Missional Frugality by Craig Ford

Craig Ford is a missionary and blogger in Papua New Guinea. He created a new term called "Missional Frugality." What if American Christians embraced this idea rather than the American Dream?

http://www.moneyhelpforchristians.com/embracing-missional-frugality/


Let me know what you think.

The Story of Stuff

Check out the video here.

Not "Good-bye" but "See You Later"

Russell, my 27-year-old nephew, passed away on Valentine's Day. We had a small graveside service for him yesterday. It was the second funeral we had planned for him. The first one was planned over 10 years ago. Russell was on his "death-bed" in October 2000. The doctors told the family that he would pass soon so we began planning his funeral. The funeral home was on stand by. My brother and I planned the service. My dad offered a plot that he owned in a local cemetary. Everything was in order.

Only Russell didn't die.

He lived 10 more years.

Finally, his enlarged heart was tired and it quit beating Monday morning. We are sad that Russell is gone but we celebrate that we had him for as long as we did. Everyone knew that he would probably die at a young age. We just didn't know when that would be.

So we were always glad to see him. Always welcomed his smile. And we laughed with him often. (He had a great sense of humor and pretty quick-witted.)

As I closed the service yesterday, I reminded our family and friends that because we have the promise of heaven through Jesus we do not say "good-bye" but "See you later." We will see Russell again in a healthy, transformed body. He brought joy to us for 27 years. Now he brings joy to others in a place that is impossible to describe. A place where the Bible says our greatest asset will be used as pavement.

See you later, Russ!

Who Do You Influence?

In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders tells the story of Dr. John Geddie who went to the South Pacific island of Aneityum as a missionary. He worked there for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:

When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians.

When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.

Leadership is essentially the power of one man to influence another. No man can fathom the difference one life can make. Before all is said and done here, we need to ask ourselves some questions: Who do I influence? Am I leading people to a closer relationship with God? Am I lifting Jesus up so that men will be drawn to him? At the end of my life, I want people to celebrate what God did through me.

How about you?

The Importance of Balance

For years I've heard the analogy that when we have our relationship with God in order (illustrated with a vertical line) our relationships with others (horizontal line) will be in order too. You've probably heard this illustration many times. Recently I was made aware of an interesting thought, i.e., the need for the relationship with God to be balanced. If our relationship with God goes too far either way (fanatical or rebellious) it affects our relationship with others.

In other words, if you are going to be an influence for Christ in the culture and in the lives of those around you then you need to be sure you don't go to any extremes. An extreme devotion (e.g., a monk isolated in a monastery or a radical fundamentalist) has little or no influence on those around him. Let's face it. Most people think they are kooky. A rebellious lifestyle that claims a relationship with God but shows no evidence of a genuine relationship with him (e.g., CEO Christians, i.e., those who attend church on "Christmas and Easter Only") has no influence either.

We must balance our relationship with God so that we can have a solid relationship and influence on others.

Options for Super Bowl Halftime Shows

The Super Bowl halftime shows never do it for me. Last night, for example, there was just too much cheese with those Black Eyed Peas. It made me think - since pretty much the whole country is watching - what else could they do during the halftime of the Super Bowl?

• Let the FBI air the 10 Most Wanted List. They would probably catch at least half of the people on the list. The criminals are probably sitting on a bar stool somewhere watching the game.
• Let the President give his State of the Union address. More people are probably watching and he would have to make it shorter.
• Schedule a space shuttle launch. Nothing is more patriotic than watching our men and women from NASA send a rocket into space.
• Speaking of patriotism, instead of rock stars lip-synching on the field for 25 minutes, let some of our veterans and current troops march on the field and receive some affirmation and applause from the people they are fighting for.
• Show a couple of extended version movie trailers.
• Turn halftime over to Animal Planet and air the Puppy Bowl.
• Show a highlight reel of the greatest plays of the NFL season - and throw in some bloopers too.
• Have a normal 15 minute halftime with a few highlights, some commercials, and then get back to the game.

What are your ideas?

Are You Ready for Battle?

A young man in Bible school offered to help David Wilkerson (of The Sword and The Switchblade) when he was ministering on the streets of New York City. Wilkerson asked him how much time he spent in prayer. The young student estimated about 20 minutes a day.

"Go back for a month and pray two hours a day, every day, for 30 days. When you've done that, come back. I might consider turning you loose on the streets where there is murder, rape, violence, and danger. If I send you out now on 20 minutes a day, I'd be sending a solder into battle without any weapons, and you would get killed."

