I sat in a bustling café with a rep from a global missions agency last week. As we sipped our coffees, the conversation turned to the major challenges facing the missions world in the post-Covid era. Recruitment is down. Funding is hard to come by. And public perceptions have shifted massively.

I told her, “It’s time to get rid of the word ‘missionary�� from your organization’s name and publications. It’s not the core issue, but it’s one of them. And that word is now more of a liability than an asset.��

She looked a bit shocked. After all, hers was an agency with more than a century of faithful missionary history, and both of us were in agreement that the world is still full of need. To faithfully love our brothers and sisters in other countries would require a new generation of Christians dedicated to being global citizens. That fact was not in dispute.

I just wrote a book called “��, so I’m an unlikely advocate for ditching the word missionary. But nevertheless here we are. As we move into 2023, I want to suggest that perhaps this word has outlived its usefulness. We need new wineskins. Not convinced? Here’s my reasoning:

Rest in Peace John

The cases of the two missionaries Jim Elliot and John Allen Chau highlight just how much perceptions of missionary work have changed in the last few decades.

In 1956, Jim Elliot was killed by a spear while attempting to make contact with the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador. He was immediately hailed a hero and a missionary martyr, and was even featured on the cover of Life Magazine. His death galvanized Christians around the world.

Just over sixty years later, in 2017, U.S. missionary John Allen Chau was also killed by a spear as he attempted to make contact with the Sentinelese in the Andaman Islands off the coast of India. The worldwide press almost universally labelled him a fool and a flag-bearer for colonialism. The New York Times quoted critics who called Chau “uninformed, arrogant and self-serving…�� His death divided Christians around the world.

These polarized positions often represent a generational divide.

Historically, missionaries have worked both for and against colonialism. William Carey was a notable example of someone who worked against the imperial efforts of England. The East India Company actually had orders to "Stop Carey" and threatened to revoke the sailing license of any ship that gave him passage.

But many missionaries did sweep in with the settlers of England, Spain, and Portugal as they conquered nations across the globe. They encouraged local people to adopt Western clothing, practices, and values—while stealing their land and resources.

As an African believer once complained, “You brought us the bread of life, but it came wrapped in plastic that you shoved down our throats!��

For many, whether it is a fair assessment or not, missionaries are irredeemably linked with colonialism. And that perception makes the term a serious liability in a world where we are ever more aware of injustice and oppression.

Who me?

The word “missionary�� is nowhere to be found in the Bible, nor was it used for the first 1600 years of the Christian faith. The word comes from the Latin word mitto, which means "to send." It is the equivalent of the Greek word apostello, which also means "to send." Apostle translates into Latin as mittere and missionem, and these give us the word missionary.

Four hundred years ago, the Jesuits first began to call themselves missionaries, seeing themselves as apostles, those who had been sent out to build the kingdom of God on earth.

But as societal attitudes shift, language also shifts. Just as we no longer use words such as “heathen�� or “cripple,�� so we need to recognize when a word such as missionary needs to be shelved.

The calling to love our neighbors (near and far) has not gone away, but perhaps there are better words we can use to describe the vocation of a Christian who seeks to be a humble servant of Jesus in the world.

Much of Jesus�� life and work wouldn’t be described as normal missionary activity. Is providing lunch for a hungry crowd truly missionary work? Is dining and drinking with tax collectors missionary work? How about overturning tables and disrupting injustice?

Perhaps we’ve created too narrow a concept of what a missionary does.

In Ephesians 4, Paul offers a broader spectrum of gifts that were created to serve the world: from prophet to teacher, from pastor to apostle. Having five terms for global service, instead of just one, offers us a much richer picture of the variety of callings people have.

(In Subversive Mission, I outline how each of these for understanding our unique role in the world, where we often carry more power and resources than the people we serve.)

Become a missionary they said. It’ll be fun they said.

For the reasons above, the term missionary has become an obstacle to many followers of Jesus with a cross-cultural calling. We need a new framework for moving forward that acknowledges the lessons of history, while leaving behind the baggage of the past.

To get past this obstacle, some seek roles as social entrepreneurs. Others apply to join anti-trafficking organizations. These are still “respected�� ways to engage in the world. But we actually need a better, clearer framework for engagement that is theologically grounded.

Many Christians have a passionate longing to see God’s love change the world but a distaste for the negative baggage of traditional missions. Most people agree that the world doesn’t need more “white saviors�� (or saviors of any color), but it also doesn’t need more apathetic, paralyzed, or disengaged Christians.

As followers of Jesus, are we ready to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth right where we are—from Vancouver to Nairobi, from inner-city Chicago to Phnom Penh?

I hope you will join me in seeking a better way, a more beautiful vision for how we can all bear the light we have been given into the world.

[ Subversive Mission: serving as outsiders in a world of need just came out and offers a new framework for understanding our place as people of peace and justice in the world. Grab a copy wherever you prefer to buy books. More info and links to purchase .]

In Ephesians 4, Paul describes five different types of giftedness for serving God in the world and the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds (pastors), and teachers.

I believe that these five types continue to provide a promising framework for how we can serve the world, BUT we need to examine them through different eyes.

We can’t simply transplant them into cross-cultural situations that have deeply embedded power dynamics, or we run the risk of disempowering local people.

For example, perhaps you are a gifted pastor or church planter in Portland, USA. Consider that this might not mean you should be a pastor or church planter in Bangalore, India. After all, you will eventually return home, and your foreign ways will be hard to replicate by local people with fewer resources. Perhaps a more effective role would be to come alongside local Indian Christians as a midwife, supporting them as they lead and give birth to what God has already planted in their hearts. So, during the journey to India, the gifted pastor needs to become a midwife.

Or you may be an apostolically gifted entrepreneur in San Francisco. Consider that this might not mean you should initiate new projects among African Americans in inner city Detroit. Perhaps a wiser approach would be to serve as a catalyst, helping local leaders create new initiatives that reflect their own understanding of their local needs so that they will have ownership of them going forward. So sometime during the journey to Detroit, the gifted apostle needs to become a catalyst.

Or perhaps you are a prophetic social justice activist in Toronto. Consider that this might not mean you should lead justice work in Nairobi, Kenya. Perhaps a more helpful role would be to come alongside local activists as an ally, amplifying the voices of those who will continue to live in the local context after the struggle. After all, you can leave at any time, escaping the consequences that local people face after a confrontation. So sometime during the journey to Kenya, the gifted prophet needs to be transformed into an ally.

Each of the five ministry gifts outlined in Ephesians 4—apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher—needs to be reframed for cross-cultural contexts, especially in places of poverty, or where there is a significant power differential.

The Fivefold Ministry Types become Missional Types. Otherwise, we run the risk of playing benevolent gods - taking power away from those who need to be inspired to look to Jesus, the one true savior. In every context, we need to ask ourselves whether we are ministering as an insider or an outsider.

In the urban hubs of Asia, the slums of Haiti, the inner cities of North America, and the rural villages of Mexico, those of us who come as outsiders with access to resources tend to hold dramatically more power and money in our hands. We often wield that power in heavy-handed ways, knocking over the carefully laid out banquet set before us by our local friends. This lack of self-awareness leads to the sins of colonialism and the “white savior�� label, no matter what color you are.

