A Life in Mission

It’s hard to believe that it was just hours ago…  Just hours ago I had 7 people in my house! Missionaries from another part of the country, they came to town to sort out residency. They are working in Maasai land building a Bible training school.

It was so nice to have all of them in my house! I gave them free reign to the kitchen, and just told them to make themselves at home… It was so different from the last month of living by myself. It’s so nice to have other people in the house, especially ones from my home country, and it’s encouraging to share experiences and simply to enjoy the fellowship. Hearing how God is working in other parts of the country is always encouraging, and sharing burdens is always a blessing. Perhaps this is why God often puts similar people and families together in His work.

But it’s not always this way. I know from experience. Fellowship with likeminded people from my culture is something I don’t take for granted. It’s something I try to enjoy every second of. Because I know later I will wish I had enjoyed it more. When trials come, it’s friendships like these that help to strengthen one’s steps and fortify their position. It’s experiences like these that I can’t take for granted. They are treasures not to be dispensed with.

But there’s another Friend, who also can’t be dispensed with. He is all present, He is with us everywhere we go, He is a friend that we can always talk to no matter where we go or what we do… Do you know Him?

Something inside me instantly recoils at the thought of going and passing out tracts, books or literature. And yet, I do it despite my inner feelings. And God blesses. Actually once I start, I quite enjoy giving things out, and getting people to take them. And in addition to that, is the joy of knowing that a few more people have truth in their hands.

Today was a similar experience, but different. The students were going out to give out literature to the people in the community nearby… At first that recoil came, but I knew I should go.

“How can I become a  child of God?” This African man seemed a little groggy… I had given him a tract in his language about health, but he kept asking me the same thing, “What do I need to do to be a child of God?” Little by little his story came out. He was struggling with drinking, even drinking in the morning before work. He had been a Christian, going to a church not far away. But he had backsliden, and now he was just struggling. He wanted to change, but he didn’t know how. How could he change when he was constantly drinking?

“Spend time reading the Bible everyday, and pray to God and ask Him to give you the strength, and choose not to. The choice is yours. God can’t force you to stop drinking. You have to choose, and then He will give you the power.” I said it several times, rephrasing it to make sure he understood. After praying with him, he went back to work. I pray that he won’t be the same.

If I wouldn’t have gone out, he might still be working his mechanic job, unchanged, and struggling, not knowing how to overcome. If you have an opportunity to witness to someone can you really pass it by and leave them struggling alone without knowledge of the truth? I’m afraid I pass up far too many opportunities…  I’m so glad I didn’t pass up this one.

In the country of Syria, not far from the city Paul was converted Christians are witnessing for God despite a fierce civil war. Hundreds, yes even thousands there are coming to know Christ!

“You need to stop!” Boutros’ pastor told him. “We can’t afford to lose you!”

Boutros is an active member in an evangelical church located in Syria. He takes to the streets with Bibles, witnessing for his Savior! He knows he could be kidnapped and questioned, tortured, and even cut in pieces! These thing have happened to others. This is why his pastor is concerned. Yet Boutros refuses to stop.

One evening his wife called the pastor with with bad news! Boutros hadn’t come home. They tried to call his cell phone, but there was no answer. Two hours later they tried again, but this time the phone as a turned off. They knew something was wrong. The church leaders gathered at the church and began interceding in prayer. Boutros could have been cut in pieces! At 9pm they called the secret police to see if they knew many thing about Boutros. The other possibility was that Boutros had been taken by the extremists, which was much worse. The police wanted to know what he was doing. “Giving out Bibles” the members answered. “Why are you doing this? Are you crazy?” They claimed no knowledge of Boutros whereabouts.

It was a dark moment for the brethren. They cried and prayed, committing him to Gods care. Two days went by, and the whole congregation gathered at the church… No one ate anything. Then in the midst of their discouragement and despair God answered their prayers.

