Good times united in the mission of God. Sunday.

 Praise God for a great day with God's people. 

Post Lord's Meal call to the missional challenge
in dependance on Him whose plans cannot be stopped.

This morning we gathered to hear God's word, confess our common union in His grace and with each other through His meal, and think about our part in His Big Mission. He met with us. 

We are encouraged by the response to His calling. There is however much to do. People seemed particularly challenged by testimonies we shared of God's faithfulness in areas of the world where mission is hard (harder than here). It is true that whatever context we are in we kind find excuses. Faith trusts God that He has solutions bigger than the obstacles we see in front of us. The global plan of God to reach the unreached is worked out through those who step out in faith (Gen 12:1-3) to a land where they trust God for all things. 

This afternoon and evening was spent in the company of faithful workers who have done just that as we discussed how we go forward in mission partnership. We are hugely encouraged by the loving, transparent, nature of this fellowship. True fellowship shares the deep fears, burdens, past hurts, future dreams, issues of identity, concerns for family and church. It is such a privilege to partner with mission in this country at this stage. The challenge is Big, but our God is bigger. I am reminded that quality fellowship (true (NT) fellowship in mission) is better than quantity, In an age when some obsess over numbers, quality time with tested followers is so far greater currency than superficial time with a great quantity of people. 

We remain committed to supporting such in this country in every way we can, we are so encouraged by this dynamic growing to include more and expectant of what God will do. We hope to be soon arranging an online gathering to pray for this country with some of our friends here. Maybe you would like to join us, and hear their testimonies of God's keeping, provision and goodness over many years. 

Thank God for a full church this morning of those either passionate about following Him or earnest in seeking the truth,

Thank God for quality time, sharing pastoral burdens and the burdens of the churches with each other and THE LORD.

Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST for His hand of care on His bride. As He prepares Her for that great day, may there be more and more who know His care and come to maturity in Him.

Pray for the next generation. The families of pastors, the children of first generation believers, the young who will carry the missional baton. 

Pray for us as we seek to support the vital spiritual leadership families  here, for their healthy model and mentoring of the church.

Thank you. 

Travel blog 7 : National prayer and the pull of identity. (SAT PM)

 Hi friends. 

We're just in from a prayer gathering from around the country to pray for the nation. It is so wonderful to hear prayer in 3 languages to the living God, earnest, and in deep dependance on Him. It made us think about prayer in our own nation. When there are only a few of you in a nation, there is more of an urgency about prayer. You appreciate anyone who will pray appropriately with you and get passionate for the cause. God met with us, and wonderful fellowship led to new friendships. In Christ and His people we find our eternal home. 

BLURRED SENSE OF BELONGING.

One thing that has cropped up in numerous conversations over the last 48 hours particularly is the issue of identity. If you are a refugee, nomad, fleeing from the war in your country or people, or if your country has been through numerous reiterations (of political leadership or boundary changes) your national identity and sense of belonging is blurred. Some mission workers come with a strong identity of their home context, this is maybe one of the historical barriers to the planting of church here. 

The bible teaches us that our citizenship is in heaven. Those who totally surrender to Him in abandoned dependance know what it is to be aliens in a foreign land. This earth will not be our forever home, we were never destined to fit in here, yet we are caused to love and bless the nation. In Jer 29 this is laid out for us, to seek the prosperity and Shalom of the city. God loves the city. We are called to pray for those in leadership of it, be relational in life and prayer with them, and look to God in the knowledge that although we will be here a long time, we are to fix our eyes on the eternal city. Our forever home will come. Christ has gone to prepare it for us. 

Pray for those in identity crisis. 

1) Pray for the Christians here who are not living sold out or missional lives because they have lost sight that this is not their forever home. The lure of this world in routine, laziness, toys and trappings is so the repeated lie the enemy uses to distract from the very missional calling each believer has here with so many unreached. LORD capitavate hearts to this place of surrender and obedience. 

