the Glocal Trekker Blog

I was overseas recently and was watching CNN when a story came on about Bill and Melinda Gates. It showed them in Africa visiting children impacted by AIDS. You could see their passion and love for the children and the gratitude of people who were receiving the aid. Later, when I returned home I was watching the news here in the U.S. and it had another special on Bill and Melinda and what they were doing in creating a new kind of High School for gifted inner-city children. Once again, they were walking around and interacting with people.

Just about the time we would "spiritualize" and "missionalize" all humanitarian behavior as "Christian," someone like Bill and Melinda Gates comes along and winds up putting all of us to shame. (Of course, most of us don't have their millions and billions to do stuff with.) They are, no doubt, being "incarnational" with people that are hurting and I would say they are definitely living a "missional" life compared to most wealthy Christians. Undoubtedly, they would also want to "transform" certain realities.

This forces us to ask the question, what makes our work different--really different? Because of globalization, or as I call it glocalization, the world is connected. When I was a boy, I never dreamed I'd travel internationally--just going to another state was huge. Man, was I in for a shock. But, as I traveled, it made me own it--everything I saw. Cultures, food, cities, different races, all infected me and expanded my view of the world, God, and even truth.

I think the difference lies in the process and what we believe is the end game. First, as Christians, we believe we cannot transform ourselves due to our sinfulness. Christ has to transform us. Anything less comes up short. Second, as Christians, we believe what we do has an eternal impact--not just as long as our money lasts or our efforts can be promoted among others. Third, there is a dimension of love that drives us to serve--not when we are the richest in the world but, frankly, the poorest in the world.

Bill Gates' model is un-reproducible. It's great for a billionaire. If we have to wait until we are the richest in the world (which by the world's standards most Americans are) it will never happen. But, even with all his billions he can't change the world. What's the hope? It will take all the churches in every class of society in every domain of society standing up on their feet and serving to see transformation.

Historically, wherever the Protestant Church has gone, it has lifted up society. That cannot be said of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam or any other religion--and that's according to a non-Protestant Max Webber. The greatest hope is believers living their faith in a love-filled way in their personal vocations and seeing transformation all around them, then using all they have to see even more transformation in their communities and world.

At this point, the best Bill Gates can offer is a temporary hope which, I believe, matters. However, as believers we should be offering eternal hope, not just temporary hope.

Let me be a prophet. I've only been a prophet once--when I prophesied that Lance Armstrong would leave Cheryl Crow and she'd sing a song about some bicycle guy who ran over her heart! I think one day Bill Gates just may become a Christian. Why? Because the guy has to care about people to be doing what he's doing. He now loves the things God loves. That's dangerous. We all come to God from different angles-he's coming from the angle of being blessed (don't know he'd call it that). He feels a responsibility. He's a man of vision; therefore, he's going to realize it's going to take more than his money, but it will take everybody's money. He's an intelligent and studied man. Therefore, he's going to begin to read about what transformation has taken place in the past and its best chance for the future. He will examine the claims of Christ and make his own decision. It just wouldn't shock me if he became a Christian. He's a missionary--no doubt about it. BUT, for now, a missionary of a wealthy American capitalist. Nothing wrong with that. It's just not eternal or all that deep.

"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clinging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1Corinthians 13:1-3

Yo Bill --you da' man--love you--prayin for you--rock on.