,500 really? Wow, that's great. 164 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:46,500 So just think about some of my so Ethiopia as very, very close 165 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:49,200 to my heart. I was there for about six weeks. 166 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,400 When I was about 17 years old friend and I went over and it 167 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,100 was a really great experience, and we were Eastern Ethiopia, so 168 00:08:56,100 --> 00:08:57,500 close to Somalia. Okay. 169 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:01,500 Not that time. Is early 2000s, they're still 170 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:04,500 coming out of whatever you would call that kind of government at 171 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:05,300 that time. Yeah. 172 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,400 Are not government non-government so that area East 173 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,200 East Africa is very close. Not long. 174 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,700 Well, now it's a bit probably about 10 years ago. 175 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,700 I got to go to Myanmar, which is Burma my grandfather was 176 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:19,900 actually burn me. He was from Myanmar and so I got 177 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:22,400 to go back and be a part of that. 178 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,700 So that was really interesting. Yeah to see all that, and that's 179 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,600 more of a Just area and then different parts of India. 180 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:37,200 But particularly there's a Northeast where you have Nepali 181 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,900 of Bhutan, you have China and then you have India. 182 00:09:39,900 --> 00:09:41,600 So the Indian they're actually look Chinese. 183 00:09:42,100 --> 00:09:45,900 And it was amazing experience. We flew out to this place so you 184 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:49,800 have to get a visa to go into this other state in India so 185 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,500 it's called imphal. And so even my dad who's very 186 00:09:52,500 --> 00:09:54,900 Indian, he looked like a foreigner on the plane when we 187 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:57,400 went in there and then we drove like 10 hours up in the 188 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,800 mountains and you You go out there and you're like what in 189 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:00,700 the world are you going to be doing? 190 00:10:00,700 --> 00:10:05,500 Yeah and they were 40,000 youth from all the churches in the 191 00:10:05,500 --> 00:10:06,500 area. Oh my gosh. 192 00:10:06,500 --> 00:10:08,300 And they get together once every five years and have like a 193 00:10:08,300 --> 00:10:12,200 singing competition between the different churches, so you get 194 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,200 up on the stage and their seats are these. 195 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:19,800 There's it's like a wooden plank on metal to be and there's just 196 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,300 rows 40,000 kids like that and then they mean it was it was 197 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:26,500 amazing, amazing worship. I just remember there was this 198 00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:28,400 little girl, she's probably four and a half feet tall. 199 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:30,400 And she built it out is in English. 200 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,100 This once I was like, man, this is amazing, amazing voice and 201 00:10:33,100 --> 00:10:35,900 everything. So and then the South America 202 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:38,200 Central America, right been the spend a lot of time there. 203 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,100 So, Costa, Rica obviously my wife's from there and very, very 204 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,300 close to our hearts. That's awesome. 205 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,500 So taking a step back, when we think about this 206 00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:49,700 insider-outsider language, a lot of us. 207 00:10:49,700 --> 00:10:53,500 Do you feel like, Outsiders, particularly just some of the 208 00:10:53,700 --> 00:10:57,400 stories you just told, and I think that works against us when 209 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:02,100 we really Necked on a, on a heart level. 2 Y is missions 210 00:11:02,100 --> 00:11:05,200 important and I think that's just an interesting question. 211 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:10,600 It seems like a nice thing for some people to go do, but is it 212 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,600 essential for all believers? And if so why help us 213 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,300 understand? Yeah so when you look at 214 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:26,000 scriptures, God is a God who what we would call he has his 215 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:31,300 mission so he is he's Redeeming a people for himself and he's 216 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:33,200 restoring creation. So you have all of the 217 00:11:33,208 --> 00:11:34,800 scriptures, look at the first two chapters. 218 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,600 You have the last two chapters, those worlds, perfect. 219 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,700 In those four chapters and between them, and in our time, 220 00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:42,300 everything is a mess. Yeah. 221 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:44,700 And so he's, that's what he's doing during that time. 222 00:11:44,700 --> 00:11:47,700 He's restoring creation and redeeming a people. 223 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,400 And so you can see from the very beginning, you know, you have 224 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:55,000 the fall Genesis chapter 3 that is a global that's that's 225 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,300 Universal. That is all of creation that is 226 00:11:57,300 --> 00:11:59,400 all of humankind. Kind is include that. 227 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,900 So the solution needs to be Global and Universal. 