text:
Issues surrounding food price and availability recently appeared on magazine covers and front page news reports. In some cases, rioting broke out over price increases and shortages. News reports cited a variety of reasons for the recent spike in some commodity shortages and prices.
In your view, what are the most significant underlying factors behind these events and what should be done about it?
NB in Pakistan writes:
In Pakistan too food shortage & increase in prices have caused rioting in several cities. In my opinion there are several factors involved in Pakistan. Wrong policies by the former government, hoarding and profiteering by the mafiasco, and some politically motivated in order to destablize the newly elected government. It could also be the mafiasco's way of telling the government to give them importance or else!
State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack writes:
@ NB in Pakistan -- NB, I'd be interested to hear more of your description of events in your country in reaction to the rise in food prices. How much press coverage do the riots receive? Are you and your friends talking about it?
Would also be interested to hear similar reports from others living elsewhere.
Joe in Tennessee writes:
1. Greed
2. Economics
3. Poor Leadership
4. Infrastructure
Instead of World Global Economics which forces dependency and creates separation not free markets, it would be more intelligent to make each country self sufficient where possible. The perfect example is America, the U.S.A. When we were totally independent and self sufficient, we all had more and the American Dream was a Tangible, not intangible. It is the foundation on which we live today, though the mortar and bricks are being lost. We were able to afford the money we spent on our People and could back our currency, not make promissory notes and drafts.
Presently, here in America which symbolizes equality, why do we demonstrate that the lower income classes bear the burden of having less proportionately due to legislature which sold jobs overseas under the pretext of Global Economics and did not protect the foundation class of America? Does that not make us like any third world country in precedence?
Felix in U.S.A. writes:
Food it's a big problem in Pakistan. Wrong policies by the former government it's the big problem there, inocent people have a bad life because of them.
Dan in Oklahoma writes:
Increased energy and transportation costs -- as well as greed, hording, theft, food losses from improper storage, and climatic change have all acted to make food less available, and more costly. The U.S. policy of providing unlimited subsidies to large industrial farms (in the U.S.) have acted to lower food production worldwide -- by making overseas production less profitable. Corn ethanol has proven to be a mistake, and has contributed to increased food and feed costs in the U.S., and worldwide. Development of cellulosic ethanol technologies would have prevented this problem.) Promotion of chemical agricultural practices have damaged water, soils, and the environment, so the chemical companies acted to reduce overall food production. UNFAO and USAID have been mostly taken over by administrators who lack the technical skills needed to help increase food/ feed/ fiber production. Declining water resources are being managed very poorly. Extension agricultural programs have not been properly developed, so most farmers are not getting the technical support needed. Extensive corruption of the U.S. political process, by special interests, has made it impossible to correct most of the above said problems. (My comments are based on five decades of agricultural development experience, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.)
Ronald in New York writes:
The global food crises are a direct result of economic and political plate techtonic shifts away from aid and toward privatization in a synthetic world market. "Food Riots" are only the beginning. There will be riots for water, medicine, shelter, and other basic commodities which define civil humanity. The problem is not the riots; the riot is a funtional response to chronic hunger. When the riot stops; then there is a real problem. People too weak to express their intolerance for impending starvation.
Joe in Tennessee writes:
I believe if you read April's copy of Russia Review, "How Russia did not become a Market Economy" it will give insight to why Free Markets will not work today.
We NEED it to work, because it's all we have to back our money up. This is why America needs to bring work back home and stabilize. We need to be self sufficient again or we will have to a form Universal socialism out of necessity.
We are the only hope left for a free world...not Corporations, but Democracy. Corporations are not Democracies in reality.
Come up with all the excuses you want, its:
1. Greed
2. Economics
3. Poor Leadership
4. Infrastructure
The world will sooner or latter have to have a Universal establishment of shared wealth in one form or another to offset all the travesties we place upon ourselves in basic necessities. We will have to accept a no tolerance stand toward world Leaders who negatively impact this smaller planet we reside on. This was the purpose of the UN and NATO. The US is doing the job of everyone now and simply can't afford to keep it up. Every country has to step up to the plate.
Dave in U.S.A. writes:
Education is critical if food shortages are to be resolved.
In some areas, 20 to 40 percent of foods produced are lost due to improper storage. When and where chemical companies have over-promoted use of agricultural chemicals, soil fertility has been reduced and food yields are less. These problems -- and other factors reducing food production/ delivery -- could be resolved with effective agricultural extension programs. However, many developing nations have not been willing or financially able to pay for quality extension efforts. The alternative solution is providing quality Radio Schools to economically and efficiently deliver self-help instruction designed to eliminate food production/ delivery problems, one-by-one. UNFAO and USAID personnel are now mostly administrators with few skills in providing technical or extension-type assistance. They have been unwilling to support Radio Schools because they don't understand the concept. In brief, solutions to most food crises are possible --- but we have yet to effectively employ such solutions. Our charity, NPI, is trying to start Radio Schools for Pakistan and other critical areas. (USAID has refused to consider any funding for these projects for the reason stated above.)
NB in Pakistan writes:
@ State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack -- Greetings.
Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word riots. There were protests with tires being burnt in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, near Chaman Border in Balochistan and enroute Khyber Pass to Afghanistan. These took place in the end of January and early February. Yes, the television medium reported these but only in the form of news-tickers, otherwise there was hush-hush about the whole affair. I remember there was a clampdown on media at that time. I don't know if they were reported in the newspapers because I don't buy them regularly.
In Hyderabad, Sukkur, & Multan the protests were against non-availability of wheat-flour and unaffordable vegetable prices, whereas near the Chaman border trucks of wheat flour got looted and in NWFP two truckloads of wheat flour got hijacked.
There are almost regular fights outside the government owned Utility Stores where wheat flour is sold at government fixed rate which is at least 8 rupees/kilogram less than the market price. However, these are individual incidents and cannot be termed as riots or protests.
The situation for future looks bleak. This year's harvest is 3 million tons less than last year's. This is according to government figures.
