Perspectives Perspective

Many are wondering how the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class on Sunday nights is going.  Well, glad you asked.  In one short word: Fantastic! Although I have taught the Vision for the Nations class, the in depth level of this class is amazing.  Our first speaker, Dr. Gerald Robison, co-author of Cat and Dog theology shared about the theme of the book and how there are two types of Christians in this world:  Cats and Dogs.  Cat Christians are those who when the Master feeds them, pets them, takes care of them, they turn around and say “IT IS ALL ABOUT ME!”; where as Dogs, when they are pet, fed, taken care of say, “IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MASTER!”  How can I serve the Master?, etc. 

 

In the same way, we look at Christianity in two ways.  Is God the big vending machine in the sky, catering to my every want and need or do we exist to serve, to love and glorify HIM?  Dr. Robison gave a challenging and convicting message on how we view serving the master. Is it to give him glory for the sake of His name or are we living lives that revolve around us.

 

Our next class, taught by Art Sanborn was equally engaging.  Pastor Sanborn was a church planter and teacher in South East Asia for many years and now directs the YWAM Tampa base.  He is a man with a big vision because he serves a big God. Art was healed of an injury that left him a quadriplegic.  Currently, he and his family are working on a full Broadway play called Judah Ben-Hur and even have a multi million dollar set and a cast that did their first production in Singapore.  They hope to open in NYC so they can tour through closed countries. His amazing stories about how worship and prayer made radical inroads into the spiritual and physical realm of entire areas of Thailand and Malaysia.  His stories emphasized our current readings on how “Missions exist because worship doesn’t”. The premise is that God, for the sake of who He is, deserves to be worshipped and as we truly worship, when we are most satisfied in Him, only then do we experience our greatest joy.  And amazing works of God get done at the same time!  Strongholds are ripped down, spiritual oppression ceases, battles are won!  Art presented us with incredible examples from his missionary experience and each one of us was freshly challenged in a new way.  This weekend, Don Richardson of Peace Child fame is our guest speaker.