Stewarding Gratitude

Missionaries live off of what God provides. The Church recognizes this, and plays a vital role in supporting missionaries, but sometimes the Church forgets that they too live off of what God provides. No one achieves anything on their own, even though it is human nature to think that we can provide for ourselves independently of God. Everything we have is a gift from God. God is the Giver of all good gifts.

 

Realizing this enables me to understand that I need to wisely care for what He provides. This principle is known as "Stewardship." We are to steward (administer) God's gifts carefully. We are to make them prosper when we can, and we are to enjoy them. God doesn't give us good gifts for us to keep them neatly tucked away or tightly wrapped up. He gives them to us to enjoy!

 

What I have been reflecting on so close to Christmas is the greatest gift of all - Jesus Christ. He is also to be enjoyed and cared above all other gifts. Everything pales in comparison to His incomparable worth.

 

His preeminence should be our greatest joy.

 

Our devotion to Him should be zealously nurtured.

 

Of course, this is not limited to the holiday season or sentimental reflections of God's generosity, but to a daily, reasonable, sacrificial lifestyle. Please join me in beginning the new year with a thankful heart for what our Lord and Savior has done for us, and all that God has given to us and what He has still in store.

 

Missions Challenge

Philemon is a short little book that not many people pay attention to. Thankfully our pastor did, this past Sunday he finished up a 3-message series on the book. That’s when I realized Philemon is an incredible “missionary” book.

As a Sunday school book, it’s all about a crook who “got religion.” Paul probably got his evangelistic hooks into Onesimus (the crook) when they were in jail. Now, Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon, probably the person Onesimus had robbed  earlier.

As a Theology book, it’s all about “imputation.” Imputation is an accountability term, it has to do with transferring or in-putting/imputing something onto someone else’s account. Adam’s sins were imputed to us. Then they were imputed to Christ. Lastly, as a believer, God’s righteousness or justice has been imputed to us (Romans 5:12).

As a Missionary book, it’s all about “missions.” Paul, as a great missionary, is commissioning a new believer (Onesimus) and he is challenging the church that was in Philemon’s home. The book of Philemon is Paul’s prayer letter. Missionaries write prayer letters for a lot of reasons but mostly because they need your prayers. Without your prayers, support, and encouragement we could not do what we do. You are part of our team. I want to focus on verses 20, 21, and 22.

Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say. At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you. (Philemon 20-22)

1) Paul was unashamed in seeking benefit from his supporters. Sometimes as missionaries we are cowardly and don’t dare think to ask for any sort of benefit. But Paul was unashamed because it wasn’t a self-centered thing. It was a benefit from the Lord. Your generosity is a reflection of God’s generosity. Someone once said that you are never more like God than when you are giving.

2) Missionaries need to be refreshed in Christ. Your encouragement keeps us going. It cheers us up whenever we get feedback from you about our letters, our ministries, etc.

3) Missionaries need to trust the Church. After all, it is God’s vehicle for impacting the world through evangelism and the discipleship of believers. We need to trust that you, as the Church, have our backs. That you pray. That you give. That you visit. That you help. That you read. That you respond. Like Paul, we need to trust that you will do even more. The Church can go above and beyond for what is asked or needed.

4) We need to count on your prayers. They help keep us on the field. They help us get home. They give us the rest we need. They give us the courage we need. We earnestly count on your prayers and need to count on them seriously.  Paul asked for “lodging” (accommodations) even before his release from prison because he took their prayers seriously. That’s faith. When we pray, we need to pray with faith.

The benefit we need from you in the Lord, the refreshment we need in Christ. Our Christmas Wish this year is 5 dollars. Twice a year we host a 5 Dollar Challenge. Our winter challenge is really simple. All we are asking you to do is forfeit a cup of coffee, sacrifice a snack, to invest 5 dollars to help keep us on the field. We trust that you, the Church, will give 5 dollars to help our ministry.

This year we have added a new element to our 5 Dollar Challenge. We’ve never done this before, but this year we set a goal. Our goal is to raise 500 US Dollars. Our deadline is December 31^st. We think you can help us meet our goal. Please share this challenge with others in your Church. With your gift and serious (faith-filled) prayers, we can meet this goal. If you would like to donate, please go to: https://scoresponsor.org/missionaries-staff/shop/carter-charles-ashley/

Us with one of the children at Pasitos de Jesus Orphanage, Rosemery

Our GAP students of 2013-14

Missions Trip to Bani

Last weekend (Saturday – Monday) we left our home in Juan Dolio and travelled across Santo Domingo to end up on the other side of the city, in a town named Bani. Those names probably don’t mean much to you, but in essence it means that we left our beach comforts, crossed the capital, and about two hours later ended up among some of the mountains of the Dominican Republic. It was a fantastic change of scenery for all of us.

