ABIDE MISSIONAL LIVING MAGAZINE

ABIDE MISSIONAL LIVING MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2020

Goer, Sender, Mobilizer, and Welcomer Page 17

Missionaries Are Nothing Special Page 12

Lost in the Rainforest

Page 4

Missions Resources Page 21

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE BIBLE, GOD’S HOLY WORD. I WILL MAKE IT A LAMP UNTO MY FEET AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH. ITS WORDS WILL HIDE IN MY HEART SO I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST GOD.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE CHRISTIAN FLAGS AND TO THE SAVIOR FOR WHOSE KINGDOM IT STANDS. ONE SAVIOR CRUCIFIED, RISEN AND COMING AGAIN WITH LIFE AND LIBERTY TO ALL WHO BELIEVES.

Buy Authentic African Jewelry and support missionaries at the same time.

www.etsy.com/shop/kingdomfindsco A percentage of your purchase goes towards the missionary fund of The One Commission Foundation

BLACK POWER (For All the Beautiful Black Panthers East)

By Nikki Giovanni 1943But the whole thing is a miracle—See? We were just standing there Talking-not touching or smoking Pot When this cop told Tyrone Move along buddy—take your whores outa here And this tremendous growl From out of nowhere Pounced on him Nobody to this very day Can explain How it happened And none of the zoos or circuses Within fifty miles Had reported A panther Missing 2 | ABIDE

Letter from the Editor Finding Your Missional Life

Hello Readers, Welcome back to another edition of Abide Missional Magazine. There is currently 2.4 billion Christians in the world, nearly a third of the world’s population, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2019, Christians made up 65% of the American total population. Of the 400,000 worldwide missionaries the United States sent out roughly 127,000. Black Americans serving on the foreign mission field is just over 300; that’s less than one percent. Yet in still we are the most religiously devout people group in the country. 79% of Black Americans identify as Christian.

53% of all Black adults attend a traditionally black church denomination.

We as Christians are charged to go… “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). The charge was given over 2000 years ago and yet there is still a deficit. We live in a lost world. We live in a world where there are people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus let alone the truth of the gospel.

Mission work is not something that we can pretend does not apply to us because we didn’t get the call to forsake all and move to a foreign land. Mission work first starts in the heart. It’s God’s mission and should be our passion. When you get to heaven, who or how many people will be able to say they made it in because of you?

I had the rare privilege to grow up in a mission minded church, surrounded by missionaries.

Every fourth Sunday I heard the word of God preached from a missionary. They spoke with eloquence and passion for the gospel of Christ. They lived and breathed the word of God. My family hosted missionaries a couple of times, so I was able to spend some one on one time with them. I have memories that will last a lifetime.

When I attended a global missions conference in St. Louis a few years back I heard it again; that passionate testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ from a missionary. The thing that makes them a missionary is not their address, but their life; the missional life. Living missionally is about taking all your talents, all your gifting, all your heart and dedicating it to the mission of Jesus Christ.

This could be done locally or globally.

The Great Commission should be what grips our heart. Seeing the world the way God sees it.

Showing His love to those in need; to the sick and impoverished to the rich and the lost. We have a responsibility to this world to get the message out to all those who will hear. The question is how. Whatever your vocation may be use it for the kingdom; business, construction, doctors, lawyers, cosmetology; whatever your vocation.

If you cannot go, physically, then support those who do. At the forementioned conference, attendees packed and shipped 30,000 care kits for caregivers in Swaziland located in Southern Africa. There will always be a need for monetary donations, but giving your life is necessary and what he honors the most.

Stay Blessed, Jacinta Russell Editor in Chief ABIDE | 3

Lost in the

Rainforest

By Joshua

4 | ABIDE

F

or the first time in my missionary pilgrimage I felt like David Livingstone. The Lord has given me opportunities to start churches in the city as well as the interior and have mobilized local partners to do the same, but this trip was different.

I was invited to conduct a church planting training session in an Amerindian village where was a new group of Christ Followers. The three-hour trip to the river was uneventful, only that the road was punctuated by crater size potholes as it snaked its way through the rainforest into the interior to the “big river”.

The big river sat there like an innocent stream waiting to be disturbed by the small wooden boat we were to travel in. The rain came down in sprays instead of drops and my lungs screamed with delight as they refreshed themselves with the fresh unpolluted air of the rainforest.

