The world is truly becoming tumultuous at every hand. I receive private messages daily from people in other countries wanting to come to America to get jobs and have freedom. They tell me how terrible it is where they are. Now, let me clear this up immediately. I'm not talking about people in Syria or Iraq. I'm going to say this outright. I saw it when I traveled in ministry. Much of the teaching the people receive is how to solicit Americans for donations.
Years ago, I was told by indigenous pastors, that was the method of operation. Many foreign mission fields have take the Good News of the gospel, but that was years ago. In the last thirty years, much of what has been taught is a dependency upon mission trips. Many of the poor in these countries literally wait for the mission trips to see to their needs. Mission trips are big business, similar to tourism.
Please don't get me wrong. Many Americans do have more than enough, and it's wonderful to donate clothes and Bibles, even money; when a local church is planning a mission trip. The problem is, the people on the other end of these mission trips are being taught ten days worth of American Christianity . . . It isn't anything that is sustaining for them. It becomes a matter of scheduling different groups to speak, rather than the people actually being taught to seek YHWH in covenant. As for the practicality of these mission trips, they aren't. They take supplies to their ministry destinations and have actually created a very dependent religious welfare state abroad.
Of course, I believe in helping people, but giving them something and just leaving them in their hopeless poverty is not really helping. At this point in world events, it seems it will actually lead many to accept a false messiah with promise of provision, for those who will bear his mark . . .
It's time to come out from among them and be separate, and part of proclaiming the Good News, is to teach that truth, as we "minister" next door and around the world.
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