One of the biggest challenges New Foundations International (NFI) has is showing through Scripture how local ministry and missions can become self-sustaining. In some parts of the world the Spirit has taught leaders through their personal study of the New Testament to provide for their personal needs and ministry for the Lord.
As Paul was leaving the Ephesian elders with clear instructions for their lives and ministry, he reminds them that “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me” (Acts 20:34). He said this to remind them of his work ethic of making tents and planting churches. This was evident when he went to Corinth and found Priscilla and Aquila. “He went to see them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade” (Acts 18:2b-3). There was a great advantage to this manner of life and ministry. It gave Paul personal connections that could not be developed in religious circles. This principle is difficult for many to accept, especially when they have not worked for a long time. Where hearts are open to being taught and to live this model, they discover great joy along with opportunities they did not have before. They become self-sustaining!
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Throughout my life as a Christian, I have heard so many appeals for the gospel to be preached to the lost so they will not go to hell. As the pure gospel and heart of God has grown on me in recent years, I have come to realize the proper motivation for missionary zeal comes from knowing God’s heart for His creature.
Paul expresses this well. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people... This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1–4). Jesus did not say that He came to save persons from hell, but “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). It is a value God has placed on His creature, mankind, that caused Him to plan salvation long before Adam and Eve sinned. Redemption is the price paid to bring men and women and children back into a personal relationship with Himself. Once God’s value becomes our value, our motive for missions has its roots in the heart of God – His love for mankind. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16). “Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). This is a familiar reference to the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament.
As I pondered this passage, I wondered how much I understand in a practical way what it means to “travail”or be in “anguish” for souls? Jesus knew infinitely more than we do, what this means. It requires the soul to be “troubled, in misery, going through an experience that is very unpleasant, hard and distressing” for the sake of someone else. The disciples watched the depth of anguish in Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. “And He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch”” (Mark 14:34). The deliverance of every soul from sin was laid on the soul of Jesus. Can we in any degree lay the burden of lost souls on ourselves? Paul did! “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart…for the sake of my brothers” (Romans 9:2-3). What creates this deep desire in us? Roland Allen calls it “the travail of the Son of God for the souls of men” through a capability given by the Holy Spirit. I want this depth of divine missionary passion in me! Tim and I were concluding a meeting on Thursday morning when he received a phone call from a contact who plants churches in the Middle East and North Africa. Some time ago we had sent him English copies of our training material, but nothing developed then.
He now believes that our training material is just what pastors and leaders need in the countries where he is working. We are meeting next week to discuss how to introduce God’s Plan for His Disciples, God’s Plan for His Church, and God’s Plan for Young Disciples in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Sudan. Please pray with us regarding this opportunity. It could be events that only God can make happen. We are thankful these books are already translated into Arabic and Farsi. Back in 2020 when translation began in these languages, we had promises that connections would give us access to some of these key countries, but it was not the Lord’s time. Is this the time? The Lord knows and we wait and trust in Him. Events of this day have caused me to think about how we use the gifts God has given us (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11-12). What if we are attempting to use our gift and see no results? Could there be something going on in our hearts like the servants in Matthew 25:14-30. In this parable, the master gave talents to his servants, “each according to his ability. Then he went away” (15). The challenge for them was whether they would use their talent properly?
Point ONE: The Master knows our ability better than we do because he created us to glorify Him through using the gift we were given. The time of review and reckoning is coming. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Point TWO: How will we justify before the Lord not using the gift He gave us to the fullest extent. Since the Lord knows what we are capable of doing with our gift, should we look to Him for how to use our gift so that He is honored? The “slothful servant” knew what his master expected but failed to honor him. We who have the Holy Spirit in us should realize even more that we are equipped to be successful with our gift. He is the One who produces results through us. Think about this principle as it applies to missions, here and to the end of the earth. It is important to clarify one point that was made in yesterday’s blog; “the Holy Spirit is not a Spirit who lives on outward success.” Does this mean that we should never observe whether our missionary work is having results? Let me answer that question by an example in Acts.
“And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly [to the Jews], saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). In this case, the deaf ears of the Jews meant that no one was receiving the gospel that Barnabas and Paul presented. There was no reason for them to continue working among them. Notice that Barnabas and Paul did not stop their missionary work because of rejection. God had other fields that were going to be fruitful. On this point, we must remember the advice Jesus gave the disciples after His stern warning to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum; “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16). If you are rejected for the sake of Jesus and His gospel, there are other people and places He has already prepared to receive the words of life. Work where God is working, and you will see results. “Missionary zeal depends on the state of the soul and its relationship to God. Consequently, it is wholly independent of results. The Holy Spirit is not a Spirit who lives on outward success.” (Roland Allen, Essential Missionary Principles, page 56).
If we look at the life of Jesus, this statement is absolutely true. Outside of the twelve disciples (minus one – Judas), there were only a few who followed Him and became missionary minded. In the worldly standard, He was a total failure if we measure success by results. God’s Missionary Spirit came at Pentecost and filled only 120 disciples Jesus had prepared. Peter is the only one of that group who spoke to the “bewildered” crowd (Acts 2:6), but he did so in the power of the Spirit (2:14-36). As a result, three thousand souls were added to the Church on that same day. It was the result of a RELATIONSHIP with our Missionary God and His Spirit. NO PROGRAM, NO CAMPAIGN, NO HUMAN PLANNING that orchestrated these results! Oh, that our hearts would grasp the power of this relationship and want to live it NOW! Our mission effort would be transformed! I just read a new report that confirms the numbers published by Joshua Project that 42.5% of the world’s population is “unreached” with the gospel. Let that sink in for a moment before I give you the next startling information.
It is estimated that only 3% of ALL Christian missionaries focus on the unreached and unengaged people groups. Worse, about 1% of ALL church giving goes toward reaching these people groups! Is there something wrong with this picture? It turned my mind to think about Jesus’ words that He spoke to the disciples just before He went to the cross to purchase salvation for these people. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations (ethne), and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Right after His resurrection, Jesus instructed the remaining eleven disciples; “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). What are we missing in this scenario? I am not writing this to in any way discredit the sacrifice of current or past missionaries, but to raise the question and make us think about the way we approach missions. Let us ask some important questions about our current methods. Real freedom is never secured or maintained by any government or manmade organizations. These may claim that they give freedoms to those who are loyal to them, but they can be limited, taken away, or compromised in some way. Many of the human freedoms we enjoy were purchased at some cost, but there is no guarrantee that we might lose them.
True freedom is only given by God. It was purchased at the cost of God’s Son being crucified. Paul describes this freedom; “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17–18). How can we maintain the joyful experience of this freedom? “Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”” (John 8:31–32). As you spend time with family and friends this July 4th, ask the Lord to help you share with someone the greatest freedom you have. Jesus paid the price for you to be free – really free! There are places like Nicaragua where God is working in special ways. Many churches that have been stuck in old traditions are suddenly being infused with new life because they are discovering for themselves the power and authority of God’s Word. Without any prompting from us, this expansion has happened in the mountain areas of this country. Here is the report we received: “I was sharing with pastors of the Wesleyan church, and they received with great joy the handbook God’s Plan for His Disciple. They were happy to be discipled. I hope in God that the church they shepherd will work and do everything in God's way and His grace. They expressed the need to return to the writing and the message of Grace. I ask for your prayers that the Lord will continue to open doors so the church will return to Scripture and be just as it says in Acts 17:6, “And when they could not find them [Paul and Silas], they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”” Praise the Lord for continuing His work in this part of Central America. |
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