platforms

Most countries in the world today no longer (if they ever had) have a missionary visa.  The few countries that have such a visa do not fully understand the role and function of a missionary.  Visa issues aside, many people at the street level do not understand the missionary category either.  When I was preparing to go, many people would ask me what I was going to do.  When I used the M word, they either had no clue what I was talking about or they would give me one of those "why don't you just leave those poor people alone and not try to change their culture" looks.  I started using the word sociologist.  When I would say that, people would look at me with a look of understanding and recognition.  They would ask me "what people are you studying?" "where will you be living?" "What language will you learn?"  This was a category they understood.  Bypassing the social misunderstanding is simply a matter of linguistics.  Bypassing foreign governments is another issue.  To do the latter many people have used "creative access platforms."  This allows them to use a category that the government understands and accepts.  Many come in as teachers, business people, students, agricultural experts and a host of other real jobs.

Here are some of the issues that are important to understand regarding platforms.
1. Will it get me into the country?
This is the primary question most people ask.  Many people stop and don't ask any further questions.  With most countries it is relatively easy to gain access.  If all else fails, teach English.  You can get a visa into the toughest countries in the world if you have credentials to teach English and have a job at a language institute or university.  While access to the country is important, it is not the only consideration.  Many people who have not fully developed a platform or who have a poorly conceived platform will be faced with the next question:

2. Will it connect me to people?
If you take a job working in the oilfield where you will be either on a platform or in a compound, then you have successfully made it into the country but you are still not going to connect with many people outside of the company.  Conversely, the right platform can be a huge benefit in building connections.  I have a friend here who came in working for a company.  I had been here three months and he and been here one week.  Because he had worked at the company for a long time from the states, he knew many of the people over here.  In fact, in his short time, he knew more people than I did and in deeper ways.  Granted, he knew them before he came whereas I am starting cold.  However, he gained access to a large network on day one.

3. How will it connect me to people?
This is where my personal platform gets me into trouble.  I work as a photographer; I have the equipment to prove it--i'm legit.  The problem is that there are many tourist locations in my country.  Walking around with a big camera makes you look like an easy mark.  It isn't a real problem, but obviously the sight of a camera does change things so I have to be selective and careful.  Definitely consider not just that your platform will put you into contact with people, but how it will put you in contact with people.

Theological Credentials vs. Practical Credentials.

Having spent many years in preparation prior to leaving I followed the path that appeared the most obvious and followed at the time: seminary.  In fact, I not only went to seminary, but I started in Bible College.  In hindsight I would have changed one of my degrees to be in something rather than theology, something of tangible good to a lost world.  There are many easy ways of diversifying degrees.  Pick a business, agg, medical, etc, undergrad and do the seminary work you agency requires.  The other option is to do a theological undergrad (if you must...) and diversify with your masters.  A Masters of TESOL will let you teach at an actual university in stead of a day-institute teaching children.  An MBA will get you a job helping local businesses.  

If you are currently looking at your options before going my advice is to forgo formal theological training (key word: formal) unless you specifically need it.  It may have been an asset in the days of colonialism but today, in most places, it is a liability rather than an asset.  Get an undergrad with a double major--business and anthropology--and then go and get a MA TESOL (a 14 hr degree many places.).

Defective Platforms
Not doing what you claim you are doing.  Many people object to platforms on the basis that they are dishonest.  They are only dishonest if you do not do what you claim to be doing.  Do what you say you are there to do.

Using your platform as a bait-and-switch.  If you want to bait-and-switch, go work for Amway.  I recently heard about a group working with a minority indigenous ethnic group in a large city.  One of their team members found a location where their people grouped up and hung out.  This worker recommended that they host a free esl class.  Their supervisor decided that they should go down there and teach Bible stories in English as the class--If they didn't like it, then "too bad, cause its free."  While this statement is wrong on so many levels, this is such a lost opportunity.  Teach a real class, make it better than anything in the city, and make it free!  This is the popularity of the internet.  You want to start a movement, make it interesting and make it free.

Picking the wrong platform is not the end of the world, but picking the right one can certainly be productive.

ice cream evgangelism

You might remember water-baloon evangelism from these guys:


Now there is ice cream evangelism.  Sadly this one is for real.  That comes from a site called stuff fundies like.    With my background, I am really enjoying that site.  Not only is ice cream evangelism everything that is wrong with bait-and-switch tactics, it is just a little bit creepy

crazy love, crazy pastor

Francis Chan recently announced that he is leaving his pastorate, moving to an impoverished, and then starting over.  If you don't already know of him, you might remember him from this video which floated around the web a while back:

The Big Red Tractor - Francis Chan from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

Mark Driscoll and Josh Harris recently interviewed him.  They had several good questions for him, and he had many good responses.  One of the better questions had to be the question about reverse prosperity-prosperity gospel.  Where the prosperity gospel is that God blesses and sanctifies through riches, the reverse version, often motivated out of guilt, is where God blesses the Ascetic.  You will have to read his response.  We are often all too quick in dismissing the part about selling all we have.  And while that might not be for everyone, if just churches with gazillions in the bank would be willing to let it go, then we could single handedly end a lot of problems--as far as money is concerned.  Chan describes his personal wealth and admits that he could write a check to start a hospital.  I don't believe that he is guilty of poverty-theology.  It must be nice to be in a position to be able to be generous and impact a hurting world.  It is good to see people who are willing walk the walk.

