Uncertainty - Part 3: Kazakhstan

A few years ago, I had a friend from Texas who left to live in Kazakhstan. It was a difficult place to be, but she enjoyed teaching English and the opportunities God gave her to encourage and disciple women she met. She recently returned to the States, but her stories made that country come alive for me.

I was sad to read today about a proposed law in Kazakhstan. It would greatly limit the ability my friend and others there would have to simply share the Gospel in the midst of their daily lives. (To learn more, you can read this article at Mission Network News.)

Pray for religious freedom in Kazakhstan. Pray that this law would not be approved. But most of all, pray for boldness and growth among the believers in Kazakhstan.

Uncertainty - Part 2

In my last post, I wrote about the uncertain world in which we live. Opportunities that are here today may be gone tomorrow. In future posts I will be making the case that we need to take advantage of every opportunity to take the Gospel to people groups who have never heard, especially in places where there is an open door for us to go. Yes, we can and should continue to support missionaries all over the world. But based on the very fact that missionaries are there already, the opportunity is being addressed. We must never forget Jesus’ command to make disciples of all people groups (Matthew 28:19) and to go to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). As Paul said, how can they hear if someone doesn’t go and tell them? (See Romans 10:14-17).

The task is not done. It won't happen by accident. God is in control, but he has given us the assignment to reach every people group. My passion is that we make sure we are not like the man who buried his talent in the ground, failing to appropriately use the resources and abilities God has provided. If we fail to think and act strategically, we will fail to be fully obedient in this generation.

Uncertainty in Kenya, Jordan, and Russia

It is easy to become complacent, to think that ministry opportunities that exist today will still be here tomorrow. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

We have had the privilege of sending five teams to Kenya. It seemed to be a stable country. Yet seemingly overnight things became horribly violent and still remain unstable. Christian workers are limited in what they can do or have had to leave the country.

For years Jordan has tolerated a variety of Christian activities. Yet in the last few months, they have denied residency permits and expelled Christian workers, seminary students, and professors. (Christianity Today has two articles about the situation: "Jordan's Eviction Notice," and "Hardship for Evangelicals in Jordan: Lessons for All Christians.")

I have personally been to Russia four times, yet that country is becoming closed to outsiders. And the list could go on.

Therefore be very careful how you live — not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16 NET)

Great Commission Weekend Challenge

So what? How does this Great Commission Weekend apply to you? Are you going to make any changes in what you do tomorrow?

Our focus this weekend is on Jesus’ command to make disciples of every tongue, tribe, and nation. But how does that apply to us in Cedar Rapids? What difference should this make when we go to work on Monday? Did Jesus really include me and you when he said that we would be his witnesses?

I am convinced that Jesus did include every one of us in his command. That is probably obvious if you have regularly read this Missions Update or listened to me preach on missions. But what that looks like is very individual. I do not think all of us are supposed to sell our home, pack up our bags, and move overseas. But I am absolutely certain that Jesus wants us to be more involved than just thinking about his command once a year when there is a missions Sunday.

Here is my suggestion: Pray! Ask God what he would have you to do. Spend time wrestling with what it looks like in your own life. If you do nothing else as a result of this weekend but pray, I would consider us having hit a homerun. Let me be clear: I am not talking about a onetime token prayer. I am asking you to spend an extended time in prayer for a number of days or weeks where you wait and listen until God shows you what he would have you do.

If God has already spoken to your heart of how you can be actively involved in global disciple-making, then by all means get busy and do it! But if not, the first step is prayer. Feel free to email me or post a comment and I will join in prayer with you and for you!