We boarded the wooden craft fitted with a fifteenhorsepower motor - my Person of Peace and I and started on our way up the river to the Amerindian village. Shortly after we launched, the gentle stream turned into a wild bronco of a river and started to “shake very hard,” even for the Amerindians who “live on the river.” The waves were furious as the small motor struggled to push the wooden boat forward. The river, like a wild bronco twisted and turned with the attempt to swallow our little boat which struggled to keep up but was clearly no match for the monster. Finally, after more than two hours the boat came to rest

safely on the beach at the village as if to say it had conquered the “big river.”

I learned much about this village. There are some one thousand to fifteen hundred persons living there. There are four church buildings there with less than fifty persons attending all together. It is a quiet village that is gradually being spoilt by outsiders. Once a village that abhorred illegal drug use, now it is struggling to control illegal drug addiction which is linked to other illicit behaviors.

The village is also very strong in its traditions.

Family members live in closed communities, up to many generations. The most fascinating thing I learned however was about the Sharman. These are like the witch doctors with lots more power. Younger Sharman’s are selected by older ones and must submit to a series of training including a fast for many days. During the fast they are required to drink some sort of herbal solution to fall into a deep trance. The older Sharman’s who are administering this rite, calls up the spirits from the forest and select the good ones and send the bad ones away. The spirits who have been selected will possess the body of the young Sharman’s.

At the end of the ceremony the young Sharman’s would awake from their trance and repeat whatever the spirits had told them. This could go on for several hours or even days, just repeating the information given to them. They afterward participate in a time of singing songs that the spirits gave them.

Continued on page 6 ABIDE | 5

Continued from page 5 The whole village would celebrate when the Sharman’s returned after several weeks away in the bush. At the celebration, their power is proven as villagers interact with them. It is said that they have the power to remove sicknesses which are usually caused by bad spirits. The Sharman’s would direct the good spirits to go and capture the bad spirits along with their actions.

People in the village are aware that when one gives himself to the spirits it is close to impossible to get away. The spirits, good ones or bad ones will even hurt the person before the person can ever escape.

Here in this village I learned that people are bound and live in constant fear. This bondage is keeping them from experiencing a true relationship with Christ. Many will get together on Wednesdays and Saturdays to appease the spirits by getting drunk and then attending church on Sundays. They have been exposed to the gospel but like what Paul said in Romans they have zeal but without knowledge.

That first night we met with the new group of Believers. Seven persons have previously made the decision to follow Christ and three new followers who are to be baptized in the next few weeks.

After the training session sleep came quickly as the village generator was turned off and we settled in our hammocks in the open hut protected only by the thatch roof hiding the black sky and twinkling stars.

The following day we journeyed to another village across the river. Twelve persons crowded into the wooden boat as the river continued to churn around like an angry bull. I quickly observed that the people in the boat were as calm as anything as the waves picked the boat up and slammed it in the water. My heart was all the while in “my mouth” as they explained how deep the water was. There was little consolation when I was told that just the previous week two men died when their boat was overwhelmed by the waves. They tried to 6 | ABIDE

put my mind at ease by telling me that the troubled boat was not high enough, so it took in water and sank.

At the village across the river, we encountered our Persons of Peace. The man was celebrating his 81st birthday on his wedding anniversary.

He gathered some of his children as well as some neighbors to meet us and told how he prayed that the Lord would start a church for them to attend. He said little did he know that a church would be starting in their home. He asked that training be arranged for them and that they would go to the Chief and asked permission to do so.

It is important to involve the Chief for two reasons. One, the Chief is a relative of the old man and second, the old man wants every one of his relatives to follow Christ. Every person was given the opportunity to express their expectation. They told of how they became exposed to the Gospel, but how no sooner than the “bearers of Good News” left the village the work stopped.

As we continued to dialogue, I discovered that quite often they saw themselves as helping the “bearers of the good news” to get the news out but never saw it as their personal responsibility.

So, they were waiting for the next “Bearer of Good News” to come and take the Gospel to those who have not yet believed. They were receptive when I told them that they are the ones who need to become the “Bearer of Good News” to their people and lead them to the Lord. I offered to help them by providing training for them. They were excited as we prayed and join the hosts in celebrating their special day and the launching of our second group of believers among the Amerindians.

