The Three Dependencies (Pt-2) Our Role

 

Previously, I wrote about the need for Holy Spirit to be at the center of all missions work. He is the one that leads and guides all aspects of the missionary's work. Today I want to explore the second dependency that every missionary has and needs to embrace if they are going to be successful. Because nobody can serve well as a lone ranger, we all need a support group around us to fulfill the call of God on our lives. It is this second dependency that I am focused on these days. My prayer is that many Churches will gain a new perspective on their role in missions and that they will embrace a more active partnership with the missionaries that they support in the field.

Missionaries often times feel forgotten. They have been commissioned and prayed over, given a check and sent out the door. Now, to be fair, this is what they asked for. They asked a Church or a few Churches to help support them as they go off to another country (or another state or city) to begin working in a new mission. They may be going to work with someone or they may be launching out on their own to pioneer a new ministry. Either way, they are are moving away from the support network that they have known. This can produce 50 different emotions in them and the people they share those things with are no longer with them. Those friends are back home, a few thousand miles away. They are now processing the excitement, fear, anxiety and elation of stepping into something new without the support of those they used to share their lives with.

As time goes by, the calls and the messages from the friends and family tend to dwindle. The people that used to be their network are moving on with life. Just because someone moves away does not mean everyone else's lives have come to a standstill. Life has a way of moving forward. Connections that were strong can easily become tenuous or non-existent in just a few months. The people we swore we would stay in touch with forever become an afterthought in a busy life. 

When people leave to begin a new life as a missionary, they usually have a busy life. They are trying to define the boundaries where their ministry will function within, get settled into a new home and acquainted with a new community, learn a new language and navigate day to day life in a strange environment. All of these things take time. The things that they have always done without a second thought are now a major task. The things that seemed like a major task in the States quickly become an unmanageable mess in the new country. These things are stressful but because the new missionary is there on their own, they learn to become mostly self sufficient.

This newfound self sufficiency can be exhilarating. The first  time you are able to take care of your daily requirements without a helper, guide or translator feels incredible. In the process of learning to navigate the new life, it is easy for the missionary to forget to stay in contact with the people from their old life. It does not take long for the connection to old friends and the Church back home to begin to diminish. Unfortunately, by the time that the missionary realizes they still need the connection and support, it can be nearly nonexistent.

I have lots of things that I thought about writing but I think I want Paul to show us the need from His perspective. 

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. [Phl 4:10-17 ESV]

[1Co 16:17-18 ESV] 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.

[2Ti 4:11, 21 ESV] 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ... 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.

As you read these words of Paul, you quickly realize that the greatest apostle needed people, friends to encourage and support him. He could not do the things that he did without the support and encouragement of others. Those that had been his tribe in the past were those that he turned to for comfort and support. If Paul needed to be surrounded by people that knew and loved him, the missionaries we send do too. They need us to stay in touch. to write, message, call and even visit. We all go through seasons when it is difficult to encourage ourselves or clearly discern the voice of God. In those times, we need our friends, family and Church to come along side us and hold us up.

As the Church and as individual congregations, we need to make the decision to intentionally encourage and support those we send off into missions. My prayer is that God would allow me the time and resources to spend the next 20 years of my life helping Churches learn to do this better while also going to visit and encourage my friends in missions. I am praying that many of you see this need and join me. 

When we work to encourage, support and build up those we send, we can see from Paul's writing in Philippians that it not only encourages him but it also helps build the Church that supports. It causes fruit to be produced on their behalf. God's intention has all along been to build us as one body and by supporting those we send, financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically, we strengthen ourselves and the whole body.

The Three Dependencies (Pt-1)

 If you have noticed the title of this blog, it is the Three Legged Stool. Today I want to start explaining the name and giving a little insight into where I am going with everything. I am praying that many will read this and begin to share the vision God has given me. While I am writing specifically to help develop a network of people and Churches to encourage missionaries, I believe that the things I am writing are also necessary for developing healthy Church communities. I will be writing about the first place we need to be dependent today. That is Holy Spirit and the written Word. I will continue with the other two places a missionary needs to be supported and encouraged, Those being their local, home Church family and finally, a missions' organization and/or a Church family in their new country. These three comprise the stool that supports the work of the missionary.