(Floyd McClung on Apostolic Passion in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, p. 205)

Did You Read?

Which Dream Are You Pursuing?

For over 20 years I've been interested in simple living. I have to say "interested" in it because I haven't always practiced it. In the blogworld, there are many popular blogs about simple and/or minimalist living. I read many of them each week. (I'll give you a sample list of blogs with links at the end of this post.)

I've read dozens of books on the topics of frugality, tightwaddery, and economical approaches to American life. Amy Dacyzyn wrote the classic Tightwad Gazette in the '90's. Amy made herself famous by encouraging people to reuse aluminum foil and teaching people how to put a plastic jug to use after the milk is gone. I've read most of Elaine St. James' books. They were much more practical for me since I identified more with Elaine than Amy. Amy lived on a farm. Elaine was a professional city girl. Elaine wrote books like Simplify Your Life, Living the Simple Life, and Inner Simplicity. All good reads and, though a little dated, worth a look.

Books on simple living with a spiritual side to them have also spoken to me. Richard Foster's Freedom of Simplicity is a classic in my opinion. Also Christopher Heuertz's more recent book Simple Spirituality has spoken to me, Beth, and Bailey (my daughter). Bailey read it first and told us about it. Books like Radical by David Platt and The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns also touch on the need for simplicity and challenge their readers to consider the over-indulgences of Americans.

I mention all of this to say that it has been on my mind a great deal lately. In my reading (books and blogs) over the past year or so, I've become even more convicted and convinced that we Americans (myself included) have too much stuff. I occasionally touch on it with posts here. Since Beth and I have become empty-nesters we've come to a point where we've decided that we don't need all of the stuff that we have. Two of the most liberating days that I've had over the past 18 months were the day I sold my motorcycle and the day I sold our boat. These things were fun for awhile but they eventually became a drag.

Americans are suckers for wanting and "needing" the latest greatest gadget or gizmo. We have fallen for the lie that is the American Dream. David Platt's book is subtitled "Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream." Platt does an excellent job of convincing us that the American Dream is not God's dream. How we ever thought that it was...I don't know. Easy access to stores, generous credit from banks, and even our own boredom and purposelessness, has caused us to have houses and yards full of stuff that may bring pleasure for awhile but eventually collect dust - while we still pay the minimum on our credit cards and look for the next great thing that will bring us temporary pleasure.

We must stop.

This is especially true for Christians (which includes most of my readers here). Why are we doing this to ourselves? This isn't what we were designed for. Do you really think that God will be pleased when all you have to show for your one and only life is that you bought a big house for your family, always kept them riding in a late model car, kept your kids in expensive clothes from the mall, and entertained them with every techno gadget possible?

I have a hard time with that. Sorry. You can click the red X on the corner of your browser now if you want, but I have to be honest.

You were made for more than this.


Which dream are you pursuing? The American Dream or God's Dream for your life?

I want to encourage you to consider what you do with your 3 T's, i.e., your time, talents, and treasures. Don't fall for the marketing ploys on TV and don't assume that one more trip to the mall will make you happy. It probably will - for a short while. Look deeper. Evaluate what you're doing with the blessings that God has given you. You are blessed to be a blessing. Think about it. Pray about it. Ask God how you can live His dream, not just the American Dream.

The sermon is over. Let's pray, sing a hymn, and go home now.

Here's a list of blogs that might interest you. I'm looking forward to unveiling a new website soon that will help readers gain a new perspective on life. More about that later!

BecomingMinimalist
RowdyKittens
mnmlist
TheSimpleDollar
Wisebread
ZenHabits
FarBeyondTheStars

Inside-Out Simplicity

Get ready for a 360 degree approach to the simplified lifestyle. “Inside-Out Simplicity: Life-Changing Keys to your Most Important Relationships” is a brand new e-book that goes beyond external fixes to our complicated lives. Instead, this book dares to focus on the very heart and soul of a simplified life.

It is based on the truth that a simplified lifestyle begins in a person’s soul and will help the reader find an inside-out simplicity by focusing on life-changing principles in their most important relationships.

Healthy relationships are absolutely essential for simplicity. And healthy relationships always flow from the inside-out.

• It is meant to challenge you.
• It is meant to encourage you.
• It is meant to inspire you.
• It is destined to help you find a simpler way of life.