By rethinking these five roles from Ephesians with a cross-cultural perspective, we retain the original meanings, which were meant for insiders, but in ways that don’t leave us, as outsiders, hogging the limelight.

In place of the traditional translation for Paul’s ministry roles in Ephesians, I propose the following terms for outsiders in a cross-cultural context. These are the five Missional Types: catalyst (for apostle), ally (for prophet), seeker (for evangelist), midwife (for pastor), and guide (for teacher).

Once you have completed the inventory you will be able to download a description of each of these types (free) or you can grab a copy of my new book for the full story - as well as the 5 most common blind spots that we carry with us into ministry.

an excerpt from Craig Greenfield

“It takes a spider to repair its own web.��

–Ancient Khmer Proverb

My phone lights up and pings with a message. I flick my thumb across the screen and an invitation appears. The backlighting on my phone illuminates my face as I read the invitation of a lifetime.

“Brother Craig,�� it begins, as so many messages from my friends in India do. Relationships are everything in this part of the world.

��. . . would you come and speak at our upcoming Christian event in Delhi? You would be our keynote speaker. There will be twenty thousand young leaders in attendance. We want you to challenge them to reach out and walk alongside children in their communities. You can really get your Alongsiders message out, Brother!��

Twenty-thousand young leaders! My eyebrows lift, and a whistle of amazement escapes my lips.

For some, public speaking is their worst nightmare. Speaking to twenty thousand young leaders would be daunting for most people—and frankly, it’s daunting for me, too.

But I have been sharing about God’s heart for the poor at conferences, festivals, and churches for years, and an opportunity to spread the vision like this is an amazing dream for me, a chance to use my God-given talents to grow the Alongsiders ministry and reach thousands of children.

I start thinking through logistics and imagining the potential impact. And if I’m honest, I begin to imagine myself on that stage, the audience in rapt attention. Some good photos of the crowds for my social media feed wouldn’t hurt at all. I’m only human.

I press my forefinger on the message until it turns a darker shade, and then I hit the forward button. Before responding, I know that I need to submit the invitation to my mentor and South Indian friend, Paulus.

My connection with India goes way back to my paternal grandparents, who were missionaries in South India for twenty-five years. My father spent his early years in Bangalore. My parents were also missionaries, so I guess you might say that being an outsider working for change in the world runs in my blood.

Paulus has been helping me navigate these types of situations in India for years, and as an outsider, I’m careful to listen to his insider advice. But as I wait for Paulus�� response, my heart begins to sink a little as I anticipate what he will say. I know Paulus well.

His message eventually pops up on my phone. “Brother! Call me when you can.�� Relationships are everything in India.

I press video dial with trepidation, and within seconds, I am greeted by Paulus’s smiling face and rich, baritone voice. A Tamil by ethnicity, he has a very dark complexion, and he is wearing his thick, trademark black glasses. They frame the kindest eyes, which shine with spiritual wisdom and friendship.

I want to make sure he understands what this invitation means to me, and so I almost start to say, “This is the invitation of a lifetime, Paulus!�� But I hold my tongue and wait for my mentor to speak.

“Ah yes,�� he smiles. “I don’t think this is a good opportunity for us, ahhha? This will put a big spotlight on you as a foreigner. If we want this discipleship movement to take off here as a local Indian movement, it would be better for it not to be presented by you. That will send the wrong impression, Craig.��

His words are understated but crystal clear. They immediately remind me of the ancient Khmer proverb, “It takes a spider to repair its own web.�� My chest sinks, and I feel my lips curve into a slight frown. I know Paulus is right, but frankly, I’m gutted. After I hang up, I sit for a while, letting the disappointment sink in.

Now, at this point in the story you may be thinking, “Needs are needs. Who cares who meets them? Get out there and make a difference! Seize every opportunity to use your God-given gifts to preach the gospel!��

But what if the greater invitation for many of us in this new era—particularly those of us who have power and privilege—is to use more wisdom in the ways we seek to serve others? I’ve had to learn this lesson the hard way as I have lived for two decades in slums and inner cities and made a lot of mistakes along the way. Though I’ve started ministries around the world, I am still learning.

As a white Westerner, I have always been taught to consider the words I speak on stage as if they stand alone—disembodied—as if I am a neutral messenger bringing the word of God.

After all, it’s not like I would be up there on stage, waving a Union Jack—the flag of India’s former colonial power (and the birthplace of my ancestors). And it’s not like I would be up there flashing wads of cash, implying that by joining this discipleship movement, these poor youth could get connected to overseas money.

But I don’t need those props to send the youth a message about power and outside money. My very presence sends that message all by itself. Though twenty thousand young leaders would hear my words of love and goodwill, those words would be reinterpreted and misunderstood if I were the person delivering them. I knew in my gut that Paulus was right. The leaders would perceive my words as a foreign message, wrapped in a cloak of colonialism and cash.

The next day, I shoot Paulus a message. “You’re absolutely right, Bro. Who else could we get on that stage to communicate the message? Someone local, of course!��

Paulus replies immediately, “I know just the person.��

Have you ever noticed how the things that Satan tempted Jesus with during his forty days in the desert were not in and of themselves inherently evil? Satan tried to goad Jesus into making bread from stones, but there’s nothing particularly bad about bread, is there? Starving people need food, and the world is full of pressing needs. Only a heartless jerk would deny a starving beggar a yummy bread roll.

What about the promise of safety in the hands of angels? That's not evil either! Endangered people need protection. Vulnerable children need people to stand on their side when life is tough. They need someone to get up on a stage somewhere and advocate for their wellbeing.

And what about the opportunity to have the whole world bow before Jesus? That's not evil either. Imagine if people all over the world knew the love of God. Surely anyone pursuing that end, in any manner, is simply doing the work of God?

And yet, we know from this story that the bad guy—Satan himself—was dangling all these good things, these valid and pressing needs, in front of Jesus.

And yet, Jesus still resisted.

He resisted the shortcuts because he knew there was a better way: God’s way, God’s timing. He resisted the shortcuts because the end never, ever justifies the means.

Jesus could have overwhelmed Israel with his power and wonders—a one-man miracle machine. But instead, he chose the slow, difficult route of raising up a community of believers and empowering them to take his message to the world. He sparked a grassroots movement that has stood the test of time.

What if the temptation we face as people with power and privilege in a world of need, is not so much the temptation to pursue evil—rape, murder, or pillaging? Instead, what if our temptation is to pursue good in the wrong way?

This is a temptation I face every day, because as a Western missionary for more than 20 years, I walk the streets with forms of power that many of my Cambodian neighbors don’t have. I receive invitations and open doors that others don’t receive. With that access comes the temptation to be their “savior��, to use my power to create “miracles��, when I’m really called to be something else—something more humble, vulnerable, and much, much better.

This challenge is for all those who serve as outsiders. It’s for anyone who goes into the world seeking to change it while carrying more power than those whom you are trying to reach—whether through a passport or privilege, money or mastery. The simple fact that you have the ability to buy and read a book written in English means you have forms of privilege and power that most people in the world don’t have. And that means this book is for you.

