Strategies for Training, Missions and Ministry
Expressing our worship and praise to God freely through speech, song, instruments, dance and any other way is not Pentecostal. It is not Charismatic. It is not even Baptist. It is Biblical! Thank God the worship wars are over.
To really see Cambodia changed we need people who are called of God and willing to commit their lives here. To gain the trust of the people requires times. To build relationships requires time. To learn a language requires time. To develop key strategies requires time. To have influence, first requires time. All around the world, the gospel is losing ground. Yet the number of mission trips has exploded exponentially. The missing ingredient to see transformation is time!
In Kampala, Uganda I met an amazing lady named Veronica. Veronica is the director of the “Comforter Center” which is a center to minister to women who feel their only choice is to abort their babies. Veronica and her staff show them the love of Christ and help them through their difficult situation. Many women chose life for their babies, and even more choose Jesus for themselves.
Protestant missionaries went centuries ago to Ethiopia, but it was not until the 1920’s that they tried to establish a larger and permanent presence there. The missionaries bought large tracts of land (100-1000 acres) to use as mission stations. On these stations they would produce crops to fund their activities, build Bible schools, primary schools and medical clinics to meet the needs of the local people and provide a base to share the gospel from and raise their own families.
In Ethiopia I had the great honor of meeting a group of believers who lived in a very remote part of the country. There was no road to their village, only a random path marked by the odd African shade tree. When the pastor was directing me there, he tried to talk to me in his broken English. He explained that it takes him four hours to walk to the village. This village used to be fully Muslim. He shared with me that this church “was in the shadows”.
If we all know the Great Commission, why is it that still so many do not DO the Great Commission?
Here is the reason I think the Great Commission is not done by everyone. Look at this odd little verse (my Dad’s favorite verse) attached to the great calling of God for all believers: Matthew 28:16 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.”
I know from my Bible study that Abraham is called a “Father of Faith”; but honestly, as I was reading afresh from Abraham’s life, I just didn’t see it. I saw many characteristics, but not faith.
In previous years, I have had a perspective about respecting authority which may not have been Biblical. My perspective was, that to “respect authority” all I needed to do was not break the laws. At least not break significant ones! I feel strongly that God’s law comes first and man’s second.
The other day in Singapore I was listening to Heidi Baker speak. Many things inspired me during her preaching and praying, but one comment really struck me. She was talking about how people are so particular about tithing that they forget what God called them to do.
Heidi Baker: The by-product of a life humbled to Jesus Christ in utter dependence of him has led to now more than 12,000 churches started. More than 1,000 churches started among a people of a radical and violent faith. They are feeding and caring for more than 10,000 children in dozens of children’s homes in Mozambique and other nations in Africa.