Because of my love for how the Early Church was started and so powerfully successful, I often return to the events that surrounded Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost. Each event and detail contains instruction for us 2,000 years later.
As John documents the details, he gives us some time markers, so we have a sense of how things developed and how the disciples responded. “The evening of that day [resurrection], the first day of the week” (John 20:19) helps us understand how quickly Jesus is reassuring their hearts that He really rose from the dead as He promised. In addition to being with them, Jesus gives them His peace (19:21) which He had done before in John. 14:27; 16:33. Now Jesus adds a personal impartation; “He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”(19:22). It would be about fifty days before the Spirit would come at Pentecost. What was this intended to do. I believe it was to prepare them for the Pentecost moment, getting them to think about what He promised in Chapter 14 and what the Spirit would do in them. As Jesus deals with Thomas in the last part of this chapter and Peter in the next, His challenge is intended to prevent them from falling back into old habits of Judaism. We must be careful that old traditions do not prevent us from experiencing the life-changing work of the Spirit and His authority in the Scriptures. It’s no wonder that Jesus closes each letter to the seven churches with the admonition; “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2 - 3). Do we have hearing ears?
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We often quote the verse below believing it is true, but how often do we document the many events that happen almost daily where we see God working “all things…together for [OUR] good.” Just today, the Lord used several connections to orchestrate a conference in Spain where our training material will be presented in June to leaders from North Africa. In addition, someone is requesting our materials be shipped to CT so they can be carried to Uganda. THIS CAN ONLY BE THE LORD! “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). More news came in from Tom who left Thursday for Ecuador to follow up with many of the Quechua Christians who have worked through God’s Plan for His Disciples. Friday evening there was a graduation of those who completed their studies and received a certificate (see picture). These men and women have been so faithful to keep their commitment of finishing GPHD so they can teach others. We definitely know that God is at work! Circumstances are not the same in every place, but the power of God and His Word are the same anywhere that people seek Him with their whole heart (Psalm 119:10). Silence can be deceiving. After introducing our training material in some places, there isn’t feedback to give a clue as to what God is doing. Then we suddenly hear that students have completed God’s Plan for His Disciples or God’s Plan for His Church.
It is important to remember that we do not need to know everything God is doing. One of the principles we learned long ago is to completely trust the Holy Spirit’s work in those we have planted the seed of God’s Word. He can oversee His divine work in persons far better than we can. I fear that many mission organizations are driven by numbers and reports. This puts the work of missions into a human framework that limits the Spirit’s work. He alone produces the growth! I love how John rejoices when he gets news of believer’s progress. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4). In these times when COVID has closed the opportunity for face-to-face training with some, we receive news from Vietnam, Kenya, Nicaragua, and many other places of how current challenges have never stopped God’s work. Will you rejoice with us in the unstoppable work of God? I know that many of you take a genuine interest in our work and how it is progressing in countries around the world. For that reason, I am giving a list in this blog of the translations that have not been printed and the stages of their development.
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Your prayers for this part of our work are very important and greatly appreciated. I know when people are praying - the work becomes easier, and my time is more efficient. THANK YOU!! One of the most exciting movements is happening right here in the USA. For a long time we have prayed that a revival would start here in a nation that has lost its way morally and spiritually. Often, revivals start with quiet beginnings and gradually gains momentum as God works/
Pat wrapped up God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) training with the USA Youth Outreach staff last week. Many of the staff have already begun training other groups. Scott in MS is working with 4 different prisons and 2 Christian rehab centers. Felecia in Houston, TX is working with all the chaplains for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) that she oversees to start GPHD studies in various places across the country. Darryl in MD has 2 GPHD groups at his church that he is leading. From a connection here in North Carolina, a GPHD study was started in Connecticut. They are planning to finish by mid-June and come to NC to receive their certificates of completion. How amazing to watch God work through means we never expected. News like this will never reach even Christian news outlets, but I can assure you that heaven is very interested. “We are using GPHD to train Kitwe church leaders at Kwacha Baptist Convention Church. These leaders are sharp and are eager to learn. They confess that baptism is done only once a year and there are leaders who are not baptized. We may baptize some leaders based on their own conviction when we return. Pray for this group of leaders in Kitwe. All things are under God's grace and plan. It's so amazing and encouraging to see what the Holy Spirit is working in their lives and churches where leaders are being trained. One lady testified how going back to the Bible has opened her eyes to understand why many preachers are preaching different doctrines for their selfish gain. One pastor confessed how Paul's church planting strategy has taught him how to plant a church which can stand a test of time. The Holy Spirit is really at work. Years ago, during one of Tim’s visits to Zambia, they compared the Early Church with today's Church, and you said, "we are missing the Holy Spirit. We need to repent,” and they did. Now the work is multiplying in many parts of Africa.” (Henry) "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations" (Psalm 67:1-2).
