“the Mission Field” posted by Joakim Arenius....

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As long as I can remember I have been thrilled by looking at maps. My grandparents were missionaries in Africa and I always looked at the globe on my grandfather’s desk wondering what countries I would ever get the chance to explore. Being in their house, which was decorated with tribal items from the depth of ..Africa..’s jungles, added to the excitement. I have carried that feeling of excitement with me ever since.
When I started Praise Unit in 2004 I looked at the musical map of the world and I saw areas yet to be discovered. I also looked at the geographical map and I knew that Prasie Unit would have to consist of people who like to travel. When I looked at the spiritual map I was a little less enthusiastic. Because I knew that going on a mission in the spiritual world would mean facing a lot of battles that can not be predicted, and would I be the right person to go on that mission?

As we are working on the next Praise Unit CD, ”the Mission Field”, we have two theme verses from the bible to guide us through our work.
The first verse is Matthew 28:19
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”....
This is a verse from the bible that I have been criticized for taking seriously by people who don’t share my faith. They say it’s ok that I’m a Christian, but I should keep it to myself like everybody else does. But why? How come you would listen to me and find me interesting if I talk about my love life, my weight problems, my dark secrets or other tabloid stuff, but if I share about my faith you want me to shut up? No, this is not right. The minute I try to manipulate you into believing what I believe, that’s when it’s fair to ask me to shut up. But there is something wrong when it’s more taboo to talk about faith, than anything else. I ask you, whatever you believe in, to join me on a mission to change that!

The second bible verse is Matthew 16:26....
“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”
The way I see it the first verse does not work if I don’t repeatedly remind me of the second verse. I believe that when a Christian forgets Matthew 16:26 is when the Christian starts doing evil things in Jesus name. Like killing people that don’t fit in our frame of Christian moral, manipulating people to make way for our own egos, shutting out people to avoid uncomfortable issues. The list could unfortunately be longer. Again, I am not ashamed to speak about my faith, but I am ashamed of all the things that Christians have done, and do, in the name of Jesus. I can not be the judge of whether I am also using my faith to hurt you in any way. The only one who can tell me is you. So I ask you, whatever you believe in, to help me see that the mission field is not only a geographically distant place full of non-believers, but it’s also my very own soul.

So in the year 2009 Praise Unit enters the mission field again. We continue exploring the musical map like we did in 2006 on ”Whole”, we continue exploring the geographical map as we travel to new places to make new friends, and most of all -on our new CD ”the Mission Field” we invite you to eperience what happens in our lives as we explore the spiritual map of our own souls!

If you want know more, or communicate with us, please subscribe to this blog, check our Myspace, www.myspace.com/praiseunit, join our Mission Field facebook group, check out our youtube clips or visit http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmpvYWtpbWFyZW5pdXMuY29t.