Global - Issue 3 - 2013

global operation mobilisation magazine

letting go to lead a movement

transforming lives and communities

2013 • Issue No.3

Face to Face

letting go to lead a movement OM International Director Lawrence Tong on adapting for the future On 1 September 2013, Lawrence Tong, from Singapore, became OM’s third International Director, succeeding Peter Maiden, who retired from the role after serving for 10 years, and George Verwer, who founded OM in 1957. Before assuming this new position, we interviewed Lawrence on his thoughts on the future of global mission and his new leadership role.

The world of 2013 is defined by major changes in technology, distribution of wealth, pandemic threats, increasingly young populations and more. How can Christian mission navigate its mandate with confidence?

LT Firstly, we must believe with deep conviction that the Gospel message is unchanged. World trends change; God’s truth does not. With that reality and the Holy Spirit, we must not be afraid to change. The world should not influence our belief; our belief should influence the world. To do so, whatever we say or do must be relevant to our culture. Decades ago, we might distribute 5000 tracts in a single day of outreach and sense an accomplishment. Today, we think in terms of hundreds of millions via the Internet. And we must be better listeners than speakers, eager to understand the hearts and minds of people. That can be a challenge for the activists among us.

When you look at the global church, what causes you concern and what holds promise?

LT A key concern is the shrinking global influence of the Church in the West. Membership is declining and resources are dwindling.

The centre of influence for world Christianity has already shifted to the East. Churches and mission groups in both worlds need to accept this reality. We cannot expect Western churches alone to

shoulder the burden of world evangelisation.

Happily, the Church in the Global South is expanding rapidly and is beginning to embrace its shared responsibility to reach the world. It has the people and resources, but a lingering sense of ‘letting the West do it’ remains. Thirty years ago, a ‘missionary’ meant a Westerner; today it belongs to everyone. This teaching has been weak in many places and is a key reason why Latin American churches lag behind in sending people. That mind-set must change from limitation to privilege. I’m optimistic that this will happen.

How can you maintain OM’s foundations yet develop greater flexibility and responsiveness?

LT We should never lose sight of our history and core values.

Yet we must be brave and creative, open to new ideas. We must trust others as the Holy Spirit equips them for a task. The Bible Continued overleaf...

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says very little about structures, but it does talk about commitment, endeavour, attitudes and relationships. I ask myself: Do I want to lead an organisation or a movement? To lead a movement, I must be willing to let go of centralised control and allow innovation to take place at a grass roots level. OM’s DNA is multiplication according to the principles of Jesus, whereas institutions or organisations have a tendency to control. OM is fundamentally an organic movement based on a deep conviction that the world belongs under the Lordship of Christ. We must continue to recruit creative thinkers and visionaries, seeking them out and welcoming them into a movement.

You have a limited window in which to mentor the next generation. How will you accelerate and deepen this process?

LT This is critical, as many of our senior leaders are ‘grey hairs’ and more of us will join their ranks in a decade. Mentoring the next generation must be intentional; there is no other option. We have launched programs such as the Daniel Initiative, which trains new leaders from both the Global South and the West to work together.

We’re trusting God for 7000 more workers from the Global South in the next 13 years. That will require at least 900 Global South leaders who will share in the global leadership of OM. It’s not about fitting new people into old roles, but that they take our movement in new directions and develop new methods.

If we fail to bring in new ideas, we are not far from failure. Let us trust younger peoples’ passion and vision to connect with their world. When I joined OM, people would watch a 30-minute slide presentation; today, three minutes of video is pushing it for attention spans. But it can be done!

Churches everywhere face the same challenges as OM in this regard. We’d like to simply carry on with what we are comfortable with, but it’s not about us—it’s about God’s kingdom today and tomorrow.

Lawrence and Susan Tong

Let’s talk about partnership and ownership in missions and greater collaboration between missions and churches. What lays ahead for OM? LT Mission is an inseparable part of the church. As our understanding of world mission merges, there is great synergy of resources and experience: they know their people and resources; we know effective mission strategies ‘on the ground.’ Like most missions, OM can improve our part in this relationship by being better listeners and trusting God for greater cooperation.

