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Poverty: It’s not what you think

Last week we observed two different views of poverty—one that sees it as simply the lack of stuff, while the other takes into account the disempowerment driving the side effect of material lack. Now we’ll take a closer look at what is behind the power imbalance that leads to disadvantage. Poverty has links to the behaviour of the powerful Proverbs speaks of the poor being exploited and crushed (22:22), oppressed (28:3), mocked (17:5), denied mercy (18:23), shunned and avoided (19:7). Pas...

Poverty: It’s not what you think

Last week we contrasted the way the Bible portrays the plight of the poor with the assumptions of our own developed society. Now we’ll consider two modern definitions of poverty, each of which says different things about poverty’s nature. 1. Poverty as deficit As we discussed last week, this 20th century view sees poverty as the absence of stuff—that the poor don’t have enough food or access to safe water, schools and health care. Of course it often is the case that they don’t have...

Its all in the words

A missionary was recently reflecting on his many years of service overseas. Among the things he shared was how he felt that his answering the call to serve was probably the easiest part of his becoming a missionary. When asked what the most challenging part had been, he smiled and responded, "Every day since!" But when pressed to pinpoint just one aspect, he didn't hesitate. "Language fluency." While he had gone to language school and had spent years speaking the language, he still misunderstood...

Poverty: It’s not what you think

Over the next four posts, we’ll be challenging our own assumptions about what poverty is, why it exists, and—most importantly—what is truly needed to help people escape it. Today we’re looking at the contrast between how the Bible speaks of the poor with our own society’s perceptions of poverty. Poverty in the Psalms Entire societies were convinced the world was flat, until someone suggested otherwise. Many of us assume that we know what poverty is, but we could have a two...

Headspace 2021

We have all experienced the impact of Covid-19 on our lives, and here at GC3 we have seen this particularly on our Headspace 2020 program. Our HS leadership group has done a great job, ensuring the small team experienced real community as usual this year, even while they were at home during lockdown, enabling the team to develop a real awareness of God and His purposes. However, the traditional cross-cultural immersion experience in Thailand wasn’t possible. Given the influence ...

Praying for mission leaders

Missionaries aren't the only ones who need our prayers to carry out their calling; those who are called to support them do as well. So will you join us in lifting up mission leaders and asking God to pour out his grace and guidance? Some have ministries or projects that have had to be put on hold in these strange times. Ask God to show them what they should pursue and what they should release. All are caring for the spiritual, emotional and physical health of people who are under great pressure....

Praying for NZ based missionaries

It is easy for us to forgot that within New Zealand, many have still have not heard the Good News. Thankfully there are NZ based Missionaries, including those associated with GC3, who are working amongst the communities of the country who have yet to hear. Let's take a moment to pray for them. Father God, We pray over those missionaries sharing the hope and love of Christ on our very own soil. So many in our country have been shown a false view of what it means to follow Christ, but we pray thro...

Let’s Communicate Better

I look around a coffee shop during lunch, and what do I see? I see a worrying trend. A number of patrons are staring at the screens of their smartphones or tablets, possibly reading a link from Facebook where some blogger is bemoaning the ubiquitously observed fact that an increasing number of patrons in eateries or at home are just staring at the screens of their smartphones or tablets instead of talking to each other over a meal... I cannot throw the first stone, as that will be hypocritical, ...

The Power Of Reporting

Ahhh, reports, reports, reports. Writing reports is by far the worst part of my role at Bright Hope World. But, despite my grumbling, I must acknowledge that they are important. Recently I was working on a report written up based on communications with one of our partners in Egypt. The report said: “Today the team is going to work with 1,500 kids, most of them Muslim, Syrian and Sudanese refugees. Please pray for Sawsan and her team as tomorrow they will travel to two very poor villages in the...

The Puzzling Invitation

The mystery of God’s invitation to represent him in our world is worthy of our attention. Have you ever considered the implications of God entrusting his reputation and his message of salvation to us? The risk factors would seem extreme. After all it is God himself who declared us all to be sinners! Personally, as I think of my own inadequacies I am surprised by God’s gracious invitation. The Christian mission is a call to represent God purposefully by sharing the story of the gospel which J...

Lies & Death

At Bright Hope World we encourage people to become reliant on God and to strive to be economically self-sustaining. However, we constantly run into worldviews that trap people in poverty. Despite the fact that people might be sitting on fertile land, with plenty of water and an abundance of time, they can't see what they can do. The lies they have learned from their culture trap them in poverty and they don't have enough to eat! The way out for them requires confrontation of the lies a...

GC3 Administrator Role

GC3 provides a unique service to our churches and to the people they send to cross-cultural ministries around the world. We also invest in cross-cultural missions’ awareness in young people through a gap-year program and the promotion of funding for institutions and disaster relief. Right now, we are in a phase of transition.  We’re looking for someone called by God to become involved in this dynamic role, using the opportunity to serve God within a well-established Christian charity de...