We went to Bani as a sort of mini-mission trip, and we plugged into one of the churches there. The pastor of the church (Vernon) opened his home for us to sleep in, and although quarters were certainly cramped, it felt like home. Their hospitality towards us was superb! And if I started telling you about the food – the amount of food, the quality of food, the yumminess of the food, and… Well, pretty soon this would turn into an Anthony Bourdain blog instead of a blog about our mission trip. Suffice it to say, everything was absolutely mind-blowingly delicious!

Of course, mission trips are supposed to be about “ministry” not just the food and the hospitality, yet I think that a lot of the ministry was in the sharing of food (breaking bread together is a form of communion) and hospitality is a Biblical imperative (Romans 12:13). What I’m trying to say is that we were ministered to during our stay there.

Whenever anyone engages in missions, whether full-time or short-term, one always walks away blessed. I’ve worked with enough groups to recognize that God seems to have a pattern of out-blessing those who are available to be a blessing. Every short-term group that rolls through the DR comes expecting to be a blessing in some way to the Dominican people, and yet they always leave happily humbled at having been so deeply blessed by the Dominican people. This is magnificently illustrated in II Samuel 7, but I’ll save that for a later blog…

Anyway, we did accomplish what we set out for which was also to minister. Our ministry focus was divided into both helping repair the church building and helping encourage the Church body. We succeeded in some of the church repairs by painting, cleaning, and more. We also succeeded in encouraging the Church. Saturday afternoon we played softball (and other games) together. Then one of our students shared the Gospel with a translator. That evening we helped lead youth group. We led their games, helped with their music, and one of our students shared her testimony in Spanish. Sunday morning some of our students helped in children’s Sunday School – all in Spanish! Then during the morning service we prepared some special music, shared another testimony (in Spanish), and translated the message. For the Sunday evening service we prepared some special music, and two more of our students shared their testimony in Spanish. It was very encouraging for us to see our students boldly connect with Dominicans in Spanish after only a few months of studying the language! We also helped encourage them by just giving them an opportunity to get out of their own community. We took a lot of the young people out to a nearby beach and just had some good old fashioned “fun in the sun.” And, of course, it’s all fun and games until some of the students decide to throw their leader into the ocean…But it’s okay I’m plotting my sweet revenge on them still. J

Victory Over Sin, Part 2

The following message is brought to you by Connecting with the Carters. Please check out our previous post to see Victory Over Sin, Part 1.

[Review: A serious introspection on our sinfulness reveals who awful we truly are. As a believer in Christ it is important that we also look on the flip side of the same coin and see the wonderful grace of Jesus which reaches you and even me. Therefore, as McCheyne suggests, if we take a look at our sin we must also take ten looks on Christ.]

Of course, looking to Christ – even ten looks on Christ – will impress more grace in your life than looking at your sin. The Bible urges us to fix our eyes steadfastly on Christ (Heb. 12:2). That means that our gaze on Him has got to be constant, a lingering gaze.

Grace enables us not only to overcome our sin, but also to forgive ourselves when Satan whispers in our ear telling us that we are “Guilty.” Grace allows us to tell Satan to shut up! Grace also enables us to be able to forgive others.

During the Hamartiology class, I got really frustrated with Adam and Eve for messing everything up so badly. I mean, they had it perfect! Then I realized I would probably have done the exact same thing. Philip Yancey noticed that, “Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.” And C.S. Lewis warns us that, “This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practice ourselves the kind of behavior we expect from other people.”

So how can we remedy this? We remedy it by showing them grace. Because grace was given to us not as something to keep to ourselves, but as something to freely share with others. We are responsible for what we do with the grace that is given to us.

Sometimes we get greedy with God’s grace, as if it might run out on us. But it won’t. The Bible tells us that God’s grace is abundant (II Cor. 4:15). And in another passage it heightens that reality and tells us that God’s grace is exceedingly abundant (II Tim. 1:14). His grace is manifold or multifaceted, giving us the idea of a kaleidoscope (I Pet. 4:10). Again, there is no way that the grace of God can run out on you.

