Dave Dishman

Guidance from Overlooked Men and Women of the Bible

Category: Mission (Page 21 of 26)

In Praise of St. Patrick

March 17, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, a time of revelry and celebration of all things Irish. But do you know that the namesake of the holiday, Patrick, is one of the greatest missionaries the church has ever known? And the real reason for this party is that Patrick brought the good news of Jesus to the pagan Irish? As you wear the green keep these thoughts in mind. Here’s a paragraph from my book, GO, about Patrick which hopefully adds flavor to your celebration:

…about 400 years later, on an island far to the north, Irish raiders kidnapped a young English boy named Patricius and held him as a slave for several years. While he eventually made his escape and returned to England, something started to shift in his heart. The Lord, through visions, began to pull him once again to Ireland, this time to return as a missionary to his former captors. He sailed back to preach the gospel to the pagan Irish and eventually became Saint Patrick of Ireland, the first documented missionary outside the bounds of the Roman Empire. Patrick preached the gospel as far as he could go, “to the point beyond which there is no one,” to the western edge of Ireland. Only the sea remained…

If you’re intrigued, a couple great books on Patrick are How the Irish Saved Civilization (particularly the chapter on Patrick) and The Celtic Way of Evangelism, which focuses on his methodology. So celebrate with gusto today and remember the missionary behind the party!

Billionaires and the Widow

February 8, 2016 / / 2 Comments

I recently watched a 60 Minutes report on a group of billionaires, led by Warren Buffet, who have pledged to give at least half of their fortunes away during their lifetime or in their will when they pass on. You have to be impressed with their commitment and the sheer amounts of money they can give. Billions and billions of dollars to help others. You also have to be impressed with the good things that can be done with this amount of money. Things like eradicating smallpox or polio in the world, educating masses of children and helping raise millions out of abject poverty.

However, as I watched the report, I couldn’t help but think about another person who gave away all of her fortune many years ago. While Jesus and his disciples are visiting the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus watched the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He then observed a poor widow put two small copper coins. Jesus makes this comment, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The billionaires on TV gave from their abundance, copious amounts of funds, and should be commended. They rightfully received accolades and publicity by giving in such ways. I, however, will never be in the position to give such sums of money. Which is really not the issue and not the challenge to me. It’s so huge I can’t comprehend it.

The widow’s gift is much more challenging. I also give from my wealth, not from my poverty. Yet who does Jesus point out for praise?

Movements That Change the World

February 1, 2016 / / 0 Comments

I just finished Movements That Change the World, by Steve Addison.  It’s a fabulous book and should be required reading for anyone interested in missions. The book details spiritual movements both historically and in contemporary terms.

Addison describes 5 aspects of what contributes to a spiritual movement:

White Hot Faith
Commitment to a Cause
Contagious Relationships
Rapid Mobilization
Adaptive Methods

Here’s my favorite quote from the book:

“In the renewal and expansion of the church, the breakthroughs always occur on the fringe of ecclesiastical power – never at the center. In every generation, in some obscure place, God is beginning something new. That’s where we need to be.”

I encourage you to check it out!

A Wind in the House of Islam

January 25, 2016 / / 0 Comments

One of the most encouraging books on missions that I have read for several years is this one, A Wind in the House of Islam, by David Garrison. Garrison has done extensive research on movements of Muslims turning toward Jesus over the centuries. Remarkably, this current century has seen more of these types of movements than the previous thirteen centuries combined.

Garrison’s book is filled with stories about Muslims from all over the world, or as he describes it, the nine “rooms” in the house of Islam, each representing a different geographical area where Islam in prevalent. Muslims are moving towards Jesus in every one of these “rooms” and Garrison shares stories from each.

The books closes with Garrison suggesting why God is drawing Muslims to himself today, and he shares ten bridges that God is using. He also shares suggestions for how the Christian world should respond. Especially interesting was his insight that many Muslims are turning to Jesus because they are frustrated and frightened by the violence they see in radical Islam. Jesus, the Prince of Peace and a prophet in Islam, is seen as a better alternative. What follows is that we as Christians need to continue to offer peace towards Muslims in our midst, as opposed to fear.

A Wind in the House of Islam is a great book, especially if you are interested in missions and the Muslim world.

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