The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Speaking of Arminians...

I have an interesting opportunity coming up next on the afternoon of Aug. 14. There is group of women I used to hang out with in college, and we were involved in Campus Crusade together (it was a very small group, as there were only a dozen or so of us). I have not seen many of them in several years, and the ones I have seen I only got to talk to briefly. So, this is a reunion of sorts.

One of my friends, Betsy, is Christian & Missionary Alliance. She just got he nursing degree and is going to work at a hospital in Mali (which is run by several CMA missionaries). The invitation says it is a time to hear about what she will be doing, as well as a time for prayer and fellowship.

I already told them I would come, as I would love to see them all again. I also know that my beliefs are a whole lot different than they were back then, and I pray the Lord would allow me to attest to God's sovereignty there. I know my Calvinism will come out in my prayers. So pray that I won't come across as one who wants to show-off but as one who believes that God is almighty and that He has absolute freedom over His creation.

This also comes with a questions, which is why I put this in the open forum:

I don't know if she will be asking for money, as she didn't mention it on her invitation, but, just in case, do you think I should contribute? The C&MA is pretty far removed from Calvinist theology. And yet this is a hospital that she is working at.

Part of me is excited and the other is nervous. I don't want to be put in a situation where I compromise, so I would appreciate any suggestions.

If the Alliance is what it had been from its inception, until the time I moved and was unable to attend, they missionaries are not permitted to solicit funds for themselves. All funding was handled by the missionary department. Each church had a missionary conference yearly and missionaries from various fields would come and speak. Pledges were taken at the end of each local conference and all monies were distributed with the currency exchange values etc taken into consideration. I have known of a very well known missionary within the organization that was relieved of her assignment becaause she did solicit funds for her particular field.

The CMA was the home denomination for A W Tozer. Ravi Zaccharias also came from that work.

Hope that helps

Gil