subscribe to this Newsletter Give a Fish or Make a Fisherman? Dennis Peacocke wrote an interesting article on the importance on teaching people to fish instead of giving them a fish. By reprinting this article I’m not suggesting your missions giving is fruitless. However, I am suggesting the goal of discipleship is a version of spiritual maturity that is expressed in the marketplace. And I'm suggesting that we should rethink our strategy to reach people via missions. The Church Mission Statement - Many churches have borrowed Rick Warren’s goal statement for their charter. Instead of just aiming to see people saved they have switched their mission statement to say they are "making disciples" to highlight the higher goal of maturing their congregation for ministry. We need to take one more step. We’re not just making disciples to minister in, or sit in, church. The real goal is salvation, spiritual maturity, and enough entrepreneurial spirit to launch them into the marketplace where ministry really occurs. We've overlooked an important little word in the great commission - "Go". With that much introduction Dennis’ article defines the problem below and then I want to propose an example of a solution. Check it out. I think you’ll find it very interesting.   Always a Fish; Never a Fisherman Educated people, especially educated white people, seem to feel good about themselves when they “show compassion” and heap financial aid on the poor, especially people of color. Never mind that the so-called “good intentions” usually hurt the people receiving the aid in the long run. Bwana may feel good, but Bwana actually hurts people. Look at what Swedish economist Fredrik Erixon recently pointed out on the effects of aid to Africa: Africa received over $400 billion in aid between 1970 and 2000. Yet, the evidence presented in the study shows an inverse relationship between aid and economic growth— when aid rises, growth falls. In part, this is because aid supplants private-sector investment and undermines savings: there is also an inverse relationship between savings and aid— when aid increases, saving decreases. (Business Reform Magazine, Sept/Oct 2005) From an economic point of view, that pretty much says it all; to truly help someone you must give them the tools to help themselves. The real problem here is corrupt leaders at the top who don’t really care about anybody but themselves and the well-intentioned donor politicians who are too ignorant to be in office because their condescending compassion only fulfills Proverbs 12:10 which says, “...The compassion of the wicked is cruel.” Bwana likes to feel like Bwana, the corrupt rulers like to steal while the stealing is good; and the truly needy seemingly get only that which keeps them poor. Tragically, there is no real news here. Charles Murray’s book, Losing Ground, showed us all this earlier in his study on the effects of the “Great Society” giveaways in a poor section of Chicago here in the United States. Money that perpetuates the destruction of the family unit by not creating viable jobs, skill-sets and infrastructures is more of Bwana feeling good by maintaining his or her superior position, be it through a hidden racist bias or just the sheer stupidity of refusing to look at the facts. Hello. What is so painful about all of this is the genuine perpetuation of the poor people's plight in life. They all are caught between the politicians’ systems that use them as a political football to get elected or get an opponent out of office over the so-called “compassion issues.” Would to God that what is happening was compassion. It is not. It is playing the “race card,” the “I love the poor more than you do” card, or some other card that continues not to move the ball down the field. The answer is simple: Separate pure charity, which is biblical, from investment, which is also biblical. Supply essential food, shelter, and clothing and make sure that it gets only to those who really need it, and set up investment opportunities to train and employ people to acquire real skills and real jobs. Dignity is as important as care, and care that steals dignity by maintaining poverty is cruel. Beyond that, it maintains class-superiority and genuine racism if it is involved in the hearts of the givers. Everyone who says they’re helping isn’t. Everyone who plays “cards” with people's lives should be shamed out of the game. Anyone who knows these things and keeps on doing it should be removed from power. So should anyone in power who doesn’t care enough to find out the truth. Real love is delivering self-sufficiency under God and that, Bwana, is...the bottom line. “Playing Bwana Doesn't Help” by Dennis Peacocke (http://www.gostrategic.org/)   The China Syndrome – I want to suggest that China is the hottest missions spot on the earth right now by any measure you can apply. It is absolutely unique from the standpoint of the revolution in the Chinese marketplace. Gas is $3 a gallon because they started driving cars. Their cell phone coverage and internet availability exceeds the US. Although missions has been officially illegal in China, it’s nearly an irrelevant point because of what’s happening in the marketplace. God is using Kings for marketplace ministry and discipleship. Budda doesn’t stand a chance; his head has fallen off. Entrepreneurs (Kings) are the new missionaries in China and even in our own society. They are having fun doing it too.   40 Million Fisherman in One Catch The following article is from the International Christian Chamber of Commerce. It highlights a door God opened for them to impact China far beyond any traditional missions approach. I want to suggest it is a model for what missions looks like when Kings get involved. In the early 90's, when the Berlin Wall came down, communism sealed the fall of the Soviet Union. At that point, the People's Republic of China began to realize that if communism was not successful in Russia, it would not be successful in China. As a result, China began to selectively allow what they called "Socialistic Capitalism" to emerge.  