12 SUGGESTIONS TO BE A WELL INFORMED BELIEVER

 

Yesterday, Facebook (I understand this is META so it’s Threads and Instagram also) announced that it will do away with Fact Checkers. I’m concerned. Yet, I’ve also myself had a few things removed. Almost all of us have had times with Facebook where we need to clarify something with a human being on the phone and find there is no place in the system for a conversation. However, I’ve also seen our neighborhood cranks, smart alecks in a bar, and crazy uncles get by with spreading bizarre claims over and over again. Our collective wisdom has declined in the last 15 years. As a believer I have been and will continue to be particularly concerned as our fundamental identity is to be sources of truth, light, and life. In the last 15 years we have seen many measurable declines in Christianity in the West and much of it can be attributed to Christians passing false information on social media. Our witness has gotten worse. I offer these 12 suggestions for us to be better informed believers (in no order of importance or thoroughness):

 

1. Read something in the Bible everyday if you possibly can. Make sure you don’t just read your favorite passages over and over again. Make sure you don’t just go looking for answers for your daily issues. Read so you read it all – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the boring. See the big pictures of history and humanity. Then add in over time reading an Old Testament and New Testament Survey book. Then when it feels comfortable switch translations. By doing these type of readings you will see humanity’s historic tendencies and God’s eternal truth and get pushed out of your comfort zone. 

 

2. Be part of a healthy local church. If possible, find one where the predominant teaching pastor(s) has a masters degree from an accredited seminary. If he’s studied well, he will have habits that keep the church well fed. (I recognize there are different theological perspectives on gender and leadership. However, for the purpose of this list you can find a woman pastor who is well read. The traits of a well-read pastor are not gender traits.) If the pastor doesn’t have a masters degree make sure he reads widely, has many pastor friends to sharpen his thinking, and is pursuing more education. I see too many poorly educated pastors with strong opinions who mislead too many people. With a studious pastor you will be well fed and informed. 

 

3. Besides the quality of the pastoral teaching, look for a diverse community. Sometimes a local church just reflects an extended family, ethnicity, or economic class. In some circumstances that’s inevitable. However, be very cautious to be involved with a local church that only represents a small sliver of the people in their community. A sliver church will be a biased one. Look for a range of professionals that will create expertise. In life you will need a range of professionals from doctors to veterinarians, mechanics to butchers, and lawyers to therapists. Look for a range of economic and ethnic diversity that will create broad perspectives. With diversity you will be able to bounce ideas and learn from experts. Also, make sure you listen well to minority and vulnerable perspectives. Often minority perspectives in a church are only tokens. Let the vulnerable really speak. By listening to diverse friendships, you will be well informed.

 

4. However, if you’re in one of those local churches (or any community) that is small and like an extended family where everyone knows one another and has largely the same life experiences make sure you are part of a denomination or larger community that broadens your perspective. There are places (such as small rural churches or immigrant communities) where it’s inevitably homogenous. One of the reasons that so many Christians have become so misinformed is in non-denominational congregationally governed churches there is no wise outside counsel for complicated matters. When complications arise many turn to a preferred television news source or internet influencer who all make their income by stirring division instead of providing sound information. By being part of a broad network of well read and seasoned leaders you will be well informed. 

 

5. Subscribe to and read local news. Though it often seems international and national news is the biggest issue of the day the local ones are the places we have the most influence. An editor will do sorting for you that helps get past the noise of so many voices coming at you. Writing also slows down and adds depth to quick inappropriate reactive news. If your local newspaper no longer exists subscribe to a regional one. Occasionally, drop a letter to an editor or writer. Discuss what you read over coffee with others. If you are locally informed, you will be a better member of your community.

 

6. Know and listen to seasoned missionaries and national church leaders. By doing so you will have a ready access to those who can quickly summarize and explain international issues from a faith perspective. However, be cautious not to give seasoned missionary status to those who haven’t been in their location for at least 7 years. It generally takes that long for accurate perceptions to become intuitive and for a relationship well to be broad. Pay particular attention to missionaries who are well respected by the leaders of the locations where they serve. Sometimes missionaries only serve misfits, and their perceptions are of kilter too. 

 

7. Be cautious in taking in too much news from social media, television, or radio. All are designed to blur the lines between news and entertainment. In a certain way all of them numb our minds to complexity and cause us to pursue what only scratches our itches. If you get your news from shallow entertaining sources, you will become a shallow entertainer but not a good community leader.