“We are waiting for the bearer of Good News to come so we can help him” Well, I will be going back to conduct a few training sessions soon. I am praying that the Lord will use these sessions to adequately equip them so that they can become the bearers of Good News to their people.

Holding

the

Ropes

“One story was told at that farewell meeting (of missionary Rev. and Mrs. Jonathan Goforth of China) which made a deep impression on all present…”

T

he story was of a young couple, when bidding farewell to their home country church as they were about to leave for an African field, known as The White Man’s Grave. The husband said, ‘My wife and I have a strange dread in going. We feel much as if we were going down into pit.

We are willing to take the risk and go if you, our home circle, will promise to hold the ropes one and all promised.

Less than two years passed when the wife and the little one God had given them, succumbed to the dreaded fever. Soon the husband realized that his days too were numbered. Not waiting to send word home of his coming, he started back at once and arrived at the hour of the Wednesday prayermeeting he went forward. An awe came over people, for death written on his face. He said: I am your missionary. My wife and child are buried in Africa and I have come home to die. This evening I listened anxiously, as you prayed, for some mention of your missionary to see if you were keeping your promise, but in vain! You prayed for everything connected with yourselves and your home church, but you forgot your missionary. I see now why I am a failure as missionary. It is because you

have failed to hold the ropes!”

Goforth, Rosalind. 1937. Goforth of China Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, pp. 65-66.

MISSION QUOTES

“God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.”

– Hudson Taylor, missionary to China {video}

“To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.”

– William Carey, pioneer missionary to India.

“Sympathy is no substitute for action.”

– David Livingstone, missionary of Africa

ABIDE | 7

PRAY FOR HUNGARY REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY, EUROPE Population 2020: 9,766,105 People: Magyar (Hungarian): 86.8% Economy: traditionally rich agriculture land.

Religion In 2000, Hungary celebrated 1,000 years since its conversion to Christianity and they have enjoyed freedom of religion since 1990.

Religion

pop%

Christian

87.99

Answers to Prayer • The small, but historically rich, evangelic movement is growing in size, maturity, diversity and confidence. Many types of ministries are springing up around the nation, and the vision exists to see an evangelical church planted in every city, town and village.

• Unity across denominations is experiencing much needed growth, as churches come together to pray, worship and minister. There are also many prayer ministries that represent the different flavors of Christian faith, for example: Budapest Prayer Wall, National Prayer Network and 168-hour Intercessory Prayer Chain.

Challenges for Prayer • Disillusion, dissatisfaction and upheaval against the government and the economy often characterize life in Hungary.

• Hungarians have lost contact with the gospel despite enjoying a rich theological history. They seek answers in many places: materialism, hedonism, alcohol and, increasingly, false religion.

• The openness of the post-communist 1990’s has 8 | ABIDE

passed. It is now increasingly difficult to openly witness; restrictions forbid teachers, doctors and such from sharing their faith in the workplace.

The church failed to respond adequately to the window of opportunity that is now largely closed. Christianity, while present and active, does not quite have the impact it should on society, politics, ethics, education and economy.

Pray for a new revival in the church.

• The church’s impact in Hungary is uneven and inadequate. Some parts of the country are much more alive than others. Within the major demonstrations, including Catholic and Reformed, are vibrant charismatic and renewal movements.

• There remains a great need for evangelism.

Despite the increasing amount and types of outreach and public ministry, Christians need to acquire confidence in the power of the gospel and its effectiveness when shared in the right way and in the spirit.

• There is a deficit of Christian leadership - Leaders with high morals and fresh vision.

- The release and empowerment of lay leaders.

- Leadership training • Young people - Teaching of religions knowledge in school - Children’s and youth programs in church - University students - Summer outreach programs • The less- reached - The Jews - The Romani – the gypsy community - The Homeless -mostly concentrated in Budapest - The many immigrant peoples – who make Hungary their home such as the Slavic people, Chinese and others.

- Hungarians abroad

Call to Christian Discipleship Q: What is Christian discipleship?

A: Christian discipleship is our response to the call of Jesus Christ to follow Him. It involves a counting of the cost and a total commitment to Jesus Christ, so that the whole of our life is given to seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.

(Taken from Baker’s Bible Study Guide)

THE ONE COMMISSION FOUNDATION Fellow Helpers of the Truth 3 John 8 PURPOSE

There are four levels of discipleship: Come to Me (Matt. 11:28) Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest”.

