One of the enjoyable things we had the opportunity to do on this recent vacation was to see several new movies in the theaters of Bangkok. It was fun to see several films that have not and will not ever make it to Ulaanbaatar. One of the treats was to see James Cameron’s mega-blockbuster film “Avatar” in 3-D Imax. I know that there are lots of opinions about this movie. Some good. Some not so good. I went forewarned by many of it’s “pagan and environmentalist” themes. It may be because I tend to look for it, but I actually found a lot of Gospel in that film. However, that’s a write up for another day. I thought it was a beautiful, well-crafted movie. I’m not sure that I follow the complaints of “no plot” that some have made – again I thought the plot had Biblical undertones, which is actually true of every story worth telling. Again, probably controversial to some, but for another blog on another day (probably by a different writer on a different website). However, I did find this movie to be very helpful for anyone working in a cross-cultural situation. In fact, if I were a professor of missiology at a Bible school or seminary someplace, this film would be required viewing.

For those who haven’t seen it, Avatar is a futuristic tale of how us earth-folk are trying to explore, settle and tame the planet Pandora. The main reason for their interest in Pandora is a precious metal which can be found there, and the humans are wanting to mine the alien ground for it’s resources. There is a humanoid race of people who happen to live on this planet (called the Na’vi), and of course they tend to get in the way of the human mining interests. The corporate mining folks took a two fold approach to “controlling” the native population: penetrate the culture with humans taking on the form of the creatures on the planet, if that fails the old standby of military bombs and guns. The corporate guys tried cultural contextualization first. If that didn’t work effectively enough (read: quickly enough), bombs and guns would do the trick. It is actually a beautiful film to watch. The world that was created is a masterpiece. There are very few plot holes and visually it’s a truly stunning film.

I understand that a lot of Evangelicals are saying that James Cameron and company had some kind of “environmentalist, pagan, anti-American, anti-Christian, unbiblical” agenda with this film. I somewhat disagree, I think James Cameron was given a lot of money to tell a story that’s been told thousands of ways over thousands of years – through which he has once again struck pay dirt to direct the largest box-office grossing movie in history. I personally don’t think there was any intentional agenda, at all. But what do I know? He told the story from his world-view (which is probably not Biblical), but every good story that’s worth telling has Avatar’s Biblical elements of good, evil, incarnation and redemption. But again, my point is this: For the person working in a cross-cultural environment, there is much to learn here.

In summary form here’s what I observed:

1. Understanding a culture must come before serving a culture.
Jesus said I did not come to be served, but to serve. That was his incarnational MO. He washed feet and fed people and healed people and laid down His life. However, I think it significant that Jesus didn’t just appear on earth as a fully grown human. Jesus was born into our earthly culture. He grew up in our earthly context and knew first hand the difficulties of living on this planet. Long before he washed the disciples feet, he understood what it meant to actually have dirty feet and skinned knees and hurt feelings. The film Avatar showed that it takes a lot more involvement than coming into an alien culture with a readiness to serve. It is incredible arrogance that says we will come here and teach you our language and build you our schools so that you can be educated in our system, without ever taking the time and effort required to understand and to learn about them. We then hold up our supposed ‘good deeds’ as service. Jake Sully’s (the main character in the film) line to the Na’vi “I am here to learn” should be the attitude of anyone seeking to work and serve in a culture that is not their own.

2. Learning the language is not the equivalent to understanding the culture.
While this understanding involves language learning, it does not equate to language learning. It’s possible to learn the host cultures language and still have absolutely no clue as far as cultural understanding is concerned. Grammar and syntax may say a lot about a people, but real understanding comes with eating their food and singing their songs and understanding what they laugh at and what they cry over – with them. You can’t read those things on a book or learn them from a distance. The Avatar film reveals quite clearly the fact that Jake was well ahead of his other “avatar” co-workers – not because he learned the language better (in fact, in the film he didn’t know it at all at first), but because he was willing to become one of them in the ways that are most important.

