Raising a child is one of the greatest responsibilities bestowed upon a married couple. The responsibility becomes ardours when the parents have to raise their children on the mission field.  The tendency to neglect the family in favour of the missionary work is very high because the missionary work is very demanding. It is not only parents on the mission field who encounter these difficulties, pastors in the local churches and people who occupy leadership positions in the church also face these difficulties.

It is sad to say that some children who grew up with missionary parents became bitter and angry with God because of the neglect they suffered as children. It is never the will of God to break up a family unit for missionaries because sometimes it is the children that God will use to continue or preserve the missionary work of the parents. God counted the descendants of Abraham as an integral part of the fulfilment of His divine purposes and thus God expected Abraham to direct his household in the ways of the Lord. (Gen 18:19). In the same way, God also counts the children born to missionary parents as an integral part of their calling and they must not be neglected. 

Missionary parents must appreciate the fact they are the first representation of God which their children experience. The nature of the relationship which these children will have with God largely depends on the image of God which these children see in their parents. Missionary parents must also appreciate the fact their lives are the godly example for the people they disciple on the mission field. How they raise their children and maintain the family unit has a great impact on these people. Indeed, the missionary may be hindered, if the family unit of the missionary is neglected (1Tim 3:5).

Here are a few tips on how to be a better parent on the mission field

• Have a family quiet time– Most Christian families are very familiar with having quiet times. But for a missionary family that is constantly on the move, these special moments when the family gathers to pray and study together becomes critical for the survival of the family unit. It becomes a time when the parents can interact with the children without outside influence. It also affords the children an opportunity to bond with their parents. The missionary parents must carefully plan these special moments with the family to get the best out of these times.
• Delegate missionary activities if possible– zeal for the work of the Lord is necessary for missionary work, but overzealousness can destroy your family unit. Delegate activities if it is possible so that you can make time for your family.

Involve the children in the missionary work– Co-working with your children is also key to maintaining the family unit because it gives the entire family a single focus. Parents who co-work with their children on the same missionary field also have a greater advantage to supervise the children in the ways of the Lord. But missionary parents must be careful not to overburden the children with missionary work or allow the missionary work to take priority in their interactions with the children, the parents must make time to talk to the children about other life issues so that the children can have a holistic approach to life.

The call to be a missionary is a call to the nations; to preach the gospel of Christ healing and deliverance to the nations of the world (Isa 61:1-3). Intercession is the key to accessing the nations of the world and opening them up to the gospel of Christ. How does intercession open up the nation?

Intercession opens up the nations by establishing the God-given spiritual authority of the missionary or believer over the nations.  In Psalm 2:8, God commands us: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (Psalm2:8). When we “ask of the Lord” for healing, deliverance, peace of our nations through intercessory prayer, the Lord grants us possession or authority over that land, that is the establishment of spiritual authority.

Once the missionary or believer’s spiritual authority is established over the land, every other power will bow to them and doors to the nation will open. Intercession establishes godly altars. Altars are raised by a consistent practice or invocation in or over a particular place. Therefore, when a missionary engages in consistent intercessory prayer for a particular location, the atmosphere over that location is saturated with the power of God, causing a godly altar to be raised. That altar will speak for that nation, country, or locality for many generations.

Many great men of God have taken nations for Christ and performed mind-blowing miracles through the agency of Holy Spirit-led intercession. One of these great men is Charles Finney who cried- “God give me Scotland or I die”. A missionary cannot achieve anything worthwhile in any country, without first releasing the power and the presence of God into that country through intercessory prayer.  The missionary must engage in intercession before commencing missionary work. Intercession for the nation must continue for the duration of the missions and even after the missionary has departed from that country.

Word of encouragement

Dear missionary, be encouraged to rise in the intercessory prayer for the nations. The Lord has made the grace and anointing for intercession available for every missionary and believer, particularly in this season of unrest amongst the nations. We must ask the Holy Spirit to stir in us this grace and anointing in our lives. We must be like Jesus. We must not relent in our intercessory prayer for the nations. Jesus interceded for his disciples and the world whilst he was on earth. Jesus has not ceased intercession.  Jesus sits at the right hand of the father offering continuous intercession for believers and the world- Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb 7:25).

We must not hold our peace until the nations come to Jesus- For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. (Isa 62:1). Heaven is counting on us to release the power and the presence of the Lord into the nations through our intercessory prayer for the nations.

Written by: Adjoa Ago

Missions is very special service to God. It is God who calls a person to serve as a missionary. In John 15:16, it is written- You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit that your fruit should remain….. The starting point of a call to be a missionary is a godly desire to win souls for Christ. It is a desire planted by God and nurtured by the Holy Spirit. We must patiently wait for the Holy Spirit to nurture that desire in our hearts and open doors for the necessary training and mentorship which will equip us for the work of the missionary.

Mentorship is a key aspect of the training to become a missionary. Without mentorship, it will be impossible to be a successful missionary. Mentorship prepares you to handle the challenges on the field, it equips you with practical knowledge about the mission field and the various strategies used in evangelism. Throughout scripture, we see our Jesus mentored the 12 disciples into becoming effective leaders and missionaries. We also see how Apostle Paul mentored Timothy.