Come Over To Macedonia And Help Us!

I find this part of the biblical account of Paul's life fascinating.  What a man of God Paul became.  A fearless preacher, teacher and evangelist.  His knowledge, steeped in the Tora, enabled him to foot it theologically with the best of Jewish leaders and scholars.  And that was what drove his practice of heading straight to the local synagogue whenever he headed into a new town.  Paul had his methodology down pat.  Here was a proven formula, ordained by God H...

Driven By The Power Of God's Call

2020 has been a year in which we have seen many challenges. Not only have our personal lives been impacted, but the whole world has been thrown into chaos and turmoil. Despite all of this uncertainty and mayhem, one thing has remained the same, the gospel message and the need for it to be shared with people and communities far and wide is required more than ever. It would be fair to assume that, with the impact of Covid19 forcing flight restrictions, country lockdowns, medical risks and general ...

Gifts to India - UPDATED

We have received a note to say the Indian Government’s Home Ministry has announced that organisations subject to their recent edict have a grace period in which to comply.  Foreign contributions can now continue to be remitted to existing bank accounts until 31 March 2021 or the date a new account is opened with the State Bank of India, New Delhi branch. Thank you for your prayers for this situation and please join with us in thanking God for this revised position.  It enables u...

Apprentices of Christ

As you start reading the New Testament you frequently confront the word disciple in the first five Books where it’s used around 250 times. Once you move out of Acts in the Epistles, the word isn’t used again.  In Acts 11:25-26 when Paul is introduced as the one who would proliferate the Gospel out into the Gentile world an interesting transition is revealed. Paul and Barnabas were meeting with the church in Antioch for a year or so and, as they did, the believers began to be known as Ch...

Your Generous Response Has Been Overwhelming

"Thank you for thinking of us. May God bless you and we all pray for your safety." She noted that our team member had called to find out exactly what items they needed, saying "No one came to us and asked us exactly what we needed. Nobody values us. They treat us as products. But you treat us as human beings."...

Whatever Happened to Sin?

I remember as a young man listening to missionary pioneer Colin Tilsley singing in a duet. The words of the refrain were “Why must I die, why must I die I can hear the people cry”. I was profoundly moved and felt the weight of people’s need of Jesus.   People need the Lord!  It was then I became aware of the millions of lost souls in our world! What does it mean to be lost? The Bible suggests that because of sin people are lost relationally. From creation, God’s desire wa...

Commendations

The Elders of The Street Church are pleased to formally commend Rachel Duff to the work that she will be doing in Mexico with Youth With A Mission. Rachel is a trained physiotherapist and will be working alongside local and foreign health professional volunteers in local communities while sharing the love of Jesus. She will leave when Covid-19 restrictions cease. Lincoln Road Bible Chapel is pleased to formally commend Russell Thorp to the role of Executive Director of LeaDev-Langham, overseeing...

Jesus, the Missionary

Jesus launched his mission of establishing God’s kingdom in the synagogue in Nazareth by reading from Isaiah chapter 61 v 1, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” The impact, however, came when Jesus concluded, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Je...

Paul & Helen Simaure

Paul and Helen Simaure have a passion for evangelism and enabling others to come to know Jesus Christ. Helen, in particular, uses her gift for language to bring God's Word to the various people groups in PNG. The couple have four children, two of whom are adopted. Paul became a Christian as a child and was baptised in 1991. He is from Yabru village in the Green River area. He trained as an environmental health officer and worked in both government and mining establishments. In 2010, he was ...

Ronald Muna

The new principal of Ambassadors Bible College has weathered a few challenges in his ministry, but he is committed to building the work in his home town and nearby regions. Ronald is from Guala, 4 kilometres from Koroba in Hela Province. He began teaching at what was then called Guala Bible School in 2011, for a time dividing his time between there and Porgera Bible School in Enga Province - two days travel away by bus.  Two years ago, a severe earthquake damaged Ambassadors Bible College. ...

Devastation In Lebanon

This how a local Lebanese Pastor describes the feelings of the  Lebanese people after last weeks massive explosion in the main port of Beirut. Between ongoing economic issues and political tensions, this tragedy is now another burden the tiny country has to bear. With hundreds killed, thousands injured and the entire city impacted, many are asking questions. Questions of the government, of the official's and of what it all means for the future.   How you can help. PRAY Pray for the ch...

Joel & Cathy Iwo

Chaplaincy is a strategic ministry for young people in their formative years. And for Joel Iwo, the opportunity to serve in this way motivated him to study theology. As he graduates this year with a Bachelor of Theology from CLTC, he plans to return to his role as Chaplain at Green River Secondary School, where students come from all over the West Sepik (Sandaun) Province.  Joel is originally from Dioru village, east of Green River Government Station and home to a long-standing CBC chapel. ...

A Time To Celebrate

Celebrate with us those mission partners who have served 50 PLUS years in their country of choice. Well done good & faithful servants!...