2) Pray for those whose Christian identity Is being swamped by the prevailing identity around, For some first generation believers this synchronous behaviour is influenced by family, or others either non native or indigenous who are exploring their identity by earning all they can and spending all they can.

3) Pray for those mission workers whose identity is from their sending country not flexible to this environment. Pray that the Lord will teach them how He loves the city and how they can also have a loving wise relationship with it, without them becoming synchronised to it.  

4) Pray for those children (youth) of first generation believers. Their Mum and Dad's have had little training in the way of Christian leadership / biblical family dynamics. The gospel is still relatively new here. There was little contextual advice / biblical teaching around for new believers to apply in this context. Now some (I sense many) in the emerging generations are turning to the influence of their peers and rejecting the way of their parents (following Christ). Pray that God will open hearts and eyes to see both the wisdom of God in His word (which they have heard so clearly) and the love of Christ expressed through their parents. Praise God for pockets (relatively small numbers) of healthy teens and twenties. Pray God's protection over them and their influence on this country. 

Lord may we never take the political and relative relational security of our nations for granted when we have it. May we never use it as a pretext for arrogant mission or communication of any relational pretension. Lord may our hearts be full, our communication agile, our mobility and surrender ready for your purposes and expansion of your eternal family and kingdom. 

Hope this helps. May His church shine brightly and with clarity in such a day of opportunity. 

Thank you again for your faithful prayers. We are united in Him, Your prayers are part of the national heart of prayer going up this evening. 

Travel Blog 6

 It's been slightly warm ...

As we have travelled amongst different ministries the last couple of days, the truth is that we have sensed the raised temperature of the spiritual battle also. Those who are truly reaching out to the unreached and poor, marginalised, forgotten about, have had everything thrown at them by the enemy. Such is the nature of strategic mission work, and ground breaking kingdom industry. 

On top of this they are doing things for which there is no training manual. Of course...they have God's word, they act on the primacy of it and are thoroughly biblical in their approach... yet the cultural challenges that come with first generation Christianity present their own issues which need thinking through afresh and reformation under God.

 What works in other contexts would definitely not work here, and has failed so spectacularly when others from outside come in with imposed cultural ideas on how this church should look like in this context. Development of indigenous leaders has its own peculiar challenge. Cultural sensitivity is the main thing lacking in those who have travelled here so far, and the primary reason the pastors gave today for why this church has not taken root and multiplied as we would dearly love it to. Our role is to help pioneers and think through help and resources which will navigate this issue biblically. 

The reality is that indigenous culture will always be an influence. We can train leaders to be biblical, but under pressure many will be tempted to resort to type and what they have known. The cultural mindset/ worldview, family influence, attitudes to money, marriage, routines of the day (and the very hot summer) all impact how the church community can grow, the commitment of people to serve others and church growth, the reality of growing indigenous mature leaders of the truth. 

Those who have endured and been fruitful here admit through their own tears that there is actually no true indigenous leadership present. The prevailing church here is led  those who have come from outside and dedicated their lives to introduction of the gospel to this culture with a view to handing over to indigenous leadership. However,  the sustaining leaders of the church here remain those who at present have no mature leaders to hand on to.

 Our prayer is for us to aid these purposes, As we serve the church here and those who have served it so faithfully we long to see indigenous leadership mature and be able to carry the gospel into the next generation and season. With all that church planters and workers have thrown at them on a regular basis this could only happen through a supernatural work of God. What is humanity impossible is possible with God.  This is the truth of Genesis 12:1-3. We pray not only for the miraculous new birth of those from kingdoms and cultures of darkness, but also the multicultural family of God being born in cultures where humanly it has seemed impossible, This is particularly true of refugee and poorest communities here. So long neglected and despised, the door has been opened to the gospel.  So many lives have been changed by receiving Christ, but this is not the same as having a church full of mature disciples who can lead. What is now a church amongst the poorest is not "standard" western church. It is community, connections, relationships which grow into communication about Christ, receiving Christ and then outworking the application of this in so many complex situations. There is so much to be encouraged by, but such a long way to go. 