In an effort to break into China, Microsoft and IBM joined together, offering to provide a Television Series on Entrepreneurship due to the high rate of unemployment in China. After lengthy deliberation, the government turned down their offer, then came to ICCC about a year later asking us to provide the television series. After seeking the Lord and including our network of intercessors, the International Leadership of ICCC made the decision to accept the challenge. This initial series has been a phenomenal success.  According to government figures, the series has now been viewed by over Forty Million young people in China and well and thousands of businesses have been started as of the beginning of 2004.  The government has now asked for the project to be expanded from ten episodes to thirty episodes. The second ten-part series entitled "Developing A Leading Business" is now in production and God-willing, will be launched later this year. The Study Guide for the second series is completed and a Teacher’s Training Manual has been produced, awaiting completion of the production of the second series. This project has now expanded well beyond the borders of China. The series is now available in English, Chinese Mandarin and Russian. Translations are underway for French, Spanish, and there are plans for translation into Arabic. Disciples are equipped to be Kings. They are entrepreneurial, they know how to attract wealth and they know how to convert money into ministry... unto the ends of the earth. And, they understand discipleship means teaching other believers to tap into the same anointing. Thank you Lord for the ICCC. Until now, I didn't even know they existed. 40 million young people. Simply amazing. That's what you're doing Lord. And now, that's what we're doing too... Releasing Kings for ministry in the marketplace. ...he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. John 5:19-21   Life is an adventure. People are a blessing. God is amazing. We're winning.   Love, John & Harold     (are dancing - Join us) 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.  Isa 62:4-5 www.releasing-kings.com   Conferences - The Last trip to the Netherlands was a real eye-opener! I greatly underestimated the value of our book, the impact of the message on individual lives, and the value of live conferences. I witnessed the power of God being unleashed in the hearts of men and women by simply explaining the theology and experience behind releasing their heart's desire to expand the Kingdom. Seeing the lights come up in the hearts of God's people feels like sponsoring a jailbreak. One of my goals is to equip others to help us share the message in conference formats before we get overwhelmed with the momentum of what God is about to do. If your church or organization is ready, we can help you start a fire... a big one!   Several friends have made helpful recommendations for book and tape series that I found enlightening. Visit We Recommend on our web and check out "Things I've Read Lately." PS: Send us your feedback! We get lots of interesting emails at "You Wrote Back" http://www.releasing-kings.com/you-wrote-back.html      _____________________________________________________________________ Interested in your own WEB? We've posted information on the software we use to create this web site. If you survive the learning curve without losing your sanctification (mine is barely intact), it really is easy to use and the cost is $299 a year - much less expensive than hiring someone. The primary benefit is the ease of making your own changes. Additional info is at: http://www.releasing-kings.com/releasing-websites.html     Progress - Kingly Bio's are Up We've completed the first round of interviews with Kings.  These are real people that have been blessed by God in the Market Place and have hearts for ministry.  Check it out at http://www.releasing-kings.com/Interviewing-Kings.html.  If you have a success story, we'd like to post it by giving you a web page on our site.     Progress - A Teacher's Guide We've completed the first version of a study guide that targets those teaching the material in Releasing Kings.  It includes a page of notes on each chapter, all the graphics suitable to make overheads, and a PDF file of the book with the key points highlighted that includes marginal notes, comments, and questions.  This material is available for purchase on the teacher's guide page of the web. johnsue@clearwire.com 509-308-6873     Friends Tell Friends God has given us a great tool to communicate a message that sets people free in an amazing, contagious, life-changing way.  If you haven't read it - get it.  If you have read it - give it.  http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html   We've gotten a ton of positive feedback on the newsletter too... get it, give it.  Reloading Seniors was powerful.  Pass the link on. http://www.releasing-kings.com/Newsletter.html   PS: don't forget to look at the free reports - show your pastor the article on marketplace ministry from the pastor's perspective.  You can simply email him this link or print a copy to give him. http://releasing-kings.com/pastors-perspective.html     ____________________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html