 

8. Subscribe to a few other periodicals that are diverse and keep your aware of perspectives. Remember you get what you pay for. If you only take in what is free, then you are taking in media that thrives on emotional appeal so it can sell advertising. You will get off kilter and be part of the problem. I suggest subscribing to something national, something faith orientated, and something that is just fun. Then have friends and family nearby who you can share subscriptions and ideas with. By subscribing you contribute better information. 

 

9. Find at least 10 diverse friends on social media who are professionally skilled, read widely, and cultivate thoughtful conversations. Most of us have some folks in our network who make us wiser if we listen. If you notice who they are and check on their feeds you will be better informed.

 

10. Be willing to walk away from trusted sources that go bonkers. If a local paper can’t keep editors and reporters there is a problem. If a social media house feels like looking for a needle in a manure pile move on. If a community organization loses it’s purpose and shifts to a partisan agenda quit giving it time and attention. Part of the partisan problem in our nation is loyalty to tribes instead of ideas. Those who stay philosophically consistent will be well informed. 

 

11. Support and if possible, attend Christian liberal arts universities. Christian liberal arts education give us great tools and relationships. They teach a bit about a wide range and cultivate big pictures. They also teach us not to overstate our knowledge. Lastly, they create broad friendships with people who become experts in their field. Christian liberal arts alumni often have a trusted friend to guide them through complex issues and thus are well informed.

 

12. Acknowledge how much is out there that we don’t know. Ask questions. Keep reading. Stay humble. Those I know who I consider to be the most informed in conversations are asking questions and listening instead of monopolizing conversations. 

 

P.S. When I tried to find photos on our family’s social media to represent these types of conversations all the best photos were of Jana. Always pay attention to the wise women in your life. When a man is in doubt about what to do or think just do what your wife, daughters, or granddaughters tell you to do and think.

Vehicle Update and Help Needed

 

Dear Family and Friends,

Since our last newsletter a supporter has made a $10,500 pledge to help us get a new vehicle.    We were so stunned it took us a couple of days to start car shopping.   Now that we’ve looked for a week, we realize it’s not quite enough to find a reliable vehicle to meet our ministry needs.   This newsletter is being written to see if you or someone you know can get us to a point to push over the edge.  

We have much to be thankful for.   The vulnerability we live with can cause self-doubt.    Yet, each

week we see niches filled that wouldn’t happen without our presence on the northern plains.   We continue to preach in a variety of churches each Sunday.   Often African diaspora visitors are in our home.   Jana meets frequently with African women and nurtures them through healthcare for themselves and their family.   Our social media stays busy and conversations about the Gospel and culture continue across continents.  The beauty of North Dakota, continual adventure, and generosity of the people here lift our spirits and whisper to stay the course.

Our entire 12 years in America have been vulnerable, but cars have been an area where we have had few crises.   We found Christian ministries that provided low cost reliable used cars and trustworthy mechanics.    Also, three times someone has donated a vehicle to us.      Our 2006 Ford Taurus that we plan to replace we purchased for only $3,000 from Jubilee Cars (https://weareoutreach.org/resale-centers/.) It has given us 3 good years with few repair needs until the last few months.   We’ve now recently spent $1,500 on repairs.  We’ve used creative less expensive ways to keep it running such as bypassing the air conditioner.    The under body is thoroughly rusted, and it is likely that holes will completely come through the floorboard this winter.   We’re also now in those dog days of summer with temperatures at times over 100 and smoke filled air.   We can limp a long a few months, but we don’t dare try to get through the winter with this vehicle.  

We drive around 3,000 miles each month.   Of that we usually do between 200 and 500 miles each Sunday.   We will always drive on at least 5 miles of gravel.   We may drive on up to 10 miles of gravel.  Occasionally, we will go 2 miles on a country dirt road.   If we have a normal winter, there will probably be 20 times in which we will be going through a couple inches of snow or with some ice pack.  It seems wise for us to have a Sports Utility Vehicle or Pickup with four wheel drive or all wheel drive.   As we have looked locally, we sometimes see a used SUV in our current price range.   However, they have lots of miles.  They are sold quickly before we can thoroughly research the vehicle.  Once, a dealer candidly told us the problems and he took the vehicle off the market for which we are so thankful.

Our best possibility seems to be to go with the services of MATS – Missionary Auto Truck Services (https://mats.org/.)    We rented a vehicle once from them on a furlough.   Over the years our family (including adult kids) has bought 3 vehicles from them.    As we’ve dialogued with them their counsel is that for $10,000 it would be difficult to find a reliable SUV.   They thought if our budget could increase to $15,000 it is quite likely that they would be able to find us a reliable replacement.     (For a short videos on their thoughts check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNCjGvOHsEs&t=47s.)

