One of the books I brought along - along with a book by Jane Austen and one by Ward and Judy - is one on Paul and his missionary teaching. What I read this morning was brilliant and I'll pass it along.
The author was tracing Paul's conversion back to the influence of Stephen, who was from the same province in Turkey as Paul. Stephen clearly saw that the Temple and the Law were superseded by the death and resurrection of Christ. That mean a radical rethinking of mission from a centripetal one - where all heads inward to Jerusalem - to a centrifugal one - where the church goes out to where the unreached people are.
Stephen's emphasis was not lost on Paul. At first it so infuriated him that he conspired to have Stephen brought to the Council. After meeting Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul forcefully taught and the Spirit's work replaces the Law and the Kingdom is not located in the place of Jerusalem but in the heart of God.
That emphasis pervades his letters. It also drove him to want to go where no one had gone before.
Still, the notion that the church goes out and seeks rather than passively waits and receives does not have the mind and soul of many churches. Fortunately we do know of one...
Next time I'll write about another that I saw up close while in Patna. Also about my walking friend Manoj who will be married in November. He might not recognize his wife since he only met her once and that was long ago.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
People - 3: George and Nancy
Julian had told me there would be a US couple at the training. I forgot about them until the day I arrived. Their story shows how small the missions world is in the Episcopal Church.
George and Nancy had served with SAMS, the South American Missionary Society, in the early 90'. I knew of them, since I had just gone off that board. They served in Costa Rica.
Then they came back and settled near Melbourne. The church they joined is led by Loren Fox, a former missionary with AFM> Julian had been at this church with Ponraj earlier this year. So there at that church were 1) a chief mentor for AFM, Ponraj, 2) the Director, Julian, 3) A fromer AFM missinary and family, the Foxes, adnd 4) future AFM candidates.
Pretty amazing. We had great talks. They are in India for a month to learn about the people group that they may be serving with. Glad that our paths crossed finally in the world of the unreached.
George and Nancy had served with SAMS, the South American Missionary Society, in the early 90'. I knew of them, since I had just gone off that board. They served in Costa Rica.
Then they came back and settled near Melbourne. The church they joined is led by Loren Fox, a former missionary with AFM> Julian had been at this church with Ponraj earlier this year. So there at that church were 1) a chief mentor for AFM, Ponraj, 2) the Director, Julian, 3) A fromer AFM missinary and family, the Foxes, adnd 4) future AFM candidates.
Pretty amazing. We had great talks. They are in India for a month to learn about the people group that they may be serving with. Glad that our paths crossed finally in the world of the unreached.
More people - Jeremiah
Jeremiah came to the training because his boss told him to. His boss, Rev. A. Jebukamar, leads a very large ministry in several states in northern India. I was intrigued that he would send this man to Ponraj's training. Jeremiah will be the leader for this agency's work in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
I didn't have to ask him the impact of the training, he offered his views. Enthusiastically.
He had thought that he would plant 25 churches in his life. Each would take about three years and then he would move on. AFter this training he caught the vision of planting churches that plant other churches. I had always stressed multiplication of churches rather than addition. Clearly he got it.
He told of the persecution he is receiving in UP and his determination to push on. One day he was riding his motorcycle to the church - about a 15 minute ride. He knew that many thugs had threatened to beat him up. But on this ride his mother called, so he was riding on and listening to the conversation. He did notice several others coming up alongside him, but didn't pay any attention to it.
When he got to the church, the people there wondered at his being there. It seems that these thugs were determined to stop him and beat him up. Instead they just saw him going on, not showing any fear. That made quite an impression on them. Little did they know what he did not know!
I didn't have to ask him the impact of the training, he offered his views. Enthusiastically.
He had thought that he would plant 25 churches in his life. Each would take about three years and then he would move on. AFter this training he caught the vision of planting churches that plant other churches. I had always stressed multiplication of churches rather than addition. Clearly he got it.
He told of the persecution he is receiving in UP and his determination to push on. One day he was riding his motorcycle to the church - about a 15 minute ride. He knew that many thugs had threatened to beat him up. But on this ride his mother called, so he was riding on and listening to the conversation. He did notice several others coming up alongside him, but didn't pay any attention to it.
When he got to the church, the people there wondered at his being there. It seems that these thugs were determined to stop him and beat him up. Instead they just saw him going on, not showing any fear. That made quite an impression on them. Little did they know what he did not know!
People in Patna - Mrityunjah
This man has translated for me several times in the past, but I never heard his story. He lived in the SW corner of Bihar State where there were no Christians, no churches.
He heard the Gospel from a radio program! That was all it took. He immediately became a follower of Jesus. An agency somewhere sent him a Bible. He started telling his friends about the Gospel. He knew that baptism was the step to take, but he didn't know any ministers.
Finally he heard of one in Calcutta and wrote him asking him to come and baptize. When the minister came, he had 64 people to baptize!
Mrityunjah stayed there a few more years and planted six churches!
Now he is on the staff of BORN, the mission agency where I was teaching this week. He has a sweet quiet spirit, but obviously he has a great amount of zeal.
He heard the Gospel from a radio program! That was all it took. He immediately became a follower of Jesus. An agency somewhere sent him a Bible. He started telling his friends about the Gospel. He knew that baptism was the step to take, but he didn't know any ministers.
Finally he heard of one in Calcutta and wrote him asking him to come and baptize. When the minister came, he had 64 people to baptize!
Mrityunjah stayed there a few more years and planted six churches!
Now he is on the staff of BORN, the mission agency where I was teaching this week. He has a sweet quiet spirit, but obviously he has a great amount of zeal.
Yusef, the Imam
This was the first testimony to all your prayers.