I hope I succeed in posting this on the blog, I tried it early in the morning but failed. Despite subscribing to 3 ISPs, I have connectivity problems.
NB in Pakistan writes:
@ Dave in U.S.A. -- Yes, I'm sure the Radio School to help the farmers will greatly improve food production. Will the radio transmission be on a.m. band? Dave, could you please tell me if your NGO (that is NPI) has an office in Pakistan? ...And please tell me what NPI stands for. Thanks.
John in Greece writes:
@ NB in Pakistan --
"I hope I succeed in posting this on the blog, I tried it early in the morning but failed. Despite subscribing to 3 ISPs, I have connectivity problems."
Thank God, you are posted.
I think that the SD guys do a perfect job no matter the difficulties.
I have added to "favorites" our Blog, months ago.
It is strange, but, the last days, when I attempt to visit the site, the "navigation" of the browser is also "strange." DipNote -- the requested Blog upon first hit -- does not "appear". Always, something else comes up as a requested site. But not our Blog.
(Maybe we have bugs, moreover, religion ones. However, I am not paranoid), yet...
So, I have to go through the state.gov -- hit the DipNote banner etc...
The good think is that still works anyway. I'm posted like you.
Nevertheless, if some guys do not like our discussions, they better understand that we love it so much...
America loves democracy, Freedom and "public speaking."
Even if the internet does not work at all someday in the future, we will use birds (doves), but, we will keep on believing in Freedom and the exchanging of ideas to make the world better.
NB, I do not know what happens there -- Pakistan -- and what exactly is your political thesis, but keep on posting and keep in mind that the SD gives us a real Forum (with an F) for debating.
Don't let anything stop you from writing.
NB in Pakistan writes:
@ State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack -- Greetings.
As a follow-up to my previous posting there were protests against non-availability of wheat flour in seven towns. According to a newspaper the worst crisis of non-availability was in Noshero Feroz in Northern part of Sindh. The protests all over were civilized and limited to carrying banners and walking around the town and ending up with a token hunger strike of two hours outside the respective press clubs.
There was a story about an Afghan smuggler who owns 8000 mules and uses these mules to smuggle out wheat flour. Harmless it may seem, but one wonders what else could these mules be carrying on their to & fro trips. If one lets one's imagination get carried away then, of course, one enters a state of shock.
Higher oil prices are also contributing towards rocketing sky-high overall inflation.
Best Regards.
NB in Pakistan writes:
@ John in Greece -- Yeah, I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally got connected and had posted on the blog. Getting on to Dipnote is not a problem, it's the ISPs that either don't let you get connected to the internet or if you get connected, they cut you off just after a minute or so.
Yes John, SD does give us a real forum and let's us exchange ideas with freedom. Best Regards.
NB in Pakistan writes:
@ David in USA -- I should have mentioned AM band and not a.m. band. I would also like to re-iterate that Radio School will not only help food problems it could also be used for education in other fields too.
Zharkov in U.S.A. writes:
Food shortages are always either an unintended or intended consequence of government policies. The Irish Potato Famine, and famine caused by Stalin's government, are examples of an intended consequence. Mao Tze Tung's famine in China is an example of an unintended consequence.
Today's food shortage is likely a consequence of free trade and the economic doctrine of comparative advantage. This doctrine provides that production of wheat in nations that produce wheat at lowest cost will benefit consumers world-wide, while production of shoes in other nations that can produce shoes more efficiently also benefits consumers, so that each nation should specialize in a basket of goods that it can produce at lowest cost.
The fallacy in this theory is that many nations can produce almost everything at lower cost, leaving the higher-cost producing nations importing everything and exporting nothing. Food shortages occur when high-cost producers quit producing. Without trade protection, they cannot sell food produce for less than the cost of production.
Just as oil flows to the highest bidder, food shipments are diverted to nations willing to pay the highest prices.
As more advanced nations reduce their high-cost production of food, they begin importing food from third-world nations, so there is less food available for third-world citizens.
Of course, there is always the possibility that the food shortage is intentional on the part of government officials who seek tighter control over population numbers. It is no longer secret that a small number of morons in high places believe the world population should be limited to 500 million people.
Joe in Tennessee writes:
Maybe you will print this one:
Hungry people don't care about human rights, politics, religion....nothing matters unless these people eat first...
Dont' mistake this as political, it's one example:
Congress paid out over 9 billion to farmers in the Texas area to NOT GROW crops as subsidies and the land sits or giving them to land sold with larger homes that have been built since who get the subsidies each year and aren't farmers....the plan was for the small farmer, but guess what happened.
I can't see why the government would create a shortage here while paying people not to grow crops; then purchase crops from people they are paying not to grow them to ship out in USAID...what the heck is that all about? How is taking from the poor here to feed the poor somewhere else realy helping long term? Its like robing Peter to pay Paul. Nothing realy changes until the system changes. To have more the system needs to be changed or adjusted to the needs.
We need to produce food here and world wide. We can do so and still maintain a capitalist system. An EQUAL one for ALL...so let it be said, let it be written, let it be done...It must be or we will have choas beyond our imagination.
NB in Pakistan writes:
The government here is getting serious about handling wheat crisis. High level committee has been formed to control the matter. Let's hope it brings about good results.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ Joe in Tennessee -- Someone has apparently found a solution to being hungry, and that is to simply blow yourself up...
Martyrdom would solve Iran's economic woes: Ahmadinejad
Thursday, 24 April 2008
TEHRAN (AFP) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the country's economic woes can be solved by the "culture of martyrdom, the Mehr news agency reported.
"If we want to build the country, maintain our dignity and solve economic problems, we need the culture of martyrdom," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying in a speech on Wednesday in the western city of Hamedan.
He described martyrdom, dying or being killed for one's religious beliefs, as "a quick and shortcut way to reach the summit of salvation."
He did not say how becoming a martyr would help the economy, which is struggling from high inflation.
