American Christians often overlook the benefits of being a Christian in America. As such, we spend our share of time complaining about the rising cost of fuel, political discord, and all the other things that ‘make the world spin’. Of course we should be involved in the political process, and the rising price of fuel is an important issue to every American (this one included), but the July 2008 newsletter from Mission Network News helps put things in perspective a little. For perspective on the rising price of fuel:

Ten years ago the price of a barrel of crude oil was only $10. Now, it’s about $140 per barrel–a new high. Gasoline prices are soaring and affecting missions and relief work around the world.

“The first to feel the skyrocketing prices are workers on the [mission] field,” says Bruce Smith of Wycliffe Associates. “As prices go up, typically their support does not…”

Relief agencies are feeling it, too.

“We’re finding the price of food is going up due to transportation costs and production costs,” says Gary Zander of Food For the Hungry.” When those two things are put together, the amount of money you had available for food is strained even more. There’s just less available.”

It’s impacting every area of ministry for the Slavic Gospel Association, says Eric Mock, vice president of ministry operations for the organization.

“It has caused the operation costs of the seminaries and Bible institutes we support to go up,” he says. “It’s reduced [our support for] church planters. They cannot travel to remote villages where often they’re planting two, three or four churches.”

How about some perspective on political discord? We have all been hearing about the “election” in Zimbabwe, but how does it affect missions?

“Groups of youth were roaming the streets,” (following the vote) said Charles Debter with Global Aid Network (GAiN USA), who has a minsitry partner in Zimbabwe. “If a person was stopped by them and couldn’t recite a particular political slogan or sing a political song, they may be put in jail.

“There have been ministry volunteers who have been jailed because they were not able to recite those slogans…”

The work of Operation Mobilization (OM) in Zimbabwe was also affected when it had to close a day-care center as well as its mobile clinic. Food aid, which millions of people depend on, has stopped.

Obviously, just because someone else has bigger problems than our own does not mean they are not important to us as well, but it is critical as American Christians that we understand the gifts we have been given, and what is expected of us because of that (See Philippians 4 et al).

In case you decide to open the coffers a little wider I am providing a list of all the agencies mentioned in the article:

• Wycliffe Associates
• Food For The Hungry
• Slavic Gospel Association
• Global Aid Network
• Operation Mobilization
• Mission Network News

For further reading:

• High fuel prices affecting ministry abroad
• High fuel prices impact relief efforts abroad
• Soaring fuel prices are affecting missionaries
• High fuel costs will hurt short-term missions
• Cost of fuel, food prices and the dollar hurt summer camp ministry
• New tools boost missional opportunities amidst soaring fuel costs
• Fuel costs have an interesting impact on ministry in Ghana
• Fuel crisis marks points of impact around the world

Finally, I will be adding news items from Mission Network News directly to the sidebar to keep you updated each time you visit High Caliber Guns. Mission Network News has made many resources (many free) available. Be sure to check out their website to see if there is anything that might be helpful to you or your ministry.

The following is taken from the August 2008 issue of America’s 1st Freedom, and it is not particularly shocking. Actually, it is something that everyone willing to look at the situation honestly has seen coming for some time. It is so stupid that it is almost embarrassing to read.

As criminal use of firearms continues to rise in Britain despite the gun ban there, criminals with knives are also causing major problems for law-abiding British citizens.

In what a Christian Science Monitor report called a “growing knife-crime culture,” [DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR?] British authorities are finding themselves in a losing battle to stop young people from carrying knives.

Along with stop-and-search operations on the street, the government is instituting a $6 million ad campaign to warn youths about the dangers of carrying a knife. [YES, $6 MILLION]

According to the report, Britain sees 200 to 250 stabbing murders a year, a number that has some pushing for less-lethal knives.

Dr. Mike Beckett is pushing to do away with tips on all kitchen knives in Britain.

“What people want in a kitchen knife is the edge,” he told the BBC. “The point on the end of the knife actually serves little culinary purpose, but it is the point that kills people.” [I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP..."IT IS THE POINT THAT KILLS PEOPLE." iF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW IGNORANT THIS ARGUMENT IS WHEN APPLIED TO FIREARMS MAYBE THIS WILL HELP TO WAKE YOU UP...I HOPE!]

The worst “enviro-nut propaganda piece” disguised as the worst M. Night Shyamalan film? This reviewer says yes!

I have heard that in some debating clubs there is a rule that the members may discuss anything except religion and politics. I cannot imagine what they do discuss; but it is quite evident that they have ruled out the only two subjects which are either important or amusing. The thing is a part of a certain modern tendency to avoid things because they lead to warmth; whereas, obvious]y, we ought, even in a social sense, to seek those things specially. The warmth of the discussion is as much a part of hospitality as the warmth of the fire. G. K. Chesterton From The Preface To Charles Dickens, Hard Times