3. The host culture’s perception of the outsider could be very surprising and is also critical to understand.
In the film, the people who were on the planet Pandora for pure militant capitalism didn’t really care what the native population thought about the humans. However, later even the research folks were surprised at what the Na’vi really thought about the invading “sky people”. They thought they were doing good. However, because of their lack of understanding, even their perceived good was doing harm to relationships. They had no idea what the Na’vi really thought about them. I have asked of our Mongolian staff and Mongolian friends this question: What are your perceptions of us and the other foreigners in our organization? What do you think of us? After a few minutes of getting past the “polite” answers, it was enlightening to hear what their real thoughts and perceptions were. Some things were good. Some were not so good. However, knowing what the host culture thinks about us and understanding why they think this is incredibly valuable information when trying to work effectively in a cross-cultural situation. How we’re perceived may be very different from what we actually are or what our motives may be. However, effective cross-cultural understanding requires that we listen to perceptions. Another persons perception of me is actually their reality.

4. Incarnation is indispensable to effectiveness.
Watching this film once again confirmed my personal conviction that Jesus-shaped incarnational ministry is really going to be the only effective ministry in the end. I don’t want to be overly critical of “big-bang” ministry. But I am highly suspicious of any ministry that has the pattern of coming into a new location with lights, cameras, action and eye-candy, draws a huge crowd and gets that crowd to respond positively, then packs up the road show to head back home with glowing reports of all the work that God did – leaving behind a crowd of people whom they never took the time to know or understand. We get this kind of thing in Mongolia a lot. Frankly, I wish a lot of these groups would either stay home or begin to really work with those of us who are trying to incarnationally live here. Their coming and going does do more harm than good. The Avatar film reveals this in a very graphic way.

5. Incarnational contextualization takes time and patience.
I am becoming an outspoken believer in this. Cross-cultural ministry is not going to be effectively accomplished with a “hurry-it-up” microwave mindset. The mining/military folks at the Pandora outpost did not have the patience to wait for it. Of course, since their motive was less than pure, no amount patient waiting would have accomplished what they purposed. However, it serves as a reminder to me that the same holds true in mission and missional church planting. If we come in with a perceived sense of sanctified imperialism, I believe we’re missing the missiological mark. We have had individuals and organizations who have come into Mongolia and in less than two years have claimed church planting victory. The country is evangelized. The church is established. We can go to America and teach seminars now. Entire organizations are founded on the premise of “planting the church as quickly as possible” and “rapid reproduction”. Good has come from these groups and the folks in these groups. However, I wonder if our general Western impatience has done more harm the good in the long run. And while I believe that Jesus can build his church with asses of every kind (myself included), the greatest need I see in Mongolia is for teachers and trainers who are willing to do what it takes, however long it takes, to work, teach and train Biblical understanding in the local context, culture and language. In my particular organization we have a stated purpose of “planting prevailing churches”. I think the key word is prevailing. Prevailing requires more than a flash in the pan ministry stint.

6. The Gospel transcends everything – but will be ineffective apart from contextualization and cultural understanding.
I love any movie, book or other pop culture item that is a window to the Gospel, because I love the Gospel. I don’t think you have to look hard at the Avatar film to see that window. Granted world views will have different ‘takes’, and I am sure someone with a pagan world view could see and relate to as much, if not more, than I have as a Christian. However, the Gospel of incarnation and laying down rights and life for the sake of others is crystal clear in this film. The movie shows that there must be a motive which transcends greed and profit when entering into a new culture – genuine love and compassion for people, salvation, service. However, contextualization and cultural understanding MUST accompany our preaching of the Gospel. Gospel preaching and Gospel living in a cross -cultural context will be totally ineffective if we move forward with our western assumptions, mindset and worldview. People will feel used, not loved. If we are entering ministry with a mere “get the church planted” agenda, and we only discuss the issue of “how” while merely assuming the issue of “why”, I am not convinced there will be much long-term good. The 2/3 world spiritual landscape today is a wasteland of “church planting movements”. I know that’s true for where I live. The “flash in the pan” has created spiritual burn out. The greatest need of the hour is long-term, contextual, Biblical discipleship which produces genuine, prevailing Jesus followers.

That is, after all, the heart of the “Great Commission” to begin with (Matthew 28:18-20)

I don’t know if it’s the cold or if it’s the humidifiers we’re running in our home or some odd combination of both, but this year we’re finding that the outside windows and doors are consistently getting a build up ice. It freezes and melts and expands and is causing the concrete around the windows to deteriorate. We’ve had to put towels in the window sills to keep the melt off from running onto the floor. It’s kind of fun to watch the dog go to the door leading out to our balcony and chisel the ice off with her teeth in some bizarre attempt to get a drink or chew on something or … actually who knows what she’s thinking. It’s entertaining, nonetheless. There have been some days where it feels that our home is being invaded by the outside ice and cold, like it’s alive trying desperately to come in rule on the inside in the tyrannical way it’s ruling outside right now. We have to keep things warm enough on the inside to fend it off. Defeat the ice.

