November 11, 2025

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

Category: Disciple-making

Finishing Well: Keeping a Firm Grip on the Gospel
Photo by Zach Lucero on Unsplash
Gospel, Finishing Well

Finishing Well: Keeping a Firm Grip on the Gospel

This entry is part 2 of 11 in the series Finishing well In the first post in this series on finishing well, I compared a ministry assignment to a leg of a relay race. I also pointed to the baton as a distinguishing feature of a relay race. Furthermore, I identified the baton as the gospel in our ministry race. The gospel is the distinguishing feature of our ministry.1 While Tom Steffen does not identify the baton as the gospel in his book, Passing the Baton, he does devote a whole chapter to “Presenting an Accurate Gospel.” (p 127-141 in the 1993 version of the book.) As relay runners must keep a firm grip on the baton, so also church-planters must keep a firm grip on the gospel. This is no less true for administrative assignments in mission organizations. What is the Gospel? This may seem like an unnecessary question.… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Keep God’s Purposes in Mind
Photo by Adriana Velásquez
Character, Disciple-making, Spiritual Formation, Self-Feeding, Mentoring

Keep God’s Purposes in Mind

Editor’s note: We are continuing our blog series on mentoring using the Mentoring Pillars written by the late Jim Feiker, a former member of SEND International. This sixth pillar tells mentors that they need to remember God’s purposes for the mentee and work toward those ends. In the process of spiritual mentoring, seeing the beginning and also the end are both of significant importance. We need to see both the way things ought to be and the way things really are now. Clarity in both where people are right now in their spiritual journey, and in where God wants them ultimately to gives us a realistic, balanced perspective. To see only the beginning brings tolerance and grace toward a person’s humanity, but does not provide any direction in where to go. On the other hand, to see only the end purpose gives us direction. However, it may impose too high… Read the whole post
Jim Feiker2 mins read
Finishing Well: Ministry as a Relay Race
Photo by Roman Boed PXHere
Church Planting, Finishing Well, Gospel

Finishing Well: Ministry as a Relay Race

This entry is part 1 of 11 in the series Finishing well I have been doing a lot of thinking and reading about finishing well in the past several months. In part, this is because I turn 70 in November and will retire at the end of 2021. But I am also interested in this subject because SEND U has been asked to develop and find resources to help SEND missionaries finish well whether in a ministry assignment or at the end of a career. When reflecting on finishing well, I find it helpful to view ministry as a relay race. 1Tom Steffen’s book, Passing the Baton: Church Planting That Empowers also uses this analogy. Over the next few months, I will be writing a series of blog posts on finishing well in ministry assignments as a leg in a relay race. In this series, I will be applying the… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Theology, Book Reviews, Christ, Gospel

The Whole Christ: A review

I recently watched a breakout session from The Gospel Coalition 2021 National Conference (TGC21) discussing grace and works in the Christian life. Specifically, the question that was posed was “Does grace oppose hard work?”. However, the breakout session did not resolve the issue. Sinclair Ferguson’s book, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance – Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters provides helpful guidance. Because these issues are vital for evangelism and discipleship, this book is an important resource for missionaries. The Marrow Controversy The historical background of Ferguson’s book is a debate in the Church of Scotland in the early 18th century. Now, the term “marrow” seems a bit strange to our ears today. Yet, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it described the seat of a person’s vitality and strength, the essence of a subject matter.1Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Whole Christ, Crossway, 2016, p.22. The controversy acquired its… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley2 mins read
Preparing to Preach: Introductions and Conclusions
Photo by Pascal Meier on Unsplash
Resources, Preaching

Preparing to Preach: Introductions and Conclusions

This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series Preparing to preach Taking off and landing require a pilot’s utmost attention. Likewise, sermon introductions and conclusions demand careful preparation by a preacher. In fact, the introductions and conclusions will make or break the connection with our audience. In the introduction, we meet them coming from their daily life of the previous week. Then, in the conclusion, we send them off to live in the light of the biblical truth expressed in the sermon’s big idea. So, introductions and conclusions must be carefully worded to connect our audience with the big idea. For the simple reason that we need to know our destination before we start a journey, writing the conclusion precedes writing the introduction. Writing the Conclusion Conclusions Conclude A sermon conclusion should not resemble a jetliner in a holding pattern waiting to land, or worse, aborting an attempted… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Back To Top