Not A Thai Guy

I’ve just returned to Tainan, Taiwan after a missions conference in Thailand.  The conference was for All Nations, an organization based in Kansas City, MO that trains and sends out missionaries to, well, all of the nations.  I met many memorable people, learned a whole lot about how house church explosions seem to work, and even saw how missionaries can play a key role in international business opportunities.

The people were many.  The main speaker was David Garrison, a southern baptist associated with The International Mission Board.  This organization studies and monitors various ministries around the world.  All of those stats regarding percent of lost within a population are likely derived from their research.  David spoke to a growing trend in international outreach success.  He spoke to the explosion of Church Planting Movements (CPMs).

First, we need to define exactly what a CPM is.  David used this: A rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweep across a people group or population segment.  The most successful of these movements occurred in China where a missionary wanting 200 churches in three years found himself with 3,535 churches after just two years.  The International Mission Board took notice and worked with this guy to write this book.

One of the separate seminars at this conference was “Missions and Business”.  In this session we learned how missionaries can be a rather advantageous link between creative business thinkers and young entrepreneurs in third world countries who want to change their community.  We put together a scenario where I was supposed to be one of the young entrepreneurs but it totally broke down when I didn’t adequately consider my community and instead focused on the potential of attaining the funds to purchase a car.

When we weren’t learning about missions-related endeavors we spent most of our time swimming, or shopping.  The hotel we stayed in had five pools.  One olympic sized, two other big ones designed around a central island, very resortish, and two smaller ones that you would find in someone’s backyard.  A rather impressive aquatic menu for the tourist with little to do.

The food was surprisingly yummy.  I found that I became quite fond of the Thai cheeseburgers.  Everyday I had one.  We arrived Sunday night, I had a cheeseburger at the hotel restaurant, for the rest of the week I had a cheeseburger for lunch, and on Friday I enjoyed a Double-Whopper with Cheese at Burger King in the Airport.  I think I should get a medal or plaque or something.

Currently I am preparing for youth group tonight.  I will be bringing down the Spirit with prophetic sax solos, possibly melting faces at the same time, and then sharing my testimony.  Aunt Elizabeth asked for five minutes, so I’m currently trying to sum up a month’s worth of learning into the best five minutes.  This is good practice.

I think that’s what we need back in America a little more.  Testimonies of what God is doing.  I remember on the football team we would all stay pumped talking about amazing plays by the pros on ESPN.  Maybe the church should discuss what the pros of the faith are doing.  Get excited, hearing what He’s done elsewhere and to ponder the possibilities of what He can do today.

Kind of a short post today, I’ll do a nice round-up of the whole trip on Monday.  Feel free to chat, I love reading my comments!

~ by demo318 on August 2, 2008.