Therefore it is up to you to use it and to share it. Use it on yourself; stand on grace. Use it on others; show them God’s grace. “The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace” (Gordon MacDonald).

We need to show grace to ourselves and to one another. After all, the grace that we have is all because of regeneration (being born of God or re-birth).

Our regeneration is a great display of God’s amazing grace because our regeneration is possible because of the cross. Nowhere else in all of History can you see God’s grace more magnificently displayed than at the cross. “[Christ] bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you are healed” (I Pet. 2:24).

Our sin, our guilt, our lack-of-grace for others is killed at the cross. There we are re-born to live in righteousness and healed by His wounds!

At the cross, at the cross

Where I first saw the light,

And the burdens of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith,

I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!

Victory Over Sin, Part 1

We’ve recently been studying Hamartiology (the doctrines of sin) in our GAP class with Dr. Bob (one of our SCORE missionaries). It’s a good place for us to be because it allows us to grapple with our humanity, but to be honest I’m looking forward to the end of this class so that we can move on to “happier” subjects. For example, in only a couple months I will be leading the students through two weeks of Soteriology (roughly 16 hours of class on the doctrines of salvation). Please pray for me as I prepare to teach that class.

Nevertheless, this class has been helpful to me. I’ve discovered that whenever we genuinely think about our sinfulness, we should arrive at only one conclusion: we are awful.

Of course, if we lend ourselves to such serious introspection of sin, we must also lend ourselves to an equally serious consideration of the divine grace which redeemed us from our unworthy state and transformed us not simply from bad guys to good guys, but from death to life and made us heirs of the Kingdom of God!

Unfortunately, it is very easy to dwell on our sinfulness. After all, our sinfulness has permeated all of society. In Genesis 3, we see the Fall of mankind and the corruption of all of creation. But to bring it closer to home, sin has permeated into every nook and cranny of who we are; it is part of our being.

Since sin is inescapable, the only solution is to turn to Christ. He too is present everywhere and He alone is more powerful and more beautiful and more exciting and more satisfying than sin.

I recently listened to a sermon online where the speaker expounded on I John 3:9, “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” This means that our ability to not sin comes about at regeneration (being born of God). We don’t have to be identified or characterized by sin any longer.

This also means that we can’t afford the luxury of shifting our blame on to anyone else. We are often prone to blaming the church for our spiritual deficiencies. We pretend our shallowness is a result of the pastor’s shallow preaching.

Sometimes we even blame the Holy Spirit for our spiritual deficiency. We rationalize our sinfulness by realizing that we are just not full enough of the Holy Spirit. And being filled with the Spirit is important, but it’s not what makes us spiritual. According to I John 3:9 it is regeneration.

 

Regeneration leaves us without excuse. We sin not for lack of power, but simply because we desire to sin. Our desire for sin sometimes deliberately trumps our desire for God. This is often when we start to feel like spiritual losers, and guilt creeps in.

Robert Murray McCheyne recommends that, “For every one look at our sin, take ten looks on Christ.” Our regeneration comes about only by grace. And it is only by grace that we can overcome our penchant for sin and loosen the chokehold of guilt on our lives. To be able to see grace all you have to do is look to Christ. Take ten looks on Christ.

The following message was brought to you today by Connecting with the Carters. Please stay tuned for Victory Over Sin, Part 2.

Echoes of Eternity

I’m not going to lie, this has been a hard week for us. Sunday morning we found out that fellow missionaries, and friends of ours, “lost” their little girl.

 Giovanna was born in the Dominican Republic with a heart condition 19 months earlier. And we, along with many others, donated funds and other resources in an effort to get her to the States for a costly and difficult operation. It was a worthy investment. The operation was successful. Then, this Sunday, she passed away.

Neither Ashley nor I had been to a child’s funeral before, and this was our first funeral in the Dominican Republic too.  The viewing is the same day as the passing, and the burials are typically within 24 hours of the person’s passing. During the burial, I translated for two different speakers. The following night at her memorial service, I translated for four different speakers. None of this was easy for me; it’s hard to speak while choking on tears. We prayed and wept often during the days that followed.

At the same time, my sister arrived from Uruguay to be with us during that same week. She had gone to a conference in Honduras and on her way through, she stopped by to spend a week with us here in the DR. We hadn’t seen her in over three years! It was great to let her tour our ministries and favorite places. We loved spending time together with her.

The sad tears for Giovanna’s passing were soon mingling with the happy laughter of being with my sister again. And life is like that sometimes. There is both sorrow and laughter involved. Yet there is something in us that knows that it shouldn’t be like this.