For me personally this is not a new problem at all. I’ve had to fend off ice ever since we started living here in 2006 (we’re pushing the four year mark). No, we don’t have the ice in the window phenomenon all year round. But I do find that there is a similar thing that happens to my heart … all year round. There is a creeping iciness, coldness of heart that I feel I am constantly having to battle. I am thinking there is a sense in which we all fight the fight of the ice. Contexts change but spiritual ice is the same wherever you are. It’s always there waiting for you to turn the heat down just enough to creep into the interior of our hearts.

In Mongolia interior ice can have an abundance of catalysts. Bad driving, constant begging, pushing and shoving, cutting in line, isolation, spiritual oppression and depression, constant busyness, outward demands, inward stress and pressure, language (or lack thereof), weariness. They’re all factors. Some of these factors will be the same where you live. Some different. Maybe you have more. But the truth is that it’s incredibly easy for my heart can get hard. Cold. Frosty. Like my window. I’m seeing that there’s a sense in which I’ve had to wage the battle of the ice ever since I started to follow Jesus over twenty years ago. I am thinking that this battle becomes more intense with time. Harder, not easier.

This year’s ice serves as a not so subtle reminder that I am in constant need the Word to keep me soft; His Spirit to keep me warm and make me compassionate. Jesus lived in a world that was way different from His familiar, comfortable and happy home of heaven. I am thinking that He had run into irritations that were real issues, versus my irritations that are in reality quite petty. The incarnation never ceases to humble and amaze me.

I must say that our impending vacation is something I am very much looking forward to. (We have the opportunity to go to Thailand and hit the beach and hang out with some friends up in Chaing Mai.) It’s not so much a way to escape the literal ice in my window. Renee’ and I really don’t mind the meteorological climate here so much. We rather enjoy it. However, the spiritual iciness that ever so slowly creeps in and takes over needs some thawing in me. I am hopeful and glad for that opportunity to get away, reflect, pray, write and rewarm. I need the Word and the Spirit to do His thawing, softening and warming so the relentless creeping of the ice will again be thwarted and Jesus reign supreme.

“Some people have thought that … the gospel is preached and that the truth has a kind of general moral effect upon people … But it is not that. It is an operation of the Spirit upon the men and women themselves, in the depths … It is the Spirit acting upon the soul from within and producing within us a new principle of spiritual action.”

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones

“Not everyone who says to me on that day, Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven…”

Jesus

Not everyone who says they are Christian are in point of fact regenerate believers. Not in America. Not in Mongolia.

The last numbers that I saw from the Barna group say that 45% of the people in America would fall into the category of “born again”. In Mongolia there are supposedly 45,000 Christians (which is still less than 2% of the total population). There is a sense in which these numbers are sadly low. We want to see many more people than this who are radically changed by the power of the Holy Spirit and who know the efficacy of the Cross of Jesus. However, in reality these numbers are probability outlandishly high, in that there is not near enough visible evidence to cause me to believe that there are even close to this many true believers in America or in Mongolia. Here, reports that came out at the end of 2009 state that alcoholism rates are up, poverty rates are up, murder rates are up and theft/crime rates are up. This doesn’t really jive with supposed increased in Christian salt and light.

In Mongolia we are finding that many of the people who have claimed Christianity in the past are not living a life which would give evidence of any sort of regeneration or new birth. Some of these people, including several we know personally, have flat out rejected the claims of the Gospel and are no longer making any pretense to follow Christ whatsoever. Some statistics that I have read are saying that in Mongolia there are fewer believers today than there were ten years ago. My guess is that all of those who have ever made some sort of profession of faith, even if that profession has been recanted, are still counted in the grand tally.

I was an American pastor once. I know how the numbers game works. But the stakes are too high, and this is far too serious of an issue to play games with numbers so we can impress donors at home.

I’ve heard various proposals for solutions to the problem of the troubling rate of attrition. We need to offer more training. We need to have greater discipleship. We need to plant more churches. While I am not going to say that any of these solutions are bad or that they will not help with the problem, I’m convinced more than ever that this will not come close to resolving the problem. The issue as I see it has little to do with these things and has everything to do with the nature of true conversion and regeneration of the believer. Those of us in Christian ministry are satisfied to count the coercion of profession, rather than actually believe God for true conversion.

It’s not popular, nor is it pragmatic (at least from a human perspective) to expect people to turn from sin and turn to God without some measure of human arm-twisting. At the very least there needs to be some sort palatable presentation of why Jesus “makes sense”. After all, people are pragmatic to the core and in order to properly contextualize the message, we should teach it in a simple practical way that folks will understand.

Please don’t misunderstand, I am a strong believer in and practitioner of contextualization. This is why we took two years of full-time language and why we continue to study and learn from the language and the culture. It’s never ending. That said, my convictions are becoming stronger by the day as we live here, and as we view the results of so much that has taken place here in the past. There is one key and crucial ingredient lacking in the so-called church: regeneration. True conversion. There’s been intellectual ascent to Christian teaching. There’s been the formation of churches. There’s even been the formation of a sort of “Christian culture”. There’s Christian publishing, Christian books, Christian music. However, I’m finding that there’s a huge differential between what is professed and what is actually lived out in terms of character and holiness. Not meaning to be unnecessarily cynical, but I feel sometimes like Nashville has been imported to Ulaanbaatar, minus the Starbucks.

I’ll qualify this. I am not talking about perfectionism. I am not saying that there are not inconsistencies in my own life and in my own spirituality. No question about this. It’s true for all of us. But my concerns and the issues that I am seeing in Christianity here (and in other parts of the world as well) is that there are not just small differentials. There are huge gaping divergences. There are “Christians” who are consistently getting drunk, lying to clients, sleeping with folks other than their spouses, continuing to practice idolatry and spirit worship, acting unethically in business and society. Some write this off to “culture” or “context”. But Bible trumps culture. Every time. This is true in America, where we have a culture of materialistic consumerism and it is true in Mongolia where the culture is rife with alcohol, spiritism and pragmatism.

The need of the hour is Gospel proclamation in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not a message of “only believe” or “Jesus can improve your life” or “come to church” or “let’s work together and see how quickly we get the church planted so that we can leave”. But rather a call for sinners to repent and prayer that asks the Holy Spirit of God to open up hearts and eyes to His holy awesomeness and our absolute helplessness and hopelessness any other way. The dead come to life and the blind are made to see. That’s the message of Christianity. Any other message is counterproductive and will hurt, not help the Kingdom.

I personally am not willing settle for less than Jesus raising the dead.

It was fun watching the staff at the Grain of Wheat begin to anticipate Christmas this year. They asked a lot of questions about how and why Christians celebrate, and there was a sincere desire on their part to share the story of Christmas with students who came into our Center. Here is a video that we put together for that purpose. The music (with the exception of Silent Night, of course) is all original music. Zolo, a staff member wrote it, taking the words directly from the Mongolian Scriptures. The singer is a young lady who works at our office and guest apartment as a cleaner while she is going to school. You can tell by the sound of her voice that she will not be cleaning apartments for the rest of her life. She sings like an angel. All editing mistakes in this video are mine. Zolo was in a car accident just before it finished and had to go to the hospital. He’s fine now, and we thank God for that. But we had to do a quick editing job on his concept. There will be a final “fixed” version that will come out later.

This is the updated and fixed version! Check it out on Vimeo, as well.

We had 30-40 students come to the Center party on the 23rd. Most were regulars and members. Many (if not most) were not believers. We sang Christmas Carols and shared this video. After the video, we made a clear appeal to follow Jesus. It was a good night with great opportunities.

Christmas Eve found us back at the Grain of Wheat for a Midnight Christmas Eve candle light service. We had a multi-national bunch of folks who came to pause, worship and remember the coming of our Savior. Readings were in English and Mongolian. The presence of the Lord was evident to all who were there.

We had a quiet Christmas morning with our family, Skyping in both sets of Grandparents when the time was right. Gifts were somewhat minimal this year, since we will be taking vacation in Thailand at the end of January. But all seemed pleased in their giving and receiving. Even the dogs…

On Christmas Day in the evening, we gathered with our UB staff, both Mongolian and foreign and enjoyed a multinational celebration of food, song and story telling. We ate from various American, Philippine and Korean traditions … with the underlying Mongolian tradition of a lot of meat. Three different kinds, to be exact. We sang carols in Mongolian and English, as well as had a bi-lingual reading of our favorite Anderson Christmas tradition of “The Tale of Three Trees”.

