Preached this sermon today at St Alf's, although we could have done with three sermons on the topic! Here are two questions that came up afterwards. Thanks for asking them, E!
Q: Should I get a mortgage? Isn't that just tying you down to a massive piece of debt that will limit your ability to go wherever God might call you to?
A: Mortgages, or more specifically, owning your own home, is neither godly nor ungodly on its own. The reality is that most people have to borrow money to buy a home, and that our Australian financial situation means that mortgages aren't essentially sinful.
My favourite story is of two friends. One bought a home, but insisted against that open-plan rubbish. He had two living areas: one for the family (kids) to run riot in, and another that could host small group Bible studies or pastoral meetings in quiet at the same time. The other refused to go into that sort financial (and emotional) commitment so that he could stay 'fliexible' and available to go wherever God called. He ended up overseas as a missionary for a decade. The first friend ran small groups and did ministry out of the house. Both were godly decisions, with good Gospel outcomes.
Q: What do you think about overseas travel for young adults/ uni students/ gap years? Doesn't it cost too much and that money could be given to missionaries or Gospel workers?
A: Travel is pretty neutral on its own, I think. Yes, there are environmental and opportunity cost issues, but the positive side of travel is that it's a chance to see more of God's good creation, including especially the good in the diversity of humankind, human history and culture. These are the 'every tribe, people, language and nation' that will worship around the throne of the Lamb.
The problem with much young adult travel is that it's done for its own sake, or for fun times, or for the tourist value. And Christians who travel often check out of worshipping in a corporate context (church on Sunday) for the duration. That's just self-indulgent travel.
But travel with a view to taking in more of God's view of his entire world and all his people, enlarges us, expands our vision of what God is up to around the world, and opens us up to possibilities in ministry and universal Gospel truth that our often limited local experience makes hard to appreciate. Yes, it's costly, but if prayerfully approached, and if structured with the right connections to local Gospel ministries in the places to be visited, can be a valuable investment in someone's ministry future.