228 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,500 And so you start to see that he begins, you know, working 229 00:12:06,500 --> 00:12:11,500 through Noah redeems, that poor, he rescues that family from from 230 00:12:11,500 --> 00:12:14,700 the flood and then you get to Genesis chapter 12, where he 231 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,900 calls Abraham, and literally in the call, he says, I'm going to 232 00:12:17,908 --> 00:12:21,500 make you a great nation, but he says, you will be a blessing to 233 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:25,600 all the other nations. And so, from the beginning, 234 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,300 especially in the Old Testament, you see that he's dead? 235 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:32,100 Cited to work through a people, but is through this people who 236 00:12:32,100 --> 00:12:36,300 eventually becomes Israel, he is bringing people. 237 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,400 The rest of the nation is to himself. 238 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:41,000 Yeah. So physics language don't know 239 00:12:41,008 --> 00:12:43,400 if I say it, right, but centripetal force, centrifugal 240 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,700 force get is tending towards the center. 241 00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:47,700 That's what you see in the Old Testament. 242 00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:52,200 You have Israel in the in the promise and you have the temple, 243 00:12:52,500 --> 00:12:56,400 you have the most high, holy Place High, he said that yeah 244 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,900 most holy place, the most holy place and then You're bringing 245 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:03,900 them all into, you know, you bring the nation's into this 246 00:13:03,900 --> 00:13:05,600 people that God has created, right? 247 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:09,500 You see all the prophets, and even during that time though, 248 00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:13,200 the profits, they're calling Israel to repentance but they 249 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,300 also including the other nations there, right? 250 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:20,300 In the Psalms Psalm 67 face, you know, make his face shine down 251 00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:23,800 upon us so that his Nation or the nations would know his ways 252 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,900 so that they his salvation would be known. 253 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:31,300 That makes the the Earth and And so they fail though, and he 254 00:13:31,300 --> 00:13:35,100 sends his son and we see this throughout, you know, all of the 255 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:37,100 New Testament, especially the word sent. 256 00:13:37,100 --> 00:13:41,000 And that's where our word, eventually missionary comes 257 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:45,500 from, or missions comes from is sent, but you see, he sends his 258 00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:50,400 son and then the, the force kind of changes from centripetal to 259 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,300 centrifugal this is going outward going to Paris and so 260 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:57,100 you have these, you know, throughout the gospels Jesus 261 00:13:57,100 --> 00:13:58,300 saying, hey I'm going to send you. 262 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:04,600 You will see in John, John 21. I think as, as he has sent me, 263 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,300 I'm going to send you. And then, obviously the what? 264 00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:08,500 We know, as the Great Commission. 265 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:12,200 Matthew 28, you know, all authority has been given to me 266 00:14:12,500 --> 00:14:15,400 therefore, go and make disciples of all Nations teaching 267 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,600 baptizing. And then he says, I'll be with 268 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,800 you throughout that age. So his authority is the 269 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:27,500 foundation for us going. We are sent as his disciple 270 00:14:27,500 --> 00:14:30,400 makers and then He says, no and I'm going to be with you during 271 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,500 this time and then you see that all played out what that looks 272 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,300 like in a local church through Paul's Epistles and then 273 00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:39,400 obviously Revelation is the end of that mission. 274 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:43,300 And we see how God finally restores his creation and how he 275 00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:47,400 redeemed his people. So missions and itself. 276 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:52,200 That is we are a sip people they exist because there are people 277 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,700 who are not part of God's. People, right? 278 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,000 So, missions exist, because lost people like this. 279 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,400 And when you look at the amount of people in the world right 280 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,300 now, eight billion people, I think even when I was growing up 281 00:15:05,300 --> 00:15:08,500 in the, you know, late 80s, 90s was a four or five billion. 282 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:10,600 There's now eight billion people, right? 283 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,900 I don't have all the stats on on how many people never get to 284 00:15:13,900 --> 00:15:20,300 hear the gospel, but that's why we, if we see, if we say that 285 00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:22,500 this is an exclusive truth, right? 286 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:25,500 I am the way, the truth. And life said, So Jesus, I am 287 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:27,600 the light of the world where he's making these exclusive 288 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,800 claims. If we say that we believe that 289 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,500 then we have to say, Okay, this person that does not believe it 290 00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:36,000 is not going to have the opportunity or access that Jesus 291 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:40,700 provides to the father and so that that should be our, yeah, 292 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,900 our motivation. So, for God, so loved the world, 293 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,000 the world that he gave his only son. 294 00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:51,500 And so part of the expression of God's love for the world is 295 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:56,200 using us as believers. Set one's out to share that 296 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:57,600 message to the world. Yeah. 297 00:15:58,100 --> 00:16:00,800 So you have you have God's Mission but he's doing in the 298 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:05,100 world and then you have what we call missions. 