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NASB | Mark 9:35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Mark 9:35 Sitting down [to teach], He called the twelve [disciples] and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all [in importance] and a servant of all." |
Subject: How to sharpen service skills? |
Bible Note: Dear Emmaus, Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus! Sadly, you are correct, at least in my estimation of the situation here in Japan. Even more sad is that it appears that churches 'idolize' and import American 'Contemporary Christian' fads, attitudes and even 'super-ministers.' I might add that this seems to be the situation in much of the Orient, as I have contacts in Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, the Philippines and China. I hear from others that the same can be said of much of Africa, and Eastern Europe. It seems that many 'modern' missionaries are more (short-term) ambassadors for American Contemporary Christian Culture than they are (life-term) ambassadors for Christ, committed to the people God has sent them to. :-( Happily, we do not have (a lot of) this kind of problem in my own fellowship! We are a lay church, and our focus is on mutual commitment, healthy family, outreach and fellowship with our neighborhood, and have a church school (all parents are 'volunteered' :-)) to nurture (evangelize) our own children to Christ. We chose to be 'out of touch' with the latest 'foreign' fads. :-) Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |