As you wrap up 2016 many businesses and individuals look to make ministry investments and donations. I want to suggest ways to ensure that your year-end giving will be effective and used by other organizations that will implement these principles and communicate them to potential donors.

Some years ago I found the following scripture that convicted me. "A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD's work! A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!”  (Jeremiah 48:10, NIV) I have spent some time studying this verse and working through its implications. I have come to the following conclusions:

1.  All Christians are called to minister.

The movie Amistad was the true story of a slave ship that was taken over by the slaves and ended up in Boston. The slaves were held as fugitives and the movie focus on several court cases going all the way to the Supreme Court. The slaves didn’t speak English, and were able to find one free former slave who spoke the African language. Former President John Quincy Adams became involved and explained the slaves needed to tell their “story. “ The story was told so well a judge, hand picked to rule against them, was compelled to free them.  You can read the account here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amistad_(film)

I received a phone call from “Mike,” a member of a church search committee seeking a new senior pastor. The question was “How do we know how to look for the right fit with a new senior pastor?”

Rather than just tossing out a tool, I asked a few questions: What is the mission/vision of the church? What does the church expect from a senior pastor in the areas of preaching, teaching, evangelism, or administration? What are the most important gifts? What is the underlying culture of the church?

Recently the Wall Street Journal ran an article about how most of the 6,000 languages in the world will likely disappear in the future. See http://on.wsj.com/1BpVcTW

Many of these languages are spoken, not written; and therefore, likely to be lost. The lost languages of the Native American tribes are an example close to home. Many languages are already lost forever.

Wycliffe Bible translators are universally regarded by experts in the field as the best organization on earth as translators of dying languages. It is the best organization in history. There is no other organization even remotely comes close.