Pray for Pastor S and his work amongst the Roma community. 

Pray for Pastor D and his work amongst those who have fled wars.

Pray for Pastor E and his work amongst poor urban families. 

Pray for Pastor X and his work amongst those from dark religion practices and superstition. 

Pray for us tomorrow as we meet to pray for this special country. 

Bless you, thank you. 

Travelblog 5 Wednesday

 A long and exciting day. We drove into the neighbouring country, border crossing in was quick, getting out even late at night was quite slow. Our first port of call was meeting up with a dear brother and family we have been praying some time for. They have been prolific church planters, united in a special way they have shared the many highs and profound lows. 

THE FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY. 

After 4 churches planted in this country, and numerous others in other countries the focus is switched to reaching children and families in a nook of the capital which is unreached. Others have pointed out to us that there as many as 65 churches in the capital, why would another one be needed when there are so many unreached in the rest of the country? However, unreached can defined by culture and people group not just geography. Half the population of this country lives in the capital area. 

Currently these precious folks are focussed on a 4 week children's mission based at church, in their newly (mostly) finished building. Pray for them in this strategic work. High rise and urban business swamps the neighbourhood, but community is so much more than a collection of people. This seems a golden missional opportunity. Maybe you would like to join us next year for 1 week (or maybe longer) on a short term team here? Fellowship over lunch was precious. The facility offers meeting space, teaching and meeting room, some guest accommodation for teams coming on mission, a bright media space for podcasts and broadcast, all run from the recently installed solar. Praise God for all that he is doing in lives of children hearing the gospel. 

We then met up with UK folks who have been doing the hard yards here for many years. The story charted (with some regret) how in the earlier days following the fall of communism opportunities abounded for open conversation about Christ. Now there are several challenges. 

THE BRAIN DRAIN / MIGRATION: Notably young people leave rural areas making training the next generation of leaders / elders hard in those places. Rural churches have been planted but many have disappeared even within the last generation. 

THE EASY LIFE IN THE SUN: This country is so beautiful. The beaches are packed. A measure of prosperity from tourism has brought a culture seeking more of this world and less consideration of eternity and the meaty issues of existence. People live for today. Sadly they work 2 or 3 jobs, make hay whilst the sun is shining. For many churches trying to build gospel community this is an issue. When do you meet with folks for fellowship. Several stories emerged of pastors being requested to put all the meetings on Sunday to serve all the churches needs so that other days can focus only on business. This is not a healthy model. Yes there are practical challenges. Manic traffic make bringing the church community together hard. Yet the predominant drive for many has become making money and not seeing kingdom increase. The prevailing culture seems to be the business and tourism environment many work all hours in. Pray for this. 

Praise God for the pastors , leaders and their families who set a model of the simple life, travelling light as they travel to the eternal city, forever home, sold out for the kingdom. A consumer driven model for church is starting to emerge in the cities. Pray for those who are burning themselves out trying to feed this monster. Pray that eyes will remain on the biblical model of new community and that The LORD will continue to give wisdom to those who apply this in faithful mission. 

We are so encouraged. God has special people here who see the issues. There is also great need for support (pastoral, strategic, relational, teaching, mission teams. next generation influence, financial). We see so much why we are here at this time. 

Thank you for your prayers, it is very evident that you are faithful intercessors. We are so humbled and so grateful, 

 

Travelblog 4 Tuesday Pm

This evening a very special time in small group. 

God has orchestrated a special family from indigenous background to not only come to himself but live as light and salt in a very dark place. 

This is one region not too far away, but where members of His family are extremely rare. 

In such circumstances God can use extraordinary means to break through the darkness. In some christian cultures, it would be scary and greeted with great suspicion to hear of supernatural encounters with dreams and miraculous meetings telling you to seek out Christ and His people. 

