My Identity Is in Christ, Not AIM

Being part of AIM is such a great experience. You get to know some of the greatest people, learn about the Bible, learn how to preach, are lifted up spiritually, etc.
These are great things, and all of those are godly things. But after being in Lubbock, and living under certain "rules" or "standards,” some AIMers forget why they came in the first place. When they are back at home or on the mission field at times, they forget the main reason they came. Maybe it’s not that they forget, because they know they are there to bring the Gospel to the lost and encourage the church, but they lose the heart behind it. They start doing things because it's “required by AIM," and not because that's what they want to do for God. It’s sad you know, because we are not sent to do "what AIM requires," but by the faith we have, to do what is good in the Lord's sight.

In John 14:12, it says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

The word used here as believe in the Greek translates, 'to have confidence, conviction and trust.’ So it isn't just knowing that He is our Savior, but trusting in Him and having confidence that He is our Savior. We need to remember that we don't earn our salvation through missions or programs, like AIM, but that God gave it to us by grace and by a true faith in Him. All He wants from us is to have faith and plant the seed. He didn’t say that you have to go and baptize people or have tons of bible studies to be saved. He is the one that saves and is going to make the seeds grow.

In Colossians 2:10 it says, ”Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

When we think about what Jesus did on the cross, it’s clear where we want our lives to go. It’s clear that we want our lives to be identified in Jesus Christ. We often trade that identity for another one, like AIM for example. So remember, AIM is just a program; a tool that God uses to gain souls for His kingdom. Never give up, and fix your eyes on Christ, the one that ultimately saves.

Evelyn Galvan (AIM, Scotland '09)

If You Live By The Cheeseburger

Someone smart once said, "If you live by the sword, you die by the sword." In a sentence, this sums up life in a nutshell really. Whatever you focus on in life is what ultimately results in your demise. For some people that is "the sword." They live by violence and they die by violence. Others live for food (like the cheeseburger) and they die from greasy, cholesterol filled hearts that can't pump enough blood through their diseased arteries. (Now that's descriptive!) Believe me, if you live by the cheeseburger, you will die by the cheeseburger.

Most people who really despise AIM may have put way too much stock in it to begin with. Missionaries who hate foreigners probably had too high an expectation of the people. Teenagers who loathe their youth ministers may have held those same men in a position that they could never have reached. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. We all have to live by something. We all have to find passion somewhere. In our jobs, our education, our experiences, our loved ones... We need something to be focused on. The catch is whatever we focus on is what will ultimately kill us. If you live by AIM, you die by AIM.

Might I suggest living for Jesus? After all, he is the only thing/one in this world who demonstrated an ability to conquer death. We all need something to be passionate about. Be passionate about Jesus. If you live by Jesus you will never die, because he is the resurrection and the life.

- Chris Johnson (Aim Alum, Scotland '95)