I've lived in slums and inner cities among the poor and marginalized for twenty years. I've led humanitarian organizations, a global missions agency, and now a grassroots youth movement that is truly making the world a more beautiful place. I have held the dying and walked alongside the desperate. My whole life is geared towards seeking change that will make the world a better place for everyone.

And frankly, I'm impatient! I want a better world for my poor neighbors—and I want it sooner rather than later. I want to see more vulnerable children being reached and uplifted. I want bread for the hungry, safety for the endangered, and I long for people to know the boundless love of Jesus.

Yet I've come to understand that there are lots of ways to seek what is good for the world. Over time, I’ve learned that many of the short-term ways I’ve tried to pursue change �� such as handing out money or food - have actually resulted in more deeply entrenched systems and structures, which continue to perpetuate poverty and injustice. At times, some of my “great ideas�� have actually made things much, much worse, because I’ve been trying to play god in the lives of the poor.

So, if we’re no longer standing center stage as outsiders, giving keynotes to twenty thousand young leaders, how is God calling us to serve in this new era? Didn’t Jesus call us to go out into all the world to make disciples and build his upside-down kingdom? Didn’t God call us to bring good news to the poor, freedom for those in captivity, and comfort to those who mourn?

In Ephesians 4, Paul describes five different types of giftedness for serving God in the world and the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds (pastors), and teachers. I believe that these five types continue to provide a promising framework for how we can serve the world even in our post-colonial era, but we need to examine them through different eyes. We can’t simply transplant them into cross-cultural situations that have deeply embedded power dynamics, or we run the risk of disempowering local people.

For example, perhaps you are a gifted pastor or church planter in Portland. Consider that this might not mean you should be a pastor or church planter in Bangalore, India. After all, you will eventually return home, and your foreign ways will be hard to replicate by local people with fewer resources. Perhaps a more effective role would be to come alongside local Indian Christians as a midwife, supporting them as they lead and give birth to what God has already planted in their hearts. So, during the journey to India, the gifted pastor needs to become a midwife.

Or you may be an apostolically gifted entrepreneur in San Francisco. Consider that this might not mean you should initiate new projects among African Americans in inner city Detroit. Perhaps a wiser approach would be to serve as a catalyst, helping local leaders create new initiatives that reflect their own understanding of their local needs so that they will have ownership of them going forward. So sometime during the journey to Detroit, the gifted apostle needs to become a catalyst.

Or perhaps you are a prophetic social justice activist in Toronto. Consider that this might not mean you should lead justice work in Nairobi, Kenya. Perhaps a more helpful role would be to come alongside local activists as an ally, amplifying the voices of those who will continue to live in the local context after the struggle. After all, you can leave at any time, escaping the consequences that local people face after a confrontation. So sometime during the journey to Kenya, the gifted prophet needs to be transformed into an ally.

Each of the five ministry gifts outlined in Ephesians 4—apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher—needs to be reframed for cross-cultural contexts, especially in places of poverty, or where there is a significant power differential. The Fivefold Ministry Types become Missional Types. Otherwise, we run the risk of replacing playing benevolent gods - taking power away from those who need to be inspired to look to Jesus, the one true savior. In every context, we need to ask ourselves whether we are ministering as an insider or an outsider.

In the urban hubs of Asia, the slums of Haiti, the inner cities of North America, and the rural villages of Mexico, those of us who come as outsiders with access to resources tend to hold dramatically more power and money in our hands. We often wield that power in heavy-handed ways, knocking over the carefully laid out banquet set before us by our local friends. This lack of self-awareness leads to the sins of colonialism and the “white savior�� label, no matter what color you are.

By rethinking these five roles from Ephesians with a cross-cultural perspective, we retain the original meanings, which were meant for insiders, but in ways that don’t leave us, as outsiders, hogging the limelight.

In place of the traditional translation for Paul’s ministry roles in Ephesians, I propose the following terms for outsiders in a cross-cultural context. These are the five Missional Types: catalyst (for apostle), ally (for prophet), seeker (for evangelist), midwife (for pastor), and guide (for teacher).

As we broaden our thinking about how we might go into the world, we also need to be wise about the minefields that we’ll be crossing so that we can avoid making the same missteps as those who have gone before us. Not doing so would be a tragic irony. When it comes to vulnerable people’s lives, our good intentions do not matter as much as the eventual outcomes.

Rethinking these roles in our own contexts will require some serious self-reflection. So, as I outline these five new ways of engaging with the world as outsiders, I’ll also identify five major dangers that we urgently need to address: power, complicity, secularism, money, and individualism. Each of these corresponds loosely to one of the fivefold Missional Types, though we can all fall prey to any of these dangers because they come with the territory of ministering as outsiders. The following is a description of each of the five types.

Catalysts are wired as pioneers for the kingdom, not just the church. In their commitment to God’s people around the world, they are self-disciplined and mature enough to say, not “my kingdom,�� but “your kingdom come, Lord.�� Catalysts refuse to build their own empire, but seek to help spark something new in partnership with those insider apostles who will lead the movement going forward. By nature, they are future-oriented and want to work with local people in new and uncharted contexts.

Allies know God’s heart for the marginalized, and so they seek to come alongside and use their privilege to amplify voices that are struggling to be heard. They care deeply about justice and mercy and are bold enough to speak truth to power in situations of injustice. As outsiders, they are uniquely positioned to question the status quo and call the global community toward God’s kingdom on earth, using their privilege (access, training, and resources) to support the causes championed by local prophets.

Seekers search for cultural touchpoints as a way of bridging the universal truth of the gospel with local understanding. They are enthusiasts for contextualization, storytelling, and creativity. As outsiders, they arrive as students of language and culture and are more likely to ask questions than offer answers. They work with insider evangelists to understand and communicate what the kingdom of God looks like in each new context.

Midwives are pastorally gifted leaders who nurture and protect the people of God, helping insider pastors birth, shepherd, and care for communities of faith. As outsiders, they are passionate about cultivating the local church and developing disciples without needing to be in the limelight. They are careful to use church planting approaches that can be replicated without outside resources.

Guides are gifted teachers who can not only understand and explain truth, but guide local people to discover the truth for themselves. Guides communicate God’s wisdom in all kinds of ways as they help local people discern God’s will. Rather than offering pre-packaged answers, guides creatively help people work together to discover solutions for themselves.

Each of us will find ourselves inhabiting different Missional Types at different times and in different situations. So, don’t skip to the chapter you think most applies to you. If you do that, the unfolding story won’t make sense, and you’ll miss valuable information. Instead, engage with each posture as I’ve had to do, working outside my comfort zone in places of great need.

This book is the story of my own experiments—and failures—as I have tried to grapple with my place in the world and embrace the gifts God has given me. Too often, I have come in as an outsider and taken over from insiders. Too often, I have blundered ahead and trampled on people’s toes. Too often, I have failed to empower those on the inside of a local culture. I hope you can learn from my mistakes as the story unfolds.

This book is for every person who has a passionate longing to see God’s love change the world, but a distaste for the negative baggage of traditional colonial missions. It is for every globally minded follower of Jesus who recognizes that the world doesn’t need more “white saviors�� �� or saviors of any color, but it also doesn’t need more apathetic or disengaged Christians. It is for those who know that our guilt and tears, our “thoughts and prayers,�� mean nothing to the poor and marginalized in the majority world, unless they are matched with action.