Suddenly Boutros walked through the door with a story to tell! The police had locked him up, but when they took him for interrogation the next day, the interrogator kept yelling and cursing at him! He didn’t even know what Boutros had done. When he asked Boutros told him, adding that the Bible teaches to respect and pray for your leaders. The interrogation stopped. The head interrogator was touched by Boutros’ words. He gave Boutros his personal phone number with instructions to call him if he had any more trouble with the police!

The next day Boutros again went into the streets with Bibles witnessing for our Savior.

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This story I adapted from the Voice of the Martyrs magazine got me to thinking… How many of us would actually get up and leave our safe home country to go to to a country like Syria! Let alone taking to the streets in such a place to witness for Christ in the face of possible death! How much is our faith worth? Is it worth giving up safety? Is it worth giving up our very lives? What if our faith was worth as much to us as Boutros’ faith is to him? What if we would lay fear and safety aside and go out to witness for Christ regardless of the consequences?

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20

As I watch our guest in the multiple feed view in the monitor, an idea solidifies. Tim in working in Cambodia. He’s a missionary there. He started a school, orphanage, a studio and even a church there. Today he’s connecting with us on the MissionTV LIVE show through Skype. All the way from Siem Reap to Mcdonald, TN. The connection suffers several breakups, but God uses it to create in me a vision. It’s an idea that has been forming in my mind for several years now.

The real life connection through video from Cambodia to our studio is so amazing when I really stop to think about it. Anyone could do it. It’s simple. Yet there’s something about it, it’s just unusual. And exciting. Perhaps it’s just because this is the first time we’ve done it. But whatever it is, we need to do more of it.

In my mind’s eye, I can see it. A team of several people calling in from the real live mission field. Calling into the show, reporting on what they’ve been discovering about missions, about the need, about the multitudes of people who are completely destitute of any knowledge of God. They call into the LIVE show, and even make short video reports of their travels. Reports that show the need, that show the hardship, that show the real life of a missionary, etc, etc. The possibilities are endless. The impact of such a project, inestimable! Whether calling by Skype on an iPad, or by a reliable satellite link, the real life aspect of it could draw many to the reality of overseas missions. The reality that we aren’t finished. God’s reality.

There’s a rule that we live by here at MissionTV. If someone has an idea they get to be the ones to do it! Often it’s more of a joke than a rule. But this time I believe it’s an idea that needs to be implemented. It fits right in with the mission of MissionTV. It is be a tool to help involve more people in reaching out and going to reach those who still have no knowledge.

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over and over in my life, it’s that you can’t wait until you have all the resources to begin doing something God asks you to do. If God give you an idea, you an idea you have to move forward and do everything in your power to make it happen, and to do it, even if it’s just on a small scale. You’re using what you have to do as much as you can. That’s wise management of resources, as long as God is the one leading.

But even though I move ahead and do something like this, I’m only one person, which is a tremendous limitation! Would you join me in prayer that God would form a team of capable people qualified with the vision? And not just for a mobile team, but also here at the MissionTV headquarters? Both need human and financial resources. God knows how to provide both. Let’s pray that He will do so in the way He sees best.

He’s been pursuing opportunities in so many countries. So many opportunities are there. Gary has been busy in many African countries over the last few years, with many projects ready to start. But what holds them back?

I remember when I asked Gary about this… He had said that we just didn’t have enough people to launch many of these projects.

“Why don’t more people come to Africa?” I remember asking, seeing the great lack of laborers. His answer surprised me somehow.

“Many people are afraid of Africa. They see the starvation and violence in the news.” He mentioned fear of the animals too.

These are certainly things I can see people could be scared of. But the God we serve… He’s the same God that shut the lions mouths, He’s the same God that protected David when he was being pursued by Saul, and He’s the same God that sent Jonah to Nineveh. Let’s not be like Jonah… If God is calling you to go somewhere, go! If He’s calling you to somewhere scary, go! If He’s calling you to somewhere hard, go! God is faithful. He will always give us the power and grace to fulfill His command. Don’t doubt His promises!

“Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:3

If you want more information about opportunities in Africa, you can send me a message here.