In this culture, the darkness is so pervasive and the deception and lies of the enemy is so deep, it takes the extraordinary to break in to cause someone to seek Christ. This is the appropriate way he works and speaks so beautifully. The king of love shows He is greater than the king of destruction. The Saviour who brings dignity breaks through the culture of sin, dark family secrets of shame, as He directs to identity in himself with sin forgiven and righteousness from Himself. 

The one who exposes sin and reveals His grace and holiness is so blindingly bright in the context were sin is covered by deception and lies. It is impossible to ignore such grace and truth.  God is good. It was so good to hear testimonies of such clarity and beauty. (Col 1:13) 

God has His people in this place, and our prayer is that they will be mightily used. There is no accident as to their location, conversion story, confidence due to His dealings, and character of boldness in the face of guarenteed opposition. 

Pray for their boldness to continue, so evidently given by Him and pointing to Him. 

Pray for their lives of purity to continue to impact families, relatives and business colleagues who are so hungry as they seek the truth. 

Thank you for your encouragement and partnership in prayer. 

Travelblog 3 Monday and Tuesday AM

Thanks for your patience for updates. We had a day exploring the local and regional spiritual situation yesterday, praying for this land which has so much need of local and regional witness to Christ. I have just returned from our men's early morning prayer meeting. 

Here are our observations and prayers...

1) Many have come and gone trying to serve the establishment of the church here. Yet although God has orchestrated this so marvellously with people coming from many nations, the situation re: the building of the national church is that it is still very much at foundation level. 

Why have so many come and gone?

a) The work is hard, hot, and slow. Because the work has been slow, those who have invested 20-30 years are much older now than when they came with energy. Age takes its toll and illness, strokes, medication, healthcare all become factors for those who have laid faithful foundations in prayerful obedience, and now they returned to places where it is easier to find medical help appropriate for them. 

b) There are many social and community nuances here. Both indigenous people and the many nations that gather here makes for a complex dynamic. Mission workers have not maybe always understood the great collaboration. The have understood the commission to make disciples, the command to love, but not made the most of resources they have brought, because they have unintentionally been isolated in mission as they try to apply themselves to one task without those around them shaping their ministry into the whole. It comes from a well meaning intention to stick faithfully to what they think God has called them to, but maybe teamwork amongst a limited number of believers is the only way a country like this can be reached. It is sacred ground, and I am no-one to say how the resources should be spent, but I hazard a suggestion that the stewarding of national gifts and resources is the key to this. One gifted person can work in many locations if they are balanced and utilised appropriately by others in team. One person will burnout without team, and accomplish little in such complexity and magnitude of need.

Like South Asia or any other part of an unreached world, the sensitivity to people groups and culture is complex. Understanding what is already in place, or the cultural norm is crucial for culturally appropriate engagement with church to be a success. The development of a church from zero which will be culturally impacting for the long term, relies on the sensitivity of workers to culturally appropriate communication and operations, as well as their sensitivity to what God is doing in the larger jigsaw of his people. Each can come from their own mission organisation with a culture and expectation on which their funding and strategy is based. BUT...One size never fits all. We need to submit to His plan, leadership and purposes and with humility be ready for His pace, and direction, making the most of the sum of the parts as we all together fit in to serve our commanding officer. 

c) This can be a lonely ministry. So many people need Jesus. The need is vast and the workers are few. It can be so overwhelming. For one figure to persevere in such a context, requires a balancing of others around us who can lift our eyes to ... the one who sees with greater perspective. We have to start somewhere, but we need to see that we are part of a bigger plan. This is our role, and why we sense God's timing in being here today - to encourage perspective as we train and encourage.  This remaining need  for personal encouragement, strategic plan, unreserved comittment  will we believe not disappear, this side of glory. 

e) Discouragement has come upon some. Some attempts at church planting fail. This can make us ask if our church will be next. 8 churches currently operate/ exist and now have some witness. This number is greater than 3 years ago, but for every local church that remains at least one has disappeared. The number of churches needed, remains many multiples of this due to the nature of geography, indigenous culture and missional opportunity. We are not a reverse engineering church planting movement, with numerical targets. We long to see indigenous movements of GOD's grace turn into healthy churches. It is He who brings the growth. We serve His numbers and purposes.