As followers of Jesus, we are all called to be ready to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth right where we are—from Vancouver to Nairobi, from inner-city Chicago to Phnom Penh. This is an invitation for each of us to wake up and start acknowledging our weaknesses and humbly composting our crap so that it can enrich the earth wherever we are.

The world needs each of us, but we can’t afford to isolate ourselves any longer. Before we head out to change the world, we must first be honest about the power we’re carrying. As I share my journey, with all its flaws and mess-ups, I hope you will join me in seeking a better way, a more beautiful vision for how we can all bear the light we have been given into the world.

By the way, all profits go to support vulnerable children in Cambodia so if you can afford it, go ahead and buy an extra one for someone else.

If you’d like to get your hands on Subversive Mission earlier and be part of the Launch Team, apply . You’ll have exclusive access to a Launch Team Facebook Group where we will have opportunities to chat and discuss the book. See you in there!

I was taught that I was only responsible for MY choices, not my ancestors'—and I certainly didn't have to answer for the actions of my government.

Those things were completely outside the scope of my concern, as an individualistic, Western Christian.

But then one day I was digging deeper into the story of Daniel �� the righteous prophet of Israel who probably never broke a serious rule in his life. This is a man who was so dedicated to God that he nearly became a lion's chew toy because of his prayer routine. Sometimes faithfulness is provocative.

And then I came across his prayer of repentance:

“WE have sinned and done wrong.

WE have been wicked and have rebelled;

WE have turned away from your commands and laws. . . .

We and OUR KINGS, OUR PRINCES and OUR ANCESTORS are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. . . .

All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

(Dan 9:5, 8��11)

Daniel was certainly not personally responsible for Israel’s waywardness. He didn't chisel wooden idols, eat a bacon sandwich, or run around causing chaos with prostituted women.

Daniel was a good guy, a missionary serving in a foreign land. He was blameless and righteous.

Yet here he was, confessing and repenting for the sins of his people—not just his currently alive-and-kicking people, but also his dead-and-buried people, his ancestors.

Now that is one wide-ranging prayer of repentance!

So this is one reason why I’m thankful for in Canada this week, repenting for the brutal role of the church in running residential schools.

The impact of those terrible residential schools on many of my First Nations friends has been truly devastating. This is just a start, but it’s a step in the right direction.

As one who has lived in Canada, and holds Canadian citizenship, my prayer today is the prayer of Daniel and Pope Francis. “We have sinned and done wrong.��

Lord have mercy.

Give us courage to make things right.

Of course, I know them as Carol, Ewen and Vantha* - and thankfully begging/panhandling is not what defines them - but mostly just something they do to get by.

While living in slums and inner cities over the past two decades I've gotten to know lots of struggling friends and neighbors who ask strangers (and me!) for money. Truthfully, there are no easy answers or guaranteed solutions - just painful lessons and a lot of grace needed!

“Hey buddy! Hey BUDDY!��

I remember walking down Hastings Street in Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside late one afternoon. A guy was sitting on the corner with his upturned hat. He smiled at me as I came near, “Hey buddy! Can you spare some change?��

I stopped, “How about a sandwich? My place is right around the corner.��

“Let’s go!,�� he grinned, and in one swift motion grabbed his cap and threw it back on his head. Then he leapt to his feet. He enjoyed a meal with my that evening. It was his first time eating inside around a normal dinner table in many years.

We’re not all in a position to invite folks into our home (and that’s an issue we could think more about). But even so, I've found it helpful to develop a few personal guidelines to inform how I respond in that moment when faced with someone asking for money at a traffic light or street corner. I thought I'd share them with you.

So, here are my "Lessons Learned the Hard Way" - 10 tips for responding to that upturned baseball cap��

Since I believe that the ideal response to poverty is relational, I recognize that someone who stands at a traffic light, with only seconds to interact with each passing car, is not in a space where a genuine conversation can take place. I’ll probably say hi and smile, but there is no real opportunity to engage. In contrast, a street corner or sidewalk offers more opportunity to at least have a chat with someone if time permits.

In Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a beggar outside the temple. The first thing they do is look the guy in the eyes and recognize his humanity (Acts 3:4). That’s a great start in any interaction.

I don’t usually give people money in areas where addiction is a major issue. I don’t want to contribute to more brokenness and captivity. I spent years working with folks in addiction (who often panhandled), so admittedly my perspective is a little skewed, but my rule of thumb is not to give money to strangers in these places. That said, I don’t just ignore them! I offer to buy people a slice of pizza or help in some other way �� a bus ticket (physically bought by me), a can of coke, a bottle of wine (kidding!) As a big guy living with others, I often felt prompted to invite people home for a meal. That’s not possible for everyone of course. But just a chat over a cup of McDonalds coffee is often appreciated.

In Acts 3, Peter and John had no money to offer (Acts 3:6 - “silver and gold I do not have…��) but they offered something much more significant. Our society pivots immediately to money when faced with a problem. Perhaps there is a better way?

This might seem inconsistent, but I do very often give money to people begging in Asia. The places I frequent: Jakarta, Kolkata, Bangkok, Phnom Penh �� are filled with folks who are not struggling with addiction so much as chronic systemic poverty. There is no government safety net, perhaps no family back-up �� and so many are forced to beg. I usually try to ask a little of their story and figure out how they came to be in this situation. Then, very often I find myself helping them out with some cash or extra food.

I’m a big sucker for the old man or elderly woman who is forced to beg in a dirty Asian market in the twilight years of their life. I don’t see a whole lot of alternatives. Superannuation? Doesn't exist! Old folks homes? Pwah! Retraining? Work? Not so easy for someone over 70, who may have already lived a destitute, war-torn life. At this stage, I’m mainly just thinking, “How can I help Grandma have a better day?�� Yes, I know there may be syndicates or crime rings (or just unscrupulous relatives) using Grandad to earn an income. But I usually just err on the side of generosity, unless it’s obvious that something nefarious is going on.

I sometimes apply the same thinking to blind or severely disabled folks - though I'm more hopeful about work possibilities for them. Honestly, if I see someone blind walking around playing an instrument badly, or a disabled war veteran selling crappy old flowers or photocopied books, I'm gonna dig deep. I didn’t really need that trinket you’re hawking, but the dignity you gain from being able to make a living is well worth the money.

This may sound heartless but after years of living and working with children in slums who are sent out to beg, I have come to understand that it's usually not helpful to give money to kids on the street. Very often, giving money to kids is like paying their families to keep them out of school. So, I avoid adding to the incentive their family has to use the children in this way. Instead, I will buy them some food, talk to them, see if I can engage with their family somehow. I also want to make sure they know where they can get help if they need it, and make sure they are not in any danger. It takes more time and energy, but ultimately it will be better for that vulnerable child.

No-one begs for fun. No-one. Some folks might get used to it, hardened to the dirty looks and immune to the indignity. But over time I’ve come to recognize that panhandling or begging is really just a symptom of much deeper issues. So, however I might respond in that moment, on that street corner, at those traffic lights �� I recognize that I am likely NOT addressing those deeper issues of poverty, injustice, addiction or mental illness. I’ve learned to resist the urge to find a solution right there on the spot, because there simply is no quick solution.

