It’s that time of year again where seniors are beginning to decide on what college or university they want to attend. They begin narrowing their choices from their “stretch” schools to their “perfect” schools to their “backups.” Unlike me who narrowed my college choice to 5, seniors today are applying to 10-15 or more colleges … Continue reading The Myth of the “Best” College
Many of us pursue a life of safety and comfort. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with basic safety measures like wearing a seat belt, locking your doors, not jumping off of tall buildings. We need basic safety measures in our lives. But what about the life God has called us all to live. The … Continue reading Bubbled Wrapped Christianity
They were in the boat struggling to cross the lake. The wind and the waves were against them as they tried crossing. They were obeying what Jesus called them to do, go to the other side. They had just witnessed the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (actually 10,000 or so). Jesus had gone … Continue reading Stop Waiting For God’s Call
The practice and discipline of being grateful is an important practice in our lives. We are called by God to “Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever” - I Chronicles 16:34. In I Thessalonians 5:18 Paul reminds us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will … Continue reading When Thankfulness Becomes Stale
One thing has become very clear to me. We are in need of saving. We need saving from our selfishness, apathy, extreme individualism and our narrow understanding of faith and the Gospel. We can download the latest podcast from our favorite preacher or teacher. We can buy a book that will reveal deeper insight into … Continue reading Looking In Unlikely Places for the Voice of God
We were all sitting in a circle on the small soccer court at the orphanage where we were staying during one of our Mexico service trips. 12 high school students and me doing one of my favorite things to do with teenagers, talking about life and faith. We had planned on talking about something different … Continue reading The One Things Teenagers Want From Their Parents
At the root of so many of the issues and complexities of short-term missions is the inescapable power difference between visiting groups and the communities they work within. But acknowledging the difference and investing in reciprocal relationships can do a lot to diffuse the damage the power difference could cause. Whether we like it or … Continue reading Overcoming Power Differences Through Relationships
A short-term mission may never be a perfect endeavor, but that doesn’t mean we would not dig into the messiness of the issue and work to find a way where everyone can benefit. Too often short-term missions are the easy target for church people to criticize and give a reason for not going. As those … Continue reading The Messy Economics of Short-Term Missions
Matthew 28:19 “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations.” For some, our motivation is to go and fulfill the great commission, this is a … Continue reading Should We “Share” the Gospel on Our Short-Term Mission Trips?
It is that time of year again when hundreds of short-term mission groups stream into northern Baja Mexico. Short-term mission groups come to build houses, work in orphanages and provide support to local churches. Many come with the hope of spreading love, hope, and joy to those living here in Mexico. Some groups do some … Continue reading The Best Kind of Short-Term Missions is Reciprocal
Phil Steiner 