For years I’ve been selling bags on eBay to raise money for Irish missions. (Check out my Irish Missions page).  I’m not sure why I chose military inspired messenger bags and back packs to sell.  Maybe because I like to read and I like something sturdy to carry my books around in.  Maybe it’s because Jack Bauer uses one of these sweet bags.  Maybe it’s because bags are “one size fits all” so I don’t have to deal with accepting very many returns on eBay.

Whatever the case, I really want to give a messenger bag to one of my cool blog readers.  (That’s you.  You’re cool!)  Why?  I’m hoping that whenever you use your cool new messenger bag, you’ll be reminded to pray for a move of God in Ireland.

So what do you have to do?  Just post a comment on this post and tell me what you’d use it for.  School?  Work?  Books?  Your laptop?  The other thing you’ll have to do is click that little retweet button on the left and tell your friends.  That’s it!  At the end of the week, my seven year old son will randomly pick a winner from the comments section and I will reveal the name of that person in a blog post with instructions on how to claim your new bag.  If you’re worried that you’re going to miss the post that reveals the winner, there’s a subscription link at the bottom of this post. (Or click the RSS button at the top of the page.)

Here’s a picture of that awesome bag.  Don’t forget to pray for Ireland!

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Many of you already know that I try to make it over to Ireland on a regular basis. When I go, I bring things like laptops or projectors or whatever I can afford to pick up so that I can bless Irish churches with much needed equipment. I also spend time prayer walking and praying with and for pastors there. In short, I just want to be a part of what God is doing there by being a blessing to the local Irish church.

I get asked frequently if I have any Irish ancestry. The answer is no. I know of no one in my family tree from Ireland. But I have a ton of spiritual heritage there (and so do you if you’re an American christian).

It’s really quite simple. God put a burden on my heart for Ireland. ‘Nuff said.

Years after my first visit to the Emerald Isle, I helped my friend Nick Park (an Irish Pastor) create a video that he could send to American churches to help him raise money for an important project he was undertaking. He talked about “Bringing the Heritage Home”. It was fascinating to hear him communicate about the deep christian history of Ireland and it’s influence on American Christianity. I recently found the video we produced together and thought I’d share some excerpts from it here.

The first is a brief but fascinating history lesson on Irish Christianity.  The second is a talk about Ireland’s influence on America and it’s church.  The third is pastor Nick’s personal testimony and it’s powerful!  Maybe these videos will stir your heart to be a blessing to Irish churches.  Let God speak to you through them.  Who knows, maybe we’ll there together one day!

For more information about my upcoming missions trip to Ireland click here.

Recently I had the great pleasure of visiting friends in Ireland.  They are pastors of small churches and the incredible resolve they posses to spend their lives being a light in a very post-Christian environment is nothing short of inspiring.  They are aware that the rate of change is painstakingly slow yet they are committed to staying the course.  It’s not about bigger buildings, better marketing, or a busier preaching itinerary for them.  It’s about leading people to hope and freedom through Jesus, and I love the fact that simplicity hasn’t escaped from their purpose and values.

One thing I look forward to when I’m in Ireland is the “craic”.  It’s a Gaelic word for having a good time, laughing, and sharing stories.  We have rich conversations about life, ministry, family, and whatever else comes to mind.  It’s not unusual for hours to pass, lost in each others tales of adventure, misfortune, sacrifice, and good humor.

During one such time, I was talking with my pastor friend Peter Lynch, from Dundalk.  He leads a fellowship of about 50 people, very small by American standards.  During our conversation he shared with me how his church has been taking trips to Burkina Faso in West Africa.  It’s the third poorest country in the world.  They have gone and dug wells for the people there so they can have fresh water.  They’re also helping to build a school.  When they go, they train the locals how to do the work and they leave all their tools behind so they can keep moving forward.  Each trip costs around 25,000 dollars, a steep price to pay for such a small church.

I couldn’t help but think of how many times I hear pastors claim their churches just aren’t ready to help others with physical needs.  The building payment, new carpeting, sound system, and payroll keep them from being able to feed the poor, clothe the naked, or shelter the homeless. Sometimes they hide behind the idea that all of those luxuries are needed to meet spiritual needs and attract seekers.  Whatever helps them sleep at night…  All I know is that Jesus spoke much about caring for the needy and spoke very little about pouring all our resources into building our organization.  Wait… he never spoke about pouring our resources into our organization…

I’m not against the western church or religious organizations.  I’m simply asking, If a tiny Irish church can give so freely to those in need, then why can’t we? Why don’t we adhere to the priorities Jesus gave us?  I’ve read Matthew 25 over and over and can’t find the part where Jesus welcomes the sheep because they were so hip, relevant, good looking, or multi-campused.  Instead he said, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

This doesn’t just apply to the church either.  As a church staff member for many years, I can recall times when people would ask us for money and resources to help someone out.  The problem was that the person doing the asking was plenty capable to help that person themselves.  The good Samaritan didn’t ask an organization to help the poor guy left for dead.  He used his own resources! We as individuals need to make helping others a priority too.  It amazes me how many people “wish” they could do more but will drop $15 a week at Starbucks!

So here’s my challenge… be a sheep, not a goat.  Read Matthew 25:31-46 again.  Are you living it?  One of the great things about being a blessing is that God blesses back.  My friend Peter shared that his church has experienced a twenty percent increase in finances since they’ve started going to Africa.  That’s in the middle of a recession!  Looks like Luke 6:38 is true!  We should live like our lives are not our own, give like our money is theirs, and go like it’s really not that far! … ready or not.