On Saturday night our home was opened up to 30 teenagers. We had our Annual Anderson Christmas Smorgasbord with the kids and their friends. Much food and much fun. We have a great group of MK’s here in Ulaanbaatar. As you can see from this photo, they had a good time (no one looked at the camera for the group shot, but that actually made it more interesting…)

Finally on Sunday afternoon the Cornerstone Church of All Nations, UB’s only International Church, had a Christmas celebration. As part of our worship time we exalted the coming of Jesus as the “Desire of Nations” by having everyone in the congregation (every continent, 25+ nations) write ascriptions of praise to Jesus in their heart language.

It was a fitting end to a busy, yet satisfyingly celebrative season of Christmas. We hope and pray that you and your family also have a blessed New Year.

In a land of democracy and hardship, competition is fierce and oppression is rampant. All of our “freedoms” are killing my people – a humble family paying 560% per month for a $5 loan, a young man harassed by the police and afraid of taking it to court, children learning English from rap music, unemployed men who turn to drinking, employed men who drink as soon as they are paid, foreign companies who mine our country’s resources or delay on paying salaries, families who have not saved a single cent for the long winter, a prime minister who resigns suspiciously, neighbors who build higher and thicker fences, a handicapped boy who stays home and plays video games instead of going to school, crumbling roads and a faltering river system, officials who are convinced their people are poor and helpless, families who never turn off their TVs, two neighbors who have had their electricity cut off, other neighbors who can’t pay $1.50 to paint their own fence, people who pay back loans in order to get bigger loans, the gradual loss of cultural skills and pride, young people having children before marriage, plastic bags like tumbleweed across the steppe, increasing thieves who take whatever is not locked up, coal sellers who cheat their customers with rocks, drunk men fighting or laying in the street, couples threatening separation, toddlers with rotting teeth, citizens with no hope, no ideas, and no unity whatsoever…

If only the Father of Heaven would send us another khan – one who would rule with a rod of iron and whose empire would never crumble, one who would bring justice to the afflicted and light to the stumbling, one who would cause the righteous to flourish and the land to abound with good things, one who would restore glory and respect for his people among the nations, one who would have mercy on the weak and rescue them from enemies, one whose name would endure and all would call him blessed by God… full of wisdom and authority and power… forever.

Oh, if such a khan existed my people could hope once more. We wait, in desperation and tears, for Your anointed O God! We cry out for Your chosen to teach us fear and obedience, that we might be free from the plagues of our own freedom! How long must we suffer for lack of order and community?! There is no one to help, there is no one endowed with holiness and authority to lead us. Answer our prayer and send us Your khan, with signs and wonders, that all the nations might see and be glad this Christmas…

Psalm 72 (plus 100s of years of history, both from ancient Israel as well as Mongolia here and now).

(This was written by my friend and team member Jeremy Fields. Be sure to check out the “Fields of the Harvest” website and blogspot.)

But in all seriousness, it’s true. I do need them. Our ministry here is in grave danger if that reality is forgotten.

I am encouraged by what God is doing at our church through Onon (our student center manager) and Zolo (also an employee of the center) and his family. We restarted the church a couple of months ago, after the students started coming back to School. While we wanted to continue to have a venue for reaching students, it seemed that the Lord was giving us families. We’re encouraged by that. Zolo is coming (and leading), along with his wife and daughter. Other families have wandered in and out. Over the past few months we have very slowly started to grow. We changed the way we are “doing church”. Rather than a more formalized praise songs/sermon/prayer/offering/praise song format, the church is doing an inductive Bible study on their own. We have a short time of simple worship and praise, and then move into a directed Bible Study in the Sermon on the Mount. It’s been a blessing to see students spend an hour or more thinking and talking about applying to their lives one or two verses from the Bible. We are using both of the Mongolian translations of the Scripture, and talking about the differences, trying to get to what Jesus really meant when he was speaking.

Last evening, before our time together, two young men who are not believers were hanging out at the Grain of Wheat and one of our employees engaged them in conversation. It was closing time and we were about to begin our meeting, so she invited them to join us. They did just that. We proceeded to talk in detail about how we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. “Being salt” was a strange thing for them to think about, but the attending believers did a great job talking about the meaning and Zolo explained differences between Christian belief and Buddhism. One lady gave a testimony. Being a very pragmatic culture, Mongolians place a high value on something having “profit” or “benefit”. It’s an important idea for most Mongolian people. This woman shared how her life before coming to Christ was terrible (as indeed, it was). However, after she became a believer her life became great, she has a job, a house, etc. Her point was that her life is “salt and light” because her belief in Jesus resulted in “benefit” or “profit”. This is a typical testimony in the Mongolian Church.