When I was boarding the plane in New York, I noticed there was an imam on the flight. And wouldn't you know that he was seated right beside me. For 14 hours.
He had a great interest in Christianity, and he opened up with these questions: What does it mean to be born again? Why is the cross so central? Why did things stop at the cross?
Questions usually don't come that easily!
The question about the cross was about people who have lived since then. Do they have the benefit of forgiveness? I talked about Thomas and Jesus saying that blessed are those who do not see and believe. Also about the Holy Spirit in the church as we are sent to tell others about Jesus and His death.
He understood the cross for sins but didn't see how we received forgiveness. That led to the Holy Spirit.
A very good talk. I have his e-mail. He lives in Atlanta.
When I was boarding the plane in New York, I noticed there was an imam on the flight. And wouldn't you know that he was seated right beside me. For 14 hours.
He had a great interest in Christianity, and he opened up with these questions: What does it mean to be born again? Why is the cross so central? Why did things stop at the cross?
Questions usually don't come that easily!
The question about the cross was about people who have lived since then. Do they have the benefit of forgiveness? I talked about Thomas and Jesus saying that blessed are those who do not see and believe. Also about the Holy Spirit in the church as we are sent to tell others about Jesus and His death.
He understood the cross for sins but didn't see how we received forgiveness. That led to the Holy Spirit.
A very good talk. I have his e-mail. He lives in Atlanta.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Itinerary and Challenging Opportunities
Today I leave for New York and then, on one hop, land in Mumbai in India. I have a day there, due to my carrier to Patna deciding to cancel the Sunday flight and move it to Monday. I'll use the time well in sleeping and preparing for the challenging opportunities.
First c.o. is Patna, where I will assist in training some national evangelists to think about church planting, and churches that will plant other churches. Ponraj runs this organization, Bihar OutReach Network. It is a masterfully organized network of many layers of workers and efforts to see churches established in Bihar State, having 90 million Hindus and 60,000 Christians. This is my fourth time with Ponraj and BORN. The times there are exhilarating. Pray for presentations that move their thinking. October 5 - 9.
Second comes in Singapore. This will be a meeting from four continents of Anglican leaders working among the least evangelized peoples. We hope to set up an international board of AFM which will raise awareness and encourage involvement by more Anglicans in the unreached world. We're starting from scratch here, and we will really need the Lord to guide. No slackers among us but we will need unity of vision and a prudent but large vision. Oct. 9-14
Lastly, I meet with two from St. Stephen's, Jim and Lucy Logan, and three leaders from CANA, to see what the Anglicans of Nigeria are doing among unreached peoples. Anglicans there are doing more than any others anywhere else. We will concentrate on their work among the Fulani people of West Africa. We hope to see, listen, learn, and bring back informed passion and new ideas. I hope the impact will be a higher priority for mission to the least evangelized for CANA, and specific ideas for St. Stephen's and the Fulani. Again, all this is new and without agenda. The Lord will have to put this together, taking our experience and bringing us closer to His vision and His plans. Oct. 14 - 23.
Actually I leave on the 22nd, arriving in Richmond at 11 PM. That's very late for Constanve to be picking me up. She has reminded me of Jacob meeting Laban with several waves of gifts. Not sure why she brings that up.
There you have it - my itinerary and your prayer topics. Many thanks. Posting coming irregularly.
First c.o. is Patna, where I will assist in training some national evangelists to think about church planting, and churches that will plant other churches. Ponraj runs this organization, Bihar OutReach Network. It is a masterfully organized network of many layers of workers and efforts to see churches established in Bihar State, having 90 million Hindus and 60,000 Christians. This is my fourth time with Ponraj and BORN. The times there are exhilarating. Pray for presentations that move their thinking. October 5 - 9.
Second comes in Singapore. This will be a meeting from four continents of Anglican leaders working among the least evangelized peoples. We hope to set up an international board of AFM which will raise awareness and encourage involvement by more Anglicans in the unreached world. We're starting from scratch here, and we will really need the Lord to guide. No slackers among us but we will need unity of vision and a prudent but large vision. Oct. 9-14
Lastly, I meet with two from St. Stephen's, Jim and Lucy Logan, and three leaders from CANA, to see what the Anglicans of Nigeria are doing among unreached peoples. Anglicans there are doing more than any others anywhere else. We will concentrate on their work among the Fulani people of West Africa. We hope to see, listen, learn, and bring back informed passion and new ideas. I hope the impact will be a higher priority for mission to the least evangelized for CANA, and specific ideas for St. Stephen's and the Fulani. Again, all this is new and without agenda. The Lord will have to put this together, taking our experience and bringing us closer to His vision and His plans. Oct. 14 - 23.
Actually I leave on the 22nd, arriving in Richmond at 11 PM. That's very late for Constanve to be picking me up. She has reminded me of Jacob meeting Laban with several waves of gifts. Not sure why she brings that up.
There you have it - my itinerary and your prayer topics. Many thanks. Posting coming irregularly.
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Eagle has landed
That would be my visa. Today, Monday, September 29, was the last day I could receive it. If not, the Nigerian Embassy would be closed for Ramadan for three days. I leave in four days...
Much prayer in church yesterday, many people asking the Lord, and there it was.
The fact that i will miss a day in Bihar State due to a lost flight seems minor in the light of possibly not having my visa.
Now for packing. One carry-on bag for three weeks. No problem. Talcum powder. And powerful deodorant.
On to things on a higher level - the purpose of the trip.
Much prayer in church yesterday, many people asking the Lord, and there it was.
The fact that i will miss a day in Bihar State due to a lost flight seems minor in the light of possibly not having my visa.
Now for packing. One carry-on bag for three weeks. No problem. Talcum powder. And powerful deodorant.
On to things on a higher level - the purpose of the trip.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