Learn of Me (Matt. 11:29) Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls”.

Missionary Care: to keep their names, faces and ministries before the body of Christ and to share His burden of love for missionaries with churches all over the U.S. Mobilizing: to mobilize the black church to the mission field Financial: to provide a grant to those currently serving in a cross-cultural ministry

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Follow Me (Matt. 16:24) Jesus said to his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.

• Offering to pray for our missionaries—through our prayer initiative • Support missionaries through our grant program—online gift or through Kingdom Finds

Remain in Me (John 15:4) Jesus said, “Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me”.

• Learn about our many programs and opportunities by visiting us online at www.theocfoundation.org or email us info@theocfoundation.org ABIDE | 9

OH that the

WHOLE WORLD 10 | ABIDE

WOULD

praise HIM ABIDE | 11

Missionaries Are Nothing Special

By Gideon

I

want to write this article from the perspective of 1 Corinthians 15:10, which says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me”.

Something people didn’t tell me when I become a missionary is that other people may start seeing me as a spiritual “hero” or someone who is an elite Christian. Someone who is so mature in their faith that no one else could possibly do the same thing. I strongly dislike this thought and disagree with it for three reasons: The first one reason is simple: human nature.

I am a sinful man, and if it wasn’t for the grace of God, I would still be dead in my sins. Every 12 | ABIDE

day I struggle with sin. Every day I cling to the cross asking God to save me from my prideful thoughts, my lustful desires, and my deceiving intentions. Every day I trust God for the grace that He has shown me in Jesus Christ.

I need this grace. Every day, I am faced with the temptation to think I am someone special as a missionary. I continually hear comments like, “It takes a special person to do what you are doing,” “I wish I was as good of a Christian as you are,” or “If only I knew the Bible as much as you, then I could do what you do”. I know the people who are telling me these things have good intentions, however I have always struggled with prideful thoughts and comparison. These well-intended comments only fuel the sinful nature within me, and I have to continually remind myself that it is only by God’s grace that I am what I am.

God is the only one who should be exalted, not me. There is nothing special in me. Yes, I work hard, and yes, I have made tremendous sacrifices. However, it is not me; it is the grace of God within me. It is His grace that gives me the strength to work. It is His grace that gives me the willing spirit to go. It is His grace that blesses the work of my hands for His glory. Let’s not look at the missionary, but rather, let’s exalt Jesus for using ordinary sinful people to bring about His glory among the earth!

The second reason why I dislike the thought process I discussed earlier is because people can easily exclude themselves from being a missionary. People think that in order to be a missionary they have to have the whole Bible memorized or be on another level of Christianity. This thinking is a lie from the devil. There is nothing special about missionaries.

The captivating factor that drives missionaries is God’s grace through His word. Take the apostle Paul for example. In Romans 15:1820, Paul talks about His ambition to preach the Gospel in places where they do not have the Gospel. Then in verse 21, Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15. Paul doesn’t recount his time on the road to Damascus where he had a miraculous conversion. No. He quotes Scripture. It was God’s grace through His word that motivated him to take this Gospel to the ends of the earth, and it is the same grace God has for each one of us.

Today, people always say, “I am not called to be a missionary,” or, “If God would just give me an undeniable sign, then I will go”. Paul received an undeniable sign on the road to Damascus, but that was not his motivating factor to preach the Gospel to unreached peoples. His motivating factor was God’s word. God’s word drove Paul, and God’s word should drive each and every one of us.

My motivating factor was Isaiah 6:8. God calls out to Isaiah and says, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” In humility Isaiah responds, “Here I am! Send me.” The Lord used this verse to speak to me, and He gave me the same willing spirit as He gave Isaiah.

“The harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few, who shall I send?” Here I am Lord. I am willing and able. Send me.

The last reason why I disagree with the term “elite Christian missionary” is because this perspective is based in fear, not faith. These comments are usually followed up with, “Well what about your safety. Aren’t you worried that this or that might happen?” Of course, there are natural concerns regarding dangers around me as I go into the mission field, however, those concerns pale in comparison to the grace of God that is with me.

Whenever I think of the dangers that accompany going into the mission field, I am immediately reminded of His promises: Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Oh, how gracious our God is. The God who created the universe said do not fear because He will strengthen us. He will help us. He personally will uphold us. He is our God!!