However, we had an amazing opportunity to take the passage an important step further.

Last week they had studied the previous verses on how we are to respond when we are persecuted. The point was made that our light shines brightest when we live like Jesus during the darkest times. The “benefit” of Jesus is not always realized in this life and when people see believers who are full of joy when tragedy or sickness strike (and it will strike), or when we are rejected or made fun of because we are Jesus-followers, THEN we are light. Bright shining beacons of Gospel light.

Zolo then picked up the guitar and we sang a favorite here, but this time with a new understanding.

Every blessing you pour out I’ll turn back to praise, when the darkness closes in still I will say … blessed be the name of the Lord.

Believers were blessed, unbelievers were challenged with truth. That’s the real thing in my book. That’s church.

I have great hope for this church. The reason I have great hope for this church is not because of us or our team (although I am grateful that we will soon have help from those coming out of language school this spring). I have great hope for this church because God is at work in these young men and women. Our job is simply to point them to Jesus. I need them to not only teach me how the Mongolian people think and live, act and react, but to point me to Jesus, as well. It is a real joy to work together. His Kingdom come.

He’s a national hero in Mongolia today, at least among the young people and those who are pro-democracy (not so a much a hero among the MPRP). It seems that most heros are dead ones. This morning I was wondering why this is so. Would Zorig have been the “larger than life” hero he is today if he had lived? Or would he have been lumped into the same pile that most politicians get lumped into – along the lines of Nikita Kruschev’s analysis: “Politicians are the same all over: they promise to build bridges, even if there are no rivers.” It seems that the grain of wheat must indeed fall into the earth and die, before we know what kind of fruit will actually be born … or if there will be any fruit at all.

For Mongolians, it’s Zorig, among others. For Americans it could be countless numbers of political, cultural, or spiritual heroes who have passed on. I wonder who will be our heroes of tomorrow? Who will my grand-children or great-grandchildren remember or look up to? Which books that are being written today will still be being read 10, 20, 50 or 100 years from now? Whose sermon will be still be relevant in 2100? So many of us (myself included) are writing things that are published on the Internet that a handful of folks read, but who will the heroes be? Whose writing, drawing, painting, or thinking will last beyond this week, let alone this decade? Will people be reading “The Purpose Driven Life” and “Your Best Life Now” or any current New York Times Best selling novel in 100 years with the same awe that one might read Edwards or Dickens or Tolkien or Spurgeon?

I don’t know the answer to those questions. I somehow don’t see the current authors in the same timeless camp as the dead ones. But only history will tell. I do know that the only thing that will be relevant in Eternity is that which is the fruit of a dead person. So I come back to two Scriptures by which I aim to guide my life:

John 12:24 “Truly, Truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life”

I Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”

That’s what really lasts. It doesn’t matter if one is laboring in politics, literature and the arts, a cross-cultural context or a local Kroger store. The work that really lasts is the work that’s built on the foundation of Jesus by those who have died to their life in this world. In the end it really doesn’t matter who is reading your stuff one hundred years from now, if in a million years fruit from your life is completely non-existent. Human history remembers very little. Jesus history remembers what is truly significant (eternal fruit) for all ages to come.

(If you want to learn more about Zorig and his impact on modern day Mongolia, you can find more information at the Zorig Foundation website. The foundation is located in Ulaanbaatar, less than a mile away from our home.)

Blogging has been really sparse lately. This post may give some explanation as to why this has been so …

I have been thinking a lot recently about time redemption. By this I don’t mean taking another course in “Effective Habits” or retooling to “GTD” (although I do think both time management programs, as well as others have something to offer in spite of their hype and religious roots). Leland Ryken in his excellent book “Redeeming the Time: A Christian Approach to Work and Leisure” laments the Church’s lack of understanding and Biblical thinking regarding work and leisure. “Christians have their own version of the contemporary crisis of work and leisure. They feel guilty about their work. They feel guilty about leisure. They do not understand either of them very well.” A Christian work ethic is more than being busy, or even working hard. It has to do with how we actually make use of our minutes and hours. I am beginning to think about time differently than I have in the past.

