What Do You Do With All That Money?

I was asked twice again yesterday. It's a pretty common question, actually. Just how do we allocate our missions spending at KACC? How do we know where and whom to support? Do we have a structure, a plan, a strategy for our financial investments throughout the world?

There's a lot to be said about this topic, more than I will cover in this post alone. But I do think it's important to share the overarching support strategy of our Global Missions Team.

It begins with a statistic I heard back in 1990. It was that as much as 95% of all money designated for missions in U.S. churches never leaves the U.S. 95%! How can that be?! But when I considered the kinds of projects that end up in the missions category (camps, Bible colleges, scholarships, local church planting, etc.) I realized that this number just might be pretty accurate. I thought then that if I were to ever be responsible for a church's missions budget, I would make sure that such a number could never apply to us.

When I arrived at KACC eight years ago, I found a healthy missions budget (10% of the giving) that was spread throughout the world, but without a lot of specific intent or strategy. During my time here, we have refined our thinking about how we are going to make a world of diffrence. First, we determined that at least 2/3 of our budget would go to regular support of missionaries and projects (the remaining 1/3 to be used for our ministry's local expenses- benevolence, operations, urban, etc.). We then chose to use Jesus' words in Acts 1:8b as our model for financial distribution:

"...and you will be my witnesses, in Jeruslam, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

We chose to align our support along these four quadrants, with present-day designations for the areas Jesus mentioned, and a percentage of our giving assigned to each area:
> Jerusalem= California (local)- 15%
> Judea= the United States (national)- 15%
> Samaria= the western world- 25%
> ends of the earth= the rest of the world- 45%

Our current missionaries/projects were then placed in their corresponding geographical "pockets" and (unbelievably) everyone/thing fit perfectly! Now we have a global paradigm that helps us maintain a balance in our giving, and allows us to actively seek out new opportunities when we have the opening to do so. It's not a perfect system, by any means, but it does give us discernible shape and tangible guidelines as we seek God's direction for our church's involvement, whether around the corner or around the world.

Jesus told us in Matthew 6:21 that where we place our treasure is where we'll find our hearts. At KACC we want to have a heart for the world, just as God does. So we're trying to making sure our treasure is invested, not only outside our front door, but throughout the earth.

After all, don't you suppose it's all just outside God's front door?

On the Road to Atascadero

One of the closer GO! Team trips that we make is to the Atascadero Christian Home, located a few hours north of us on the central California coast. This missions opportunity is unique from all others that we make because the people group is that of senior citizens- those who have chosen (or need) to reside in an assisted living situation. The facility contains both assisted living units and a hospital facility.

Our team will spend four days (Oct. 2-6) serving the needs of ACH. There are projects (gardening, painting, building, repair, etc.) to be done throughout the grounds, and opportunities to spend time with the residents. That's important, since several of them have few or no visitors. The connections we make give us the chance to share with many the love and need of Jesus (residents and workers there don't necessarily know Him) in their lives. And that's so important, since many of these folks are close to meeting Jesus anyway.

Please keep this team in prayer as they gather themselves and prepare to go. We will post their picture soon. Pray that they will be bold in their witness and find those chances to both demonstrate and speak the truth of the Gospel. This is a "cross-cultural" experience of a different kind, but as much a challenge and a joy as anywhere else in this world.

For more info about the Atascadero Christian Home, go to www.pacificchristianhomes.org.

What's Cookin'?

There are lots of ways to enjoy cross-cultural experiences while remaining close to home. One of the easiest and more interesting is to find restaurants of different cultures and enjoy their cuisine and atmosphere. I want to tell you of two great places to eat in our immediate area- places that not only give you a taste of another land (sorry for such a lousy pun), but can also put you in touch with people whose backgrounds and experiences can be a delight to learn about.

Restaurant #1 is called Andaluz, 930 S. Brookhurst Avenue (just north of Ball Rd.) in Anaheim. It's Mediterranean/Lebanese in style, with a Muslim flair, and is outstanding. Under new management, the owner has made great improvements, both in the property and in the quality of food served. It's clean, food is served quickly and staff is very friendly. I've only had lunch there, but I can heartily recommend the shawarma (beef and chicken), kefala, kabob, and chicken tawouk sandwiches. Make sure you order hummus as well. Lunch prices are medium (two can eat for under $20) and the ambiance is authentic.