299 00:16:05,500 --> 00:16:07,800 And there's a lot of baggage with Mission. 300 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,600 So you can go back and look, you know, when the missions movement 301 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,700 started William Carey late 1700s throughout the 1800s, we have 302 00:16:15,700 --> 00:16:19,000 all these romantic stories of people who go and give their 303 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,300 lives and, you know, they travel with their coffins and very few 304 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:26,000 people write would do that. But then you also have you know 305 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,400 our context right now short-term missions and missions trips 306 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,600 which there's a huge range of what we actually do on those 307 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,100 trips. But you know, a lot of times 308 00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:39,800 there are not particularly helpful and they cost a lot of 309 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,900 money and you know, not not what we would call maybe effective. 310 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:46,500 Why do you say that in what they're doing? 311 00:16:46,700 --> 00:16:52,300 Well, for example, say that we are going to go help a church 312 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:56,000 and they need to help Something build a wall around the church 313 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,900 or something like that. So we spend you know, okay. 314 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:02,400 It's let's say a thousand dollars a ticket $300 in 315 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,500 country, 1,300 bucks, 25 people to go down. 316 00:17:05,700 --> 00:17:07,800 I don't know what that is. That's like a lot of money. 317 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,400 Yeah, thirty-five thousand dollars to go build a wall 318 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,000 around the church that you're probably paid the local guy, you 319 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,200 know? Yeah, 500 bucks. 150 bucks and 320 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,800 they get it done. But on the other hand, I would 321 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,599 say that there is a cost to our deceased discipleship and going. 322 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,500 So this is so When we talk about short-term missions, we're 323 00:17:26,500 --> 00:17:31,400 looking at the how we are discipling our people when we 324 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,100 go, because when we go, that's when you get put into situations 325 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:37,000 that you're not going to get to anywhere. 326 00:17:37,100 --> 00:17:39,300 May be here. When you have to go into a house 327 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,100 that smells funny. They offer you Rice and Beans 328 00:17:42,500 --> 00:17:44,300 Coffee. There's a fly party in the car 329 00:17:44,300 --> 00:17:46,600 and, you know, floating the coffee and then they're speaking 330 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,000 a different language to you. And then you have to whatever 331 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,700 share the gospel. And they could easily say, no, 332 00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:54,000 they can say yes. I mean you don't get that 333 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,000 experience. Most of the time here, maybe 334 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,400 maybe working with refugees or immigrants, you create that 335 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,200 relationship here but that's that's not gonna happen. 336 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:05,500 But overall, short-term missions has got a bad rap because of 337 00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:09,300 certain certain things that we've done in the past but a lot 338 00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:13,200 of people think, okay, it's missions is just going doing 339 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:14,900 something for a little bit and then coming back. 340 00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:18,600 And so there's a lot of baggage with the word missions though. 341 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:22,800 It still comes from the idea of being sent to accomplish the 342 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,000 task. So it's is that missions 343 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:27,300 actually comes from the Latin word. 344 00:18:27,300 --> 00:18:31,400 The Greek word is Apostolic switch is to send or in this 345 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:32,800 where you get your Apostles from. 346 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,300 So that is, you know, that's it's going, I would say going to 347 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:40,700 a different culture. And for me, I like to give 348 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:44,400 priority to the preaching of the Gospel. 349 00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:47,800 We are not just the church, is not just another NGO. 350 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,900 It's not just a another relief organization. 351 00:18:49,900 --> 00:18:53,000 If we do not speak the gospel, if we do, not preach the gospel, 352 00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:56,200 then, You know, there's plenty of relations that can do that, 353 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,900 right? And so that's Mission. 354 00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:02,100 So you have God's Mission, you have missions and then you have 355 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,000 it's a good word I think is living on Mission or living on 356 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,600 Mission alive. And that's what we do. 357 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,800 We try to do all day every day, right? 358 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:11,600 Where we are trying to participate in God's Mission 359 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,100 wherever we're at and I think we can do that here. 360 00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:17,000 We do that overseas. That's just how it's as 361 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,300 Christians that should be our guiding framework for how we 362 00:19:21,300 --> 00:19:23,300 live. And I take a little bit of 363 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:26,600 comfort. In the disciples when they're 364 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,300 trying to figure all this out, right? 