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Tim and Terry were well-received when they led a six-hour workshop on church leadership at a church in Marshville, NC, February 14-15. Terry focused on some necessary qualities of church leaders, especially for servant leadership. He also covered the qualifications and role of elders in a church and referred to the Lesson 35 on Elders in God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC).
Tim gave an overview of God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) and God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC). He also emphasized the need to reach those who are still unreached around the world, those with no gospel witness. Many participants thanked Terry and Tim afterwards. They left them with cases of GPHC and GPHD and discussed coming again sometime in the future for further training. Each event like this requires steadfast prayer that the seed of God’s Word is not slowly set aside because of tradition and returning to the same ol’ way of doing church. Leadership must be awakened to the authority and power of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. A movement of God happens when we submit ourselves and agendas to His will and release control to Him.
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During my busy day, I received several text messages from a pastor of a Spanish speaking church in Florida. They were holding a conference and had invited pastors from several Central and South American countries. They were introduced to our Spanish edition of God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD). This may open doors to Honduras and Uruguay.
This reminded me of the many connections given to the apostles in the Early Church as God arranged individuals to be at the right place at the right time so persons would hear the gospel and take it back with them to their home city or town. Will you pray with us the words that Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray: “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:1–3). God selects those He wants to hear and who have the faith to believe the gospel. Yesterday I referred to Acts 16 and the Lord’s work in Lydia and how “He opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). What comes in the next verse is important to note. “And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay” And she prevailed upon us” (Acts 16:15).
There are several ‘next steps’ that resulted from the Lord opening Lydia’s heart.
As you look at these marks of true conversion, how does your life mirror Lydia’s. The circumstances may be very different, but the principles are the same. We have intentionally planned an outreach tomorrow evening by inviting some neighbors into our home for a meal. As I have been praying for this event and leaning on the Spirit for appropriate words, questions and ability to gain the ears and hearts for the Lord, I thought of Acts 16:14.
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). The main point of my concern in our conversation with them is for the Lord to work in their hearts and open them to seek Him and His truth. We cannot open their hearts! Speaking the right words, serving the right kind of food, and providing a welcoming environment are all necessary, but not the highest concern. We are all familiar with Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples…” and Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses…” For the disciples and us, both instructions mean waiting for the Spirit to come and fill us. He has come and is here with and in us as His disciples, but there still needs to be a real and deep sense of waiting on the Spirit to work in us and in the persons and situations where we act as Jesus’ witnesses. The fruit must be HIS, not ours! “What l am witnessing is unbelievable. The leaders are so hungry for the training in God’s Word, and I am seeing some changes in the lives of these leaders. Some of these leaders come from faraway places using bicycles and sleep in the church on the floor. They were so many that my wife came to help. One problem was that new leaders had no manuals and some had no Bibles as the pictures show.
Brother, what are we going to do with the leaders are graduating, maybe in June? Since we do not have God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC) in English to start their training, we will need to print before then. I want to start GPHC with them as soon as they graduate. They asked me to be an overseer so that l can continue teaching and training these leaders. I told them that the Timothy’s I train will be training other faithful men as l am doing which is the biblical way of this ministry (2 Timothy 2:1-2). The first group of thirty have finished the training and completed the GPHD. We wait for others to complete and then they graduate together. My prayer request is: 1. Printing GPHC Manuals. 2. Bibles for those who do not have one.” (Henry) Tomorrow Randy travels to Myanmar for a very important follow-up to his last visit. As you read his outline for this coming week, please keep him in prayer.