This makes so much sense to us.   We’re not experts at sorting through cars and it’s wise to use the

expertise of others.   MATS has a history of helping with many missions and has been a Godsend to us in the past.   They are trustworthy in an industry that can be difficult to navigate.   Our energy and time need to go into getting more set up tasks done with Rural Diaspora Community and providing pastoral care.   Though a possibility may arise different than the MATS option this one seems the most likely in the next few months.   

If you would like to give to us personally you could send a check to 11309 Main St. Killdeer, ND 58640 or you could send us a gift through Venmo (@mzee-Jenkins), PayPal (mzeedavejenkins@gmail.com), Zelle (mzeedavejenkins@gmail.com), or Cash App ($mzeedave).

Thank you to each one who has read this and put us into your thoughts and prayers.

Mungu akubariki (May God bless you),

Dave

July Newsletter

 

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Over the last few weeks, we have had lots of affirmations.   Some think we are holding fast to historic beliefs and Christian practices.   Some offer to help.  Some ask how they can help.   We also recognize that much of what we do does not fit the contemporary boxes of how Christianity in America functions.   Those questions lead me to think we need to do a newsletter that answers the why and what questions with a closure about how you can pray and be involved.  

 First, why are we in western North Dakota?

 One of the oldest historic missionary practices is to follow the relationship webs and we followed those webs here.  A couple of weeks ago I preached in a small rural church that until the 1970’s was still using German.   After church I drove about an hour to a mid-sized town.   I ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant in which the staff was speaking Spanish.   Then I went to Walmart to grocery shop.   In Walmart I heard the African languages of Kinyarwanda and Afrikaans plus a couple African languages I did not know well enough to identify.  (Usually, I also hear Ukrainian and Tagalog at our local Walmart.)  We are living in an old missionary’s dream posting.  Our nearby counties still remember immigration experiences from places like Germany, Russia, Sweden, and Ukraine.   Our economy is one of opportunity and many recent immigrants come here for those opportunities.   

 By God’s grace when I was hospice chaplain one of my colleagues’ parents had an available ranch home in the Killdeer Mountains that we rent.   We get all the benefits of ranch living without ranch responsibilities.   It is a tremendous blessing.   The mountains lift our spirits.  This also is a fantastic location for our son, Timothy’s complex disabilities.  

 Another old missionary practice goes back to our theological roots.  Jana and I grew up in a tradition called the American Restoration Movement.  In simplest terms our heritage calls us to preach the Bible and pursue unity with all other believers.  We honor our heritage every week. 

 Second, what are we doing?

 Good missionaries listen and serve before they preach.   We are at a point of preaching.   With my work as hospice chaplain, I developed a wide network of churches in western North Dakota.   As this year started, and Jana and I told people we were available our Sunday schedule has filled up quickly.   Most Sundays we are in at least two and sometimes five pulpits.   Since being in western North Dakota, we have preached to seven different denominations.   Most of the time we preach from an assigned Bible text or on a requested topic.   We try to understand the congregation and treat their heritage with honor.  We so much enjoy this role as we come away wiser listening to country insight.  Also, like so many of the immigrants, we are doing the work that others will not do.   There is a beauty to America’s rural churches that is lost in many genres of American Christianity. 

 

We also increasingly recognize that by having lived in so many global cities we have a network that spans continents and people who want to hear from us.   As we started doing our Killdeer Mountain Table Talks on Facebook, we now get some Sundays over 1,000 views from around the world.

 We also shepherd people.   There are 112 Rwandan adults on the mailing list within an hour’s drive of our home.   I was one of the speakers at their Kwibuka – Commemoration of the Genocide Against the Tutsi (for news stories on Kwibuka in North Dakota see: https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/kwibuka-30-north-dakotas-rwandan-community-commemorates-1994-genocide-anniversary?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1xgICF1g4_QJiUv8h-ghhsS0VDNtBECX9Rj3PgozsKeANfHKwl4__B1Hs_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw, https://www.kfyrtv.com/2024/04/28/kwibukas-30th-anniversary-hosted-dickinson-state-university/.)  Jana stays busy also with her contract as a lay health ambassador making sure that African immigrants nearby have health insurance, a primary doctor, and understand the American medical system (For more news stories on Jana's work see: https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/breaking-healthcare-barriers-for-women-in-western-north-dakota?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar.)