Living in Mongolia has given me a new appreciation (or would that be understanding?) of spontaneity. It is not unusual to receive a phone call (or simply a text message!) asking for a meeting. Not later this week. Not tomorrow. “Can you meet right now?” If I need to get an oil change on the car, it costs about $80 (oil changes are expensive here) and nearly a day’s time. The expense is way more than a financial one. There’s no “Home Depot” here. If I need building or repair supplies, I go to a building supply market that spans scores of buildings and a couple of miles. That’s another day. And the list could go on of tasks that would be otherwise simple and easy, but take hours and even days to get done in this culture and environment.

This way of life has caused me to think about time and the redemption of time a little differently than perhaps I did in America.

I personally do not count “busyness” as a virtue. CJ Mahaney has a series of articles about a Christian way of looking at time management and productivity (I highly recommend them to you!) and he starts off by making three statements that I wholly resonate with:

• Busyness does not mean I am diligent
• Busyness does not mean I am faithful
• Busyness does not mean I am fruitful

Busyness is not a badge to wear around on your chest with desperate hope that others will see it and know how important, relevant, or otherwise significant we are. I think busyness can actually be an enormous hinderance that keeps us from doing the things that are truly important and meaningful.

However, as we all know, busyness is also an inevitability. That’s the catch. It’d be nice to not be busy. But that’s not always the reality of life.

Right now I am involved with all sorts of roles and projects.

- Managing the Grain of Wheat Student Center
- Interim pastor at Cornerstone Church of All Nations (newly formed International Church in UB)
- Discipling students at the UB Student Church
- Planning and organizing for a new “Student Fellowship” movement in UB starting in September
- Several small group meetings including Bible study and marriage counseling
- Assistant Field Director responsibilities
- Graduate Studies in Christian Spirituality from the University of South Africa

And of course, I’m not including the obvious things in this list: I am the husband of Renee’ and the father or two teenagers … and and just like the ice cream on the icing on the cake … or maybe the chocolate syrup that’s on the ice cream on the icing on the cake … or perhaps it would be the cherries on the … well, you get the point: I am the owner of two dogs, one of which is a puppy.

I know that my list can’t compare to many other’s. I am sure some of you will read that and say, “Pshaw, that’s nothing I’m doing all that and redecorating the Smithsonian and doing a reorganization of the Detroit Lions.” Which is fine … and good luck with that, by the way. But for me, for my personality and my context, this constitutes a full plate.

However these things are not what is ultimate (no matter how bad the Lions have been), because busyness is not what is ultimate. Fellowship with Jesus is what is ultimate. Abiding in the Vine. Therefore, redeeming the time is incredibly important for me right now. Not so that I can add more to my plate, or be more effective in this busy season of life. Not even so that I can “make time” for my wife and children … and two dogs. Time redemption is crucial, because abiding in the Vine is crucial. If I am not fellowshipping with Jesus, then all of this busyness is a royal waste of time and resources and I might as well be spending my days checking email, playing World of Warcraft, twittering and cruising Facebook in between episodes of “Friends” reruns. I may time manage for the purpose of spending proper time with my family, but if Christ is not central for me, my family will spend time with an angry, fleshly, Spirit-less man (who is constantly checking email, playing World of Warcraft, twittering, cruising Facebook and watching Friends). Who wants that?

For the past three years that we’ve lived in Mongolia, I have not changed my email signature. And I don’t plan on changing it anytime soon. I need to be reminded every time I send an email, that there is really ultimately only one priority, one passion, one objective:

Abide.

“The vine . . . is not the root merely, but all – root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers,fruit:
and Jesus is not only that: He is soil and sunshine, air and showers,
and ten thousand times more than we ever dreamed, wished for, or needed.”
J. Hudson Taylor

Elections were yesterday (Sunday), and the results are in. For the first time in history Mongolia has elected a president from the Democratic Party. Elbegdorj is officially the president-elect. Today Erik and I went down to the square to witness the historic occasion and hear Elbegdorj’s acceptance speech – and to take some pictures. Thousands of Mongolians gathered at Suhkbaatar Square and we were right there in the middle of it all. We ran into the old guy who works as a guard in our building, and he acted as a guide to take us right toward the front of the party.

The Mongolian people who gathered at the square today were happy and hopeful. There were cries of “Freedom” and “Change has come”, as well as “Hoorah’s” for the new president-elect.

This old man is a bottle collector. He collects empty bottles for a living. He doesn’t have much of a living. He wandered silently into the crowd. No one paid him a lot of attention, folks were looking to catch a glimpse of their new president. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. Was he for the new guy or was he sad that the former president was gone? Does he see this as a day of hope, or is one president as good as another to him? After all, he collects plastic bottles for a living. I’d like to know what was going through his head. He’s seen change. What were his dreams as a young man? I’m not thinking collecting bottles was part of it.