---end excerpt from news item---
You were talking about government subsidies....what about those governments that subsidize the conflicts that create poverty, famine, mass migrations of peoples and disease?
There's the root cause.
NB in Pakistan writes:
The new government is Pakistan is serious about not letting the food problem get out of hand. Immediate import of 1.5 million tons of wheat has been sanctioned despite the harvesting season not being over yet. I would call this foreseeing the problem areas much in advance. The government has sanctioned import of a total of 5 million tons of wheat for this year. With such planning going on, hopefully there won't be any food shortage crisis.


text:
For more than seven decades, the Bimini Big Game Club was a larger-than-life destination on this tiny Bahamian island just 50 miles off the Florida coast.
Time Off » Getaways
August 1, 2011
August 1, 2011
The Jutland Peninsula–which Germany and Denmark share and which separates the North Sea from the Baltic–includes a region that was once the independent kingdom of Angle. This is where the English language originated and the Danish Vikings headquartered. On top of its colorful past, however, Angle has an enjoyable present.
May 31, 2011
Many once-in a-lifetime vacations are just a flight away when you own a jet or have access to one via charter, a fractional share or a jet card. Even then, however, some destinations can pose challenges. They may be out of range for your aircraft. Or the airports, language, culture or other factors may pose challenges that you're not comfortable facing on your own.
May 31, 2011
Want to use your own business jet or private charter? Linda Lockner of the TravelStore and Malaka Hilton of AuthentEscapes can help you arrange odysseys with privileged access anywhere in the world.
May 31, 2011
The Latin American business aviation market is delivering on its promise, with Brazil leading the charge. The eighth annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE) will be held at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, from August 11 to 13.
April 1, 2011
The French Riviera seems likely to be a popular destination this spring, with the famous Cannes International Film Festival set for May 11 to 22 and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in the streets of neighboring Monaco scheduled for May 24. Then comes the Cannes Airshow, a business and general aviation event, from June 9 through 11.
April 1, 2011
Rugged and refined, historic but New Age, northern New Mexico offers a colorful landscape and a lifestyle that tempts vacationers with a panoply of world-class golf, fashionable ski resorts, operas, fine-art galleries and handcrafted goods. The Land of Enchantment, nestled around the southern end of the Rockies, is as much a state of mind as a geographical region.
February 1, 2011
We reached the top of the 300-foot-high sand dune that dominates the landscape on Bazaruto Island, stopping to let the warm Indian Ocean breeze wash over us and to take in stunning views of sapphire-blue water fanning out in every direction. Our horses stood still in the fading daylight, resting after a plodding ascent to the dune's summit.
December 1, 2010
"Remember, tight tuck," coached Chris, a plucky zip-line tour guide, as she readied my cables for one of the granddaddies of zips-an 830-foot-long swoop over Rosebrook Canyon in Bretton Woods, N.H. "Use your left hand to straighten out if you start to turn."
October 1, 2010
Business aviation's biggest event-the annual National Business Aviation Association Convention-will be held in Atlanta this year, October 19 to 21. The Georgia World Congress Center will host the exhibits and more than 100 education and maintenance and operation sessions while DeKalb-Peachtree Airport will present the static display of aircraft.
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Advanced Collections Stabilization Internship
subscribe_url: '/share/sites/Bapu4ruC/preservation.php'
The goal of the Advanced Collections Stabilization Internship is to enable preservation graduate students or emerging professionals with similar experience to broaden and refine decision-making, project-management, and collections care abilities, and function as a cooperative and productive staff member in the Conservation Division of the Library of Congress. Interns focus on preservation challenges in the context of a large research library and consider the needs of a broad range of formats and collection materials.
The focus of the Internship matches the Intern's interests and level of expertise with the current projects and annual objectives of the Division.
The Advanced Collections Stabilizatoin Internship is hosted by the Conservation Division of the Preservation Directorate at the Library of Congress. The Conservation Division includes staff specializing in book, paper, photograph, and preventive conservation. The Preservation Directorate has a Research Resource Center with an expansive collection of conservation literature that is available to Interns for conducting research.
Internship Details
Internship activities include:
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- Collections Packing and Moving
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- Integrated Pest Management
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In addition, Interns have the opportunity to participate in outreach activities such as lab tours for visitors and are encouraged to attend relevant in-house lectures and conferences. Interns meet curators to discuss planning and decision making and are expected to give a farewell presentation to Library staff on their year's work and accomplishments. The Washington metro area is home to many cultural heritage institutions with conservation facilities that are available for visits and Interns are encouraged to be active in the Washington professional community.
Application Instructions and Process
The goal of the Internship is to enable preservation graduate students or emerging professionals with similar experience to broaden and refine abilities and function as a cooperative and productive staff member in the Conservation Division of the Library of Congress. Candidates will be selected on the basis of preservation knowledge, skills, and abilities, an active commitment to professional ethics as stated in the AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, effective communication skills, and an understanding of library and archival collections.
The Library may accept one or more Interns per year for the Advanced Preventive Conservation Internship. The length of the Internship is typically 11-12 months and follows the academic year. Shorter term (12-week) internships are possible depending on time available, current Library staffing and work load, and the candidate's interests and qualifications – but naturally provide a less in-depth experience of the Library.
Citizenship requirements: U.S. citizenship not required; non-resident aliens must be eligible for U.S visas.
Application Materials
A complete application (only complete applications will be reviewed) consists of:
- Preservation Application Form [PDF: 174 KB / 4 pp.]
- Formal letter of interest
- Resume
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Please follow carefully the instructions at the top of the form. If it is not possible to submit the requested materials by email, an alternative arrangement can be made.
Application Schedule
- December 1-31: Applications accepted
- January: Qualified applicants will be scheduled for a phone interview and must submit written and photographic treatment documentation
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- March 1: Letters posted to applicants
- September: Internship begins
Currently, the Library is unable to provide a stipend for the Advanced Conservation Internships.
Mary Oey
Conservation Division
Library of Congress
[email protected]
Because of security measures at the Library, all postal delivery may be delayed. We request that all application materials and inquiries be sent by email.


