Tag: missions

Respect Tradition and Explore Change

still-life-851328_640

 

Our God is a creative God. If He created this world in all its wonderful strangeness, why wouldn’t He, for instance, create different kinds of ministries that use different, but not unbiblical methods, for reaching people for Christ?

It really depends on the culture of people you are trying to reach to decide which method to employ. You must, “respect tradition, explore change,” and allow for a ministry to grow, adopting different methods, but staying on the Biblical narrow path in your theology. Adjust to the people you are trying to reach and influence.

The words, “Respect tradition; explore change,” came from an old Nora Roberts murder mystery on a night when distraction became my solace. Like a pastor said at a church I worship at, I also look for good theology in things I enjoy.

In the novel, the character was talking about the wine business. This sentence applies also to ministry work. Social media and mobile technology, while not brand new, thinking of it as a missionary tool is new to the church. People take an “either/or” approach to ministry, and that’s extreme.

I don’t read Nora Roberts at all, except for this one novel. She’s too racy. I like good writing and good story. A couple of cuss words don’t bother me if it goes along with character. This particular novel gets the creative juices going when my writing feels dry. It helps to read almost every genre in order to understand how to tell story, especially to share the Gospel with unbelievers in a language they understand.

The Call to Abraham

While

Genesis 18:17-19New International Version (NIV)

Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

 

First Church Project Update

cropped-newlogo1234

The Cozy Corner: Encouraging Others Through Good Literature and Movies was a church blog project started in collaboration with Christian Academy of Prescott and Solid Rock Christian Fellowship in Prescott, Arizona.

It began publishing December 1, 2015 and has been slowly gathering volunteers. We’ve been getting a lot of volunteers over the age of 50. Reminds me of the Copyblogger article from here where they said:

“According to Socialnomics the fastest growing population on Facebook is 45-55 year olds with almost 55% of this population now active users on Facebook. That’s elder Generation X, younger Baby Boomers. They shouldn’t be on Facebook? They should be reading the newspaper, listening the radio and waiting for the postman to drop off the day’s mail. Isn’t that the characterization we lay upon this population?”

It is so important for Senior Adults to get involved in projects like this. Their voices hold years of wisdom our generation could benefit from. It is not enough for them to leave the responsibility of missions online to the next generation coming up. In fact, it’s irresponsible.

The next generation needs to have that guidance from the Senior Adults. They don’t know they need that guidance yet. Words and story have always held a certain power over the world. That’s why movies and books have a higher influence on people than anything else. The Bible is a great example of the power of words. If you hate what is happening in the world, it is up to you to change it through prayer and your words through mentoring face-to-face or online.

The next generation won’t come to you. You have to come to them. That means you need to adapt to how they communicate or the generation gap that Barna reported some time ago will continue to widen. We’ll lose that precious connection between older and younger, and the enemy of this world loves that.

Wake Up from Your Sleep
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.Ephesians 5. 

Would you like to commit to the vision God has given me as a missionary? 

Quarterly, Monthly, or Yearly Commitments

One Time Gift

One Way to Support Missions

Kroger Stores Helping
WorldVenture Missionaries
(That includes me, too!)

I have over a hundred Kroger gift cards with a $2-2.50 credit on them. When running ministries, you always have expenses that come up, and this card will help me cover those expenses.

Here is how they work:

  1. Ask me for a gift card (as many as you wish).
  2. It works at any Kroger store including Frys and Food 4 Less (listing is on back of card).
  3. Go to customer service or the cashier and load cash from a debit, check, or cash (not sure about credit card) onto the card.
  4. Buy stuff.
  5. At the cash register, if it is Fry’s food store, use your phone number to get your discounts.
  6. Use your preloaded gift card to pay for your groceries or purchases instead of your card, check, or cash.
  7. 5% of Kroger’s profits from that sale, not your cash, goes to WorldVenture and helps to benefit me in ministry.
What Can You Do?
  • Help a person in need by pre-loading a card with cash and give them one. Just tell me how many cards you wish to have. Let them know it is reloadable. For a homeless person, this might be safer than carrying cash.
  • Give one to someone who is learning how to budget. From a Dave Ramsey perspective, I have found it helps to stay on budget.
  • You can use this card at the Starbuck’s in Frys.
  • If you run a ministry at your church and you shop at Fry’s or Food4Less (or any of the other stores listed) where you buy ministry supplies, consider using this card every time. You will help me lead and train people to serve others online and spread the Gospel.
  • Tell people about these cards and have them contact me to get them.
  • If you are going to propose to someone, buy the ring at Fred Meyer’s and use this card to pay for it. You’d be helping spread the Gospel and making your bride very happy.
  • Teach a young adult how to budget by giving them this card so they start life out on the right foot by not getting into credit card debt or overdraft fees.

Request one from nikolehahn@thehahnhuntinglodge.com. Please include a mailing address where one can be sent. Thanks for you help.

© 2025 Nikole Hahn. Designed by Quema Labs.