365 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:30,400 And they're even sitting with the Risen Jesus. 366 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,800 So imagine what that was like, you know, watching him be 367 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,200 crucified and then seeing him rise from the dead and then he 368 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,100 sitting with them and they're still trying to figure out this 369 00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:44,500 great plan of God. And so the question in Acts 370 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:49,000 chapter 1, they ask is, hey, when are you going to, you know, 371 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,400 restore Israel and overthrow Rome? 372 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,600 And so they're very much thinking about their present 373 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,200 situation. Ian and he's like, hey that's 374 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,900 none of your business, right? But here's what I have for you, 375 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,800 you know, and you're going to go and you're going to be my 376 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,900 Witnesses by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, Judea, 377 00:20:06,900 --> 00:20:10,100 Samaria ends of the Earth. So I take a lot of comfort that 378 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:12,500 even the disciples who were sitting with the Risen Jesus. 379 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:15,800 We're still trying to figure out what God's plan is for this 380 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,400 world and they were caught up in our own, then their own 381 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,000 circumstances. And I do feel like that as the 382 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,200 American church, we get caught up in our own circumstances. 383 00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:27,200 And gods like, hey, don't, don't worry about that. 384 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:30,200 Here's what I have for you. You know, I've given you power 385 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,100 to go on this Mission. So, what would you say, pastoral 386 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:39,300 E2, if the if there's someone in our church, that's not really 387 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:42,900 engaged in missional thinking, missional, living not so much 388 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:44,700 going overseas. But just in the way that they 389 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:48,700 think about, being sent as you just described missions, what 390 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:51,500 are they missing out on Robbie? Yeah. 391 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:59,900 So I think think it's Matthew 6:33, seek the kingdom of God, 392 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:04,300 above all else live righteously, he'll add everything else on the 393 00:21:04,308 --> 00:21:06,600 you. So the idea of seeking that's, 394 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:11,700 that's It becomes our highest desire within our hearts is the 395 00:21:11,700 --> 00:21:14,400 kingdom of God. And so even as we go, whether 396 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,000 it's here or elsewhere, what we're trying to do is we're not 397 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:22,900 we're not trying to just go and and say, Hey you people need to 398 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:26,500 accept Jesus as your lord, and I think that's been one of the 399 00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:29,600 faults you go. Where the church is going? 400 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,900 Where the, where the church is? Growing Africa, Asia Latin 401 00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:38,300 America, you go here and you find that there's been a My 402 00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:43,700 scene of the Gospel to the point of if you accept Jesus, then 403 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,100 your life gets better or something like that. 404 00:21:46,100 --> 00:21:49,500 Instead of its being like a call to Arms. 405 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:52,900 Hey, come with us and seek the kingdom of God and live 406 00:21:52,900 --> 00:21:55,600 righteously here and all that other stuff will be taken care 407 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,300 of, right? And so I think we got to move 408 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:01,200 off of the, I need to convert this. 409 00:22:01,700 --> 00:22:03,500 This person or feel that pressure that we put on 410 00:22:03,500 --> 00:22:05,600 ourselves. We've got to convert these 411 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,500 people and it's more like, hey, no, come be a part of what God 412 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:15,800 is doing in the world and what be a part of his kingdom. 413 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,200 So, as we seek the kingdom of God, we invite others to seek 414 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:23,000 the kingdom of God with us. So, there should be a natural 415 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:26,000 overflow of what we're doing in our devotion to God. 416 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,500 Like, if we're, if we're pursuing. 417 00:22:27,500 --> 00:22:30,600 God, heart soul, mind, strength, and loving our neighbor. 418 00:22:30,700 --> 00:22:35,300 Then this missional aspect is just it's it would be hard not 419 00:22:35,300 --> 00:22:36,400 to do it. Is that fair to say? 420 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,800 Yeah, yeah. I mean, this it should be. 421 00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:43,500 That should be our realm of natural living. 422 00:22:44,100 --> 00:22:45,900 This one comes. What comes out of it. 423 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:48,300 Yeah. What is the benefit? 