Trips that explore possibilities for new ministry can be risky; you never know if they will produce some lasting results. With this risk in mind, Tim and Randy went to Bangladesh, praying that our Lord would open doors among the Bangladeshi, and even more, among the Rohingyas, an unreached people who live in the world's largest refugee camp. In both cases, the Lord has opened great opportunities to us. Working with Joel, a Christian businessman, and his brother-in-law, Rev. Kaylan, the Lord has established a plan to train leaders who will multiply the gospel in this field that is over 99.9% Muslim. Yes, you read that correctly. There are less than .4% of the people in the entire country of Bangladesh who know the Lord. Please pray as we make plans to return in June to introduce God's Plan for His Disciples in three different areas of the country. One of these areas is to the Rohingya people, our top priority. Let us thank God for His grace and leading and let us press in that God would multiply His Word in this most needy land. “All spiritual ministry flows from the reality of our knowledge of God and the vitality of our fellowship with Him and His Son. A successful, fruitful ministry does not just happen - it is purchased. And the more influential the ministry, the steeper the price. It cannot be paid in a lump sum; we pay for it in gradually increasing installments. There is no such thing as a cheap, fruitful ministry.” J. Oswald Sanders, Enjoying Intimacy with God, page 105.
This quote from Sanders points to Jesus’ words in John 12; “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (24). It is hard to die to our natural ideas and ways of getting work done, but this is absolutely necessary if we expect the Holy Spirit to lead and empower our ministry for “much fruit. How many grains of wheat will we produce if we spiritually die and go out of sight? “Mutual love is the essence of intimacy. Where there is no love, there is no intimacy. Unfortunately, the word love as commonly used has become sadly debased and misunderstood. In its essence, love is “The self-imparting quality in the nature of God that moves Him to seek the highest good of His creatures in whom He seeks to awaken responsive love.”
Because of that, love is basic to our knowledge of and intimacy with God. “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is grounded in the nature of God and is the highest expression of character. We are mature only to the degree that we are mature in love.” J. Oswald Sanders, Enjoying Intimacy with God, page 86. One of the tests of our love is how much we are willing to sacrifice for the Lord and others. We often measure love by material things and money. What about giving our time and attention to someone who needs to know that we care about them. Love can often be expressed by a listening ear or a smile rather than assuming we have answers. Jesus came to us to meet the deepest need of our hearts. Wounded by sin, money and things could not help, so God gave His Son! “I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:36). I had a few minutes between projects to pick up a book by one of my favorite authors, Roland Allen, Essential Missionary Principles. Finding my bookmark, I started reading where I left off.
To my shock, he was addressing the issue of emotional appeals. Whether it is the Revivalist, Evangelist, or the visiting Missionary, most resort to sensational appeals as a way of gaining interest of those in the audience. Roland bluntly says, “the “interest” which can be roused in most inquisitive minds in foreign lands, the culture of foreign people and foreign customs and religions, is not necessarily missionary at all. It may lead to missionary interest, but it will fail.” What is required is all areas of Christian work that will generate God’s call and sending of people into His work? “There is no question what kind of interest we need. It is the interest of the Spirit of God in the souls of men. It is the interest of Redeeming Love! It is zeal!” (Page 55). Often, I have struggled with emotional appeals that are without the Spirit’s work. In one of Paul’s missionary passages he says, “how are they to preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:15). Acts 13:1-3 confirms the vital role of the Spirit. God’s work will progress faster when the Spirit is the motivator and sender. |
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