his
article
is
based
on a
reply
to a
question
as
to
why
there
is
seemingly
a
dearth
of
Afro-American
missionaries
on
the
world
scene.
I
was
asked
due
to
the
fact
that
my
familyandI
were
missionaries
in
the
Philippines
for
four
years.
I
answer
with
my
take
on
it,
but
then
I
digress
some.My
digression,
I
feel
is
the
heart
of
the
Bridegroom. Many
people
say,
“I
can
do
better
for
the
kingdom
if
you
let
ME
have
MY
business/MLM
company/motivational
speaking
gig,
etc.
(Even
though
NO
souls
are
being
birthed
into
the
kingdom
of
God
because
the
unadulterated,
uncut,
non-watered
down
gospel
is
not
being
proclaimed.)Is
this,
what
God’s
will
is
for
you
or
what
you
want
to
bargain
with
God
for
His
will
for
your
life?
We
ease
our
conscience
by
telling
ourselves,
“Well,
I
might
not
be
preaching
the
gospel/the
Bible
per
se
but
I am
using
biblical
principles,
people
just
don’t
know
it.”
HUH?
So
now
God
is
being
used
so
that
WE
can
get
RICH,
but
God
gets
NO
SOULS
out
of
it?
As
well
as
not
using
the
Scriptures
out
of
fear
that
people
might
get
offended
and
our
crowd
might
not
be
as
large─it
sounds
like
God
is
being
pimped.
There
some
brothers
and
sisters
out
there
with
an
authentic
call
of
God
on
their
lives
who
have
settled/compromised
on
this
because
it
makes
them
money
and
they
can
do
it
by
using
biblical
principles
in
some
cases
and
in
others
it’s
just
worldly
wisdom
and
nice
“catchy
phrases.”
Preaching
the
RAW
GOSPEL
will
OFFEND
(although
that
is
not
the
intention).
not
wanting
to
be
missionaries
themselves
have
the
ostensible
motivation
that
says,
“I
want
to
make
MILLIONS
for
God’s
kingdom
to
finance
work
for
my
church,
that
way
money
can
be
sent
to
people
(people
that
my
“home”
church
and
I
have
NO
connection/relationship
with
other
than
sending
them
a
check
each
month).
Some
say,
“I
know
that
can’t
be
God’s
will
for
ME
to
go
because
that’s
an
UNCOMFORTABLE
lifestyle!”
Even
though
the
Bible
says,
“Endure
hardness,
as a
good
soldier
of
Jesus
Christ”
(2
Timothy
2:3.)
The
New
Testament
as a
whole,
the
vibe
it
gives
is
one
of
NOT
expecting
a
comfortable/cushy
lifestyle
in
this
life!
So
you
wonder
why
you
don’t
see
many
AA
missionaries
out
there?
That
which
is
being
preached
and
taught
from
MANY
pulpits,
the
SEED
that
is
being
sown
is
producing
a
harvest/crop
of
“believers”
who
are
WORLDLY,
fleshly,
inward
focused
and
could
not
CARE
LESS
if
their
Bridegroom
comes
back
or
not
because
they
are
having
too
much
fun
committing
adultery
with
the
world.
They
have
the
mindset/stronghold
that
says,
“God
wants
me
to
be
happy
and
well-
off.
To
those
folks
I
say
read
Hebrews
11
the
“Hall
of
Faith”
as
its
called
and
STOP
being
FIXATED
on
the
fact
that
Abraham
was
rich.
(Which
being
interpreted
means,
“I
am
supposed
to
be
rich,
too!)
Read
the
lives
of
those
brothers
in
Hebrews
11
who
lived
a
very
uncomfortable
life,
many
being
martyred.
Remember
John
the
Baptist;
his
life
was
not
so
cushy.
Let’s
stop
reading
the
Bible
through
an
American
dream
lens.
Look
at
all
the
“prophetic
words”
we
hear
nowadays:
“Its
YOUR
time
now.”
“Your
BEST
is
yet
to
come!”
“Your
Best
Life
Now.”
(Does
the
New
Testament
REALLY
convey
this
vibe/mindset/mentality
that
we
are
to
be
that
hooked
into
THIS
life
like
that
with
no
eternal
focus?
If
ye
then
be
risen
with
Christ,
seek
those
things
which
are
above,
where
Christ
sitteth
on
the
right
hand
of
God.”
(Colossians
3:1).
Think
about
it
all.
With
ALL
that
we
see
happening
in
the
world
RIGHT
NOW
on a
DAILY
basis
pointing
to
the
IMMINENT
return
of
our
Bridegroom,
do
you
REALLY
think
that
the
Word
for
THIS
hour
for
the
church
in
America
has
to
do
with
“Your
best
life
now?”