424 00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:52,900 You have experienced in being part of being sent in this way 425 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,700 that we, that we need to know that are important for us to 426 00:22:56,700 --> 00:23:06,000 know. so, I think the the biggest one for me is that when 427 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,600 you are in these different situations, different contexts 428 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:15,000 you can't control them and so you really have to depend on God 429 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,100 in them. So we are very used to living in 430 00:23:18,100 --> 00:23:24,600 a bubble and I mean all of us of being able to Know what's going 431 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,600 on like, literally we know what's going on. 432 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:31,200 We know how to work within the system, so like when we move 433 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,100 back up or when I moved to the US, brought my wife up here, she 434 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:38,400 had never worked with insurance because we don't use that down 435 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,400 there. There's, there's the things that 436 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,400 you have to deal with that, you would never have thought of 437 00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:47,400 like, I mean, turn on the internet. 438 00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:53,900 Well, I mean, we're not that far behind but there's things that 439 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:57,900 seem so normal for us, right? The ease of going to the store, 440 00:23:57,900 --> 00:23:59,800 right? Going to the DMV, and it 441 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:01,900 literally takes only like an hour and a half, instead of a 442 00:24:01,908 --> 00:24:04,600 whole day, and having to go back, like, all that stuff or 443 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,200 buying buying a 10 days worth of groceries. 444 00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:09,000 Yeah. But I'd be able to put it in the 445 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,500 fridge, and right, you don't have to worry about power going 446 00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:13,700 out. Probably it's just life. 447 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:17,600 Here is very easy and so you get put in these situations, but I 448 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:22,100 will say, I can at least, I, I really enjoy after about two 449 00:24:22,100 --> 00:24:24,400 days first day when you're doing, Could shower is like this 450 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,400 is really weird by the third day, you're like oh this is 451 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,000 completely normal but we did. Yeah this is what you do and and 452 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:34,500 so that kind of that type of thing, you get to see God's his 453 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:39,100 sustenance, how he provides, how he's just forming and shaping 454 00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:41,100 you. So that's a big deal as far as 455 00:24:41,100 --> 00:24:44,700 being sent. So like when you go on a 456 00:24:44,708 --> 00:24:49,800 short-term trip that is when I would hope that most of your 457 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,900 hearts are open to listening what God is doing in your in 458 00:24:52,900 --> 00:24:54,100 your room. In your life. 459 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:56,800 Hmm. I think there's a, he matures 460 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:58,500 you. I think you're with a team. 461 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:03,100 So you have to work with others and I think it's just like it a 462 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:07,800 catalyst experience, or incubator experience, right? 463 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,300 And one of the saddest parts of the short-term side of things, 464 00:25:12,300 --> 00:25:16,500 when you come back and it's so easy to fall back into previous 465 00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:19,800 habits. So that's, I mean, it's just, 466 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,900 it's just part of the travel. Yeah, that's good. 467 00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:25,300 Robbie. As you think about, you know, 468 00:25:25,300 --> 00:25:28,700 missions there is some complicated history. 469 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,300 What are some of the downsides? What are some of the things that 470 00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:36,600 have defined Mission admissions in a negative light over the 471 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:37,200 years? Yeah. 472 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,000 So I think probably the three big ones are, you know, the 473 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,000 critique of colonialism. And I mean it's for real. 474 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,800 A lot of missionaries were sent by Nations and, you know, they 475 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,900 brought certain things from their countries and to 476 00:25:54,100 --> 00:25:56,200 politically into these other countries. 477 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,500 Or as they brought civilization, those are with an air quotes as 478 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,300 civilization to these countries and, you know, it would 479 00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:08,200 devastatingly effect and and obviously going back, there's 480 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:13,300 always probably ungodly motives sure in what we do and so that 481 00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:18,800 can be one waste of resources is another one and then frankly the 482 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,900 wrong, a lot of wrong people have been sent a lot of people 483 00:26:21,900 --> 00:26:23,300 who don't need to be say, let me know. 484 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:25,800 Churches that low. We won't hire this person, but 485 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:27,200 we'll send them to another country. 486 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,200 Practically, I do ministry their Muslim up over there. 487 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:35,000 I mean it you get you get you get into these places and people 488 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,800 who are probably not don't have the highest levels of emotional 489 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,600 intelligence or cultural a tapped ability. 490 00:26:41,700 --> 00:26:44,900 Yeah. And so you start to see even a 491 00:26:44,900 --> 00:26:46,700 lot of times you go to these countries and you know, there's 492 00:26:46,700 --> 00:26:49,400 there's a area where the missionaries live and that's 493 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:52,600 looks different and it's manicured Lawns, and the houses 494 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,300 are different. And And you know, they all have 495 00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:57,100 people who work for them in their house. 