Some of the topics and principles covered in the book will help you:

• Discover why healthy relationships are essential to a simplified life.
• Live intentionally by embracing contentment, gratitude, and humility.
• Promote generosity, kindness, service, and forgiveness as a way of life.
• Find greater simplicity in your marriage by focusing on the essential building blocks.
• Be intentional in your dealings with your children and family.

READ THE REVIEWS

• “An excellent new e-book.” – Leo Babauta, Zen Habits
• “Inside-Out Simplicity is the best ebook I’ve ever read.” – Sam Spurlin, The Simpler Life
• “This book is awesome. If you’ve never read Joshua’s stuff before, I’d start with this book. I’d highly recommend it.” – Stu Gray, The Marry Blogger
• “If you’ve mastered “beginner” minimalism and simplified your belongings and clutter and want to continue improving your mental outlook and relationships with those around you, I highly recommend this book. It discusses many areas that are not being talked about among minimalist bloggers right now and definitely need to be.” – Brett Oblack, Step 1 Minimalist
• “It’s a great read as it covers several aspects that are involved in living a simple life, namely our relationship with things, others and ourselves.” – Corey Allan, Simple Marriage
• “The reason I’m recommending Joshua Becker’s new book is because it’s challenging, it’s engaging, and it really asks some tough questions about why you’re pursuing this lifestyle, and how to maintain your decisions in the long run.” – Everett Bogue, Far Beyond the Stars
• “This book is the perfect reference for someone looking to go beyond the ‘pare down your stuff, stop shopping so much, and head outside on a bike’ mentality that the minimalist movement seems to be adopting. To get beyond that, you need to look inside…” - Robyn Devine, the minimalist knitter

Click here to purchase!

How to Pay Off a 30 Year Mortgage in 12 Years

It's that time of year again. Each January, I adjust my automatic payment plan with our mortgage company so that our mortgage will be paid off sooner. I plan to pay our 30 year note off in 12 years.

There are a lot of good ideas out there on how to pay your mortgage off early.

• Make bi-monthly payments instead of monthly.
• Pay an additional 10% of the payment each month.
• Make an extra monthly payment each year with your income tax refund, Christmas or birthday gifts, or other source.

Doing any of the above will take about 7 years off of your mortgage.

I'm no financial guru or expert. Though I read a good bit on money management and investing, I am no Warren Buffett. (No, Warren is not Jimmy's brother. He is perhaps one of the greatest investors of this generation.) So, if you agree or disagree with this plan, so be it. It is what I've chosen for us to do and so far it seems to be working out great. I have not seen this "strategy" in anything I've read which means it is either a great original thought or a dumb original idea. We'll see.

My 30 to 12 plan:

We refinanced our mortgage in the fall of 2008 when the rates drastically dropped. I was glad to make this transaction but I did not want to have a mortgage hanging over my head for 30 more years so I created a plan.

Beginning with the first payment, I paid $100 in additional principal each month for the first year. Each year one of us usually gets a cost of living increase. I determined that with our small increase in salary, I would increase the additional principal payment by $100 each January. Therefore, at the beginning of the second year I would add $200 to the principal each month. The third year I added another $100 so that my additional principal payment was $300 and so on. By the 10th year, I will be paying an additional $1000 each month toward principal using this strategy.

Because we are slowly adding to our principal payments each year using our salary increases, the additional $100 per month doesn't sting too bad and it doesn't affect our monthly budget. I chose $100 each month. You may do more or less. The point is by adding a little bit each month and incrementally increasing that figure each year, it will dwindle your mortgage balance down quicker than the original terms of the note.


I ran an amortization table and projected out my mortgage payments using this strategy and, in our case, it makes our 30 year note a 12 year note.

Ask me how I did in 2020.

Simplify by Joshua Becker

Two years ago, a typical family of four living in the suburbs made the decision to minimize their possessions, declutter their home, and simplify their life. Since then, they have inspired hundreds of thousands of others to give the new lifestyle a chance.
And now, to help you experience the same freedom, they offer the most important lessons they have learned through the process in their new e-book: Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life.