I am reminded of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20—”I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus is with us! Jesus!! Our Lord and Savior, God in the flesh, is with us!! Always!!

The same guy who defeated sin and death is with us! Always!! If Jesus defeated sin and death, He surely is able to defeat anything in all of creation that tries to separate us from Him! Continued on page 20 ABIDE | 13

Planning Sheet for the Home-Assignment Visit of ___________ [missionaries] with _____________ [church]

Visit Logistics

Date(s) of visit: _____________________

Date/Time of arrival: ________________________________  Check if you will need airport pickup

Date/Time of departure: _____________________________

Number/Ages of family members coming with you: ____________

Will you need housing?  Yes  No. If yes, do you have any special needs or preferences?

Unless noted below, we will assume that breakfasts will be provided by your overnight hosts, and we will plan lunches and dinners for you with various members of the congregation.

Informal conversations over meals are often the most effective part of missionaries’ ministry with us!

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner slots during your stay with us we should not schedule:

Does anyone coming on this visit have any special dietary needs or preferences?

Ministry Goals We are eager to hear from you. Please:  Update us about the people God has called you to serve to reinforce our vision for the ministry purposes we share with you there.  Report on your personal ministry since you were last here.  Describe specific ways God answered our prayers for you.  Summarize plans and goals for the future.  List key prayer requests.  Share a more in-depth update with our GO Team/Missions Committee on ministry impact, personal and family spiritual/emotional/physical health, important projects, support needs, any potential major changes, etc.

Check any of the following that are also goals for your time with us:  Meet with individual supporters in the area.  Discuss the possibility of our sending short-termers to serve with you in the future.  Seek additional  monthly personal support or  project funding.  Meet with individuals to challenge them to consider joining your field team or serving somewhere in missions. (If this is a goal, please share more specifics about what roles you are looking to fill.)  Other ___________________________________________________________

Ministry While You Are Here Church: Copy and repeat the box below for each meeting.

Here are the ministry opportunities we have in mind. We want to hear any suggestions you have. Please feel free to recommend how we can help you make these presentations most valuable. If there are contexts in which you are not comfortable sharing, please tell us. If there are additional settings in which you would like to share, we would also like to hear that. If you need more information, let us know.

Type of meeting:

Date/Time:

Location:

If this is a couple, who will present, or is it their choice?

Type of presentation:  Ministry update,  Personal testimony,  Devotional,  Sermon,  Interview,  Informal interaction,  Other __________________________________________________________

Age group and any other pertinent characteristics of the group:

Approximate number attending:

Length of presentation:

Will this group have already heard any other presentations?

For the missionary to complete: Will you be using video and/or PowerPoint?  Yes  No If yes, what equipment do you need the church to provide?

Leadership Connections While You Are with Us GO Team/Missions Committee: We would like to meet with you at [date/time/place] for[anticipated length of time]. Is this convenient for your schedule?

Senior Pastor: We would also like you to meet with our senior pastor. He is available at [date/time/place] for [anticipated length of time]. Is this convenient for your schedule?

Serving

You While You Are Here

We would like to offer you any of the following services while you are with us. Please indicate what you would like to take advantage of. Feel choose to choose lots of options— 5 or 10 is not too many! Add details that will help us customize our services to your needs.

 Car tune-up  Tickets to a sports event: (type) ___________________________________________  Tickets to a concert: (type) _________________________________________________  Tickets for the family to a nearby theme park  Local sightseeing day with one of our members (describe any specific interests)  Attend a professional seminar at our expense (Church leaders: Ask your pastor and/or other missionaries what relevant conferences are occurring in your area and list options for your missionaries. Or suggest a $ amount you will give for them to attend any conference of their choice.)  One session* with a financial planner  One session* with an attorney  One session* with an educational specialist: (type) _____________________________  One session* with a counselor: (type) ________________________________________  One session* with a personal fitness trainer  Guest pass(es) to a local gym  Computer evaluation and/or technology consultation  Training session on computer software: (name program) ________________________  Dental cleaning(s)  Hair cut:  Man  Woman  Child (# ______)  Massage  Manicure/Pedicure  Shopping trip with spending money. For women, would you prefer to (a) shop on your own or (b) be accompanied by another woman or (c) by a woman and her daughter of a similar age to your children?  Childcare so parents can have a  day  evening without the kids  Church: Include other services you would like to make available and delete those you cannot offer.

