Marge and I have been thinking through and process what we believe to be God’s call on our lives for missions since April. You’d think that there wouldn’t be that much work to do in order to make such a decision. I’ve been known to say, “Is you is or is you aint?” Nike says “Just do it”.
So what does it take to make such a decision, and is that decision characterized by a yes or no?There isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s not like flipping on a light switch or signing on the dotted line, but a series of decisions, an extended time of assessing me, my life, and my relationship with God. So as part of that my wife and I registered to attend an event hosted by the Baptist General conference (BGC). The event is called the Missionary Assessment Center. From the schedule on the BGC website, it looks like there are several of these each year hosted by BGC churches in a variety of areas.
The registration form…… it was more like a registration process (ordeal?) was as rigorous as if we were applying to be BGC missionaries. In order to register for the event there was a three part application. The first part was a 10 page General information form covering everything from job and school history, family history (including what they do), health, giftedness, doctrinal beliefs, etc. The second part was two write a two page testimony of your Christian faith, and the third section was a set of confidential question about everything “Do you have a criminal record” to “where you sexually active before marriage”.
After the registration packet we had to provide about 15 references. Our references where asked thorough questions about our character and faith. Finally we completed three professional personality and marriage tests that will be assessed by a professional counselor.Marge looked at me this morning and said, “These people already know a lot about us.” I think that there are about eight people attending this (don’t know for sure), and then a BGC staff and contracted professionals who make up a team of “assessors”. That is truly one aspect of this event: To give us an unbiased, undiluted assessment of our readiness and giftedness for the life of a foreign missionary. I’m hoping and expecting that they will ask a lot of hard questions, and be quite forthright about the areas in which Marge and I will struggle. Moving to a culture foreign to my own will create stress, regardless of how much I may love it or love what I do there. Working in ministry in a third world country also creates stress. What am I saying; being in ministry in the U.S. is stressful. Pastors and church leaders get bashed around all of the time, and that’s by their own church members.So, it seems to me that “Forewarned is forearmed”, and hopefully we will be given some wise counsel on how to best prepare and guard ourselves.
So, Marge spent several weeks arranging for the children’s care in our absence. She arranged for a woman from church to come stay with us and provided her with very detailed information. I charted out our route to get there and made sure that Marge got all the info on the hotel, etc.
We said goodbye to the children after the morning service at Bethel and sent them off to Sunday school. It was actually easier for them to say goodbye at church than at home. The morning service was a rich send off. The music seemed to be moving and subtle and drew me toward a sense of worship even though I was playing drums. I especially enjoyed it since Michael has taken up the percussion (conga, tambourine, shaker) while I holding down the drums. It’s been an opportunity for me to teach and learn as Michael has a growing musical ability that compliments mine. There was a song called Grace Flows Down that sounds like a touching jazz ballad to me. It’s very smooth, and the lyrics are such that it would be easy for the percussion to prove distracting. Michael held down the percussion with the conga, and I abandoned the drums in favor of shaker and light decoration with the tambourine. It add to the soothing qualities of the song in a way a smooth jazz song can help you unwind. The lyrics took that soothing quality and steered it toward the comfort of God’s grace flowing down to us. I feel privileged to be part of music in church that way.
After a challenging message from Moises Gomes (missionary in Portugal), Marge and I said our goodbyes, gave a friend a ride home (it was on our way), and hit the highway. That first turn on to the highway was the hardest part. Driving on to the highway felt like hitting the point of no return. It wasn’t really, but it felt like it.
Other than getting stuck in traffic near Chicago, we sailed along enjoying each others company. We talked our hearts out, and it was really good. I can’t even remember everything we spoke about, but it is just so good to spend time with my wife, and talk through . . . . everything.
We made it all the way to St. Paul in one shot, enjoyed a swim and had a great night’s sleep.This morning I got up early and worked out, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and time to read, and think in our room.
We’re about to head for lunch and then on to a noon start for the MAC. I’m nervous about it. I’ll let you all know how it turns out.
Adam
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