With the young ages of immigrant communities in western North Dakota we also function as adopted grandparents for many.   Often young families are over for dinner, we hike in the mountains, and share the wisdom we have learned from raising five kids in a multiple of nations.

All of this feels remarkably familiar to us as missionaries.    

 Third, how is this happening?

 With the graciousness of many.  We do look remarkably like the faith mission circuit preachers of old.   The local churches pay a bit of a range, but it usually is about $250.  Jana has a part-time contract as a lay health ambassador.  We still have a few families who send us missionary support.    I have kept up on keeping the financial books.   So far, each month our gross income is about the cost of our housing, mileage, and of running a home office.   Until the last couple of months, we have been fortunate to have few vehicle repairs.

 Also, we keep getting surprised by practical gifts that really push us through.   When we needed vehicle repairs salvage yards and parts stores sold us parts wholesale.   One mechanic mounted tires for free.  Another rounded down his labor costs.    We did not ask for any special favors and they all responded graciously when we answered the question, “What are you doing where you drive so many miles on weekends?”

 Jana received a cooler full of recently processed beef from a rancher at a local church where she preached.

 Two retiring pastors donated significant portions of their libraries to us.  With their donations and past donations, we now have an exceptional pastoral library at home.   I am aware of few pastors who have so many quality books at their fingertips.    We are extremely well equipped to preach, teach, and write.  

 We are so thankful and all these type of gifts confirm we should continue.  God’s people on the prairie want us here doing ministry.

 Fourth, are we as vulnerable as it appears?

 

Yep.  In some ways that vulnerability feels remarkably familiar and in a way comforting.    Yet, we know that without more stability the odds are high that a couple unfortunate events could stop what we are doing.  

 We do not have a single local church who has us in their missions’ budget.   We do not get any denominational or foundation support.   Our 2017 Ford Escape has 165,000 miles on it.   Our 2006 Ford Taurus has 130,000 miles on it.  

 We do sense that we are in a place where Dave’s childhood hopes of living on the northern plains and African immigration have come together.  What would the odds of that have been 30 years ago?

 We do find that rural congregations have been neglected and our teaching skills are utilized and appreciated.   We also see where our first 9 years of living in America at poverty level created a skill set that allows us to weather this season of vulnerability.

 Fifth, how can you help?

 First, many of you already do it.   This journey can be lonely.   We recognize that our advocacy for rural America, immigration, and the disabled places us quickly in conversations that many find uncomfortable or offensive in the contemporary American church.   Those of you that stay aware, affirm what we are doing, send messages of encouragement, and then trade ideas of how to do this better are a true joy.   We so much appreciate you sharing the journey.  We do face opposition.  Thus, advocates are a treasure.

 Second, your prayers matter.  Some things that come to mind beyond God’s glory and national renewal that are very practical include matters such as:

1   Our son, Timothy’s health.   It is extremely complicated.  When one matters resolves many times another arises.   He has gone 3 months without a grand mal seizure.   We hope that this summer will be one where his health stabilizes and, in the fall, we will find some new opportunities.

2.     For us to get RDC (Rural Diaspora Community) administrative details set up.   We need to keep preaching to pay bills.   The work is before us.   Yet, it leaves little time for developing and processing 501c3 status.

3.    For us to find new partnerships.   We are hopeful for conversations we have with local businesses and the North Dakota Office of Legal Immigration. (For more information here’s a news story with links https://northdakotamonitor.com/2024/05/22/study-dives-into-how-legal-immigrants-can-boost-north-dakota-workforce/)

4.     To develop rhythms that better communicate the wisdom God has given us across continents.   Our Facebook stays active.   Substack seems like an option that would maximize our diverse network and experience.   With the juggling of family health, economic vulnerability, and administrative set up we do not believe we are yet maximizing our impact online.   As we read trends we sense we’re in a good position to influence both the American and global church (For insight into online use by Christians see: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/who-is-attending-online-church.)

Third, financial contributions are a real key to ministry function.    Besides just the cost of living and ministry our Taurus is likely on her last legs.    She is thoroughly rusted underneath, and we doubt she will make it another winter on the prairie.   An all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive would be immensely helpful next winter as we preach in rural congregations.   If you would like to give to us personally you could send a check to 11309 Main St. Killdeer, ND 58640 or you could send us a gift through Venmo (@mzee-Jenkins), PayPal (mzeedavejenkins@gmail.com), Zelle (mzeedavejenkins@gmail.com), or Cash App ($mzeedave).

Thank you to each one who has read this and put us into your thoughts and prayers.

Mungu akubariki (May God bless you),

Dave