Operation Mobilisation transforming lives and communities

Join us in prayer for OM’s new International Leadership • Uphold

Lawrence in this exciting new chapter in his life, that he will be blessed with the wisdom, character and conviction required of him as OM’s International Director.

• Pray for the many logistical issues that will arise in locating and arranging a new International Coordinating Office as a base for Lawrence and his team.

• K eep Lawrence’s family in your prayers. Pray for his wife, Susan, and their children Joshua and Benjamin; that they will adapt quickly to the new role their family holds in OM.

• Echo in your prayers, Lawrence’s desire to see thousands of new workers and leaders step forward into global mission within the next decade.

• F or the first time, the International Director will have a Leadership team incorporating three Associate Directors – Viv Thomas, Sue Priestly and Peter Tarantal, all of whom will also require your prayers. Ask God that they will be clear sighted, tactful and bold in their advice and encouragement of Lawrence.

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• Pray that as OM moves forward under new leadership, its partnership with the UK and global church will continue to grow and flourish with one message in mind, bringing Good News.

RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT

2013 Mercy Appeal The OM Mercy Appeal is a vital fund held in the UK enabling OM to respond urgently to cries for help from our teams around the world.

During 2013 the loudest cries for help have come from our teams in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria as they have laboured to help people whose lives have been devastated by the ongoing conflict in Syria. Stories coming from these countries are emotionally disturbing to hear but we praise God that even in the midst of the fighting, people are coming to faith in Jesus.

Thanks to the generous giving of many people to the Mercy Appeal, we have been able to provide ongoing support for the teams bringing relief and comfort to the people of Syria.

During the year we have also been able to respond to situations of great need in China, Montenegro, Kosovo, Greece, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Zambia, Myanmar, Costa Rica, Tajikistan, Mauritania, Yemen, Poland, Hungary, Ghana, Iran and Russia.

In June this year, heavy rainfall in the North Indian state of Uttarakhand caused severe flooding in remote areas of the hill stations and foothills of the Himalayan region. Unexpected flash floods and landslides devastated local communities and thousands, including visitors to the area, were swept away in the floodwater.

With at least 6,000 people missing, presumed dead, and an estimated death toll exceeding 10,000, the disaster made headline news around the world. In the immediate aftermath the Indian Government airlifted people to safety and delivered relief supplies by helicopter.

OM teams were initially sent to survey and prepare for relief distribution in remote villages. Some of the villages were extremely difficult to reach due to blocked roads and continued danger of rock falls and mudslides. They found homes destroyed and people who were hungry, sick and traumatised.

A gift from the Mercy Appeal enabled the OM teams to make an initial delivery of food aid to some of the most vulnerable families. The teams also helped to evacuate people from houses that were still at risk of collapse.

Later when the team returned with more supplies they faced huge challenges as large crowds mobbed them upon arrival. In one place they had to close the distribution early as the burgeoning crowds began to threaten violence. Thankfully involving the village Chief in each location helped to overcome this problem.

The supply packs, containing rice, wheat flour, lentils, sugar, tea leaves, oil, salt, spices, water containers, chlorine tablets and blankets, left huge smiles on many faces, and would provide food for families for up to 6 weeks.

As you read this report two months later, our work in Uttarakhand is far from finished.

Although the Indian Government have since stopped running rescue and relief operations there are still many families in need of help. OM India is committed to continue working in the area and to developing a long term ministry there. We are so grateful for your support of the Mercy Appeal that made this life saving intervention possible.

Thank You! Please will you help us answer other cries for help coming to us from around the world by making a gift to the Mercy Appeal. This can either be done by using the tear off response slip attached, or by calling 01691 776711. www.uk.om.org/mercy

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EUROPE

a life transformed

By Katie Morford

The Mediterranean is the birthplace of Christianity, yet thousands of people throughout this region have yet to hear the Good News about Jesus. With the financial crisis and an influx of refugees from unrest in the Middle East, many people are searching for hope.