What are we praying for.

Yesterday we went to an exhibition of olive trees. It was fascinating. A particular olive grown here is of great quality. For many years the locals didn't appreciate it, and olive trees were neglected. It takes years (between 2-12) for an olive tree to show fruit.  This is a wide window of unpredictability. You see the analogy hopefully.

LORD help those who work here see the importance of their work in your hands and purposes and not give up on such significant, and strategic work before it becomes established, but keep going to a fruitful season. 

LORD may many more trees (churches) be planted. 

LORD spread your people to cover the land. 

LORD bless this great city through your people (Jer 29, Jonah 4:11)

LORD help us as we nurture the growth, in pruning, sowing, and the resources for growth give us wisdom and the long game clarity we need. 

Praise GOD for his faithful hand on this place. We sense the tide is turning with individuals coming to faith who are indigenous to the culture, trophies of grace who will be mobilised to be perfect ambassadors to this nuanced culture and missional challenge. 

Travelblog 2 Sunday PM

A wonderful day. The church here  is doing well despite many challenges.

There are a number of features immediately apparent:

1) This Church attracts all nations. This is both a blessing and a complex conundrum for leadership, 

It was good to see greet Kazak, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Serbian, Slevenian friends as well as locals and several other nations. The big prayer always from our hearts is for more locals to be mobilised with the love and truth of Christ. 

a) Each nation brings its own culture:

Sometimes we like to think of Christianity as a monoculture (that the church is made up of people who think like us0, that we are all the same, In reality the eternal church was always designed with dynamic diversity in mind, a reflection and expression of the manifold grace of God. Each people group come with their own habits, preferences and expectations /  ambitions. It is a supernatural work to see all one in united praise and witness, all one in Christ Jesus

b) Each nation brings its own language. 

Post Babel the complexity of language demands for  numerous translations and technologies to make a gathering helpful in communication. We listened to headphones speaking English. The Leader spoke Serbian, the young translator (aged 17) spoke Russian, the voice at the back was translating to local language. The bible spoke to all with power and clarity. Praise God for S's clear preach full of love, grace, sensitivity and wisdom from God. We face an enemy who sows discouragement, disunity and isolation. We have a God in whom we stand, firmly rooted in Jesus His victory, His presence and His word. His voice is clear and comes with a love which penetrates all made in His image, comforts all who are weary, feeds all who are hungry, satisfies all who are thirsty, 

What can we pray for ?

That the church will  follow through / respond in the way expressed this morning.  That individuals will take responsibility to be prepared for the seriousness of the spiritual battle and what is coming. 

That there will be true unity and faithfulness to each other in prayer for the spiritual battle. Like the armies of old, guarding the one to our left, together we stand. 

That they will be strong in Christ not attempting the battle or to try fixing problems in their own strength EPH 6:10

That their hearts will be protected as they put on His armour.

That the church will not fight each other (flesh and blood) but be alert to the enemy who loves us to fight against each other. 

That we will be alert to the enemies plan to cause relational pain (Gen 3) from sinful selfish passion,

That the church will be one in Christ Jesus and enjoy His purposes outworked amongst them. 

Pray for good relationships in church not division. 

Good relationships ( between husbands and wives, children parents, worker and  bosses)

• Thank God that He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.
• Thank God that Christ intercedes for us our unity with Him and each other, as He and the Father are one. (John 17) 
• Praise God that His word drenches our shields for the extinguishing of the fire of the evil one. 
• Praise God whose word is steady and true. 
• Praise God that in defence He stands with us and provides, in attack His word is so powerful,
• The church is an army fighting together. 

Praying for you as you stand in the battle. in His strength and pray for church amongst the unreached by praying for the fledgling church here.