text:
After eight years of U.S. inaction on climate change, American leadership offers the only hope of success.attend the talks — and hopefully he will — his mission will fail unless he carries with him a year's worth of demonstrated results to lend weight and credibility to the promise he made in his inaugural address to "roll back the specter of a warming planet." In Copenhagen, his inspiring oratory alone will not be sufficient; he must demonstrate how science has been restored "to its rightful place" in America in strong climate regulation and law.
The president must travel to Copenhagen with real regulatory and legislative achievements.climate change, and his economic recovery package makes important commitments toward green jobs, clean energy, and energy efficiency — $54 billion worth. This is more than a third of the $150 billion he promised over the next 10 years for clean energy investments, so if the package survives its passage through Congress, he will be ahead of schedule on that score. By itself, though, this investment inside a trillion dollar package merely colors the economic recovery with a pale green hue. It is not an energy and climate plan, and Obama will still face heavy regulatory and legislative lifting to turn promise into reality before Copenhagen.
More From Yale e360Click below to read more on Yale Environment 360 about U.S. policy challenges in tackling climate change.
President Obama's Big Climate Challenge | The Clean Air Act: Jump-Starting Climate Action | As Europe Fiddles, U.S. May Take Lead on Climate Change | Obama Is Ready to Move On a Clean-Energy Economy
Obama must expend political capital in Congress to pass legislation capping greenhouse gas emissions.renewed discussion. None of the options is perfect, but one of them is rising as a preferred choice because it protects low-and middle-income families from rising energy prices. It's called "cap-and-dividend." Under this program, permits to pollute the air with greenhouse gases would be auctioned and the proceeds returned to citizens. The extra income, which should be targeted especially to the poor, will protect the most vulnerable American families from rising energy prices and will help build a long-term constituency for climate action. In the present economic crisis, the prospect of sending monthly dividend checks to families is a political winner. It makes a cap-and-dividend plan largely immune from criticism that it will be costly to the public, and it increases the chances of passage this year.


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Mangusta 80/69
Mangusta 80/69
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Trail Racing Results - Page 2
Dances With Dirt: Devil's Lake – Baraboo, Wisconsin
Adam McRoberts won the Dances With Dirt (DWD) Devil's Lake 50 Mile Saturday in 8:54:22, just ahead of runner-up Christopher Goetzmn, who finished about a minute behind in 8:55:48. John Kiser finished third among men and fourth overall in 9:10:03. Women's 50-mile champ Alisha Damrow, edged him out for third overall, crossing the line in 9:05:57. Damrow's nearest competitor was Lori Kirsch, who finished 18th overall in 10:46:44 to claim runner-up honors. Jennifer Rolfing finished third (21st overall) in 10:46:44.
In the 50K, Kevin Alldredge won comfortably in 3:43:29, well ahead of runner-up Michael Borst, who finished in 4:07:07. Jake Hegge finished third in 4:09:49. In the women's race, Brit Wood finished 23rd overall to claim the top spot in 5:22:16. Runner-up Erin Seffrood finished 32nd overall in 5:39:11 and Kara Carlson finished third in 5:55:01, good for 45th overall.
Complete results for the 50-mile and 50k, as well as the marathon, half marathon and 10k can be found here: http://timing.runningfitsites.com/index.php/event-results
Golden Gate Races – Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California
San Francisco's Amanda Silber claimed a new course record en route to winning the Golden Gate 50K in 5:30:52 – good for 10th overall. She was followed closely by Lisa Hughey, of Livermore, California, who finished second (11th overall) in 5:32:25. Brenda Blin, of Napa, California, finished third (13th overall) in 5:44:23.
In the men's 50K, Rich Conder, of Suisun City, California, won overall in 4:40:39, well ahead of runner up Paul Bonnett, of Scottsdale, Arizona, who clocked a 4:51:25. Kermit Cuff, of Mountain View, California, finished third in 4:52:36.
Course records were also set in the men's 30K by (Jeremy Johnson, Sunnyvale, California, 2:23:22); men's half marathon (Alexander Gaber, San Francisco, 1:34:15); women's half marathon (Mikelle Stephenson, Herriman, Utah, 1:48:29); and women's 5-mile race (Silje Wilson, Hamar, Norway, 38:29). Complete results for these races, as well as the half marathon and women's 30K, can be found here.


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What PUMA Learned from Willy Wonka
November 14, 2012
Adam Petrick, senior global head of brand management, PUMA AG, discussed how PUMA is using mobile and other new technologies in its retail stores to enhance the consumer experience.
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The Supremacy of God in World Evangelism (Part 2)
Westminster Theological Seminary
Philadelphia, PA
Copyright © 2011 Westminster Theological Seminary
The following is an unedited transcription of the audio.
John Piper: One of the most moving books that I've read on missions is the St. Andrews Seven by Stuart Piggin and John Roxborogh, the Banner of Truth Trust, 1985. The reason I mention it here is a couple of reasons. One, it's because this is a seminary. It's a story about how Thomas Chalmers, in the 1820s, a professor at St. Andrews in Scotland, inspired six of his best students to devote themselves to a radical missionary commitment that totaled up to about 141 years of missionary involvement among those guys.
One of them was named [Urquhart], John Urquhart, who died at the age of 18 and had already written two-volume memoirs. And in it, he had a quote that goes like this. "We know of no office in the church of God where the very highest mental attainments can be more beneficially employed than in the office, all despised as it is, of the Christian missionary.
Now, I mention this book and that quote because of the bearing on my life and on this school, I think. Namely that missions has, historically, from the first era to the second era to the third era, in large measure, grown out of a great vision of God and largely out of people who were very doctrinally oriented and very thoughtful and intellectual kinds of people. As Chalmers said, it was a "Vision of the greatness of God in his grand design for the world" that motivated people in the second generation, of which he was a part. And the first generation of modern missions of which William Carey is an example, who went to India and spent 40 years there without a furlough.
