December 6, 2023

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Year: 2016

Books, Lifelong Learning, Growth Plans

The danger of not learning from history

When Daniel was called into Belshazzar’s banquet hall to interpret the writing on the wall, he was no longer a young man. He was probably a little over 80 years of age.  Nebuchadnezzar had died more than 20 years ago, and apparently the current king Belshazzar no longer valued or had need of Daniel’s wisdom and experience. But when the writing on the wall appears, and no one can interpret its meaning, the queen mother recommends that they call Daniel, who under a previous king, had proven to be a man of “insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods.”… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther1 min read
Multiplying Disciples: Reflections on the “how” from 2 Timothy
Disciple-making, Holy Spirit

Multiplying Disciples: Reflections on the “how” from 2 Timothy

While crafting our new vision statement at SEND North Council’s retreat in November, 2 Timothy 2:2 frequently came up in the discussion. In writing to Timothy, Paul gives a pattern of making disciples who in turn make other disciples. and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. -2 Timothy 2: 2 ESV… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Meditation on the Church
Theology, Doctrinal Statement, Evangelism, Church

Meditation on the Church

The church is important. In Christ and Culture Revisited, D.A. Carson writes, We need to be reminded that the only human organization that continues into eternity is the church. (217). This statement, made somewhat in passing, highlights the importance of the church. The seventh part of SEND’s Statement of Faith is: We believe that the church is the body of Jesus Christ, for which He will return, consisting of all who have accepted the redemption provided by Him. Throughout this series of blog posts on our Statement of Faith we have been asking the basic question, “How does this statement hold us?” We continue with these thoughts on the church.… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Meditation on Heaven and Hell
Theology, Training, Doctrinal Statement, Gospel

Meditation on Heaven and Hell

Sinful humanity naturally looks at life through the wrong end of the telescope. For them time is long and eternity is short; this life is large, the afterlife is small; this world is real, the world to come is unreal. So writes Sinclair Ferguson in “Pastoral Theology: The Preacher and Hell,” chapter 10 in Hell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment, ed. by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007, kindle location 5762.… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
A lot more preparation required
Training, Learning Attitude, Pre-field Training

A lot more preparation required

My wife loves to host people.  She is a great cook, and will often spend most of the day preparing a meal for our dinner guests. My participation in the preparations is decidedly less.  Maybe all the guests are thankful for that.  Admittedly, I don’t know much about how to prepare a great meal for guests.  But I have watched someone who does! In a parable-like format, Proverbs 9 presents two different women inviting people to a meal.  The same invitation rings out in both Prov. 9:4 and Prov. 9:16: Let all who are simple come to my house!… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther1 min read
Valuing Conflict
Character, Confrontation, Insider Movements, Team Formation

Valuing Conflict

I have just finished reading the latest edition of the Missio Nexus Anthology, an issue solely devoted to talking about conflict in the Christian community. It includes a few articles particularly focused on resolving cross-cultural conflict, and a couple of articles about dealing with differences between mission agencies. But the idea that most struck me was that conflict is important, even necessary for our development in our Christian life. Ted Esler, in his closing article in the Anthology, talks about “Loving Conflict.”  Conflict, he says, deepens relationships, is necessary for good decisions and shapes our character.  He concludes, Do you want to have strong relationships, good decisions, and a deeper character? Then learn to embrace and love conflict.… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther1 min read
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