January has traditionally been a month where we focus on
missions and this year has not been an exception. Our church assembly the last two Sundays has
been a blessing to see all 12 of the missionaries our church supports in
various parts of the world.
This past Sunday, the blessing was exceptional as we
actually got to meet three such men who work with their respective churches in
Brazil. Each of the three were given a
few minutes to talk about their congregations and the points of emphasis in
their work, for which we could be praying.
This brought back a few memories of my younger years when an
African missionary we chipped in to support would come home and tour the
churches giving a slide presentation of events and worship in the foreign
country. As a young observer, I was
always amazed at how much could be accomplished by such few workers with
limited resources.
Back to the current report, which was not a pressurized plea
for tons of money, the ministers from the three locations in Brazil spoke, not
about numbers or statistics or dollars, but about the changes they were
witnessing in lives. Yes, there are
plans for continuing God's work in their respective cities, but the part that
touched me deeply, were the stories of converted drug addicts and alcoholics,
whose lives were changed. When I use
that word "changed" I really
mean there were changes that can be represented only by a 180 degree turn
around. These druggies profess and
follow Jesus Christ as the power to bring about radical changes. The best part of the story came as we were
told their conversions led the previous addicts not only into loved members of
the body of Christ, but people who were in training to be ministers and other
church workers who would be leading communities to Jesus.
One "church" in Brazil has no building in which to
meet, and doesn't want one. Their weekly
Sunday morning assembly is in a large park, outdoor church, and aims at
ministry to the homeless. They have a
church service and encourage the
homeless to attend and stick around after church for lunch.
Most of the time when we think of supporting missions, we think
we are about to hear a sermon on more and more money. Financial things come into play in mission
work, but when you can catch a story of a life transformed from drug dealer to
minister of the gospel, it's worth it.
I was really taking in the joy with which the reports were
given, and wishing I had unlimited funds to really support a work like
that. It was then I realized their
message was aimed at people like me who feel like we have met the requirements
of reaching out, by putting a jar of peanut butter in the grocery give-away
box. I am happy I can do that, but with
just a little more effort toward supporting such ministries, and the dedication
to be in prayer for continued success in the work of missionaries, I know we
would be amazed at the changes in those people and in us.
Jesus wanted us to know this was his will when he gave the
Great Commission, 16 Then the eleven disciples went to
Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they
worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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