Don’t Burn the Ships!
In the spring of 1519, the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez set sail for Mexico on a mission from the King of Spain to obtain the vast wealth and treasures rumoured to belong to the Aztecs. He took with him 500 soldiers, 100 sailors and landed his 11 ships on the shores of the Yucatan to discover they were vastly outnumbered and faced great resistance. Despite his experience, fame, and clear mission, things did not go as planned. He faced mutiny, difficult conditions, and serious questioning of his leadership and the value of the mission.
Cortes was determined to proceed and succeed. He had a mandate from his King and failure was not an option. He had to find a way to solidify their mission, rally his troops and lead them onward. Cortes took drastic measures to show his troops just how committed they were to the King’s mission – he didn’t burn the ships, he scuttled them.
The phrase “burn the ships” has been used to tell of Cortes's unwavering commitment to mission, but he didn’t burn his ships. The mistranslation of a Latin word in a letter telling of the event is blamed for the dramatic morphing of the narrative. Instead of a dramatic flaming inferno of no return, there was a thoughtful methodical evaluation, assessment and claiming of what resources they already had that would enable them to complete their mission. In reality, Cortes and his crew salvaged what they needed from 10 of the ships and scuttled them, sinking them in the waters off of Mexico. They kept one ship whole and intact, the King’s ship, the ship that they would load with one-fifth of the gold and treasures they expected to plunder from the Azteks and send back to Spain. The rest would remain with him and his crew, which galvanized and motivated their commitment to the mission.
In this current moment in history that we find ourselves in, the mission is still the mission: reach lost people, lead them to Jesus, and make disciples. However, we are facing unexpected challenges and conditions. The programs, formats, resources, and methodologies we have always used, been familiar and comfortable with are no longer as achievable or effective as they once were.
Retreat is Easy
For Cortes and his crew, they could have simply sailed away, returned most of his sailors to Cuba, to whom they were loyal and taken his soldiers back to Spain. They could have spun a tale of hardship, opposition and failed tactics.
In the midst of this never-ending pandemic, it’s easy to slip into retreat mode. We’re just waiting to get back to normal. We’re waiting for people to be ready to return to church. We’re just maintaining until things open up. While we do have to learn to live with restrictions, public health guidelines, and consider what keeps people safe and well, retreat from the mission of God is not an option. Forging ahead into the unknown is what we are built for because we serve a King who knows all and leads us on. Rather than waiting for the conditions to change, you need to do to adapt to the conditions. Don’t retreat but find another route.
Salvage and Adapt
One can only imagine the reaction of Cortes’ troops and crew when he gave the order to salvage and scuttle the ships. That was their way home, their means of escape. Salvaging would’ve required meticulously going through everything on the ship, including the actual structure of the ship, and assessing the value and purpose of each item – could it still be effective in completing the mission.
Church storage areas are notorious havens of hoarding and churches tend to be bad at purging, passing on, and salvaging resources. Stewardship is maximizing resources entrusted to you by the King for the completion of His mission. Church ministry programming has changed, there are fewer on-site activities at churches. Facilities are sitting empty. How can you repurpose your church building? How can it better serve your community or other congregations without meeting spaces? How do your church’s methods of discipleship need to be adapted with fewer gatherings? How do you still reach, teach and disciple children, youth and families with limited in-person contact? As people tire of the online church, how can you still stay engaged and vital to your congregation and to your community? What ministry paradigms, programs and resources need to be salvaged and scuttled? What do you have that you can give to another church that has a need? Can your outreach budget help fund outreach opportunities for another church that doesn’t have the funds? Salvage, repurpose, give away, and find your way in the new landscape.
The King’s Ransom is Souls
The single remaining ship that Cortes kept intact, the King’s ship, was the motivating touchstone for his men. It was the only remaining familiar symbol in a new and hostile environment. It was a constant reminder to them of their mission for the King of Spain. Despite all odds, Cortes was successful in his quest and his success was the demise of the Aztek people.
We have been commissioned to a mission by the King of Kings in which the fruit is life, eternal life, restoration and redemption to the Living God for all who believe and surrender themselves to Him. Unlike Cortes, our mission is one of hope and a great reward for all. We do not seek to plunder, but to give and give generously of the love of Jesus to those who do not yet know Him. In the midst of uncertainty, challenge and resistance we must be clear about the mission: reaching lost people, leading them to Jesus, and making disciples. We must also be generous and collaborative in how we fulfill the mission.
Many small churches are struggling financially yet have so much potential to reach their community. Congregations who have lost their rental meeting space are fracturing with no place to gather. Some churches have had to lay off staff, while other churches are struggling to fill staff hours with meaningful work. Just as Cortes and his men pooled their riches into the King’s ship for the purpose of the kingdom they served, we must generously pool and share our resources for the purposes of the Kingdom.
What do you have to give, gain, and share? Church partnerships help us all to be fruitful.
Hailey Armoogan has served in vocational Christian ministry for 30 years as Children’s & Family Ministries Pastor in local church contexts across Canada and overseas in Jerusalem, Israel, as a PAOC Global Worker, as well as Lead Pastor in Fort Smith, NT and Director of Northern Initiatives & Church Partnerships with the ABNWT District of the PAOC. Ordained with the PAOC, she holds a Bachelor of Theology with a minor in Cross-Cultural Studies, a Certificate of Messianic Studies and a Master of Arts in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Hailey was born in Montreal, Quebec and raised in Waterloo, ON, where she currently resides.