496 00:26:57,100 --> 00:27:00,200 And and I mean it's cheaper. There probably actually much 497 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,400 less than to have someone doing all that. 498 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,400 But no one else that they're serving has that and so it can 499 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,400 come with certain negative connotations and then the 500 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:13,500 mentality a lot of times that people go over there with can be 501 00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:18,300 very demeaning for rival hook holes and because of that I 502 00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:23,500 think I mean it creates all kinds of dependency and But as 503 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:26,200 well just churches that aren't healthy. 504 00:27:26,300 --> 00:27:30,400 So thinking about this going all the way back to this theological 505 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,400 Foundation you light of, what does it mean to love Brothers 506 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:36,200 and Sisters in Christ? That just look differently live 507 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,600 in a different place because different language. 508 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,000 Like if you don't, you got to have that in order to Be an 509 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,900 Effective messenger of being a sent one. 510 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,500 Yeah. So you invite people over to 511 00:27:46,500 --> 00:27:49,300 your house for dinner, you say, hey, let me come at 6:00, the 512 00:27:49,300 --> 00:27:52,300 come at 8:30 and between six and eight thirty year. 513 00:27:52,300 --> 00:27:55,000 Let your You're upset, what are these people doing? 514 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,700 And that in itself that that mindset, what are these people 515 00:27:57,700 --> 00:27:59,900 doing? This is your that's demeaning 516 00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:01,600 them and their culture for them is completely something 517 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,500 completely normal. And is actually probably, it 518 00:28:04,500 --> 00:28:06,600 doesn't even cross their own that they are being 519 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,400 disrespectful. But we, as from American culture 520 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:10,900 were thinking, oh, that's so disrespectful. 521 00:28:10,900 --> 00:28:12,900 Yeah. Well, you know, and we start 522 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:16,000 thinking down about. Yeah, so that that over time for 523 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,300 those frustrations over time, they build up and they can, they 524 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:21,000 can affect us. Yet, is to Circle back on the 525 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,100 idea of help and what? As of Grace Church, / can 526 00:28:24,100 --> 00:28:26,200 provide in a mission opportunity. 527 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:27,700 Can you unpack that again? Yes. 528 00:28:27,700 --> 00:28:33,700 Oh If you talk about the church, I think I said this in a sermon 529 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,700 recently, but every Community either has a local church that 530 00:28:37,700 --> 00:28:40,700 is serving the community or they need a local church to serve the 531 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,300 community. And so if we're going to help a 532 00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:47,800 local church that is serving their Community, it needs to be 533 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:49,600 healthy. But the local church is not 534 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:51,400 going to be healthy unless the pastor is healthy. 535 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,700 And so that's why we focus so much on possible training. 536 00:28:55,700 --> 00:29:00,300 However, as most of us know, just Consuming. 537 00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:04,000 Information. Biblical information that 538 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:08,300 doesn't determine the health of your soul as a pastor event. 539 00:29:08,500 --> 00:29:10,700 It will give you a lot of information you can teach from 540 00:29:10,700 --> 00:29:15,700 the Bible but if you don't have the spiritual health Dynamic 541 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,600 within you then you can't really produce Health within your 542 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,700 church. So you see that a lot. 543 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,400 You see that with a lot because even if there are say seminary 544 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,600 in the city or something like that, very few of those seminars 545 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,100 and I'd probably say a lot of us a few of the simulators here in 546 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,300 The u.s. really develop that that side of how do I lead 547 00:29:35,300 --> 00:29:37,100 myself. How do I leave my family? 548 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,700 How do I lead? And, and a, although it's the 549 00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:43,100 church, but there's an organizational, administrative 550 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:48,100 aspect to the church. And so, I think that we because 551 00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:51,200 it's one of our strengths here at Grace Church, we can go. 552 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,600 Yes, we can teach overview of Old Testament, can teach the 553 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:59,100 gospel of, Mark, whatever it is, we can teach all that, but we 554 00:29:59,100 --> 00:30:02,800 can also bring some of our expertise that Have here whether 555 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:07,200 it's through our gender studies, whether it's through, some of 556 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:08,600 the, you know, leadership values. 557 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,600 Whatever it is that we are trying to, to do. 558 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,300 We could probably obviously there has to be 559 00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:16,900 contextualization and and translation, but we can probably 560 00:30:16,900 --> 00:30:20,400 bring that to leaders and Pastors in their churches. 