Click here to view more details

Top Blog Posts of 2010

Thought I'd scroll through the past 12 months and link to my favorite posts of 2010. They are listed in chronological order. See what you think:

Busyness: The Devil's Workshop
IKEA & Toothpaste
Busyness (Part 2)
Interview with Danny & Judy Armstrong
Advice to Public Pray-ers
Why Sin is a Bad Idea
Why the Healthcare Bill Doesn't Bother Me (I got lots of comments on Facebook about this one.)
Interview with Joy Sheraden
New Wine or Kool-Aid?
It's About Time
It's About Time (Part 2)
It's About Time (Part 3)
It's All About the Fundamentals
My Love/Hate Relationship with the Church (Got lots of feedback on this one too.)
Why Money Can't Buy Happiness
What is Discipleship?
Once in a Lifetime?
Do We Really Need More Stuff?
Praying for Your Kids

Lifesaving Door by Door

I originally posted the following in August 2005. I was reminded of it today when I saw a gang pacing up and down our streets making cold calls door-to-door. They looked like the religious type but I'm not completely sure. Our neighborhood seems to be a haven for people going door-to-door to survey, sell, or save.


The Impromptu Football Clinic

I’ve done my fair share of knocking on stranger’s doors in my ministry career. Confrontational evangelism was never my favorite thing to do. I always felt like I was intruding on people’s personal lives when I arrived at their door unannounced between 7 and 8:30 PM on a weeknight. That’s because I was.

I can recall a few victories over the years and I know many churches rely on door-to-door visitation but is it really effective to invade the lives of strangers to share the most important message in the world? Yes, there are periodic victories but how many defeats have there been due to our bad timing? How many forced gospel presentations have hurt the cause of Christ? Wouldn’t non-followers fare better if we took the time to establish a relationship with them instead of bombarding them with the greatest news known to man?

I was reminded of this one day on the beach. My wife and I were in the middle of a wonderful vacation on the Carolina shore enjoying our paperback pursuits when I looked up and saw a father and two boys throwing a football. Of course, this is a common scene at the ocean so there was nothing to note other than the wonderful picture of a father sharing a bond with what appeared to be his two sons. Being an athletic father myself, I stopped and watched them throw the ball around a little. Each boy appeared to be no older than ten-years old. The father was demonstrating how to properly catch the football as they were enjoying the sun and salt air.

Suddenly, their game of catch became an impromptu NFL training camp. A bicycle-riding gentleman in his 60’s approached the trio and obviously felt compelled to stop and share his knowledge of football with the group. Before I knew it, the father and sons were running drills and pass plays on the beach at the command of the Coach who was yelling, clapping and pumping his fist with every perfect play.

“How odd?” I thought. Was this man a NFL scout? A NCAA football coach? A retired high school coach still carrying a passion to share his knowledge? Maybe he was none of these things. Having coached a little football in my past, I knew that the fundamentals that the Coach was showing the young men were sound. How to properly hold the ball. How to catch it. How to do a three-step drop. There was nothing wrong being taught at this spontaneous football clinic. The father played along with the Coach. One boy apparently didn’t want to invest much time into it. He went in for a swim just a few minutes after the session began. The other boy patiently listened and did what the Coach insisted.

Is this what the trio wanted when they started their game of pass? Weren’t they just passing the time away on a lazy day at the beach? Did these boys really have a passion for football? Did they even play organized football? I know they didn’t anticipate Vince Lombardi riding up on a bicycle on the beach and giving them a personal twenty-minute clinic on the fundamentals of throwing and catching a football.

The Coach had the knowledge and obviously had the passion to share his wisdom. Everything that he showed them included proper fundamental football techniques. He apparently knew what he was talking about.

But I had to ask myself, “How was it received? Did the father and sons appreciate the mini-camp experience or did they tolerate it? Don’t they want him to go away?” Chris, the future Hall of Famer who stuck it out the entire time and the only name I picked up throughout the entire event, was tired. He bent over at one point trying to catch his breath. The Coach wore him out in a matter of minutes. When pleasantries were exchanged at the end of the practice and the Coach finally got on his bike to leave, Chris fell into his dad’s arms as they made their way off of the beach to their condo. To hit the showers, I presume.

Is this the effect confrontational evangelists have on people? Do Christians too often bombard people with all of their knowledge of the gospel and life without first building a relationship? Does the confrontational evangelist’s audience just tolerate the twenty-minute impartation of wisdom on life wishing he would go away? Does the reality of the gospel of Christ really sink in over a matter of a few minutes of unannounced coaching?

I confess that I found myself thinking that I was like the Coach many years ago. Thank God I’m in a ministry today where knocking on cold, even warm, doors is discouraged. We let people investigate Christianity and get to know us first before we put on our gospel clinics. I wonder if Chris will ever apply what he learned that day to his football career. I wonder if he played catch with his dad the next day looking over his shoulder for the Coach and on guard ready to run to the ocean if he saw him coming again.