Restaurant #2 is called Merhaba, 2801 W. Ball Road, (corner of Dale and Ball), also in Anaheim. This establishment serves Ethiopian/Eritrean food, and it may be unlike anything you've ever experienced. If you order a combination plate of meat and vegetables (it says it serves 2, but can handle at least 3) you'll receive a generous helping of unfamiliar-looking delights. There is no silverware (unless you request it), as you "scoop" up your food with pieces of a bread-like offering (sorry, forgot the name). Works just fine. You will need a bit more time to eat here, and a bit more money, as it is a little pricey (about $30 for two for lunch, if you have a combo plate). The atmosphere is genuinely east African, the workers (and patrons) are friendly and happy to share their culture, and the experience rewarding.

The purpose of this post is not to critique local eateries, but to encourage you to step out of your zone of familiarity and try something new. And the reason to do so is not simply to consume strange offerings, but to expand your cultural borders and seek to understand new places, customs and people. The best part of these places? The people you meet there and the opportunity to establish relationships that could lead to a chance to talk about spiritual food. But it'll never happen unless you go ahead and give it shot. There's little to lose and a lot to gain (another pun, sorry)...and you may find your cross-cultural opportunity just up around the corner!

Happy eating!

Can You Give Hope?

Our church has a special relationship with Tumaini (the Kiswahili word for hope) International Ministries in Kenya. Tumaini was started by Dr. Stanley and Rose Mutunga for the purpose of assisting AIDS orphans in that country (there are about 2 million there currently). Their goal was to make sure kids who had lost one or both parents, and who were living with extended family or neighbors, would be able to continue with life and education, and have the opportunity to succeed in spite of their circumstances. Their plan was to use sponsorship ($30.00 monthly) to help kids with basic needs and expenses while allowing them to remain within family and community (as opposed to being placed in orphanages, which often have negative impact in community-based cultures such as Kenya).

I know that there are many solid organizations (e.g. World Vision, Compassion International) which do similar works, and that's good, because it's going to take all of us doing all we can to make the difference in place like Kenya. But let me share a couple of reasons why I believe Tumaini makes such great sense:

1. The entire amount you send for sponsorship goes to your child! Nothing is taken out for administrative costs, as Tumaini raises that money separately;

2. It's a grass-roots movement with no layers of bureaucracy. This helps foster a very personal relationship between you and your child, and means that you can find out how and what the child you are sponsoring is doing;

3. It is a "easy" matter for you to make personal connection with your child! We have taken teams to Kenya for three years now, and have been able to sit with the children we sponsor, getting to know them, their families and their situation. I know what my child (his name is Mutinda) is going through, and we have talked and prayed together. I know his grandmother and his brother, and I know that the assistance we provide is getting where it is supposed to go.

All this to say that you could sponsor someone in Kenya and make a lifetime of difference for him or her. And if you can't afford it alone, buddy up with others and do it together. I bring this to your attention because I believe in the need, I believe in Tumaini's plan as a solution (at least in part) to the need, and I believe in our ability to meet the need.

To find out more, go to http://www.tumainiinternational.org/. Or contact me and I'll tell you more about this blessing. And if you have a moment, check out our video of the 2006 KACC Kenya Team:

Where To Next?

We are officially back into our own "home" culture, finally reconnected with what is most familiar to us. During our summer, some of us were introduced (or reacquainted) with a different way of life. Whether it was life in Kenya, Samoa or Australia, we found a different way of doing things, but even more striking, a different way of looking at things. My hope, as one who helps design these kinds of experiences for others, is that even though we return to what is familiar, we will never return to doing things or looking at things like we used to. Our goal is not only that we help change the world in some small way, but that we will be changed as we open our eyes and hearts to what God is doing around us.

As we steam into the fall, we still have trips on our schedule. We will take a team to Atascadero (central California coast) in October, and a team to the San Carlos Apache Reservation (eastern Arizona) in November. The Atascadero team will work with a convalescent and retirement center, and the Arizona team will partner with Arizona Reservation Ministries. There are still a few spots open on each team, but they will fill quickly, so contact us if you're interested.

More importantly than where we are going is where you are going as you finish out 2008. Always remember that you don't have to get on an airplane, cross an ocean or acquire a passport in order to reach out. Your next "trip" may begin right outside your front door. We have talked about "sending servants" from KACC for several years now. Unfortunately, some still think that this means engaging in some herculean effort to travel halfway around the world in order to do what, in reality, you are called to do every day wherever you are. Your mission field is wherever God has you in the moment. So don't wait for some special call- you've been called AND placed! Make the most of it. And may you never be the same.