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ENDORSEMENTS

“Mark Alan Williams is one of the best Christian bloggers, especially on sensitive subjects”

-Jason Holland Director of Operations Joshua Nations

“Loving your biblical responses. So much counseling is a chasing after wind, yours offers such a scriptural bridge.”

-Mike Kellogg 

Former host of Music Thru the Night, Moody Radio network and National Religious Broadcasters

Hall of Fame Award winner

“I can’t tell you how much I have appreciated your posts on LinkedIn. Many of them have been quite timely and an answer to prayer. Keep up the good work!!!” 

-Dave Meyers President, ZimZam Global

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Intro
  • Writer: Mark Alan Williams
    Mark Alan Williams
  • Aug 8, 2013
  • 3 min read

A few years ago I visited a house church in Mysore, India and was blessed to give the Sunday morning sermon. There were about 25 precious Indian Christians in attendance.


That’s me speaking in that house church in India


When it came time for the offering I contemplated what to give. I wanted to be generous—the church didn’t have much. But how generous should I be? I decided to put two twenty U.S. dollar bills in the offering. Forty dollars seemed like a fair amount—much less than we give to our home church in the USA, but enough to help them along.


But was I ever in for an eye-opening.


On the train ride back to the city after the service, the pastor let me know what a big mistake I had made. “You created a problem today with your offering,” he explained. I was taken aback by his comment and wondered if he was joking. But he was quite serious. He continued to explain, “We have never received a gift so large before and probably never will again. Now the congregation will think I have wealthy donors in the USA who send money and that they will not need to give. Their tithes and offerings will seem small and unimportant compared to what you have given and they will be reluctant to practice stewardship.”


I was stunned.


I honestly thought I had given a modest amount that would be a blessing. I had no idea that I could be creating a problem.


Later I asked the pastor, “Who is the wealthiest person you know personally?” He said it was an Indian mission leader whom we both knew. When I asked why he considered this leader to be wealthy, he said it was because he owned an automobile. Well, I happened to know that the car he owned was an older vehicle that most Americans would consider a jalopy, and in fact at that moment it had broken down and was not even usable.


I now understand that the pastor was right; my giving helped create an expectation for dependence on “rich” Americans.


Since this incident I have studied and thought about dependency in missionary work and in other contexts. I have made it a point to be more thoughtful and careful about helping and giving in a way that might create dependency issues.


An unfortunate mistake turned into a good lesson learned.


There are other instances where we can create dependence.  For example:

When parents do their children’s homework or chores. The child might get an “A” on the assignment, but what has he learnedWhen the government hands out benefits to people who could earn their way but won’t work.When churches hand out assistance to able-bodied people who could work but instead are working the system.


Am I suggesting that there are never legitimate needs for help? Absolutely not, and we need to meet those needs.


However, I am suggesting that before helping people we must carefully consider how our gift could affect the recipient—like I should have done in Mysore.


To help evaluate what to do in order to avoid dependency, here are some questions to ask:


  • Am I convinced that I am giving to a person who is truly in need and not just lazy or working the system?

  • How might my giving negatively impact this person’s motivation?

  • Is this person truly needy or just seeking a better lifestyle?

  • How might my giving create dependency?

  • What are my own personal motivations for giving or helping? (To assuage my guilt, to get them off my back, to impress someone with my “generosity”?)

  • If I give now but don’t continue giving, what will happen? Have I given a fish or taught them how to fish?

I hope these questions help you to evaluate when to give and what to give. It can be tricky.



  • Writer: Mark Alan Williams
    Mark Alan Williams
  • Apr 1, 2013
  • 2 min read

I haven’t always been good at letting go of work when away from work. In years past, Carolyn would sometimes look at me and say, “You’re here, but you’re not here.” Or, “The lights are on but nobody’s home.”


My body was present but my mind was absent—focused on how to accomplish a goal, how to solve a problem, on a difficult situation, or on my next message.


Over the years I’ve learned some techniques for “switching off” and “calling it a day.”


Here are some of the best tips I have found to help relax:


1. Exercising.

The most helpful exercise refreshes my mind as well as my body. By that I mean some activity that takes my mind off work issues and lets it relax.

My favorite is basketball. It’s hard to play basketball and think about anything else. After basketball, I am physically stretched and mentally rested.


2. Praying.

Taking my issues to God in prayer allows me to let go.

Sometimes my prayer degenerates into a “pity party.” But when done right, I place issues in the hands of the Almighty and let Him carry the load.


3. Talking with a friend or family member.

This quote says it well: “Sorrow shared is half the sorrow; joy shared is twice the joy.”

My Accountability Partner Jim is a great listener, sounding board and prayer partner. My wife Carolyn and I love to walk and talk to unload and decompress. We share and pray together about our concerns and blessings.


4. Resolving conflict.

Unresolved conflict eats at me. Some can live with unresolved conflicts. Others, like me, find that very difficult. I go over and over it in my mind.


So, for shutting down, it is much better to resolve conflict as quickly as possible.


5. Deciding to “switch off” work and refocus.

Sometimes I just have to discipline myself not to think about work any longer. After that decision, when my mind drifts back toward it, I refocus on another arena.


6. Remembering God is in control.

One of the greatest blessings of being a Christian is knowing that God is in control in even the most difficult situations.


I don’t like suffering. But I thank God in every difficult situation, knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).



  • Writer: Mark Alan Williams
    Mark Alan Williams
  • Mar 9, 2013
  • 1 min read

In a blog titled “Don’t Miss the Joy of Podcasts”  I wrote about why I love to listen to podcasts. If you are not already a podcasts listener, check it out. I think podcasts are going to become more and more popular–the advantages are overwhelming. Now I’d like to share with you some of my favorite fantastic podcasts, all free of charge and very high quality.


CC Image courtesy of Bent Kure on Flickr


This list was updated in August of 2014 and July 2016.

Please note that just because I am recommending the podcast here does not mean that I agree with every viewpoint expressed by the podcast.


Here are my favorite fantastic podcasts: 


LEADERSHIP AND PRODUCTIVITY:

FAMILY ISSUES:

SERMONS:

APOLOGETICS (INTELLECTUAL DEFENSE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH):

NEWS AND COMMENTARY FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE:

I’m discovering more fantastic podcasts regularly. These are the best I’ve found so far.

Do yourself a favor and check out fantastic podcasts!



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