END OF JUNE 2018

Dear Friends,

A striking assumption underlies most things that the West does these days. There is no evidence for this assumption. It is an assumption that renders life meaningless. That is, the assumption that death constitutes a total annihilation of a person. Many secular leaders do their utmost to ring-fence this assumption. Without it much of what the contemporary secular West thinks and does starts to crumble. Christians, on the other hand, proclaim Christ raised from the dead. For them, death is a doorway into eternity. And why not!

From 18th to 22nd June, I was at a Christian Community Development conference in Germany. It was nice to use German with a lot of people, English with others, Swahili with a few! A one-time tutor of mine at All Nations College, Chris Wright, gave the biblical teachings in the mornings. The sessions that I heard were excellent. I kept meeting people who I’ve engaged with in the past at some conference, meeting, or college. It was a busy programme. Frank Paul and myself led one of the tracks, entitled: ‘Overcoming neo colonialism - how to work alongside the poor; use of local languages and resources cuts a foreigner down to size.' That gave us 7.5 hours intensive time on vulnerable mission with up to 7 conference goers, unpacking vulnerable mission in detail.

The conference was oriented to helping people in NGOs to do better development in the majority world. Many NGOs deny the need for vulnerability in mission. This made it all the more incredible, that one of the seven tracks at the conference was offered to us to lead. It is often the more experienced people who understand why we advocate vulnerability. Vulnerable mission, is about sharing the Gospel. Without vulnerable mission, a Westerner can become known for their superior language, or because they have more money than other people, rather than for their valuation of the Gospel.

Copies of my new novel, African Heartbeat, sold like hot-cakes at the conference. Give thanks, and pray that those who read it be inspired to advocate missionary vulnerability.

In Germany, apart from the conference, I have visited two churches with whom I have a long-term relationship, plus a youth group, and a women’s group of another church, plus many other relatives and friends!

God willing, on the 27th June I am to leave Heathrow for Nairobi. I am planning to visit one of my children at his university 5 hours from Nairobi by bus over the weekend. Then to visit a church in the same area. I should get home on Tuesday, 3rd July, after 10 weeks away.

Yours,

Jim