* If additional sessions are needed, we will be happy to evaluate with you how the costs can be covered.

Other Please share with us any additional ways that we could make your time with us refreshing for you and of maximum impact on our congregation.

Return this form to [name] at [email address] as soon as possible so that we can prepare well for your visit.

Goer, Sender, Mobilizer, and Welcomer

By Steve Shadrach The Baton is Passed to you… Run! You have a race to run. Which one is it?

(Heb. 12:1, 2)

Y

ou might have more than one; but if you are a World Christian you need to have at least one. Here are four opportunities that you can look at, evaluate, and ask God to use you in. Be open to whatever He wants you to do. Be willing to do anything, anytime, anywhere for Him. That is the definition of the Lordship of Christ in our life. Now read and pray and take the baton. It is the race of a lifetime!

1. The GOERS are the front lines warriors In a sense we are all goers all front line warriors, because Jesus gave us the command to “go and make disciples of all nations”.

Somehow though, God’s distribution plan has

not worked out so well! It is estimated that up to 95% of the world’s trained Christian workers live in …. good ole’ U.S.A. Most people would be willing to go … but are planning on staying. We need folks who are planning on going … but are willing to stay, if that is the most strategic thing to do for the Kingdom. Most are waiting for the “liver quiver”(i.e. the emotional “calling” from on high telling them to be a missionary). It’s amazing though, that is just about the only area of life that we apply this lightning bolt calling concept to! There are about 600 million active Christians in the world today.

150 million of them are between 22-50 years of age. The estimate is that we only need about 20,000 cross-cultural missionaries to finish reaching every unreached people group.

Continued on page 18 ABIDE | 17

Continued from page 17 2. The SENDERS are the vicarious rope holders There are people who would like to be overseas, but feel called to stay and hold the ropes for those who do go. Out of the 100,000 students who volunteered for missions from 1890-1930 about 20,000 went and 80,000 stayed at home to help fund them.

Think if we could get four laymen to team up and each take 1/4th of missionaries support, we would make a ton of progress! Christians’ after-tax income in American is between 800900 billion dollars. We give 2 billion to missions. That’s 1/4th of 1 percent. We spend 10 billion on weight reduction programs and more on cosmetics and dog food! To be a financial sender you may have to take a radical look at your lifestyle in order to scale it back and give more to Christ’s Global Cause.

Senders not only give, but also pray. They can daily shoot prayer arrows around the world asking God to raise up laborers, to empower those that are laboring, and bring about fruit in the unreached areas of the world. You can impact the world right from your living room!

Lastly, senders are involved in personal ministry. They can disciple others with a world vision and seek to send them into the harvest field. A World Christian begets World Christians!

3. The WELCOMERS are the ministers of hospitality There are close to 600,000 international students in the U.S. It’s like the Lord told us to go to the world and gave us all these resources, but we instead chose to stay and enjoy the comforts of America. “Well”, God says, “If you won’t go to them, I’ll just bring them to you. Is this close enough?” Our country has become an international melting pot and yet we rudely neglect to reach out to these foreigners. Stats show most international students will come here to study for 4-6 years and NEVER enter (or certainly not eat a meal) in an American’s home. They want to, but aren’t invited. How would you feel if that 18 | ABIDE

happened to you in another country? The temptation to get bitter and cynical is great towards this so-called “Christian nation”. We can impact the world right here in our backyard because the world sends their best and brightest (the future leaders they are grooming) right to our doorstep. You can adopt one or more while they are here. Pray for them, love on them, share your life and faith with them. Let them see what your life, family, and faith is all about. See what God will do. Send them back with a vision to reach their own country for Christ.

4. The MOBILIZERS are the strategic motivators These are the ones who are sounding the alarm. Wouldn’t it be more effective to go and wake 100 sleeping fireman to come and put out the blazing building than to just stand there alone throwing your buckets of water on it? These are the ones that yearn to be on the field, but have stayed behind to rally the troops. They form mission committees at their churches. They get people praying and giving and going. They organize short and long-term mission teams. They get books and materials into the Christian’s hands. They are sometimes called “pests” or “fanatics” behind their backs!