In Acts 3, Peter and John knew that silver and gold were not the answer for the paralyzed man. Instead they offered something much more significant - dignity, healing and fellowship. These are generally not going to be quick fixes, as much as we would wish they were. Real change takes time and commitment, and sometimes - a miracle!

I once spent 2 weeks sleeping rough in Canada. I thought those luscious locks would earn me some love. I was wrong.

Though it's hard and I often fail, I want to commit to asking not what is most convenient, quick or low-cost, but what is most loving? It is true we are not called to judge, but if we are truly seeking the best for a person, we have to make an instantaneous “judgment call�� about whether that money will be used for crack cocaine. I personally don’t think that enabling someone to shoot-up heroin can be a loving act. So what is the most loving response I can make towards this person at this moment in time? Perhaps it will be a kind word or shared Big Mac meal. Perhaps the Spirit will inspire something creative in the course of a conversation. Pray that God will give you eyes to see people the way He does, and then the courage to act accordingly.

I love how in Acts 3, Peter takes the man by the hand (Acts 3:7). There is something so humanizing, and healing about human touch. In that situation it was a simple, loving gesture that started something miraculous.

My inner-messiah complex struggles with the reality that I can’t save the world �� or even this one person. I am finally learning that I am not God! The best I can do as a finite human being, is recognize and respond to the humanity of the other person - with kindness and respect. But though we can’t be in relationship with everyone, we can almost always give people the dignity of asking their name (and telling them ours!) and enquiring where they come from.

Peter and John invited the beggar into fellowship in the temple - a place he had been excluded from until this point (Acts 3:8). This is one of the overlooked aspects of this miracle and demonstrates the power of radical hospitality.

If we’re honest, one of the biggest obstacles to engagement with people on the margins, is the tyranny of time. In one fascinating (and slightly hilarious) , seminarians were asked to prepare a sermon on the Good Samaritan. They were then instructed to go to another building. Some were told they were running late. On the way, they each encountered a man slumped in a doorway. Despite the topic of the sermon, those who were told to hurry, were much LESS likely to help. All our good theology and intentions can go out the window, when we’re in a big hurry.

In Acts 3, Peter and John were on an important mission - they were going to the temple to preach. Yet they were attentive enough to the Spirit, to stop. They knew that sometimes the interruptions ARE the ministry. May that phrase resonate in your mind at just the right moment.

I was a panhandler and you welcomed me with a hot cup of coffee and a loving encounter

Truly, this is an agonizingly difficult area and good people have different ways of responding to "The Ask" and the pitiful raised eyebrows. There is no one right answer or guaranteed response to what is actually a tragic failure of society to care for our most vulnerable and hurting.

However, if we are guided by kindness, recognizing that each person is made in the image of God, we can remain open to the Spirit. And in any given moment He may lead you to respond differently to what I have suggested above. And that's OK!

My prayer for you is that you would have eyes to see each person as someone that is a beloved child of God. Remembering that Jesus Himself said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me in�� (Mt 25:35).

How do you respond to panhandlers or beggars and what advice do you have share with others?

* Names changed of course

Chances are, if you go to a Charismatic or Pentecostal church, they do a LOT. Otherwise, possibly not.

Some Christians have co-opted this term, “prophet��, to mean people who mysteriously predict the future. These modern day "prophets" are the superstars of some churches (and online communities). After all, who dares argue with an announcement from a church leader when it is preceded by the magic words, "The Lord told me...."

These guys must have special Zoom connection with God. I better listen and obey!

My Zoom device isn't picking up the divine signal. How about if I tilt it this way and squint my eyes?

But Biblically and historically, true prophets spoke out boldly against injustice and exploitation. They spoke on God's behalf when his people went astray and forgot the poor.

Like a good comedian, true prophets punch up. Not down.

The Biblical prophets spoke truth to power, not condemnation to the downtrodden and marginalized.

True prophets in 2022 would be speaking out about the needs of refugees, the homeless, and people in poverty around the world. They would be speaking out against war and violence. They would speak out loudly and boldly against politicians, corporations, and churches who refuse to help the poor and the downtrodden.

(As a fun exercise - have a read through the book of Amos and see how much these words resonate, or not, with the words of the so-called "prophets" of your church today).

There are a whole lot of people who call themselves "prophets" but most of them barely acknowledge poverty, exploitation, or injustice.

Truly they are charlatans.

Jesus knew this, and that's why he warned that there will always be a bunch of false prophets and fake teachers running their mouths off who will "deceive many people" (Mt. 24:11).

Firstly, there were those “prophets�� who feasted at the King's table because they had been co-opted to speak well of evil leaders (1 Kings 18:19). They were bringing smarmy words of favor and influence and prosperity to the king and his cronies. And the king lapped it up. Like a sucka.

Secondly, there were those who were exiled to the caves, or beheaded (like John the Baptist) because they spoke out about the injustice or immorality of their leaders (1 Kings 18:4). The king didn't like them very much. He tried to have them knee-capped.

So how can you tell the difference?

You will know false prophets by their fruit and their focus. That focus is you.

Some come with a message that makes you feel AMAZING - God is going to "enlarge your tent" and "expand your influence", he's going to "give you great favor" and "bless you mightily"��

Others come with a message that makes you feel FEARFUL, like “the end times are upon us��, “prepare for the apocalypse��, “buy more gold quickly, hide yourself away from the chaos”��

Notice how the focus is always you at the center? Not Jesus or those who are suffering.

[Note: Of course God blesses. Of course God gives people favor, and even gives them influence sometimes. But these were not the main priorities of the Biblical prophets. This did not form the core of their message.]

I would suggest to you that many church leaders today, , and other so-called "prophetic leaders" of the evangelical church have become the false prophets of this generation. We have gone astray.

Let’s instead consider what a true prophet sounds like. Here is a sampling of Biblical prophets just to remind you what they sound like:

“Hear this, you who trample the needy and destroy the poor of the land!��

Amos the prophet (Amos 8:4)

“Seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.��

Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 1:17)

“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice��

Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 22:13)

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.��

Ezekiel the prophet (16:49)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.��

Micah the prophet (Micah 6:8)

"Thus says the Lord of hosts�� do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the immigrant, or the poor…��

Zechariah the prophet (Zechariah 7:9-10)

Got it? It's pretty clear to anyone who has immersed themselves in these scriptures what true prophets sound like. True prophets are not babbling on about the “deep state��, conspiracy theories and Donald Trump. The teachings of many modern day evangelical church leaders just do not resonate with God's heart for justice and Shalom, the way the Biblical prophets did.

So who will you listen to? I invite you to turn your ear towards people who echo the prophets of the Bible, speaking truth to power, and grace and love to the downtrodden.

I'd love to know, who you see as prophetic in this day and age? Share in the comments.

You may have wondered how to help, without becoming a “white savior”��

You see the temptation we face as people with power and privilege in a world of need, is not so much the temptation to pursue evil—rape, murder, or pillaging��

Instead, our temptation is to pursue good in ways that ultimately harm the very people we are seeking to help.

