Lean Manufacturing and Missions

A random fact you may not know about me. I’ve worked in large corporations, and have experience working in ‘lean six sigma environments’. I’ve managed projects based on Six Sigma principles, and managed teams based on lean principles to make them more efficient.

Great! I hear you say. What is that?

Much of my work used to be (and to some extent in my current role still is) about process improvement. Removing waste from a process so that it is more efficient, faster, and more cost effective – without any loss in quality. Often, by removing the waste in a process, you actually get a better product in the end for less cost and time. That is lean six sigma in action.

Great! I hear again. So what?

I’ve been thinking recently a lot about the Great Commission (as you will know if you are a regular reader). I’ve also been thinking a lot about ‘churches’ (in this case, meaning the organizations we use to define church), and I think we have a lot of waste in our process.

And I am not the only one thinking it.

Today a post came along on Dave Black’s site regarding church planting in foreign countries - Can We Please Do Church Planting Cooperatively?

Dave has some great points, as usual. In his post, he poses this question -

How can we justify sending our well-paid church planters to Ethiopia when Ethiopian evangelists and church planters are eager to do the work themselves at a fraction of the cost?

Why do we send ‘expensive’ missionaries to a foreign country, when there are already many doing the work there for significantly less cost, with more effective methods? I am not saying that we can do all things remotely – there is always a place for people to go to an area to preach the Gospel or do other work. But in many cases there are already people there who we could ‘partner with’ to get the work done!

Lets take a look at some figures. Right now I just ran a quote to fly to Ethiopia next month – the costs range from $2100 to $4200 – for economy, per seat. If I were to go with my wife and kids, that would be 4 times that amount.

There are workers in Ethiopia right now, preaching the gospel full time, with wives and family who live on $40 a month (and struggle to get by). So for my cheapest airfare, for me alone, I could double the salary of one of these workers and still pay them for the next 2 years – that is two years of full time gospel preaching from someone who is local, knows the culture and knows the language.

And I haven’t even factored in any costs for me to do anything – that was just to get to the airport in the capital!

Again – I don’t want to discourage those who are called to the mission field, but we need to take a close look at what we are doing! Do we desire to go to a foreign country for selfish reasons (experience, cultural change, prestige?), or for completely honest reasons? Are the resources we are consuming in going to these countries disproportionate to the work that is being done?

There will always be needs to go to these places, such as going and helping with humanitarian needs, or helping teach those who are then preaching the Gospel, or many other things. But lets take a look – an honest look – and see if what we are doing is actually advancing the gospel, with the resources that we have been given – or if really we are just wasting what we have been given.

The Great Commission – Who can Go?

After our study last week on the Great Commission, I’ve spent some time looking around at missions and missionaries. I wouldn’t call it an extensive search and investigation, but a look around.

And what did I find?

No matter what you do, no matter what your experience, God can use you in the mission field.

Whether ‘at home’ (because ‘all nations’ means the one you are in too) or abroad, there are needs all over the world, even for people as strange as computer guys. And if they have need for computer guys, they need pretty much every one else too.

You see, we sometimes live under this picture that all missionaries go out and exclusively preach the world, evangelize, baptize and start churches. Not so! Preaching of the Good News of Jesus Christ is certainly the main focus, and in some way everyone participates in this work, but there is a lot of work out there.

Don’t believe me?

Take a look here, at the current list of needs just with one mission organization. And that is just a small list. Behind these people are those that support in prayer and financially. Those that organize and arrange behind the scenes. And not everyone goes with a formal organization like SIM. I challenge you – look, and you will find something that you could do.

So – no matter what you do, no matter what your skills are, God can use you. Introvert? Extrovert? Preacher, builder, IT Guy? God can use you.

It comes back to the church – the body of Christ. We are all parts of that body, and each a different part. I blog and am an IT guy – God can use me. You might be a builder, a plumber, a cook or a cleaner – God can and will use you too.

So the question now remains – will you go? And what will you do?

What is the Great Commission? A Command to Go.

Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

(This is part 5 of our multi-part series on The Great Commission)

Over the past few days we have looked at the Great Commission, and discovered that Jesus commands us with all authority, that we are to make disciples by teaching them and baptizing them, and that He will be with us.

And so now we come to the crunch. If we are a disciple of Jesus, we will do all that He commands us, just as we teach others. And what does Jesus command?

Go.

There is a time for preparation. There is a time for learning and knowing what to teach, and what you will share with others. There is a time to build up. But all of those times are not eternal – they are for a time and a purpose, and they come to an end. And when they do?