I am starting with Holy Spirit and the Word because they are the foundation that all ministry flows from. They cannot be separated. Holy Spirit was sent to lead us to Jesus. He came as a comforter, guide, counselor, and our source of wisdom. Jesus told us that it was necessary for Him to leave so another, Holy Spirit would come. When we neglect, or overlook Holy Spirit, we also miss Jesus and the Father. How can I say this? Jesus told us that Holy Spirit's job was to speak of and lead us to Him. The Holy Spirit came to witness of Jesus to all that have not seen Him in the Flesh. Jesus is the way to the Father so, without Holy Spirit, we will miss the Father and the Son.

"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. [Jhn 15:26 ESV]

I connected the written Word to Holy Spirit because this is the primary place He speaks to us and testifies of Jesus. If we are not in the written Word, we will never come to know the Living Word. The truth concealed on its pages are filled with life and Holy Spirit speaks to us through them more than any other way. They are a place to learn to discern the ways God leads and speaks. A person who is not absorbed in the written Word will find it impossible to recognize and discern the leading of Holy Spirit.

As we allow ourselves to be washed and our minds trained by the written Word, we will find Holy Spirit opening us to new ways of seeing things and new ways of thinking. Romans tells us to be conformed to this new way of thinking. It is a way that has been trained and conformed to the mind of God brought to us by His Spirit and informed by His Word. Paul put it this way

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [Rom 12:1-2 ESV]

As we present ourselves to God, it is so He can fully do His work in us. Part of that work is that we cooperate with Holy Spirit and submit ourselves to the study of His written word while He changes the way we see things. He begins to give us His mind and we start to discern His will. The fruit of this is that we will begin to look more like Jesus to the world and we will have more confidence in following His leading. You will find yourself guessing less and walking more in confidence that God is directing your steps.

For a missionary, this is the starting point. There will be many times that a missionary cannot see a way to accomplish anything. The purposes of God are beyond human reasoning. He gives us glimpses but it is only by His Spirit, working in a renewed mind that there can be confidence in stepping out in faith. If we want to make any real difference in the world, we begin in this place. The cross brought our death with Jesus but Holy Spirit raised Him to life and united us with Him in His resurrected life.

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [Rom 8:10-14 ESV]

Being a missionary requires wisdom and courage that only comes by fellowship with Holy Spirit. It requires discernment and knowledge of the written Word to walk in this fellowship. This fellowship is the relationship with the Living Word that Holy Spirit draws us into. It is this relationship that incorporates both our mind, will and emotions and also our spirit, made alive in Christ. It unlocks the wisdom of God for us. While the world is in bondage, we can walk in freedom and joy. 

Paul said it this way to the Corinthians. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." [1Co 1:27-31 ESV]

On our own. we can do nothing. In the natural, we do not think like God. His ways are so far beyond us that we cannot comprehend them. Even if we recognize them, we won't be able to accomplish them. They are not ours to do. God's work is His. His plan is His to fulfill. Our role is to walk with Him as a witness to tell of all He is doing. A missionary is one that proclaims what they see. We see from being united with Jesus by Holy Spirit and it is this union that empowers us to be where we need to be, when we need to be there to say and do what God gives us.

In my last blog post, I wrote about not being enough. not smart enough, not strong enough, not good enough to accomplish God's purposes and that trying only makes me tired and wanting to give up. That is the point we can begin to move with the Spirit. When we know we are not enough, we are in a place that we can finally acknowledge our utter dependence on Holy Spirit to lead and guide our every word, our every action so we can be in step with all He is doing in the world today. We can't lead the work. We can't cause it to be fulfilled. We can only get close enough to Holy Spirit to follow His lead. Then, as He is drawing people to Jesus, He will allow us to speak for Him and to act for Him in ways that will accomplish His work.

We are totally dependent on Holy Spirit to do anything of value. He is our first and primary need. In humility, we must submit ourselves to the position of dependency. As a practical matter however, He is not our only need. God made us to need other people and in the next two blogs, we will explore these other two needs to be able to walk in God's purposes.