Ralph Winter, founder of the U.S. Center for World Missions, says the highest priority within the Body of Christ right now is for more mobilizers. More men and women in every church, every town, every campus who will help open people eyes to what God is doing around the world and helping people plug into their role. A good definition for mobilization is: “Deploying an army of laborers to the front lines where they are ordering their lives around the Great Commission”. These are the ones helping believers find their niche as either goers, senders, welcomers, or mobilizers.

BROKENNESS: THE HEART GOD REVIVES

By Nancy Leigh DeMoss

E

very great movement of God is preceded by a season of humility and repentance and a time of tearing down walls, of getting honest with God and others about your true spiritual condition. It may be hard. It may hurt. But in the end, God will use your brokenness to restore your 'first love' for Jesus, rekindle your spiritual fire, reconcile your relationships, and repair your life. A richer, deeper, more God-filled life is waiting for you. And it all begins with Brokenness. The Revive Our Hearts Trilogy - Now in Paperback! This bestselling series by Nancy Leigh DeMoss has sold well over 80,000 copies! All three titles now include study questions at the end of each chapter, making them ideal for personal or small group study.

Proud People Focus on the failures of others

Desire to be a success

A critical, fault-finding spirit; look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope

Desire self-advancement

Self-righteous, look down on others

Wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked

Independent, self-sufficient spirit Have to prove that they are right

Have a subconscious feeling, “This ministry/church is privileged to have me and my gifts,” think of what they can do for God

Claim rights; have a demanding spirit

Feel confident in how much they know

Self-protective of their time, their rights and their reputation Desire to be served

Have a drive to be recognized and appreciated

Self-conscious Keep others at arm’s length Continued on page 20 ABIDE | 19

Continued from page 13 Lastly, I am reminded of the promise in Revelation 7:9-10. One day there WILL BE people from every nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb crying out, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” This WILL happen!!

Therefore, we can go out in faith knowing that God has people who will repent and believe in the grace He has displayed in Jesus Christ.

We can go to the Middle East knowing that there are Muslims who will turn to Jesus as Lord and Savior. We can go to India knowing that there are Hindus who will repent and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior!!

We can have the confidence and the courage to go anywhere around the world proclaiming this good news of God’s grace, knowing that this Gospel has the power to save! It was not me and my Bible knowledge that led a person to Christ. It was not the missionary’s ability to speak that planted the church. It was not anything in us that brought fruit for His Kingdom. It was Him and His grace in us! It is Him and His grace through us, His Church, that will bring about the knowledge of His glory among all nations!

Continued from page 19

Broken People Overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need

Motivated to be faithful and to make others a success

Compassionate; can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven

Desire to promote others

Esteem all others better than themselves Have a dependent spirit; recognize their need for others Willing to yield the right to be right Yield their rights; have a meek spirit

Have a sense of their own unworthiness, thrilled that God would use them at all Eager for others to get the credit; rejoice when others are lifted up Heart attitude is, “I don’t deserve to have a part in any ministry;” know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives

Self-denying

Humbled by how very much they have to learn

Motivated to serve others

Not concerned with self at all

20 | ABIDE

Recommended Reading Ending The Timeout: Moving Your Church from where you are to the Nations

by C.A. Tony Street “For everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved.” How they will call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

(Romans 10:30-14).

Courtney's book is a clarion call to wake up the church to the Great Task- of shining the light of hope in Christ to the world. In this world of entertainment based, self-service assemblies without focus, led by CEOs nations. I strongly recommend pastors, directors of missions, and denominational leaders read Ending The Timeout and evaluate what kind of churches they have before them – and make the adjustments needed to go where God is leading.

This book is a call to each church to use whatever resources it has to “make disciples”.

The assessment urges the question “what are church may require a change to stay alive.

Reading this book will give your church a desire to love Jesus more by helping to build His church. Nothing else in life compares to be a part of this grand design that God has placed on this earth for His glory.

– Dr. Rodney Orr, Associate Professor and Chairman of World Missions and Intercultural Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary

In this book, Courtney has shown that even some of our very Christian leaders and God’s Mission in the world. “ENDING THE TIMEOUT: “is real and relevant; a resource tool to help the church rise above the strategies of the enemy.

– Vonnie Elisha James, Acting- Chairman of The conference of churches in Grenada

– Phillip Lee Kesler, Global Mobilizing Strategist, Portland, Tennessee

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ABIDE | 21