Go!

But where will you go?

You could be like Craig, who is going by ministering to the men in his city, men who would raise some eyebrows should they walk into a church today. These men need someone to minister to them, and Craig is in that gap.

You may be like Dave, who with his wife, goes regularly to minister to the lost in Ethiopia out of their own funds. God has given them a passion for the Ethiopian people, and they do all they can to support and minister to them.

Or maybe you will be like Roy, who uses his love of motorcycles as a door to minister to others who also ride, but don’t know about what Jesus has done for us all.

One thing you can be sure, whether you are called around your home or called across the world – God will call. He will prepare you, He will give you the words and He will make the way.

All that is left for you is to obey.

And Go.

What is the Great Commission? The promise!

Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

(This is part 4 of our multi-part series on The Great Commission)

The last words in the Gospel of Matthew are the words of Jesus, and they are a striking promise.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

A striking promise of faithfulness, from Jesus, who is God, who lived a perfect life, died a horrible death, yet rose again as prophesied on the third day.

The words could not be clearer. Jesus is with us always.

Not just on Sundays, or Saturdays, or just when we are praying. Jesus is with us always. We may only go to him once a day, once a week, or even less – but He has promised to remain faithful to us, and be with us always.

And it is these words that bookend what we call the ‘great commission’.

All authority has been given to Me….I will be with you always.

The great commission is not just a call to go and do things, but go and do them knowing that we are commanded by one who has all authority, and will be with us always.

Let’s just spend one minute on that. If He is with us always, He is with us during all our personal trials. He is with us when we are up, and when we are down. He is with us when we think we are alone, or when we are surrounded by others.

He is with us when we speak to others about Him. He is with us when we pray with others, teach others, disciple others and baptize others.

And some of these things aren’t easy. Sharing your faith with someone is not an easy task, and is often met with rejection, skepticism, and in some parts of the world severe persecution.

But we know this – not only are we commanded, the One who commanded is with us, and He has all authority. The circumstances of life in this fallen world may not be good (and probably won’t be good), but Jesus is with us, guiding us, teaching us, leading us to the place He wants us to be, to the place that will bring the greatest impact – whether we can see it or not.

Jesus has all authority – and will be with you always.

All that is left now is for you (and me) to go.

What is the Great Commission? Make Disciples!

Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Over the next few posts I want to take some time to look at the great commission of Jesus, and what that does, or should mean in our lives.

(This is part 3 of our multi-part series on The Great Commission)

Special Forces Christianity. Get in, get the job done with the minimum of casualties, and get out.

We idolize our commando’s, our SWAT teams, our special forces. They get in, do a dangerous job, and get out with as little fuss as possible. They usually avoid the spotlight, preferring to work in the dark and just get the job done. When we meet them in person they are commanding, yet humble figures. They don’t brag about their achievements, but quietly and efficiently get the job done.

Sound a little like Christianity? I mean, they are humble, they are efficient, they follow their leader to to the death if required.

I know not all missions and outreach programs are like this, but many are, and others appear to be so. Get in, get the gospel preached, get conversions and ‘decisions for Jesus’, maybe fill out a few discipleship cards to send them our mailout and get  back home and resume normal life.

Decisions for Jesus becomes our missional mantra. We desperately want to show numbers, we want to show that our preaching has been powerful and effective, our worship powerful and cutting to the heart. We have become special forces Christians.

But this is not what Jesus called us to do is it? The command wasn’t ‘get decisions for me’, or ‘see how many people come forward at an altar call’, but ‘Make Disciples‘.

Making disciples is hard work. I know, not from making them, but from being made one. I am still being made one, and until I am freed from this body of sin I will continue being made one. I have been hard work I know, because my faults have been many.

And praise God that someone didn’t stop with a ‘decision’ and say ‘God Bless, go in peace now you are a brother’, but many people over the years have taken the time to input into my life, to teach me, to guide me, to instruct me, and even to rebuke and admonish me. These people took on Jesus’ command to make disciples, rather than accepting I am ‘in the club’ now and leaving me to fall back to my old life.

So what does it mean to make disciples? It is a lifelong investment in teaching and practicing the Christian life. It is reminding people all that Jesus said, and teaching them to obey His words, just as we do. It is not just being a special forces Christian and getting a ‘conversion’ to feel good, but investing yourself into the lives of others that we all might grow closer to Jesus.

So, when you go, make a decision beforehand to follow what Jesus commanded and make disciples, not just converts.