when bad contextualization happens to good people

kevin ezell for president

Florida Baptist Press announced that NAMB's search committee has unanimously agreed on Kevin Ezell as their choice for president.  You can read the article to see all of his qualifications and who he is--I had never heard of him before now, but I am in the dark on a lot of things.  I hate to nay nay something before it has even started but....   Ezell seems like a safe pick.  There is no argument that he has indeed been successful as a pastor and quite faithful as a Southern Baptist most notably in the 1.2 million that the church gives to missions.  My question is not about him as an individual, a pastor, or a leader.  He just seems like a safe pick.  Certainly his success as a pastor will help him to connect with other pastors and, hopefully, generate the much needed buy-in from churches that NAMB has lacked.  Part of the problem with NAMB and the state of stateside evangelistic work is that we are continuing to do what we have always done.  Digging one hole twice as deep is not the same as digging two holes.  NAMB needs a radical paradigm shift in how they operate and whoever is confirmed as president will probably make or break the institution.  I can't get the thought out of the back of my head that denominational loyalty paves the way to institutional advancement.  Granted, we don't want to be guilty of shooting our own side, it just seems that the SBC as a convention views traditional loyalty as a splitting issue.  It does give me some hope that Akin and other GCR members have supported his nomination, this probably means that they know something I do not.  We will just have to wait and see what happens.

ramadan kareem

I am now back from my transitional hiatus.  For those who may not know, we have moved our family around to the other side of the world.  We are now living in the middle-east.  I am still contributing at sbcimpact.net, so if you have been missing me you can catch a few back episodes there.  I will spend the next few days and weeks to go back starting from the beginning of our trip here and pull out some of the cultural highlights.  For now let us look at the immediate: Ramadan.

This is a video about two guys who are traveling to 30 mosques--I believe in 30 days--and they are blogging at 30mosques.com.

The next video demonstrates the feelings and values which Ramadan represents for Muslims.

I found that via circumpolar

have i-phone, will travel

I will now be back to posting more regularly.  We have set up internet and have made most of the administrative adjustments.  For those who don't know, I have recently crossed the ocean and am now living in the Middle-East.  Right before I left, I purchased an ipod touch.  I had previously stayed away from the touch and gone with the classic because the storage on the touch was limited.  Now that they have more storage, and since I had to give up my smart phone when I quit my job and moved, I took the plunge.  I am neither a die hard apple user nor a hater.  For those reading this blog, the travel benefits with the ipod touch/iphone are the point of interest.  Allow me to elaborate on some of my favorite travel apps:

• All Subway  Maps of every subway system in the world.  There are many apps with specific lines for specific cities which also provide street maps and points of interest. 
• World Fact Book  This is the app version of the website CIA fact-book.  Lots of country related information.
• World Cultures and Culture Map  both provide quick country overviews of customs, taboos, laws, etc.  You should already know this stuff, but sometimes your flight gets diverted and you end up somewhere else momentarily.
• British Airways This is the one I used since I flew with them, but most airlines are creating these apps.  They will let you check in, check flight schedules, baggage claim etc. 
• Heathrow Airport Again, I used this one because it is where I had a layover.  Most of the larger airports are adding their apps to the lists.  They let you check flight schedules, see terminal maps, store listings, baggage claim, etc.  This is useful if you have a lot of bags or kids or both.  You don't have to just wanted through the airport looking for the bathroom or a restaurant.  Let your fingers do the walking.
• Convert Bot   There are several variants of this app.  Some just handle currency exchange rates.  This one handles currency and all metric conversions.  This way you know whether to bring a coat or shorts when you hear the weather will be 40.
• Lonely Planet Guide books and language books  These are a little pricer as far as apps go but can be very helpful.  There are also many dual language dictionaries for most languages.   
• Priority Club  Track your hotel points, adjust reservations, find hotels.  Hard to beat. 
• Angry Birds   Kill flight time and layovers with Angry birds.  Just don't blame me once you get hooked!  Also try Flight Controller  

For the uninitiated, there are some differences between the ipod touch and the iphone.  The iphone does everything the ipod touch does + it is a phone and can receive connectivity for the programs anywhere it has a signal.  The downside is that there are issues finding service and there are conflicting and complicated explanations about taking an iphone overseas and making it work.  I opted for the ipod touch which operates via wi-fi.  The upside is that there is no contract or connectivity issues regarding networks, roaming, etc.  The downside is that you have to be in range of a wi-fi network {and have the key}.  There is no perfect solution.  The biggest issue with the touch is that it is lacking a camera.  Apple knew better, they just know that they can cheat the public into buying multiple renditions of their toys.

There are two liabilities to carrying an i-device.  The first is that most places have pickpockets and i-stuff is highly valued since it is easy to turn over.  Perhaps try caution and some travelers insurance.  Half of my friends who have i-stuff have had them stolen, broken, or lost them.  The other liability is that if you do work on the street, having expensive gadgets can form a barrier for a number of reasons.  First, it can make you look rich and you then become a perceived outlet for financial gain.  Second, it makes you look like you don't belong in the poor part of town.  Kinda hard to work at the soup kitchen wearing a rolex.

All in all, it has been a great buy and a great tool.