Circling the World for Christ or Commerce?

Posted by: The Rev. Mark Sholander Posted Date: 03/10/2011

 

I just finished the book, Over the Edge of the World an amazing account of Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe (thank you Michael for passing this along to me).
 
Once he had obtained sponsorship of his expedition, Magellan assembled a crew of 238 men and an armada of five ships.  This true story of adventure includes sickness, mutinies and warfare, not to mention the tremendous weather challenges of entering uncharted waters.
 
It was amazing how incidental human life was to these explorers as they abducted or assailed native peoples. Should an islander express any willingness to become “European” they would be quickly baptized and made Christian despite the inability of both parties to communicate with one another.
 
How little things have changed since 1519 when the gospel is taken to unreached peoples.  Of course the violence is gone, but “conversions” are often accompanied by demands for the newly baptized to leave their homes, families and cultures instead of being equipped to remain to evangelize their communities (Mark 5).
Perhaps as we follow Jesus’ Great Commission we should more closely follow His great example and “. . . have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” Philippians 2:5-8

Circling the World for Christ or Commerce?

Posted by: The Rev. Mark Sholander Posted Date: 03/10/2011

 

I just finished the book, Over the Edge of the World an amazing account of Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe (thank you Michael for passing this along to me).
 
Once he had obtained sponsorship of his expedition, Magellan assembled a crew of 238 men and an armada of five ships.  This true story of adventure includes sickness, mutinies and warfare, not to mention the tremendous weather challenges of entering uncharted waters.
 
It was amazing how incidental human life was to these explorers as they abducted or assailed native peoples. Should an islander express any willingness to become “European” they would be quickly baptized and made Christian despite the inability of both parties to communicate with one another.
 
How little things have changed since 1519 when the gospel is taken to unreached peoples.  Of course the violence is gone, but “conversions” are often accompanied by demands for the newly baptized to leave their homes, families and cultures instead of being equipped to remain to evangelize their communities (Mark 5).
Perhaps as we follow Jesus’ Great Commission we should more closely follow His great example and “. . . have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” Philippians 2:5-8

Circling the World for Christ or Commerce?

Posted by: The Rev. Mark Sholander Posted Date: 03/10/2011

 

I just finished the book, Over the Edge of the World an amazing account of Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe (thank you Michael for passing this along to me).
 
Once he had obtained sponsorship of his expedition, Magellan assembled a crew of 238 men and an armada of five ships.  This true story of adventure includes sickness, mutinies and warfare, not to mention the tremendous weather challenges of entering uncharted waters.
 
It was amazing how incidental human life was to these explorers as they abducted or assailed native peoples. Should an islander express any willingness to become “European” they would be quickly baptized and made Christian despite the inability of both parties to communicate with one another.
 
How little things have changed since 1519 when the gospel is taken to unreached peoples.  Of course the violence is gone, but “conversions” are often accompanied by demands for the newly baptized to leave their homes, families and cultures instead of being equipped to remain to evangelize their communities (Mark 5).
Perhaps as we follow Jesus’ Great Commission we should more closely follow His great example and “. . . have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” Philippians 2:5-8

Circling the World for Christ or Commerce?

Posted by: The Rev. Mark Sholander Posted Date: 03/10/2011

 

I just finished the book, Over the Edge of the World an amazing account of Magellan’s circumnavigation of the globe (thank you Michael for passing this along to me).
 
Once he had obtained sponsorship of his expedition, Magellan assembled a crew of 238 men and an armada of five ships.  This true story of adventure includes sickness, mutinies and warfare, not to mention the tremendous weather challenges of entering uncharted waters.
 
It was amazing how incidental human life was to these explorers as they abducted or assailed native peoples. Should an islander express any willingness to become “European” they would be quickly baptized and made Christian despite the inability of both parties to communicate with one another.
 
How little things have changed since 1519 when the gospel is taken to unreached peoples.  Of course the violence is gone, but “conversions” are often accompanied by demands for the newly baptized to leave their homes, families and cultures instead of being equipped to remain to evangelize their communities (Mark 5).
Perhaps as we follow Jesus’ Great Commission we should more closely follow His great example and “. . . have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” Philippians 2:5-8

Stress Awareness

Posted by: Christ the Redeemer Church Posted Date: 01/25/2011

I came across an interesting article recently following the amazing story of the 33 men who were trapped in a Chilean mine for 69 days. Among the international agencies that came to assist in the rescue was the U.S. National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) which designed the escape capsule “Phoenix” and shared medical and behavioral care based on its expertise.
 
Dr. Michael Duncan, the deputy chief medical officer at the Johnson Space Center in Houston was quoted “Anytime you are in a stressful circumstance, there can be imbalances in the immune system, and those can result in latent virus reactivation.”
 
We should become more sensitive and aware of the stressors that face our families, church and selves. The damage that they can cause are not limited to our minds but to our bodies as well!