Reaching the World

Our church has this motto: "Loving God, Loving Others, Reaching the World." In December, I was asked to be the Missionary Liaison for the church. That involves some different responsibilities, and some responsibilities that are still being developed and defined.

We currently support seven missionaries around the world, and two local ministries. I have three main goals while I am in this role:

1. to serve and care for our current missionaries personally, intentionally, and consistently
2. to increase the number of missionaries our church supports
3. to raise the awareness and direct involvement of our church with these missionaries

If you visit our church, you will see in the hallway a wall mural of a world map. All over this map, we have pictures of our missionaries, and a brief description of where they are and what they do. I want people in our church to have a visual reminder to pray for these people on a regular basis. It is easy to forget, especially when people are in a far-off land with limited contact, but they desperately need our prayers!

Also on the wall, we have a mirror, the same size and shape as the pictures. Instead of having a place and description, there is a caption on the mirror that says: "Where is God calling you?" I don't want people to read that and smile and its clever implication, and just walk away. I want people to take a good close look in that mirror, and honestly consider the question, and ask God for an answer. The question for all Christians is not whether we are called to follow the Great Commission or not, but how we are called to follow it.

We all have a role to play - we all have this incredibly Good News to share with someone, somewhere. So what does that look like for you? Where will you go? Who will you tell?

Something New!

I've been silent for a while... I didn't know what to write about, because I didn't know what I was called to invest in, and I didn't know what God was trying to teach me. But lately, things have started coming into focus more.

Some Christian people seem to have a very clear mission in life - whether its a career or field of study, or its a city or country or people group, or its a program or organization or a church. And I would really like to think I have a "niche" - one piece of the world or history to call my own and spend my life on. But the more I try to find and establish it, the more God seems to redirect and redefine it. I know I have two passions: to love and serve international people, and to equip and encourage believers to love and serve international people. But what that looks like and how it plays out keeps shifting so I can't get too comfortable.

I've been learning some things about myself, and how the Lord wants me to live and serve:

Keep alert and look for the ways He is actively at work, and join Him there. When I try to start my own thing, or drag something along that isn't bearing fruit, I burn out and miss out on God's work.

Don't hold on too tightly to anything on this earth. When I do, I start to put my faith and trust in it... and He is very jealous for my faith and trust.

I really can't do anything for God, but He invites me to do things with Him and through Him. Ministry is not about me and what I can do... it is about what He is doing. And He is always doing something new! So I want to share with you the glimpses I get of His work, here and all over the world.