Or
“This
is
your
season”
and
“It’s
your
come
back
season?”NO:
Read
Revelation
and
Jesus’
letter
to
the
churches
paying
close
attention
to
the
FIRST
church
and
the
LAST
church
(HE
is
THE
FIRST
and
THE
LAST).
The
message
for
the
first
church
in
Ephesus
was,
“You
have
left
your
first
love.”
Shake
my
head,
my
Lord!
Look
at
the
church
in
America.
We
are
giving
up
our
spiritual
“booty”
to
every
idol
out
there:
Money,
fame
and
notoriety
as
portrayed
in
the
Preachers
of
L.A.
TV
series.
About
that,
Paul
told
the
Corinthians,
settle
matters
between
yourselves
so
you
don’t
go
before
UNSAVED
court
officials
embarrassing
the
body
of
Christ.
“But
brother
goeth
to
law
with
brother,
and
that
before
the
unbelievers”
(1
Corinthians
6:6).
Here
these
people
are
claiming
to
be
ministers
and
are
showing
that
type
of
behavior
before
sinners
on
national
television.
(And
we
watch
it).
Here
are
some
other
“idols”
we
are
chasing
after:
The
American
Dream...check...Political
affiliations...check...
Ethnocentrism...check...Family
Relationships...check.
“He
who
loves
[and
takes
more
pleasure
in]
father
or
mother
more
than
[in]
Me
is
not
worthy
of
Me;
and
he
who
loves
[and
takes
more
pleasure
in]
son
or
daughter
more
than
[in]
Me
is
not
worthy
of
Me”
(Matthew
10:37,
AMP).
And
Jesus
The
Bridegroom
is
WEEPING
for
His
bride
because
He
desires
INTIMACY
with
her
but
She
is
too
busy
giving
it
up
to
her
other
lovers
(read
the
book
of
Hosea
for
a
clear
picture
from
Jesus’
perspective).
Just
as
the
desire
for
intimacy
increases
as
you
near
the
wedding
day,
so
it
should
be
as
we
near
Jesus’
return.
He
desires
INTIMACY
with
His
bride.
But
every
time
we
come
to
Him
we
are
asking
for
things:
Blessings
and
miracles,
signs
and
wonders
or
to
intercede
for
someone
or
something.
He
is
saying,
“I
just
want
to
spend
time
with
you,
my
bride.”Read:
The
Song
of
Solomon
to
see
how
He
desires
to
be
intimate
with
His
bride,
the
church.
In
closing,
the
“Word
of
the
Lord”
for
the
church
in
America
is,
“Come
back
to
your
first
love
and
seek
HIS
face.”
(Intimacy/just
being
with
Him),
loving
Him
and
not
just
asking
for
things
such
as
blessings,
miracles,
signs
and
wonders.
Oh,
I
forgot
to
include
the
message
that
Jesus
gave
to
the
LAST
church
in
Laodicea.
The
message
to
the
church
was,
“You
think
you
are
rich
and
have
need
of
nothing,
but
you
are
DESTITUTE.
You
think
you
can
see,
but
you’re
BLIND.
You
think
you
are
decked
out,
but
you
are
NAKED.”
They
saw
themselves
one-way,
but
Jesus
saw
them
another.
Ah,
so
it
is
in
the
church
here
in
America:
“I
am
rich
and
increased
with
goods,
and
have
need
of
nothing.”
That
sounds
like
the
regular
teaching
from
MANY
pulpits
on
Sundays
and
midweek
services
here
in
America.
Jesus
does
NOT
see
it
that
way.
He
said,
“You
make
me
want
to
VOMIT.”
So I
ask
you
once
again,
what
is
the
real
Word
of
the
Lord?
(Read
1
Kings
22).
There
is a
FAKE
word
and
then
there
is
the
REAL
Word
of
the
Lord
for
the
church
in
America.
(Keep
in
mind
that
in
the
book
of
Revelation,
Jesus
had
a
specific
word
for
each
church!)
The
Word
for
the
church
in
America
is
not
the
same
for
the
church
in
China,
for
example
because
they
are
not
dealing
with
the
same
issues.
In
NO
WAY
am I
saying
that
God
wants
us
poor
and
broke.
What
I am
saying
is
that
we
here
as a
church
in
America
are
unbalanced
and
seeking
after
money,
stuff
and
worldly
pursuits
versus
pursuing
with
a
passionate
love
our
Bridegroom,
Jesus.
MANY
are
deceiving
themselves
into
thinking
that
what
they
do
is
of
God,
when
in
REALITY
it
is
their
OWN
WILL
to
pursue
these
dreams
and
visions
that
are
NOT
glorifying
God,
neither
are
they
producing
the
fruit
of
SAVED
souls.
It
is
time
that
we
focus
back
on
Jesus
our
soon
to
return
Bridegroom
and
reach
out
to
hell
bound
sinners
while
we
still
have
time.
What
will
YOU
have
to
show
for
YOUR
life
down
here
throughout
eternity?
Think
about
it.