These are temptations I have faced for years, because as a Westerner in Cambodia I walk the streets with forms of power that most of my neighbors don’t have. I receive invitations and open doors that others don’t receive. I have access to resources that local people can’t even imagine.

With that access comes the temptation to be their “savior��, to use my power to create “miracles��, when I’m really called to be something else—something more humble, vulnerable, and much, much better.

If you went to Sunday School like me, perhaps you learned that God has three key attributes: omniscience (He is all-knowing), omnipotence (He is all-powerful), and omnipresence (He is everywhere). Remember that lesson? Those were BIG words for a little boy.

What I didn’t learn in Sunday School is that these attributes also describe the most common ways that benevolent outsiders attempt to take on the role of God in the lives of those with whom they are working.

These are three ways we fall into acting like “white saviors�� (and yes this is for people of any race, who come with access to more power and resources than local people).

Why yes I do wear my underwear on the outside. You got a problem with that?

The first way we fall into playing God is by acting as if we know everything—or at least more than we actually do. Psychologists call this the Dunning-Kruger Effect - a cognitive bias where people with limited knowledge or competence greatly UNDERestimate their lack of understanding. Cultural outsiders do this all the time, especially in their early years of service.

Of course, most of us don’t admit that we are know-it-alls (even if everyone else around may perceive us in this way). But in resource-poor situations, expertise is often conferred on outsiders just because of the color of our skin or our passport. In these situations, you may have an eighteen-year-old from England on a gap year teaching science at a Kenyan high school, or you may have a lawyer from the US constructing a house in Mexico.

We should have a healthy awareness of any expertise we bring into a situation—if we do, in fact, bring along any expertise in a particular area. But unfortunately, we often don’t realize what we don’t know. This makes the posture of humility and listening crucial for outsiders.

This point was driven home to me when I visited a building project just outside Phnom Penh. A group of well-meaning short term missionaries from a Western country had come to “bless�� poor Cambodians by building them houses. Each of the houses had been built with a solid tile roof and concrete block walls, a cute front door, and a brass plaque on the front, stating who had worked hard to come and build it. To my eyes, at first glance they looked smart.

The only problem was, poor Cambodians generally build their houses on stilts so they can sit underneath them during the heat of the day and enjoy the cool breeze. Without money to install air conditioning, this lifestyle in the shade helps them to survive the stifling heat of Cambodia’s long hot season.

Because no one wanted to live in these ill-conceived foreign monstrosities, they stood empty and abandoned on the edge of the village—a testament to another failed outsider intervention, and the Omniscience Trap.

A stone’s throw away stood an abandoned water pump and well that had been installed by a different group of foreigners. These had also fallen into disrepair and lay unused, rusting away.

Without local consultation, insights, and expertise, the results of both of these interventions were a sad failure. Of course, the short-term missionaries in each group most likely had good hearts, and all of them were probably deeply impacted by their trip and went back to their home churches bursting with amazing tales of miracles and encouragement. But good intentions are not enough. Their efforts had fallen into the Omniscience Trap.

To combat this problem we need to invest enough time in a place and culture to understand how much we simply do not know. The Dunning-Kruger Effect reduces over time as we learn more, and become more familiar with the situation. So, the simplest answer to the Omniscience Trap is time. Time to learn. Years in fact.

The second way we fall into playing God is by sticking around too long and never stepping back to let local people lead. We are “omnipresent”—always there, always chipping in our two cents worth, always hovering.

I’ve needed (and often lacked) a great deal of self-discipline to avoid overstepping my role in encouraging local leaders in our in Cambodia. This is especially true in cultures where people are naturally more soft-spoken and relational. In Cambodia, folks will defer to the foreigner nine times out of ten.

In Luke 9, Jesus gathers his team together for an inspiring chat about missions. Jesus wanted to send them out to do some ministry, and so He gives them power and authority to go out and kick some demon butt and heal some sick people.

Then Jesus gives them one final instruction: he commanded his team, “Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town�� (Lk 9: 4a).

It seems that Jesus knew there was an ideal length of time to remain in each place. Neither too short, nor too long. This is why we need sensitivity to the Spirit and a sensitivity to the unspoken words of those we are serving alongside.

When I first moved to Cambodia I would proudly tell people I’d be buried here on Cambodian soil. But for me at least, those noble words were rooted in a certain pride and a lack of understanding. There is a time to step back (as I am this year in New Zealand). There is a time to give local leaders space. And there is even a time to leave.

Jesus�� ministry, including growing up, was 33 years. Then Jesus took the biggest gamble of all �� He stepped back and left it all in the hands of a team of unemployed fishermen, rejected bureaucrats, disreputable women, and some failed revolutionaries.

If the antidote to the Omniscience Trap is time, the antidote to the Omnipresence Trap is trust. Trust in God, and trust in local leaders.

The third way we fall into playing God is by becoming a patron instead of pointing people to the true provider. This is a very real temptation, because we almost always have access to vastly more resources than local folks.

Notice Jesus�� instructions for the mission trip in Luke 9: “take NOTHING for the journey—no walking stick, no backpack, no bread, no money, no extra shirt�� (Lk 9:3).

Not even a change of undies!?! This was seriously a challenging statement.

By stripping his team of the ability to meet their most basic needs, Jesus was forcing them to rely on God and the local resources of the people they visited. He was placing them in a posture of interdependence.

The antidote to the Omnipotence Trap is self-discipline. We simply must hold back from unleashing all our resources in each situation of need. It feels counter-intuitive. It even feels terribly wrong sometimes. But it is the wisest course of action.

Jean Johnson talks about the 80/20 rule in mission. She , “my Westernized Christian-worldview tells me over and over to rely on science, materialism, money, and status 80 percent of the time and the Holy Spirit after the fact��20 percent of the time.��

But the things we rely on (money, connections etc.) to solve the challenges we face in ministry are simply not available to the poor. And so we do them a massive disservice by role modelling this kind of problem-solving. Instead we need to reverse the emphasis and rely on the supernatural power of God 80 percent of the time.

[Image credit: Five Stones Global]

These are three of the most common ways that those of us with more power and resources can fall short of how God has called us to serve. When we fall into these traps we are in danger of undermining local initiative, creating unsustainable ministries, and thwarting what the Holy Spirit is wanting to do in each situation.

When COVID hit, I witnessed a massive exodus of missionaries from every mission field. For many, the test of whether their work was sustainable came earlier than they had hoped, and unfortunately too many ministries and projects collapsed.

The challenge then, is for all of us who serve as outsiders. The challenge is not to act as God in the lives of others. But instead to point to the one true Source��

God himself.

[I’m grateful to Rachel Pieh Jones and David Crouch for their thoughts around these attributes of God and how they relate to outsiders serving in mission. These ideas and many others are unpacked in my next book, Subversive Mission: serving as outsiders in a world of need , which launches November 1st, 2022]

Honestly, I’m thinking LESS about issues of justice. I’m less engaged with the struggle and I am more engrossed in my own problems.

If you said this is not a slum - you answered correctly. Ah New Zealand summer��

That's because I'm travelling away from the urban poor communities where we lived in Cambodia. I’m spending a few months in New Zealand working remotely so my daughter can finish high school.

My values and attitudes haven't changed, but my context is vastly different.