561 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,900 So that they can also strengthen that other side of what their 562 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:26,900 leadership really is. And we've been able to see that 563 00:30:26,900 --> 00:30:29,500 even within Grace Church in espanol, you know, my wife does 564 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:34,400 all that stuff for as are and In Spanish, and it's getting a lot 565 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,900 of traction over places, we're in places where we haven't even 566 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:39,000 been. It's just, you know, it's good 567 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,000 material. That feels the need that they 568 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:48,600 are feeling right now. I know that I have grown and 569 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,200 been humbled as a Christian because of the opportunities at 570 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:56,700 church has given me to go whether it is just in somewhere 571 00:30:56,700 --> 00:30:59,100 in this state or somewhere in the city or even out of the 572 00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:02,200 country. And so I wonder What are two to 573 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:06,400 three, practical things that our church members can do to become 574 00:31:06,500 --> 00:31:10,700 Global Christians. So, I think, first and most 575 00:31:10,700 --> 00:31:15,400 basic is just general awareness of what's going on in the world. 576 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,300 I don't like watching the news, but I do get like a weekly 577 00:31:19,300 --> 00:31:23,100 summary email of what's going on more globally, more than more 578 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:25,900 than here in the US. There's a guy whose name is 579 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:28,300 Justin Long. We can put it somewhere in the 580 00:31:28,300 --> 00:31:29,900 notes. You can subscribe to his email 581 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:34,900 and he And of curates Articles from all over the world about 582 00:31:34,900 --> 00:31:37,400 what's going on in the world and then gives it a missions meant 583 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:44,300 to it as it's pretty helpful. I think also, it's probably one 584 00:31:44,300 --> 00:31:46,000 of the better courses. There's a course called 585 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,200 perspectives and it's given in a bunch of different churches, 586 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,100 probably a here and there you can just go to his perspectives 587 00:31:52,100 --> 00:31:54,700 dot organ and look that up but it's a it's a long course 588 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:59,100 that'll that'll walk you through the scriptures and I think we 589 00:31:59,100 --> 00:32:03,800 would agree with most of what they say but and I think it's 590 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:07,500 good and it would move people towards serving in different 591 00:32:07,500 --> 00:32:11,100 cultures. I think obviously going on the 592 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,100 short-term trip with us. I think That's a given and we 593 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:18,000 want to try to help facilitate that we do, have our partners 594 00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:21,400 and when we talk with our partners, we let them know. 595 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,600 Part of their responsibility is helping us disciple. 596 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,600 Our people as we go over there and that's something new for 597 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,100 most of them there. They're not used to that kind of 598 00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:33,000 that level of partnership. And we, that's one of the 599 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:34,800 reasons we want to partner with them. 600 00:32:35,700 --> 00:32:38,800 There's plenty of places to get involved here even in other 601 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:40,600 cultures. So I always invite you want to 602 00:32:40,608 --> 00:32:42,200 go experience something different, go to Greece, and 603 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:43,700 espanol, you experience something. 604 00:32:43,900 --> 00:32:46,900 Being different and welcoming and it won't be completely 605 00:32:46,900 --> 00:32:48,800 Forum. But it'll, you know, you have to 606 00:32:48,808 --> 00:32:52,800 sit there and a service that has other other language because you 607 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,700 have, how many countries the last count representing? 608 00:32:55,700 --> 00:32:57,600 It was like 18 or 19 different countries. 609 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,400 It's pretty amazing. It's, it's pretty cool. 610 00:33:01,100 --> 00:33:05,300 And then Refugee Ministries we have Laura Hornby. 611 00:33:05,300 --> 00:33:09,900 With I face, she's joined with them, and they there with all 612 00:33:09,900 --> 00:33:13,400 immigrants, but she's also worked with World relief, and 613 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:15,800 refuge, Families, that they're bringing in, and I think we have 614 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:17,800 some of those families at front porch, housing. 615 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,000 So you can always go and serve with them. 616 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,700 And, you know, something that's very helpful to just go have 617 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:26,500 some tea or coffee and just sit and listen to their experiences. 618 00:33:26,500 --> 00:33:31,000 It's it's pretty amazing. You learn a lot and then I think 619 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:36,000 if you know you as you're doing this and God begins to lead you 620 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:37,700 and prompt you towards something. 621 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:40,800 Hey, maybe it's something more long-term and I think that's 622 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,700 also something that we shouldn't ignore even. 623 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,600 In whatever, no matter what the cost is for us over here. 624 00:33:46,700 --> 00:33:48,600 I think it's something to explore and we want to help. 625 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:50,900 We don't have a defined process here in Grace yet. 626 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:53,000 That's one of the things I would like to do is come up with a 627 00:33:53,008 --> 00:33:56,000 defined process but we would love to help you. 628 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,600 And so that I mean that just starts going to your campus. 