Mentorship for missionary work can start with your local church or you can choose to join a missionary organization. You can also read books or listen to sermons or study the lives of people who have been successful at missionary work.

Written by: Adjoa Ago

Is it a sin to buy a lottery ticket? What about making a bet at a casino – so long as it’s a budgeted amount of money and made responsibly? How about dropping a sports bet? Is it a sin to gamble?

Some people would argue there is nothing sinful about it. Recently, after posting on Facebook one of my editorials against the legalization of sports betting in the Tar Heel state, a woman said in the comments section: “I’ve never found any basis in the Bible to oppose gambling specifically, even though I have searched.” Another woman wrote, “Nowhere in the Bible does it say gambling is a sin — not one single sentence about gambling.”

Guess what? Those two women were right. One cannot show any place in Scripture where it directly says, “Thou shalt not gamble.” But is the matter that easily dismissed?

The late Dr. D. James Kennedy, a renowned Presbyterian minister, used to counter this argument in favor of gambling by explaining it’s also impossible to find in Scripture where it directly says, “Thou shalt not watch pornography.” Nevertheless, the Bible does talk about the sin of lust and advocates principles that would prohibit doing anything that would entertain, generate, or provide for the means and expression of lust.

The Bible also talks about the sin of covetousness. “Those who cannot see the connection between pornography and lust are not likely to see the connection between covetousness and gambling,” said Kennedy. “The truth is, however, that gambling is a form of the sin of covetousness.”

What is covetousness, one might ask? In short, covetousness is an inordinate desire for wealth and possessions or someone else’s possessions.

Rex Rogers, in his book Seducing America, rightly says there are only three ways to legitimately acquire property: 1. as a gift, 2. as a payment for labor, and 3. in fair exchange. Anything else is covetousness and gambling certainly doesn’t fit any of these criteria.

Covetousness is a violation of the 10th Commandment of God, “Thou shalt not covet …” (Exodus 20:17). Gambling flows from a spirit of avarice and greed. This is what makes it so exciting and addictive. It stirs up what is depraved in human nature and can make a person lose their way. Gambling is born of the burning desire for quick earthly riches.

Thus, the Scriptures provide strong warnings about covetousness. Jesus said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15). The apostle Paul admonished, “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” (I Timothy 6:9-10).

Many other principles in the Bible indict and condemn the practice of gambling:

• Love of one’s neighbor. Jesus commanded, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Gambling is predicated on the losses, pain, and suffering of one’s neighbor.
• Exploiting the poor and vulnerable. Gambling preys on the desperation of the poor. Based in Washington, D.C., Stop Predatory Gambling notes that “[s]tate governments concentrate lottery outlets in economically-distressed regions to entice more citizens from the lower rungs of the income ladder. Lotteries are pushing scratch tickets as high as $50 in low-income communities to citizens who earn a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour in those same states. It takes seven hours of work to lose it all on a $50 ticket.” The prophet Isaiah said, “The Lord brings this charge against the elders and leaders of his people. Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” says the Lord God of hosts” (Isaiah 3:14).
• A strong work ethic. God has designed work as the proper means for humankind to supply their needs and provide for their loved ones. Gambling undermines the work ethic and touts the false hope of something for nothing. Genesis 3:19 makes it clear that from the beginning of time God ordered that mankind earn his bread by the “sweat of his brow” — meaning hard work. This principle is so important in the New Testament dispensation that II Thessalonians 3:10 reads, “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” Syndicated columnist George Will summarized it this way: “The more people believe in the importance of luck, chance, randomness, and fate, the less they believe in the importance of stern virtues such as industriousness, thrift, deferral of gratification, diligence, and studiousness.”

  There are numerous other ways gambling runs afoul of the Bible’s teachings. God requires good stewardship of one’s possessions. Jesus alluded to this in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Generally speaking, gambling is a waste of one’s resources that could have been put to good use. The games are rife with deception, concealing or misleading people about the odds. The Psalmist said the Lord would destroy those who tell lies, and he abhors those who deal treacherously (Psalm 5:10).

  

  Moreover, state-sanctioned gambling undermines the God-ordained purpose of government to suppress and judge evil (Romans 13:1-5). The state does just the opposite by allowing the citizenry to be fleeced and victimized by gambling.

   

   

  Its most unfortunate churches often promote gambling by using games of chance for charitable purposes. They say the end justifies the means. Gamblers sometimes rationalize making their bets by noting that churches have bingo games, raffles, etc. Churches, however, and Christians in general, should be setting the right example by not participating in any kinds of gambling. Of all those who should demonstrate that we should keep free from the love of money and be content with what God has provided (Hebrew 13:5), it’s the people of God.

  Indeed, the Bible may not say, “Thou shalt not gamble.” Still, God’s Word is filled with precepts and principles that unquestionably condemn the practice as sinful. It doesn’t matter whether the money wagered was deemed a responsible bet or not. When one gambles, it is a covetous act that is participatory and complicit in a baneful enterprise that shares in the guilt of many other sins.

   

  By Mark Creech, Op-ed Contributor
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