This summer 350 OM workers and delegates from all over the world converged on Rome for a five-day conference, featuring vision-casting speakers and workshops on how to practically share one’s faith. One day during the conference, for the first time, delegates were sent out into Rome in teams to share the Gospel through dance, music, and literature distribution.

After the conference, teams were sent out onto almost 30 outreaches, working with OM fields throughout the Mediterranean to put in practice what they learnt, partnering with local churches and ministries.

God has used the Transform project in incredible ways the past four years, not only to spread the Gospel among many of the hardest-to-reach nations but also to raise up long-term missionaries through the experience of Transform’s short-term summer outreaches.

SCAN FOR MORE

To watch a short video about Transform, please scan the QR code, or visit www.uk.om.org/transform2013

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Anthony’s Transform Story For one young man who has already had a difficult life, a two-week outreach to Greece gave him just the taste he needed to come back for more. Now Anthony, from the Wirral, is serving for six months with OM Greece, helping in a drop-in centre and feeding programmes for refugees and those in need.

“I felt convicted to come back to Greece,” Anthony said, adding that at home he merely went through the motions of Christian behaviour.

“I feel God brought me to Greece and Transform to bring me out.”

In 2011, Anthony applied to join a summer outreach in Albania with OM Transform. Looking to return in 2012, but discovering that God had other plans, he instead ended up joining the team in Greece. Anthony found the experience to be an adventure, a taste of the mission field, but he wanted to come discover for himself what longerterm missions would be like. In February 2013, he returned to Athens for a six-month term with OM Greece, with the possibility of extending that ministry into the future.

“In the end, the decision was easy,” admits Anthony.

“I want to carry on growing and walking with God every day. One way you can grow is to go out of your comfort zone.”

The type of ministry Anthony does with OM Greece definitely qualifies as being outside the comfort zone for many. He helps serve the homeless, refugee, immigrant and needy population of Athens through drop-in centres and feeding programmes, which are run by OM Greece in partnership with a local Greek church.

Twice a week the drop-in centre provides free tea and coffee, and offers sandwiches on Fridays, giving poor people in the community a chance to interact with friends or neighbours. Because in Greece it’s culturally unacceptable to visit a friend without a gift—which most people can’t afford—the drop-in centre is a neutral environment where they can get to know others without being expected to bring gifts.

Whilst Anthony finds the language difference can be a barrier, he often plays board games with people who come into the centre, finding that God always manages to overcome the barriers to create a relationship with them.

“It’s a platform to befriend and build relationships with them,” Anthony said about feeding and clothing the homeless.

The centre is located in a neighbourhood with a high immigrant and refugee population, where many people are homeless and in severe financial distress. These problems are as varied as the people, but they often stem from a high influx of immigrants—especially those from Arab nations, due to the unrest in the region—into Greece, as well as the recent economic crisis. Though many might find it difficult to relate to people in such desperate circumstances, Anthony finds God is using his past to help give those coming to the centre a new future. “I understand the people who are coming here because I was a drug addict and was in prison for many years,” relates Anthony. “A lot of the problems with the socially affected—I have been there. My past is the same as what many people are going through.”

God uniquely prepared Anthony to serve the ‘least of these’ and be able to relate to their struggles, using Transform as the vehicle to bring him to a place of great need. But Anthony doesn’t consider himself to have been ‘called’ to come to Greece. For him, this ministry is just a natural outpouring of his relationship with God. “Sometimes the call to be a missionary doesn’t come in a flash of lightning,” Anthony confesses. “But we all have the Word of God and the obligation to share Christ with others.”

If you’re interested in participating in Transform 2014 please register your interest by e-mailing shortterm.uk@om.org.