Thankfully, right now, things are this way, we have a capacity for sorrow and joy. Our tears are a valve for us to relieve some of the stress of grief; they are an outlet for emotional expression. But although we appreciate them, we do not enjoy them. We know that this is not the way things should be.

The echoes of eternity resound loudly in our hearts. We know that there needs to be more to life than what we have at the moment. Saying goodbye to Giovanna was so hard, and eventually we had to say goodbye to my sister, after dropping her off at the airport. Once again, the tears were there and again, it was extremely hard to say goodbye. As a Missionary Kid who’s spent most of his life traveling, I’ve had to say goodbye for more than my fair share: and it’s not gotten easier. It never will – not in this life, anyway.

Those echoes of eternity seem to ring loudest when we have to say goodbye because we know that we were never created for goodbye. Mortality is a terminal disease that affects us all, and although you can live your life any way you choose, you know that you can only live it once.

Right now we may have to grieve, but we do not grieve as those without hope (I Thess. 4:13). Instead, we look forward to Heaven knowing we’ll never have to say goodbye again. Why? Because our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Or, as the text tells us: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus (I Thess. 4:14).

But the text continues and at the end of I Thessalonians 4; it exhorts us to encourage one another with talk of Heaven.  So please be encouraged by these words and set your heart on home – because Heaven is right around the corner! Peter tells us that we are sojourners in this land. In other words, just passing through. Heaven is our home. “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and thought you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible…” (I Pet. 1:8). We have authentic hope even in our grief. We also have great joy even in our limitations.

We talk about Heaven being so far away.

It is within speaking distance to those who belong there.

(D.L. Moody)

           Picture below: Us with Carter's sister (Abigail)

Hidden Servants

Our missionary corps is comprised of an elite task force of Hidden Servants. Here on the ground, we have those who take center stage to preach the Word of God before an entire congregation – but will then be seen sweating with other local workers to untangle branches and roots from the electric power lines along the road. That’s my pastor.

Then we have the one that runs the ship here, the “big guy.” He does everything, with a true servant’s heart, yet possessing the authority to lead. One of those perplexing paradoxes you hear about but don’t get to see too often – a genuine servant-leader. He coordinates all the short-term trips from the US with their corresponding ministry visits here on the island. Anyway, yesterday he dropped everything to help move a mattress from one room to another – on the other side of the complex!

These are the men (and women) we are proud to serve with in the DR. They are Hidden Servants. You may see them around, they may even have a title or a role of authority, and perhaps you’ll even know their name. But what you and I will never be fully aware of is how much they do “behind the scenes.”

They do what they do, whether great or small, because they indiscriminately welcome every opportunity to serve. They see the need, and they see it as important. More importantly, they see the Saviour, and they see Him as supreme.

Our service here is done, yes, to reach out to others, but ultimately it is done to glorify God in all things. Our service flows not from a sense of duty, but from a sense of delight in the God whom we serve above all else.

Richard Foster said that, “Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition….If we stoutly refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh we crucify it. Every time we crucify the flesh we crucify our pride and arrogance.” (his emphasis)

We are truly blessed to have such a great team to work with, but I want to expand this idea a little more. You are a part of our team. That elite task force that I mentioned at the start – you form an integral part of that same elite task force. Whether by your prayers, encouragement, or donations, you are acting as a Hidden Servant.

People may not be aware of just how much you mean to us, but in a very real sense you help keep us going. We don’t always know what you have to do to set aside time to remember us in your prayers. We don’t know what you do to send down an encouraging note or package, or even the somersaults you have to go through to come down her and be encouraging to us through your visit. We don’t know what you give up to make your donations possible, perhaps you sacrifice something once-in-awhile to make a one-time gift possible or maybe it’s a monthly commitment and you sacrifice that gift every month to help us stay on the field.

We don’t know. It’s hidden from us and from those to whom we minister. But we do appreciate it. That may not mean much right now, but this should:

…your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:4)

Above: Part of the SCORE missionary team.

Bienvenidos!

Welcome!  This is our attempt to create a better way to connect with you.  We hope that through this medium we can connect you to the things that God is doing in our lives and in our ministry here in the Dominican Republic.  We have lots to share, and we know that we could never do what we do without you.  So, as we connect with you, please feel free to connect with us by leaving a comment or through e-mail.  We can't wait to keep up our connections with you!