February 2019 New Horizons

The Case for Short-Term Missions

by David P. Nakhla

When someone asks you to consider a short-term mission trip, you may immediately think of the reasons not to go. “I don’t have anything to offer,” you may respond. Or perhaps, “There are others much more qualified to go.” Maybe you have limited vacation time, or maybe you just don’t think you’re the adventurous type. Perhaps you’re not sure that a short-term mission trip would be the best use of your funds. The many reasons not to participate come readily to our minds. And they certainly may be legitimate. However, if you have never actually participated in a short-term mission trip, you may not be aware of the reasons why you should go. In an attempt to allow you to weigh both sides of such a decision, let me make the case for participating in a short-term mission trip. While on the Trip Short-term missions will stretch you in good and healthy ways. You are likely to make friends both on your team and on the field. If the believers you meet on your short-term mission trip ... Read more

Serving for the Selfie?

by T. Nathan Trice

Compassion is cool these days. During the last “Giving Tuesday,” Facebook and PayPal partnered to match personal charitable donations. According to a spokesman for Facebook, “within a matter of seconds,” the match limit had been reached: Americans had contributed $7 million. We are comparatively generous with our time as well. The US government estimates that 25 percent of Americans volunteer time for charitable causes at an average of fifty hours per year, particularly for collecting and distributing food to the poor. Giving and serving on behalf of the needy is widely valued in our society, and as Christians we should be glad for this. The Pitfall of Pride But the sheer popularity of showing compassion also creates complexities for Christians seeking to minister to the poor in a Christ-honoring way. In a society like ours, the motive of self-promotion can easily enter into otherwise noble acts of service. The pride of the Pharisees, who practiced their righteousness “before other people ... Read more

Reflections on My Service with the CDM

by Lendall H. Smith

I have been invited to provide some reflections on my service with the Committee on Diaconal Ministries (CDM). Before my retirement last year, I served the CDM for twelve years, nine of those as president. It was a time of great growth and expansion in the vision of the CDM, a season both challenging and immensely rewarding. When I was elected to the committee, its members were beginning to consider how the CDM could enhance its service to the church. They understood that the CDM, like the local diaconate, was called to a position of assistance and not prominence, in order to preserve the priority of the church’s ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:3–4). But they were also eager to develop the potential within the committee and to increase its ministry in the denomination. It was an exciting time to take my place among these brothers. Increasing the Ministry of the CDM One initial step in those days involved the process for submitting requests for financial assistance to the CDM. The CDM ... Read more

Diaconal Wisdom from Diaconal Veterans

by Christopher A. Sudlow

What do deacons do? What is their ministry and service? What is required of their calling? Deacons are called to be servants, to be helpful in times of need, to make difficult judgments, to come alongside both saints and unbelievers, and to demonstrate the compassion of Christ our King. Most of what deacons do is plain and ordinary hard work, done in quiet and behind the scenes, requiring energy and time spent away from their families. As one deacon put it, deacons need to maintain an attitude of willingness and service, not begrudging the tediousness of the work, but going forward with the heart of Christ toward others. Diaconal work may not be glamorous, but it is glorious. I reached out to several OPC deacons with fifteen or more years of experience to get their perspective on their work and calling. My interaction with these men was a great encouragement to me, and their wisdom, based on long years of service, was very instructive. How were you called to be a deacon, and how has that calling ... Read more