In short, the reason I don't care as much this week is simple - isolation from the poor.

Outta sight.

Outta mind.

Paul Piff, a psychologist at UC Berkeley with a snappy name, has studied the charitable habits of different social classes. Based on his research, “the rich are way more likely to prioritize their own self-interests above the interests of other people. They are more likely to exhibit characteristics that we would stereotypically associate with, say, assholes.��

Pretty harsh. But Piff's research suggests that exposure to need drives generous behavior and isolation from the needs of the world drives self-centeredness.

Multiple studies have backed this up. Researchers from The Chronicle of Philanthropy studied charitable habits across different American neighborhoods. Poorer postal codes gave relatively more. Richer neighborhoods gave relatively less.

But here's the kicker - those wealthy folks who lived in overwhelmingly rich neighborhoods (ie. areas where more than 40% of households earned at least $200,000 a year) were significantly less generous than comparably wealthy people who lived in more diverse surroundings.

So, generosity was less a factor of affluence and more a factor of exposure to need. Interesting eh?!?

Isolation breeds selfish behavior.

John Hawthorne in his article, "" agrees, "One of the reasons the rich don’t give as much to the needy is that they don’t see the needy as much."

The solution is "simple" yet difficult. The solution is engagement.

We need to get out of our bubbles. We need to find places of cross-over with folks who are different from us. We need to be continually rubbing shoulders with people on the margins, people in need. We need to tear down the walls of insulation around our safe lives and find ways to engage with the needs of the world.

And we'll find that we are more giving, generous, open-handed people as a result.

In 2022 do you have life rhythms in place that will lead to engagement?

I don't care about the poor as much this week. And that's why I can't wait to find ways over the next few months in New Zealand to get engaged outside my middle class bubble. So that my priorities can be realigned with the priorities of Jesus, to bring Good News to the poor (Luke 4).

What do you reckon?

[Research quoted in this blog post comes from Ken Stern's book, With Charity for All: Why Charities Are Failing and a Better Way to Give]

“Historically, the most terrible things: war, genocide and slavery,
have resulted not from disobedience, but from obedience.�� - Howard Zinn

The Bible says OBEY�� or does it?

In these tumultuous times, many Christians are trying to figure out a healthy and mature posture towards the government.

Take Romans 13. This chapter is one of those classic “clobber passages��, used to make sure we are all being obedient citizens, which historically has led Christians into all KINDS of problems:

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities...�� (Romans 13:1)

His fellow Bible-writer, Peter, wrote something very similar:

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority…�� (1 Peter 2:13)

I call these clobber passages because historically they have been used to crush dissent, stifle protest and discourage civil disobedience.

But we live in times where the question of obedience to the governing authorities is more pressing than ever��

All around the world we are witnessing the rise of the “strongman�� �� brutal leaders like Putin, Erdoğan, Duterte and Cambodia’s Hun Sen, who has been in power for 36 years. These are hard-line men who rule with little regard for justice or the downtrodden. I know what it’s like to live under an iron fist, because I’ve lived in Cambodia for 15 years.

Meanwhile, there are mandates around vaccines, vaccine passes and meeting together in large groups, here in Cambodia and around the world. Do we follow these government rules because the Bible preaches obedience no matter what - or is there a deeper principle at stake?

I’m concerned that if we don’t get this right, we could easily end up at one of two extremes.

On the one hand we could find ourselves treading the path of the German church under Hitler’s Nazi government. In those days, too many good citizens �� good Christians! - stood by, while their vulnerable neighbors were crushed by the governing authorities.

On the other hand, there are those who in the past year have refused to comply with common-sense laws, in the name of protecting their individual “freedom��. Some have prioritized their own personal rights over loving their neighbors through simple public health practices.

So, let’s take a closer look at these passages and see what they really say about obeying the authorities��

After Jesus�� death and resurrection, King Herod got super mad and arrested some of the believers, including James and Peter, and put them on public trial. The night before the trial, an angel of the Lord woke Peter up, removed his chains, opened the prison doors and led him out the main gate of the prison.

Yet after escaping from jail, where he had been imprisoned for breaking the law, Peter went on to write in a letter:

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to the governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.��

And similarly, while Paul was in Damascus, he escaped from a strongman city governor who was trying to arrest him, by concealing himself in a picnic basket and having himself lowered down the city wall through a window.

Then after reaching safety, Paul wrote a surprising letter:

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities which exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.��

So are Peter and Paul hypocrites, asking Christians to do as they say, but not as they do?

The key to understanding this teaching, is in the word "submit". Take a look at this. The Greek word hupo-tasso, which has been translated as “submit�� or “be subject,�� literally means to arrange stuff respectfully in an "orderly manner underneath".

This simple meaning of "social orderliness" would have been understood by original readers, but it is a little obscured in our English translation.

This word is used in Ephesians 5:22 to encourage husbands and wives to submit to one another, and it reflects God’s concern for order and respect.

Here’s the main point �� Paul and Peter believed that governing authorities are necessary for keeping the peace and maintaining the common good during times of turmoil (such as during a pandemic). God is a God of order �� not anarchy or chaos.

But here’s where we go wrong. There’s ANOTHER word, hupo-kouo, which is best translated as ��obey,�� which literally means to conform, to follow a command, or to kowtow to an authority as a subordinate.

Peter and Paul could have used this word, "obey," but they chose not to.

Used twenty-one times in the New Testament, hupo-kouo always suggests a hierarchical context, as in the relationship between children and parents, or slaves, and masters (Eph 6:1 and 6:5).

And so here’s the most important thing to remember - in the New Testament Greek, to submit does NOT necessarily mean to obey! They are two separate actions or postures.

Though Paul, Peter and other followers of Jesus deliberately disobeyed laws that were in conflict with God’s commands - especially when those laws hurt the poor or vulnerable, they still submitted to the authorities by accepting the legal consequences of their actions.

So what does this look like in practice? I’m proud to be friends with a bunch of clergy, activists and other serious Christian types who are willing to pursue justice in costly ways. Some of them stage hippie sit-ins on the floor of their local government representative’s office to protest unjust treatment of refugees. Others chain themselves to bulldozers to protest environmental injustice.

Forgive me father for you are under arrest.

These people of faith stand up for justice consistently, and with humility, whenever it affects the downtrodden. They sacrifice for the exploited, and the marginalized. They proclaim Good News for the poor!

This is nothing particularly new. As far back as the book of Exodus, the Hebrew midwives refused to carry out the Pharaoh’s repugnant order to murder newborn babies.

The first people who sought to worship Jesus, a trio of spiritual gurus from Asia, deliberately disobeyed the orders of King Herod, a criminal offence punishable by death (and the first recorded act of civil disobedience in the New Testament). Later, many of the disciples, Jesus�� first followers, ended up in prison or executed.

As Christians, the law simply cannot be our ultimate moral guide. Slavery was lawful. The holocaust was legal. Segregation and apartheid were legally sanctioned. Many of today's laws are created to protect corporations rather than people. Simply put, the law does not dictate our ethics. God does. And God’s only law is love.

But, when my radical clergy friends break unjust laws you won’t see them struggling to avoid arrest. You won’t see them acting violently or promoting chaos. You don’t see them throwing tantrums in supermarkets or screaming about their personal rights. In fact, they gladly submit to the legal consequences of their actions.