And Carey was very intelligent. He had a great Calvinistic theology as a Baptist. And he devoted himself to translating the Bible into, goodness, who knows how many languages? 29 or more.
In 1797, four years after he came to India, he was confronted by a [Brahman]. Now, I'll tell you a little story. Just to give you a little snapshot of the kind of theology that was driving him. The kind of vision of god that was moving him and people like him.
He had just preached, four years after he got there, on Acts 14:16. And had made the case that God formally allowed all men everywhere to go their own way. And now he commands all men everywhere to repent, Acts 17:30. And a Brahman stood up at the end and said "I think God ought to repent for not sending the Gospel sooner to us, if what you say is true."
And William Carey's response to that objection, which is one that you will hear almost immediately if you go to an unreached culture and present the Gospel as the only way of salvation like this, here's the way he responded. I added, "Suppose a kingdom had been long overrun by the enemies of its true king, and he, though possessed of sufficient power to conquer them, should yet suffer them to prevail and establish themselves as much as they could desire, would not the valor and wisdom of that king be far more conspicuous in exterminating them, than it would have been if he had opposed them at first, and prevented their entering the country? Thus by diffusion of gospel light, the wisdom, power, and grace of God will be more conspicuous in overcoming such deep-rooted idolatries, and in destroying all that darkness and vice which have so universally prevailed in this country, than they would have been if all had not been suffered to walk in their own ways for so many ages past."
Now, I quote that just to say "That's an incredible answer theologically." I've never heard an answer like that to the question "Where were you when my grandfather died"? When I went to Cameroon and taught just a few classes in the seminary in Doume, Cameroon, the first hand that went up was "What do you think of our grandparents? Where are they?"
It's the question you will get in every first penetration of a culture. And that answer that Carey gave simply illustrates that he was driven by a profound theology of the sovereignty of God over the history of India. And it was not a typical kind of weak answer.
So, my point is the first generation of missions, the second generation of modern missions, was driven by a profoundly, doctrinally-oriented missionary. Jonathan Edwards was the source of much of this. His doctrinal commitments informed, of course, David Brainerd who fell in love with his daughter Jerusha and would have married her, had he not died at age 29 of tuberculosis.
And Jonathan Edwards thought so much of this young fellow riding around, coughing up blood for six years as he tried to win the Indians to Christ, that he wrote his biography out of his diary in his journals. And that has book has made a greater impact on missions, probably, than any other book besides the Bible. And William Carey talked about being on the boat on his trip the first time over to India. Well, actually, he never came back. He got halfway there and turned around and came back to get his wife.
But after he got there, he never came back. And on that boat, he talked about reading Edwards and reading Brainerd. For example, from his journal June 24, 1793. "Saw a number of flying fish. Have begun to write Bengali. Read Edwards' sermons and Cooper's poems. Mind, tranquil and serene."
So, the point is, the theology that was informing this first era of modern missionary movement with William Carey and the second era with Chalmers and his six and the others was a theology of the supremacy and centrality of God. And a great, majestic view of his right to lay claim on the nations for himself. And the others who followed, David Livingstone, Adoniram Judson, Alexander Duff, John Paton, they all shared that theology. There's a great historical tradition of reformed thinking across denominational lines that informed the early missionary movement in the world.
Now, what I want to do is try to torch the glacier again tonight with another text. And show you the supremacy of God from John's theology of missions, from the Gospel of John. And specifically, from Chapter 16. And I want you to turn there with me, if you have a Bible. I mean, John 10, not John 16. And I want us to read some verses. One verse, in particular, and then see it in its wider context.
And the verse is I think is the most important missionary verse in the Gospel of John. And you'll see why, historically, and I hope you'll see it exegetically before we're done. Verse 16 of John 10. Jesus says "I have other sheep, that are not of this fold. I must bring them also and they will heed my voice, so there shall be one flock and one shepherd." I think that's the greatest missionary text in the Gospel of John. I think David Livingstone thought it was, too as we'll see in a few minutes.
I want us to notice six things about the context that will help us bring it into sharp focus and see its missionary import. Number one, Jesus calls himself a shepherd in the context here. Verse 11, "I am the good shepherd." Verse 14, "I am the good shepherd." So, the flock of God is the people of Israel. And Jesus sees himself as the shepherd over that flock. And outside that flock of the people of Israel, he says there are other sheep, namely gentiles, out there. So, he's a shepherd, he has a flock. The messiah has a flock in Israel. And beyond that, there are other sheep.
Number two, "Some sheep are Christs and some are not." Verse 3 and 4, starting in the middle of Verse 3. "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he has brought out all his own, he goes before them." And look at Verse 14. "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me."
In other words, not all the people the flock of Israel are of Israel. By the way, Paul put it in Romans 9:6. Not all of Israel is Israel. Jesus says "I know my own sheep. They hear my voice, they follow me. But not all the sheep in Israel are sheep." So, here, you have a different kind of language than "sheep and goats." In the synoptics, you have sheep and sheep. "My own sheep and those who are not my sheep."
Number three, third observation from the context. The reason that some sheep belong to Jesus and some don't, some are his own, is because the father gave them to the son, Verse 29. "My father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand." This is Jesus' way of talking about the doctrine of election in the Gospel of John. John is probably the most Calvinistic book in the New Testament, ironically, because it is often quoted in some of its parts as being otherwise.
But Jesus says that God has chosen some sheep for his own and he now gives them to his son. Let me quote Chapter 17, Verse 6 so that you can hear this. "I have manifested your name," Jesus says, "to the men, father, whom you gave me out of the world." Thine they were, before he gave them to Jesus, they were God's. "Thine they were," that's election. "And thou gavest them to me." That's the irresistible pool of people to the son. Nobody comes unless they're drawn.
"Thou gavest them to me and they have kept my word." Or Chapter 6, Verse 37. "All that the father gives to me will come to me. And him who comes to me, I will not cast out." So, Jesus can speak with confidence that some of the sheep in Israel are his definitely, because they once belonged to the father. And the father now gives the sheep to the son. "Thine they were and thou gavest them to me." That's why they are his.