With over 30 outreaches, from dancing to surfing, there’s an opportunity for everyone to get involved. www.transform.om.org

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UNITED KINGDOM

Jesus shines brightly in Lye Easter Outreach Christ Church Lye and Stambermill In the week leading up to Easter, OM Lifehope organised a team of 15 people from all over the world to gather in Lye, Dudley. Partnering with Christ Church Lye and Stambermill, the aim was to share the Gospel and build new relationships with the local community.

“We had a great week supporting Christ Church in their outreach to the community,” said Stefan Schenkel, Short Term Mission Coordinator at OM Lifehope. “We’ve seen God at work and it has been great to see people engaged.”

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The arts are regularly included as an expression of worship at Christ Church, and this week was no different – providing a creative method of reaching local families.

Before heading out to the community each day, the team gathered for prayer and training, learning creative ways to share the Gospel with both adults and children. From there, the team jumped into a busy day of connecting with locals using a variety of methods, such as art projects, going door to door, and even helping to run three days of Easter-focused ‘Messy Church’ kids programme.

Door to Door

Social Project

During the week, the team spent four days going door to door, sharing the Gospel with people using Christian literature and inviting them to the church for a concert featuring “Reverend Elvis,” an Elvis tribute act, in which Andy Kelso, a retired Anglican minister, presents the Gospel to people dressed as Elvis, performing songs and sharing his testimony.

The highlight of the week for many team members was found through helping someone in the simple, yet practical way. The staff at Christ Church are very involved in their community, so when they heard about a gentleman who was living with alcoholism and depression not five minutes from the church, they wanted to see if there was anything they could do to help.

“I helped to clean Rob’s* apartment. He’s not living on the sunny side of life; addicted to alcohol, he has many problems. I didn’t know much about him, but his dirty and neglected apartment spoke for itself,” empathised Johanna. “As I was trying to get dog-hair off the floor with a knife, different thoughts came to my mind. First, I thought the state of this apartment could be compared to the state of a heart that doesn’t know Jesus. It’s dirty and devastated, and Jesus has to come in and clean it.”

“Suddenly, I felt honoured that Rob let us in to clean up the mess. It must be humbling to admit that you need help and you can’t get it sorted yourself. As I stood in the kitchen two hours later, the before-andafter effect was incredible. Sometimes Jesus can shine the brightest in places like this.”

Rob came to church that week and the pastoral team at Christ Church are continuing to follow up with him.

Door to door evangelism can sometimes be a disheartening venture. However, God often produces results in what appears to be the most fruitless of situations, as one OM Lifehope participant discovered. “One time after going door to door, I went back to the church a little bit disappointed, but then ten minutes later, a woman walked in to the church, and I recognised her as someone we had met going door to door”, explains Hilde Stahlie. “I started a conversation with her and we talked and prayed for a long time. She stayed the whole day in the church and she even came to the service that Sunday. I was really surprised. This week I definitely discovered how God can work even through me!”

Throughout the week, the team were challenged to step out of their comfort zone, sharing the Gospel with people using both words and deeds. They were a blessing to the community and in turn, they were blessed too. “We now have 16 new people to follow up with in the weeks ahead,” said Simon Falshaw. The team had the opportunity to connect with hundreds of others in the community, sharing the Gospel and praying with many.

Praise the Lord, two people accepted Christ!

*Name changed.

If you are a UK church and would like to partner with OM Lifehope for outreach in your local community, or are interested in getting involved with an OM Lifehope ministry, please get in touch.

For more information visit www.lifehope.om.org, or call 0121 585 5662.

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Africa/Pioneering Initiatives

breaking boundaries

Photography by Brad Livengood

Zambia’s Bethesda Mercy Ministries opens its first disabled school

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and hosting events in the centre. They are even beginning to see parents and communities becoming much more involved.

It is simply the lack of understanding and knowledge, which has prevented those with disabilities being embraced into society.

This is why Bethesda’s long-term strategy of developing an integrated school, consisting of both disabled and able-bodied students, is essential in breaking down these social boundaries.