A Christmas Riddle

Once upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met.  After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding.  Their life together was, of course, perfect.
     One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, they were driving their perfect car along a winding road, when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress.  Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help.
     There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys.  Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle.  Soon they were driving along delivering the toys.
     Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident.  Only one of them survived the accident.
     Who was the survivor? (See answer below.)







Answer:

The perfect woman survived.  She’s the only one who really existed in the first place.  Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man.  (Women stop reading here.  Men should continue reading for the next answer.)







Second Answer:

If there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving.  This explains why there was an accident.  By the way, if you’re a woman and you’re reading this, this illustrates another point: women never listen either. (FYI: Georgia News and Views)

Strange but True Christmas Story

Be careful if you get a mysterious package in the mail. Here's why:

In 1990, the Wilkinsons, a family in Sussex, England received what they thought was a gift package of herbs from Australian relatives.  They stirred the contents into a traditional Christmas pudding, ate half of it, and put the remainder in the refrigerator.
     Soon after, they heard from their Aunt Sheila that Uncle Eric had died.  She wanted to know if they had received his ashes for burial in Britain.
     The Wilkinsons quickly summoned their priest to bless and bury Uncle Eric’s leftovers.  (The Wall Street Journal, 12/18/90)

A Christmas Story

And there were in the same country, children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace.  And, lo, Santa Claus came upon them; and they were sore afraid.  And Santa said unto them; “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people who can afford it.  For unto you will be given great feasts of turkey, dressing, and pies; and many presents; and this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath a tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls, and lights.  And suddenly, there will be with you a multitude of relatives and friends, praising you and saying, ‘Thank you so much, it was just what I wanted.’ 

And it shall come to pass as the friends and relatives have gone away unto their homes, the parents shall say to one another, ‘Wow!  What a mess to clean up!  I’m too tired.  Let’s go to bed and pick it up tomorrow.  Thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year!’  And they go with haste to their beds.”
 

Praying for Your Kids. When It Comes to My Kids, I Only Pray for 3 Things.

At this time, my son is 23 and my daughter will be 21 next month. They are awesome kids! They have been a tremendous joy and a blessing to our lives. We’ve enjoyed them at every stage of life and it is exciting to see them grow up and mature as adults. I’ve been praying for my kids even before they were born. Like every praying parent, I prayed for a long, long list of things for them for many years.

Now, however, I only ask God to give them three things every day. First, I pray for their health. Second, I pray for their protection and safety. Third, I pray that they will be focused on their relationship with God.

I used to pray that they would choose the right influences in life. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would be wise when temptations came their way. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would be wise with their money. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would seek God's will daily. If they are focused on Him, they will.

I used to pray that they would influence those around them. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would grow to be strong disciples of Christ. If they are focused on Him, they will.

When you are focused on the right thing, right things happen.

Does that make sense?

Are you focused on your relationship with God?

Sunday Night Brain Dump

I haven't had a brain dump on here in a long time. A brain dump is just stuff I've been pondering or doing lately.

• I recently read a small book by George Orwell titled, Books v. Cigarettes. It's a collection of essays written in the '40's by the author of 1984. The most moving essay is called How the Poor Die which describes the pitiful conditions of a public hospital in France. The worst part is not that the poor, indigent patients weren't treated well medically, but that they died alone.
• I haven't been posting as much on this site because most of my writing time has been devoted to writing material for a new website that I will unveil early in 2011. Stay tuned.
• The last two weeks at TrueNorth Church may have been the best two Sundays in a long time. Last week, 41 people were baptized. Many different cultural backgrounds and socio-economic groups were represented. A taste of heaven? Today we had our Christmas communion service. Awesome!
• In about 10 days, my baby girl will fly to India for a 2 week mission trip. It's one thing when I go halfway around the world. And it's another thing we my wife goes halfway around the world like she did last July. But it's a whole new thing when your baby daughter flies to Asia. Pray!
• You need to check out Advent Conspiracy and Gifts of Water soon. Make room in your Christmas budget to spend money on others in need, not just you and your family.
• Random question of the day: Why do sportscasters wear suits?
• 95% of all trained Christian workers are in North America. Why?
• Beth and I have watched the last 3 episodes of Sarah Palin's Alaska. That show probably drives Democrats and, especially PETA, crazy. Gotta love the beautiful scenery in Palin's home state though. I think I'll put "Go to Alaska" on my bucket list.

From the Creators of Advent Conspiracy