Fourth observation. "Since Jesus knows those who are his, he can call them by the name because they follow him." Verses 3 and 4, again. "The sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out," from among the others. "When he has brought out all of his own, he goes before the sheep and they follow him for they know his voice," or Verse 27. "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me."
Now, notice something here. Being one of Christ's sheep enables you to follow his call. Not the other way around. It's not the other way around, responding to his call makes you a sheep. Not in John's theology. Because you are his sheep, you hear when he calls. There's something in you that triggers when the voice of the master calls. He says "Oh, yes. Because you are one of his sheep." Now, that's very startling to most people in the Gospel of John. And it's very offensive to a modern, contemporary, self-centered, self-sufficient, unbelieving heart.
Because what it reveals is the presumption of thinking that you ultimately have the final say in who you are. We would like very much to believe we have the final say in whose we are. And Jesus will not allow the human heart to have that presumptuous claim that you have the final say in whose you are.
Verse 26, this is just an amazing verse in Chapter 10. "You do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep." Turn around, "You do not belong to my sheep because you do not believe." It's "You do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep." And the point of saying it is to blast the pride of the Jewish leaders who think that they can have the last say to say "Well, at least we have the power and right to frustrate your plans by not believing in you."
And Jesus says "You're not making that choice. You don't believe in me because you're not one of my sheep. God has his sheep and he gives me whom he will." You may as well abandon that presumption right now. That you have the uppity heart to think that you can frustrate the plans of the father.
Fifth observation. Verse 11. He not only calls his sheep, he dies for his sheep. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Or Verses 14 and 15. "I am the good shepherd. I know my own. My own know me as the father knows me and I know the father. I lay down my life for the sheep."
Now, I love it when I see profound thought structure unity between very disparate Biblical authors like Paul and John. Let me paraphrase this in a way that should ring a Pauline text to your mind. It goes something like this. "Those whom the father has made his own. He gave to the son. And those whom he gave to the son, the son called. And those whom the son called, he justified by laying down his life for them." Sound familiar? It ought to.
There's a profound, deep theological unity between Johannine theology and Pauline theology, Romans 8 and John 10. And if you just think over these profound things. I doubt that they ever read each other. But they were operating on the same inspiration and had the same powerful insights into the realities of God's sovereign work in salvation.
The sixth observation in the context and last one before we get down to business in Verse 16 is this. "Jesus not only calls them and they hear his voice and follow him. He not only lays down his life for them, but now he gives them eternal life." Verses 27 to 30. "My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. I give them eternal life. And they shall never perish and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my father's hand. I and the father are one."
So, let me just sum up and carry you through the glorious, God- wrought salvation in this chapter. "The father gives his sheep to the son. The son dies for the sheep. The son calls them by name. They hear and irresistibly follow. They know his voice and the sheep follow him. He gives them eternal life. He lays down his life for them and he keeps them safe forever and ever." It is a great salvation.
And at this very point, a tremendous danger arises. A practical, theological danger arises for people who have seen such a glorious, sovereign, God-wrought salvation for the sheep of God. And the danger is the plausible distortion that Satan has caused to rise up again and again in history, that turns a pride-shattering doctrine of salvation by sovereign grace into an in-house, elitist doctrine for the private few. With an indifference to the sheep who are not of this fold.
For example, let me just take you through the steps where that distortion has emerged in history. The Jewish disciples of Jesus start to feel like "We're it. We're the true seed of Abraham." And Jesus strikes in John 10:16. "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. Do not pride yourself on being part of this fold with an indifference to the sheep outside."
Early American Puritanism starts settling in to its chosen status as the new Israel in New England and Jesus strikes through John Elliott and tells him "I have other sheep that are not of this Puritan fold among the Algonquin Indians." 100 years later, he strikes when the congregationalists are starting to feel very self-content with the kingdom that they are building there. And he says to David Brainerd "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. This congregation will fold among the Susquehanna," down in New Jersey.
Just when the particular Baptists in England, about 70, 80 years later, we're starting to be frozen out by a kind of hyper- Calvinism that says "We are it. And the only people you can talk to about salvation are those in whom you see the warrants of election." And he comes and he sees William Carey and he strikes again. And William Carey says "I have other sheep that are not of this particular fold, but are an Indian."
Mission agencies 100 years later, Hudson Taylor and David Livingstone. "We start to feel self-content that we have reached all the continents of the world and all of them are lined on the coast lands with these mission agencies." And Hudson Taylor hears the voice of God "I have other sheep inland that are not of this coastal fold." And he founds the China inland mission. And David Livingstone "I have other sheep that are not on the rim of Africa, but inland." And he goes inland.
More recently, when we start to pride ourselves and write our little articles and say "The Christian movement is in every country in the world." God raises up a Cameron Townsend and says "Well, yes. But there are about 5,000 languages we have not penetrated and they don't have the Bible in them." And then he raises up a Ralph Winter in 1974 at Lausanne in Switzerland and says "By the way, they're about half the population of the world that are outside the reach of the presently-existing mission." Even if we are in all the countries because we're talking peoples, not geographic political entities here.
So, all the way along this sentence, "I have other sheep. Do not rest. Do not be content with where you are and what you've accomplished in your little pocket of coastal or inland or countries." There's always sheep to be reached that are not of this fold.
Now, the great foundation in this chapter for doing that, for penetrating beyond is this Verse 16. We've hit it again and again. Let me draw things to a close here by noticing four tremendous, hope-giving things. I think the great need today in the movement of Christianity, is hope. That's why I love Ralph Winter. He's on an absolute crusade against pessimism.
Every time somebody stands up and gives some awful statistic about how fast the world is growing or where there's setbacks, Winter just spews out 18 reasons for hope. I love to be around people like that. God wants you to feel hope. Because He can't lose. I mean, pessimism is unbelief, it's practical atheism. This Gospel will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. He's not a liar. You can't lose.
