Last night I watched the movie Avatar, which if you have not yet seen it is amazing. James Cameron did a great job in creating a believable alien world of plants, animals, and a native population called the Na’vi. While thinking about the Na’vi and how real they seemed, a thought crossed my mind that made me see how unrealistic the portrayal of them actually was. And this little omission highlights a part of our worldview that has an important impact on the subject of missions.

Adoniram Judson was a famous missionary to Burma(Myanmar) during the mid 1800’s. In reading about Judson I came across a letter that he wrote to a missionary association in America with ten bits of advice for those considering missions. I thought some of these were very interesting and useful to those involved in missions today. Here they are, and I have highlighted the most interesting and convicting points:

Imagine that you suddenly received a calling to be a missionary. God has been working on your heart and maybe you even know that you are going to be a missionary in India. So now its time to start making plans. Oh, wait. What about the $300 car payment, $1,100 mortgage payment, $35,000 student loan, and the $5,000 in credit card debt?

Many of our missionaries have told us how blessed they are by the free websites we provide. They are so amazed by the many features and excellent support provided free of charge. Until now we have paid for all of this with our own time and money, so we have created a way to continue to provide the same great features for free, but still pay the bills.

Announcing Supporters, website sponsorship, and our new help system!

On one of my recent journeys, as I gazed from the coach window I was led into a train of thought concerning the conditions of the multitudes around me. They were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare. As I looked out the window, I seemed to see them all… millions of people all around me given up to their drink and their pleasure, their dancing and their music, their business and their anxieties, their politics and their troubles. While my mind was thus engaged, I had a vision.

What are the things we should be doing as Christians while we are on this earth now? Here are some of the common answers I have heard when asking this question: Prayer/Intercession, Worship, Fellowship, Evangelism/Missions, Bible Study, Becoming more Christ-like. But there is only one thing that can only be done while we are still here on earth.

When you are going to the field as a missionary it can be very hard on your parents and close family. In many cases it is your parents who are worried the most. And there are always some family members who just can’t understand why you have to go away across the world where they think you will get some tropical disease or killed by terrorists. So other than praying for your family members, here are some tips on dealing with them and making your calling to missions much easier to handle.

Finding and purchasing plane tickets is one of the most needed skills for any missionary. The Internet has enabled anyone to be their own travel agent, and there are thousands of websites out there that all claim to help you find the cheapest airfare. A common question I hear is “what website do you use to get those super-cheap tickets?”.

Also, find out my most protected travel secret that will enable you to fly for free!

The other night I was eating at a restaurant near downtown Dallas with my family. There was an older couple sitting in the table next to us. They asked us to take their picture for them, and after dinner the gentleman asked my wife if we were in missions because he had overheard us talking about smuggling Bibles into China. He then introduced his wife to us. “You know who this is don’t you? This is Elisabeth Elliot!”

The story of the Tower of Babel is one of the most interesting in the Bible. It details some of the earliest known history right after the great flood, and the creation of the languages of the world. But this story is also shrouded in some mystery. How many of you can truly say that you understand WHY God judged the people of Babel. Why did God create the languages of the world? And what about this story can possibly apply to your life today? Listen after the jump »

A while back I received an email from a missionary with a their news/prayer letter attached as a PDF. Wanting to encourage them, I replied with a quick personal note and sent it off. Unfortunately, I clicked “Reply to All” instead of “Reply”, so my personal message was sent out to the missionary’s entire list of supporters. What an embarrassment! And I’m sure those supporters did not appreciate getting a random email from a stranger.

This all could have been avoided by the missionary using Bcc, or Blind Carbon Copy. Bcc is…

As a missionary you likely send out a paper newsletter on a regular basis to your supporters. But what about when you want to save some postage or get a copy to a new contact or supporter quickly? Those who don’t know better often try to attach a copy of their Microsoft Word or Publisher newsletter to an email. The problem is that there is a high likelihood that the recipient might not have the software installed to view it.

So when we read and study the Bible, we normally stick to one subject or narrative. Very rarely do we step back, zoom out, and adjust our focus to see the big picture. There are underlying themes or threads that run throughout the scriptures that can affect the way we interpret everything. These are the teachings I love and thrive on. The ones that make you rethink everything you’ve read in the scriptures, and make everything fresh again.

This message is one of these kind of teachings. It is …

Now that you are a Christian, why are you here on earth now? What is our purpose? Are we just waiting for Christ’s return, or is He waiting on us? What is delaying the return of Christ?

Listen after the jump »

I just heard some great news about gmail that should be of great interest to those on the missions field. If you don’t know about Gmail, it is a free web-based email service provided by Google.

Gmail has just introduced a new feature that should really make it the best choice for missionaries. You can now force your Gmail connection to use 128 bit SSL encryption …

A warm welcome to all! This is the start of the official MissionsPlace blog. I will soon be posting Bible teachings relating to missions, the Great Commission, and subjects that all Christians should know.
I also plan to post regularly with tech tips that should prove useful to missionaries on the field and at home.

In Christ,
Aaron [...]