(February 24th to March 1st) “This country was formerly known as Burma, Myanmar has a sad record of being the country with the longest civil war in history: over 8 decades of fighting! And on top of this, the military coup in 2021 brings even more unrest. Voice of the Martyrs helps us understand the trials of our fellow believers in this country: “The government, in cooperation with Buddhist monks, is the main persecutor in Myanmar, but local officials and tribal militias also persecute Christians. Families and villagers who practice animism often persecute those who convert to Christianity.” We will have two different trainings in Myanmar as we pray for a new movement of the gospel in this troubled country. (Feb. 24-26) After traveling through Thailand on my way to Yangon, we will have two key days with 40 leaders from 20 different Bible Colleges. These will graduate from God’s Plan for His Disciples(GPHD) and we will introduce God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC), providing them with both discipleship training and leadership development for their students. Please pray that God will raise up a new spiritual army of young people who will spread the gospel and plant churches throughout their nation. (Feb. 27-28) Please pray for the church planters and leaders in Mandalay who will graduate from GPHC. This group includes young leaders like David. Each of these leaders will be presenting their plans for establishing new and existing churches. Travel Home (March 1-3) With one day in Bangkok to pray and reflect on God’s work among these amazing people, I will begin the long trek home. Thank you for going with me in prayer! May the promises of God keep these young servants, and may we see new power from the Lord working in them as well.” Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) I have just been reflecting on Colossians 1:19 and the significance of “in Him (Jesus) all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell.” This is perhaps one of the most profound statements in all of the New Testament. It confirms and proves the deity of Jesus.
The word “pleased” means to be ‘well-pleased’ or to be ‘well-content.” It is a divine pleasure that was seen at Jesus baptism when “a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”” (Matthew 3:17). W. E. Vine says that this is “not merely an understanding of what is right and good as in dokeō but stressing the willingness and freedom of an intention or resolve regarding what is good” in the proclamation. It is the same emphasis as Jesus spoke in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). It reflects the total unity, oneness, and holy joy that existed with the Godhead. As I continue to meditate on this incomprehensible divine pleasure, I think of the grace of God that even allows us frail ‘jars of clay’ to think of such glory as revealed by the Spirit. What should this do to us? What is the application He wants us to have? It may be different for you, but for me it captures my heart in unspeakable awe! May I live just for this glory! I was just on the phone with two dear believers who have been sick for some time. Both have suffered with pain to a point the medications are not much help. What should we do as “members of one another”? Consider Paul’s words on this subject.
“But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:24–26). What does it mean practically to “have the same care for one another”? Our human nature tends to make categories, whether they are spoken or unspoken. Starting with verse 12, Paul places great emphasis on the word “one” which means ‘of one’ as “in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (13). James approaches this issue by saying that we are not to “show partiality” or favoritism in any degree. If we are to represent Jesus Christ to one another and to the world (John 13:34), this principle must apply in every situation. It is counter to trends, culture, and what is ‘politically’ acceptable. They are not the standard! This principle applies when we are in the presence of anyone, how we speak about them to others, and most importantly, how we pray for them. This is a short report from S. E. Asia on the work that is being done through God’s Plan for His Disciples(GPHD) and God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC) training in one major language and one local tribal language.
“Thank God for His Glory. We thank our Lord every time and anywhere for what He is doing. We and our family are pleased to receive news in each email that you are praying for us. God has given me guidance about the Bible and your prayers are a joy and blessing for us. Starting March 1st I will begin two classes (the total will be six classes), in places that are very far from here and very difficult in traveling over mountainous roads and trails. But many in this language want to study the Scriptures and grow in their faith. When they finished their first studies some time ago, they went to other villages and taught many illiterate people in their local language. These people live deep in the jungle but are hungry to learn. My family are very supportive and prayed for 24 days before going to this area. I will provide class information when I have the Internet again. God bless you for your prayer support.” Though there are many details I cannot give in a blog, I am confident you will be praying for this servant of the Lord, and the work God is doing through him. Tomorrow, Randy travels to Tanzania to begin four days of training. Please be in prayer.
(February 20-23) “Once again I have the honor and privilege to work with R. and V. who are seeing church planting movements increase in villages among radicals who oppose our faith. Just recently, certain radicals tried to kidnap, persecute and even kill a dear brother and leader we will call A. Other leaders helped hide this brother while his family still suffers on the island of Zanzibar. Please pray for A. and his family as they have lost everything for Christ and are looking to reestablish themselves in another remote place. This incident reminds us that even in a developed country like Tanzania, many face great hardships that go under the radar in our news. And how do we react to such atrocities? We keep encouraging and equipping 35 fully devoted followers of Jesus who are planting churches in difficult and even dangerous places so that radicals see and hear the good news of Jesus. Let us keep them in our prayers. Please pray for the 35 leaders who will graduate from GPHC by mapping out a strategy for the gospel in their villages and beyond. Also pray for the meetings I will have with R. and V. about taking our training to other parts of Tanzania.” |
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