629 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,600 Pastor, you're responsible pastor and asking him about it, 630 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:07,300 but I think there's there's plenty of opportunities for us 631 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:12,000 to figure out what God has given us to do as a Ministry and not 632 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:15,400 everybody's going to go but you can You can pray for people who 633 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:18,300 go you can connect with missionaries you can support 634 00:34:18,300 --> 00:34:22,100 missionaries financially. That's that's such a huge need 635 00:34:22,100 --> 00:34:26,600 and God really does multiply what we give for those people 636 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:28,699 have for it as far as work as well as Mission. 637 00:34:28,699 --> 00:34:32,300 So the word that comes to my mind is just being curious. 638 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:38,600 You know if we're curious about what is God doing in this world? 639 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,300 You know, and we go to the scriptures and we see what this 640 00:34:41,300 --> 00:34:44,199 is outlined for us. This was his plan all the Time. 641 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:48,300 And then as that, Curiosity grows, you know, there's one 642 00:34:48,300 --> 00:34:51,600 thing about being sent and being a global Christian. 643 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:56,000 But then by nature of living here, even living here in the 644 00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:00,300 upstate, the Nations have come to us like you said, all over 645 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:02,300 the all over the place. There are folks from different 646 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:07,000 cultures and are we curious about where they're from and how 647 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,100 God has worked in their lives and just taking the time to 648 00:35:10,100 --> 00:35:13,500 share a cup of coffee, share a meal and but I think it begins 649 00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:16,400 from From a place of being being curious and seeing the world as 650 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:21,900 God sees the world. Yeah, there's a fine balance 651 00:35:22,100 --> 00:35:24,700 curiosity and then getting overwhelmed by everything that's 652 00:35:24,700 --> 00:35:28,700 gonna happen, good word. So you can like right now in 653 00:35:28,700 --> 00:35:32,000 Sudan, there's a huge War. It's broken out here and you I 654 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,100 read it. I'm like, man, I can't, I can't 655 00:35:34,100 --> 00:35:36,900 do anything about that and there's plenty of Christians 656 00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:41,600 there, right now. Hunter is El Salvador. 657 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,800 Guatemala is It doesn't get much news but it's almost like a war 658 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,500 zone just because of the gangs and that kind of stuff. 659 00:35:47,500 --> 00:35:50,400 And so millions of people not Millions, but thousands of 660 00:35:50,408 --> 00:35:53,000 people are trying to get well millions are probably trying to 661 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:54,700 flee. Thousands are trying to come to 662 00:35:54,700 --> 00:35:56,900 the u.s. and that brings a whole lot of others. 663 00:35:56,900 --> 00:35:59,300 Right? You know issues with it. 664 00:35:59,500 --> 00:36:02,700 So it's hard to not get overwhelmed but I think what you 665 00:36:02,700 --> 00:36:05,900 said about you not trusting God he's doing things, he's moving 666 00:36:05,900 --> 00:36:07,900 people. So people come here to the US 667 00:36:07,900 --> 00:36:10,700 and for the first time going to hear about Jesus. 668 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:14,900 Well so God brought them through Probably what we can't even 669 00:36:14,900 --> 00:36:19,600 imagine for them to get to hear about Jesus and what he does. 670 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:23,500 So it's just, it's amazing. Yeah, I think, you know, in the 671 00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:27,500 past it's been the West to the rest as far as missions go. 672 00:36:27,500 --> 00:36:31,600 And we really, you know, anyone to anywhere at any time is kind 673 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,500 of what we need to be thinking about. 674 00:36:33,500 --> 00:36:36,800 So no it's great. Well Robbie thanks so much for 675 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:37,800 sharing. It's been great. 676 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:39,800 It's been time with you. Appreciate all the things that 677 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:42,100 you've shared. Yeah, great to be here with you 678 00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:42,700 guys. Yeah. 679 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:46,000 Thanks man. Okay, as we wrap up today's 680 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,100 episode, I want to thank you for joining us. 681 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,200 We realize that listening to a podcast episode can be an 682 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:53,900 individual experience which we believe is only enhanced by 683 00:36:53,900 --> 00:36:56,000 talking through it and applying it to life. 684 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:58,900 And this is something that we believe lots of people don't 685 00:36:58,900 --> 00:37:01,300 naturally seek out or have built into their lives. 686 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,500 So we want to encourage you to share this episode with someone 687 00:37:04,500 --> 00:37:06,900 else and ask them to share with you any takeaways. 688 00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:10,000 They receive from listening. Be prepared to do the same and 689 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,400 approach their feedback with a posture to learn and apply this 690 00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:16,000 Is the great way to move towards this discipleship issue. 691 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,200 Also Robbie mentioned that if you are interested in serving 692 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,300 long-term cross-culturally he would love to meet personally 693 00:37:22,300 --> 00:37:25,100 with you and we are providing is email in the show notes. 694 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,500 So if you want to reach out to him have questions or want 695 00:37:28,500 --> 00:37:31,900 access to additional resources, be sure to check out the podcast 696 00:37:31,900 --> 00:37:35,400 page located in the show notes. Thanks for joining us today and 697 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:37,700 we look forward to joining you on the next episode.