Shortly after that, another fellow who had already been celebrating with a bottle of vodka came up to us and asked if we were Russian. After explaining that we were Americans he informed us that “Communism is finished” and went on to explain how nice it will be to have change. He kept smiling, shaking his head and saying “saihan uurchulson” (The Change is Nice) I am glad the people are generally hopeful. However, hope is ultimately in the Gospel. I pray that Jesus uses this change in leadership for the sake of His Kingdom and the Gospel.

Part of the reason for silence on the blog front is probably due to busyness of schedule in recent months. We’ve found that things have been quite intense lately. Here’s a rundown of recent activity:

We are continuing our work with students at the “Grain of Wheat” student center. It has been a real blessing to see students show up for English class and cafe’, as well as guitar lessons. We are in the process now of making plans for a big start-up in the fall. We are raising money to purchase a computer, books for the library, as well as a stove so we can begin making our own pastries, cakes and other speciality items. We are going to kick things off this fall with a full program. For those who are going to the C&MA’s General Council, be sure to look for the Yak Polo/Vision for Chile booth to purchase your 2009 Yak Polo shirt – as proceeds will go toward Grain of Wheat. Friday, May 29th will be “Yak Polo Friday”, so I hope that we will see photos of all of you sporting the latest Yak Polo fashion trend!

Another new twist in our current ministry is the start of an International Church in UB. Cornerstone Church of All Nations has been officially meeting since Easter Sunday. On the first Sunday we had almost 180 people, from over 23 nations in attendance. Since then we’ve continued to see the Lord’s blessing and His hand upon the church. Last Sunday we were blessed with Dilip Kurian from the Hillsongs worship team who led worship at our church (with over 200 in attendance). We’ve already more or less outgrown the rented space we are using now. A church like this is such a need in this city. Currently I am serving as interim pastor, until we can find a pastor to take this task on full time. We are praying for God to call the right person here to take on this ministry. It’s a little strange to be “Pastor Bernie” again, but not too strange. It is a blessing to see God at work and a real need being met in our adopted hometown.

Another area of ministry for us is the discipleship of Mongolian students in UB. Right now we are finishing up the school year, and many of our students are heading home for the summer. There will be a few residual students staying in the city, but most will be departing. However, summer will still be busy for us, as we will begin making preparations for the Fall. We are going to begin working with a team of Mongolian students to start a Student Fellowship on Friday evenings which will be used to reach their peers. From this, we want to disciple and equip them to be involved with or start local churches around the city. This will be a challenge on many levels, but we’re excited about the potential we see in reaching students in Mongolia for the Kingdom of God.

Our field director couple Dennis and Marilyn Maves have left the country for their one year home assignment. This also leaves some extra responsibilities for those of us left here in the city. I will be working some in the field office, and Renee’ will be working with the female staff members through Bible study, discipleship and prayer with them.

Renee’ also has her plate full with ‘volunteering’ (that is a mandatory volunteering!) at the kid’s school every week, as well as attending a ladies’ Bible study and helping at the Student Center and with the International Church.

I am also currently working on a graduate degree program from the University of South Africa. This is consuming time and energy, as well. However, I am enjoying the reading and writing that is involved. When I am finished I will have a recognized degree for the first time in my life. I feel that it is a necessary thing to obtain, as I desire to work more closely with higher education here in a Mongolian context. Having the proper degree is important to them in this regard.

On top of all this, Cori has brought home a new puppy. I managed to dodge the last “new puppy” bullet, as we found a home for it. When she brought this one home, I tried to be the hard-nosed Dad for as long as possible – but I went soft in the end and let her keep it. So now we have Gemma, the fluff ball. She is good for a laugh most of the time, and Cori has something to sleep with her at night – now that it’s finally stopped it’s night whining. Sadie seems to get along with it fairly well. They seem to keep each other company.

Jonathan and Cori are both finishing up their school year this month. Jonathan is having to say goodbye to a lot of friends who graduating this week. We’re all continuing to learn that this lifestyle involves saying good-bye alot. It can be hard on the kids, at times. But it is amazing to see our good God at work bringing new friends into our lives and meeting our every need.

In it all He’s been faithful. We look to Him to supply for all we need now and all that is to come.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers, support and partnership!