We’re visiting my wife’s family in Ottumwa, IA this week and on Sunday we had the opportunity to speak at North Gate Alliance Church. Maybe I’m just all excited about being on home assignment, but I haven’t been this enthusiastic about being a part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in years. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m not down on my denom, but every group has its issues and it’s just human nature to focus on what’s wrong instead of what’s right.
But after hearing from the heart of the president of the CMA and denominational leaders last week, and visiting North Gate this week I’m just really excited about what the CMA is about and where we’re headed.
North Gate is a church that is committed to “the mission” both at home and overseas. They’ve more than tripled their giving to the Great Commission Fund over the last four years, while at the same time undertaking an extensive building program AND hiring a Mexican graduate of Crown College to plant a Spanish-speaking congregation. They also just sent their youth to work in the inner-city of St. Louis and have sent adult teams to Mexico. They’re getting it done, and doing with grace and humility.
It is a privilege to be connected to a church like this, a church that models so well the vision and the history of the CMA. Thanks to everyone in Ottumwa for making us feel at home and for making the CMA what it is!
2 comments:
"When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land." Desmond Tutu
Hey BeepBeepItsMe, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. That's a pretty powerful quote. Missionaries have abused their place over the last 2000 years or so. Of course, one can't take a sound bite and apply it to everyone.
I enjoyed looking over your blog. Nicely done...especially the post about Boyd. I think a lot of people should listen to what he's saying.
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