These heroes show us the way to interpret Romans 13 as Peter and Paul meant - if we break an unjust law to highlight and protest its injustice, we should be willing to submit to the punishment for breaking such laws, so that we demonstrate our respect for the role of government in general.

We do not follow a God of chaos, each doing whatever we want - but a God of order and respect for one another and the governing authorities.

So what about today’s pandemic situation?

In pandemic times, as in all times, we must do what is most loving for the poor and the marginalized - no matter what the government says. Specifically, we must act out of abundant concern for the immuno-compromised and elderly. I don’t need a law to tell me that, but hopefully the law will be a good guide.

In my observation almost all governments - yes including the Cambodian government - are generally trying their best to keep folks alive, according to the best of their current scientific knowledge (here’s an example of the ). And so I support their efforts. Mandates, rules and regulations can help ensure that the most vulnerable are protected from a virus that will disproportionately affect them. Just as we have used to control polio, measles, whooping cough and rubella for decades.

I’ve lost too many friends to COVID-19 to mess around on this issue.

Are there times when we, as followers of Christ, will be called upon to stand up with a holy ‘NO!�� in the face of evil and injustice? Yes! We will know when that time has arrived because it will be the poor and vulnerable who are being disadvantaged and hurt - not just our sense of individual “freedom�� (which is a Western obsession, not a Biblical priority).

Until then, let us in all humility submit to the governing authorities, agree to the consequences if we choose to break the law, and respect the role of the government in maintaining order.

It strikes me that the key Biblical theme here is not obedience, but love. Love for God and love for our neighbors.

Let love be your guide.

Let love be your law.

And may God be with you.

Justice is mentioned only once in one Top 25 song. In contrast, the Hebrew word for justice “Mishpat�� alone can be found 65 times in 33 different different Psalms.

The poor are completely absent in the Top 25. By contrast, the Psalter uses varied language to describe the poor on nearly every page.

The widow, refugees, and the oppressed are completely absent from the Top 25. The orphan gets two mentions, one occurrence of which appears to refer to a "spiritual" orphan.

Whereas "enemies" are the third most common character in the Psalms, they rarely show up in the Top 25. When they do, they appear to be enemies only in a spiritual sense.

Maybe most devastatingly, in the Top 25, not a SINGLE question is ever posed to God. The Top 25 never ask God anything. Prick the Psalter and it bleeds the cries of the oppressed pleading with God to act. This is completely lacking in the Top 25.

Rhodes goes on to say, “Indeed, there is very little evidence that the Top 25 are ever speaking clearly about situations of social and economic harm. ‘Are you hurting and broken WITHIN�� sums up the way these songs transform the holistic nature of the psalms into songs about spiritual healing.

Worse yet, we deny the poor and oppressed the "First Amendment Right" to protest the psalms offer them. Meanwhile, those of us who are not poor and oppressed continue to refuse to learn how to mourn and protest alongside them.��

My hair looks windswept like this, cos I've been out on the mountain top again...

Church worship is one of those things that everybody loves to complain about. I take my hat off to worship leaders - who have to navigate the complaints of all the pew experts... The music is always too loud or too soft, too old fashioned or too rockin'. There's just no pleasing some Christians.

But most of these complaints are about the form of worship not the function - the style rather than the substance. Which ultimately is just personal preference.

But when the substance of our worship drifts off course, as Rhodes points out, it's a MAJOR problem. With that in mind, I want to offer 3 ways we can begin to address this brokenness in our worship��

My friend Ash Barker is fond of critiquing the "Jesus is my boyfriend" type of song that treats worship solely as an intimate emotional experience between me and God. Close your eyes, pretend there is no-one else in the room but you and God.

The thing is, it can be that. Worship can be a beautiful intimate moment of love between you and God. We all long sometimes for that emotional intensity in music. That's why love songs are the basis of 90% of pop music.

But that's not ALL it should be. Otherwise, what's the point of all those other people all around you taking up space with their eyes closed?

After a year of trying to worship awkwardly on Zoom, we all know that there is something powerful that happens when the People of God come together to worship Him as a group. When we sing "We worship You" instead of "I worship You" something significant takes place as three or more, gathered in His Name, choose to worship God together.

A lot of churches I know do celebration really well. It's fun. It's lively. It's exhausting. They're all about the trumpets and the joy and the triumph. They love to party in God's presence! And yes, celebration is GOOD. Sometimes it is wonderful.

But as Pete Rollins points out, a church that only knows how to celebrate can become like a spiritual crack house - a place we go to get our regular fix, our weekly high (which has to get more and more intense in order to give the same satisfaction). Then we come back down to the real world on Monday morning and wait desperately until we can get our next Sunday fix.

But that's not a healthy or balanced way to live our lives with God. God calls us to mourn with those who mourn - and sometimes WE are those who mourn. Sometimes the world is all messed up. Sometimes it's a broken, evil place and His Kingdom has not yet come in full.

Those of us who work with the poor know this deeply - there are days, even seasons, when we simply need to weep. And going to a party, when your best friend just died of cancer, just feels awful.

The Psalms are fully one-third lament and yet sadly a lot of churches don't even know what that word means. When was the last time you heard a sermon about lament? I suspect a lot of us would be pretty uncomfortable if Jesus came to our church and wept. But if covid has taught us anything, it should be that we are all tied togther - in our rejoicing AND our suffering.

So let's learn together to cry out to God in pain and brokenness, as well as celebrate and party.

“Jump around. Jump around. Jump up, jump up, and get down.�� (worship lyrics by the House of Pain)

As Rhodes points out, most of the Top 25 songs are written by a handful of organizations �� Bethel, Hillsong, Elevation He laments that the church has put the production of what we sing into the hands of professionals, “if those professionals keep writing songs that just edit out enormous portions of the biblical language of worship, churches will have to fire them and find other resources OR our worshiping lives will be impoverished.��

I get it - we serve God with our best. We're all about excellence. We offer our finest gifts up to Him.

But where does that leave the poor, the broken, the youngest and most vulnerable during our highly choreographed church services? Sadly, we often leave them further marginalized and relegated to being our adoring audience.

We serve a God who took a small child and placed that child in the midst of all.

We serve a God who was deeply encouraged by the pathetic offering of an impoverished old widow.

We serve a God who loved the broken prayer of an outcast more than the confident eloquence of a pharisee.

And that should be reflected in our worship. God doesn't care if our songs are off-key - He cares if our songs are offered whole-heartedly.

Sometimes our drive for excellence can end up excluding those who God calls us to make central.

As churches begin to meet again, perhaps we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to rethink how we worship. The devastation of this last year (especially for the poor) is cause for lament, even as we celebrate the good things. We now realize how much we need each other - how special it is to even be able to worship together corporately in one place (not just over Zoom). So let our worship music reflect these truths.

I’ll leave the last word to Rhodes, since he sparked this post:

“Pastors, worship leaders, song writers, professors, small group leaders: we have a God given mandate to help people learn to pray and sing. And if we're relying primarily on the Top 25 (or many typical hymnals/lectionaries, etc), we will fail. Period.��