By educating generations to come, we will see a loving and inclusive society come forward. “It’s a big vision,” explains Ruth, “but we know we have a big God and all this can be achieved through Him.”

Some walked while others limped. Some rolled their own wheelchairs while others were pushed.

However they moved, their faces were full of smiles. In January 2013 a mix of approximately 40 community members and ministry workers marched through Nakoli compound in Kabwe, Zambia, carrying a banner announcing the opening of the Bethesda Disabled School.

They marched hand in hand singing songs while doing their best to avoid the mud and puddles in the streets. Many people from the community came out of their houses to inquire what was going on and quite a few children joined the march just for fun. The march ended at the Bethesda Disabled Ministry building where a ceremonial ribbon was cut by OM Zambia Field Leader Melvin Chiombe and the Nakoli Community Ward Councillor.

Since its launch in 2009, OM Zambia’s Bethesda Disabled Ministry has always envisioned starting a school for disabled children. No such school exists in Kabwe or even elsewhere in the Central Province. The stigma attached to disabilities is excruciating to observe – a disability is still regarded a taboo topic in many parts of Africa, and having a disability can often lead to being ostracised from society. Peter comments, “The community look at people with disabilities from the human point of view. Human view is that when you have a child who is disabled, it’s like a curse that has come in the family, people ask – what have you done to deserve that? Therefore children don’t get the attention and support that they need.”

“At first, it was not easy,” recognises ministry worker Lazarous, “they [parents] were just keeping disabled children in their houses”. Over time, the Bethesda centre has done much to change these antiquated attitudes by visiting families

Currently, the Bethesda Disabled School has 11 students attending morning classes every Monday through Friday. Aged between 4 and 30, the students have a wide variety of disabilities from cerebral palsy to spina bifida. Teachers Brenda and Mevis do their best to educate the students, whilst also working on developing their fine motor skills and life skills. The team were recently blessed with a trained physiotherapist, who has been able to alleviate some of the teachers’ duties, developing much needed specialist programmes. It has created an opportunity to develop a community clinic, supporting the adult’s needs as well.

However, these resources are barely enough to begin scratching the surface of what’s required.

Staff at the school are praying for a vehicle to become available, allowing the team to transport the disabled children to and from the school. This vehicle would also benefit disabled people requiring transport to and from the city of Lusaka, where a partner organisation provides free life-changing surgeries.

They are also praying that the Lord will send more specialist workers, such as school teachers trained to cater for specialneeds, as well as more physiotherapists to help their mobility.

If you have a specialism in this area, or have relevant experience and feel called to be of use, for more information please email info.uk@om.org. Please pray for the teachers and students of this school.

Through OM’s Just Christmas appeal, Bethesda were gifted a small amount which has allowed the ministry to launch a medical fund to pay for some children to receive hospital visits, medication and minor procedures. If you wish to support these ministries financially, please refer to the insert attached.

SCAN FOR MORE

To watch a short video about this ministry, please scan the QR code, or visit www.uk.om.org/bethesda

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meet the

Good ne ws Buffalo The gift of a buffalo this Christmas can lift an entire family out of poverty in India. Providing food and daily income, a buffalo can empower people to be self-sufficient and restore dignity and worth to their lives.

You and Your family

Your Church

To support our appeal, watch out for the Good News Buffalo landing on your doorstep in the run up to Christmas, or visit www.uk.om.org/Buffalo to make an online gift today.

To discuss how we could help your church with a Good News Buffalo appeal this Christmas, contact us: development.uk@om.org 0141 552 7716

To download our promotional video and other appeal resources visit www.uk.om.org/Buffalo

together We can

transform lives

This Christmas!

Operation Mobilisation. Registered office: The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7LT. T: 01691 773388 E: info.uk@om.org W: www.uk.om.org Registered as a company limited by guarantee no. 2564320 and charity no.1008196 (England and Wales), and SCO40988 (Scotland).