Please pray for pastors and believers in Orissa State, India.
A large gathering of Hindu people is being planned for August 23rd. Their goal is to replicate and increase the persecution, church burnings, and murder they did in 2008.
Pastors are evacuating Khandmal District.
They are going door to door with flyers to invite and incite people for a 100% Hindu state.
Them: Please send more money
Me: What do you need it for?
Them: I am living by faith! Don't you want to "partner" with me in all the good works I am doing for God?
Me: ...
Them: Don't you trust me? I don't want your advice or accountability, just send more money.
Me: But you actually live better than me. I am not judging your lifestyle or ministry decisions, but I am also not automatically obligated to pay for it.
Mikaela Shiffrin, the champion skier, just said something profound on an interview.
She overcame a knee injury recently and still won many downhill races.
She said (paraphrased), "Love makes you overcome fear. I fear pain. I fear injury. But my love for skiing compels me."
Reminds me of:
"...Perfect love casts out fear..."
"The love of Christ compels us..."
There's no worse job in the church than being the sound guy. Thank goodness for the Babylon Bee and their helpful tips.π
https://babylonbee.com/news/the-babylon-bee-guide-to-being-the-church-sound-guy
Just read an article about how a normally intelligent, rational person was duped out of $50k. The scammers used:
Fear
Urgency
Isolation
The problem is that even good legitimate leaders and organizations, without ill intent, often use the same.
Do we need to be coerced to do good or to give?
Is there an alternative?
Am I the first to ding this?
https://babylonbee.com/news/10-differences-between-the-underground-church-and-the-american-church
Common scams in missions:
1) Building projects... fake receipts, "cost over runs," fake photos, "ministry" buildings get used for personal real estate, the buildings quickly fall into disrepair
2) Multiple affiliations... Church changes the sign board name according to the organization
3) Orphanages without real orphans
4) Disasters... example: "We had an earthquake" But the earthquake hit on the other side of the country not even close
5) Persecution... example: Photos of real persecution in India used as a sympathy ploy for fund raising in Nepal.
6) Exaggerations... Especially church plants, numbers of converts, baptisms, church "affiliates."
Know who you are giving to.
Know geography
A good friend and I were talking about a topic we agreed upon... then I showed a Bible verse which I thought would "put a nail in the coffin." Doing this opened a can of worms and started a heated discussion.
I apologized for even bringing up the topic. I should have known he would have strong feelings.
Damaged relationship. Not worth it. Stay away from the non-essentials.