People that sew pessimism with statistics and manipulations of what's happening in one country are people that just ought not to be listened to. I got so tired in the mid-'80s, when I was starting to get into this. I got so tired of reading statistics about "By the year 2000, 80-some percent of the countries will be closed countries," or "creative-access countries" or whatever you want to call them.
I went to the ACMC Conference in Denver and broke a microphone, I think. I hollered so loud "How do they know? What kind of fatalism is this sociological mumbo-jumbo that by 2000, we know that 'X' number of countries will be cut off from the Gospel." And do you know God vindicated that shout one year later? And blasted Europe into smithereens in a way that no sociologist, no politician, no [missiologist] ever dreamed what would happen in the USSR.
I stood up in my church again and again and said "Albania, you're coming open." And just yesterday was Albania's day in Operation World and it's open. One guy from our church is there now. And I remember those awful statistics. This is just seven years ago, eight years ago. "With great sophistication of missiological prowess, we know that the only way we will get into countries by the year 2000 is blah, blah, blah," as there was no God in heaven who could do anything he wants to. China or North Korea or Cuba, it's coming open. It's coming open.
He's going to do His work. Or He'll get enough martyrs to do it without it coming open. It's going to get done. And this text drove the missionary movement for 100 years. And I want it to drive you after tonight. So, let me just make four observations about Verse 16.
Number one. Christ has people besides those already converted. "I have other sheep that are not of this fold." Now, in that context, I believe that meant beyond Israel. I think he's talking about way beyond what you think the messiah is going to do. I've got people out there.
I've got them out there. I've chosen them. This is the doctrine of election. Now, there will always be people, you'll meet them in every church you start or go to who say "If predestination is true, then missions make no sense. Why go do missions if God has already chosen these people"? There will always be people who say that.
The fact is, that predestination is not a problem for missions, it is the foundation of missions. John Alexander in 1967, when I went to Urbana with my fiancee and had a great time and got all lit up to start with. Under [John Stott] and George Verwer and some others. I remember George Verwer. The bookworm, he's always got books under every arm and he holds them up every conference he goes to.
And he held up the two-volume work of Martin Lloyd Jones on the Sermon on the Mount. "Greatest book this century," and I read it that summer and my juices were flowing. But John Alexander, the president of InterVarsity at the time stood up and he said "20 years ago, I said 'If I believed in predestination, I'd never be a missionary to Pakistan.' Today I say, 'If I didn't believe in predestination, there's no way I could be a missionary to Pakistan.'"
Now, why did he say that? In Acts 18, when Paul was discouraged about Corinth and its utter, pagan hardness. I mean, do you think the Muslim world is hard today? So was Corinth. Here's what God did in a vision in the night, Acts 18, 9 and 10. The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision "Do not be afraid, but speak. And do not be silent, for I am with you. No man shall attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city. I have other sheep that are not of the Ephesian fold."
That was his hope. They're out there. And when I preach the Gospel, the heart of Lydia in Philippi is going to be opened by the Holy Spirit and she's going to be brought in. When I preach the Gospel, some of the seed will land on the ground prepared by God and the sheep will come. It's the foundation, not the obstacle, to missions. This great belief that God has sheep out there.
Observation number two. The sheep are scattered outside the present fold. I think when he says "I have other sheep out there," the implication is, they're not just pocketed in Samaria or in Judea. They're all over the place to the ends of the earth. Now, I draw that from the Johannine context from Chapter 11, Verses 51 and 52. This is a real important text for the atonement and for missions, all kinds of doctrinal things in John going on here.
But in 11:51, he says "He did not say this." He's talking about the prophecy that Caiaphas gave. He did not say this of his own accord. But being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation. And not for the nation only, but to gather into one, the children of God scattered abroad. Now, that's just another language for "I have sheep that are not of this fold."
Christ died to gather into his one family, the children of God that are out there that are not yet gathered in. Paraphrased in Revelation 5:9. "Thou hast ransomed men for God from every people, tongue, tribe and nation." You see the connection? Same author, you'd expect it to connect.
Revelation 5:9 and John 11:52. "He dies to gather into one the children of God scattered abroad." Revelation 5:9, "Thou hast died and by thy blood, hast ransomed men for God from every people and tongue and tribe and nation." It's the same thing going on in those two verses.
It's the world evangelization is the in-gathering of the sheep or the in-gathering of the children of God. And they are scattered everywhere. Among every people and tongue and tribe and nation. Which means, I believe, that's there's no people group you can go to in which there are no candidates to hear the Gospel.
You have no warrant ever for being hopeless and saying "I just don't think there are any elect out there to hear my word and to respond." They are out there and they have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, according to Revelation 5:9. And they are to be gathered in from their scattered position among all those nations, according to John 11:52.
I think people group-thinking is radically biblical. And that little green book that's out there, called Let the Nations be Glad. I've got a chapter in which I wrestle with this whole issue of whether all this missiological talk about people groups is biblical. Or is it just strategically useful. And I am persuaded that is profoundly biblical. And texts like Revelation 5:9 are right at the core of why that is.
Observation number three. The Lord has committed himself to bringing these lost sheep home from all of those people groups. It says in Verse 16 "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also." Now, that's a sovereign statement. That's a promise. That's a divine commitment. Jesus Christ must bring them. He will bring them.
Now, the hyper-Calvinists of Carey's day said "And therefore, you don't need to go." Non-sequitur. Theologically stupid. Un- biblical. It is absolutely stupid to say, since God ordains to save his elected among all the peoples. Therefore, you don't need to pray for it and therefore, you don't need to evangelize them.
He's going to do it with his people and you can either be on board in the process or you can be left behind in the process. But you can't call into question, his process of using humans to accomplish his sovereign purposes to gather the elect. I mean, prayer, I might talk about prayer tomorrow morning. I'm going to go home tonight and pray. I've got about three message possibilities that I've made up my mind about tomorrow morning. Where are these people and what should I talk about?
But prayer is so unbelievably crucial. Does it boggle your mind that the Lord of the universe, who knows infinitely more than you do about how to run the world and do his mission, should say to you, in Matthew 9:38 "Pray, the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
You're telling me to tell you to send our laborers into your harvest? You know what you need? You know what it takes to get it done. Why are you telling me to tell you what to do? I mean, does that boggle your mind? If any text should shatter the thought of any kind of hyper-Calvinism that puts you out of commission in God's achievement of His purposes, that text ought to do it.
Pray to me or pray to the father, the Lord of the harvest, that is the owner of the farm who knows exactly how many laborers he needs and who they are. Pray and tell him to send them out. The mystery of prayer is just mind-boggling. That God should tell you "I'm not doing it without your prayers. Not going to do it." It will get done. And therefore, I'm going to see to it that you pray, but I won't do it without your prayers. And if you resist on that, I just might pass you by and let somebody else be the triumphant prayer.
Let's go to this little widow and have her get on her knees and get the victory in Guinea, from Minneapolis. And you want to theologically quibble with me about that, then you can just go play somewhere.
Chapter 17, Verse 20. Jesus prays like this. "Father, I do not pray for these disciples only. But for those who will believe on me through their word." There it is, now. The other sheep are going to be gathered and they're going to be gathered through the word and not without it. They're going to be gathered through prayer, they're going to be gathered through the word. And that's why he said in Chapter 20, Verse 21 "As the father has sent me, so send I you."
I will not finish the great commission without human preaching. And I will not finish the great commission without human praying. And I have committed myself as I live to finish the great commission and therefore, I will see to it that you preach. And I will see to it that you pray. And you can be on board or you can go and do your own thing and be left behind.
The wonder of the Gospel. When it is proclaimed truthfully and in the power of the spirit, is that it is Jesus today speaking. They know his voice. The people among the unreached groups, when they hear the Gospel, they know his voice and they follow him. My sheep hear my voice and I know them. And they follow me and we preach in Christ's stead saying "Be reconciled to God."
That's why Paul said in Romans 15:18 "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience through the gentiles." The same Christ that was saying to his disciples "I have spoken. You've heard my voice and you've recognized the shepherd and followed me." Now through your word, echoing my word in the power of the spirit, I will be heard through you. So, that what happens through you is the hearing of the voice of Jesus, the calling of the sheep. And you will say with Paul "I will not speak of anything except what Christ, the living Christ is still accomplishing through us in the world."
Final observation, number four. They will come. They will come. "I have other sheep that are not of this fold." We're still on number 69, "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them, also. And they will heed my voice." No question about it. They will heed my voice.
And I think that's the kind of confidence you need when you pull up stakes and take your family to Cairo. Or to Kabul. And you work year after year in a hard and fruitless place. What's going to keep you going? The confidence that they will come. They will hear my voice. I will call them. And they will come.
Let me just close with a story. Some of you have heard of Peter Cameron Scott, the founder of Africa Inland Mission. I don't know if you know how he got started. But he grew up in Glasgow, 1867. And he headed for the African coast. Wanted so bad to be a missionary. He got malaria right off the bat. So sick, he had to turn around and come home. Now, that really discourages a missionary. It's not like today when you can be flown home in 24 hours, take a few pills and get it all fixed and go back in, you don't even have to come home.
You're on a boat, it takes two to three months to do what you need to do and your life seems to be going through your fingers. The second attempt after he got well was to go with his brother, John, to Africa. And they were so happy to minister together and not be lonely. Until John got the fever and he died. And Peter, all by himself, digs the grave, puts his brother in the grave, covers him over and stands there alone.
I mean, just imagine the wave of discouragement. But he resolves he's going to go on. But he gets sick again. I mean, how much can a man take? "God, I'm trying to obey you, I'm trying to do your will. I want to reach the African people." He gets so sick, he has to go home again. And you would think "Well, that's it. That's just too discouraging. That's too much."
And as he gets better, he goes to Westminster Abbey. And you know who's buried in a crypt at Westminster Abbey is David Livingstone. And he goes to this tomb and he sees written on the tomb "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also, I must bring." And it fires him. And he goes back and this time, the Lord preserves him in health and he establishes the Africa Inland Mission which, today, is a very strong and stable mission 130 years later.
My prayer for me is that the Lord will give me that kind of perseverance and you. We need a strong, theological underpinning to hold us through times like that. What do you do when you get sick and you have to go home? And you go back and your wife dies or your brother dies. And then you get sick and you have to go home. What do you do if you don't have a massive theology of sustaining grace and sovereign love underneath you?
So, I pray that this confidence of John 10:16 will carry you over all obstacles. And that you will realize that he has redeemed and he means to gather a people for himself of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And you cannot lose if you devote yourself to that cause. Whether at home, in mobilization or whether overseas in evangelization or not necessarily overseas, but cross-culturally into Philadelphia. Let's pray.
O Father, I pray that you will come. And that you will take John 10:16 and seal this awesome, sovereign promise of the living Christ to our hearts, now. And cause it to burn like it did in Peter Cameron Scott and David Livingston and William Carey and John Paton and Alexander Duff and Adoniram Judson and David Brainerd. Just burn so that they would let themselves be poured out. And like we heard earlier read 'Become a seed that is willing to die. That it might bear much fruit.' Lord, do that in our hearts, I pray now. In Jesus' name. Amen.


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The victory was the Brewers' 9th in a row. They are now 10-2 to start the season.
Milwaukee hosts the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game series starting Monday night at 7:10.
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text:
The Hindu festival of Holi celebrates the beginning of spring. As a festival of colors that marks events in Hindu mythology, it provides photographers with a visual feast. Holi falls on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna, which was on March 27 this year. It is a joyous ritual when intense colors, light, emotion, and energy combine in a surreal vision of spirituality. Enjoy!
Holi - the Festival of Colors - The Big Picture - Boston.com
Holi - the Festival of Colors - The Big Picture - Boston.com
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