I pray that you are enjoying these posts and being challenged by them. Please subscribe in the link below and they will come to your inbox. Also please share the posts and the blog homepage with your friends and social media contacts. Your help will help me reach a larger audience with the goal of creating a network of people to build and encourage the long term success of missionaries.

Not Strong Enough

 I don't know about you, but some days I just feel like I am barely hanging on. It can feel like this Christian walk is more than I can do. There are times when I know God is calling me to do things but the whole idea is overwhelming. Some days, it feels like there is no point in even continuing to work on it because it is impossible. I suspect that there are many out there that feel this way. You are in over your head and you know it. This feeling can make you feel trapped and leave you prey to an enemy that is looking for an open door to come in and destroy the things God has been building on you.

The truth of the matter is that if you are following the plans of Jesus, you are in over your head. His plans for you are bigger than your abilities on your best day. They are so far out of reach on a regular day that you probably can't even fathom that you haven't been left to drown in a sea of grandiose ideas. You feel like just treading water is success. I say you, but often it is me that feels this way. I look at the things God has put in my heart and the excitement that used to burn for them has turned to dread. I am not strong enough! I feel doomed to failure so why try.

I find that this feeling always brings me to a crossroad. I have a choice to make. If I choose to continue as I have, I risk defeat and despair. I am on easy target for an enemy that is stalking and tempting. I can admit the futility of it all and become depressed. This leaves me vulnerable to fall into every trap I used to fall into. The enemy will recycle things when we are in this weak and hopeless state and see if we are open to falling into the same old snares again. It is easy to fall into the things we used to go to for comfort when we are distressed. As disturbing as it may be to think, we are just a few wrong thoughts away from being victimized by a lurking, opportunistic enemy.

The other choice is to recognize that the success of God's plan has little to do with my ability. It is totally dependent on my willingness to abide in the vine. As long as I know my need and cling to the source of life, He will cling to me even tighter and fill me with all I need to do all He calls me to. Even Jesus, at the weakest point of His life. recognized that it was the connection with His Father and Holy Spirit that strengthened Him to be able to embrace the cross. He wanted to run from it but instead, He chose to press into His Father. In this place of intimacy with Father, while sweating drops of blood, he found the resolve and the resources to embrace the cross. We need to look at this example for our own call.

We cannot do anything of value in our own strength. We are clothed in frailty and weakness. We live in the finite world of our own body. God's plans are infinite and eternal. It only makes sense that they are too big for us. It is only by retreating into Jesus and living in fellowship with Him that we can find the place of rest that empowers us to fulfill all He calls us to. Look at the following passages.

[Mat 11:25-30 ESV] 25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

[Heb 4:8-11 ESV] 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Too often, it is easy to look at the need around us and the call of God on us and feel like it is an overwhelming task. We feel the need to immediately get to work. We plan and network. We throw every ourselves fully into the job at hand, trying to utilize every available resources and we won't stop until we are finished. From a human perspective, that sounds incredible but from God's perspective, it is doomed to fail. He sees a bigger picture. He knows our limitations and weakness. He did not choose us because we were so strong we could do it, He chose us because we were weak and would have to live in complete dependence if we wanted to see any success.

The first step of undertaking any new ministry is to rest. We need to seek God until we are able to lay every outcome at His feet and trust Him. We must start from a place of rest and peace and not allow any circumstance to dislodge us from there. It is only by knowing that we are seated with Him in the Heavenlies and that He is in complete control that He can use us for anything. He does not need is to be enough. He needs us to be in His presence. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was in communion with Father that He was able to step out in courage and destroy the works of the enemy. If Jesus, God's Son, needed to go off and find the Father's presence for the task before Him, how much more do we.

You and I are not strong enough but we were never meant to be. The call of God will incorporate our gifts, talents and skills but it isn't dependent on them. The only thing needed for God's plans to be fulfilled in and through our lives is for us to surrender to Him and rest in His presence. It is there that we will find the orders for the day, the task He is calling us to join Him on in the moment. You may have a big call but it does not depend on you figuring it out. It only depends on you walking in His presence and obedience to the specific task for the moment. He will empower you to do that. The picture is of the manna in the wilderness. There was always just enough for the moment and never more, except to provide for the Sabbath rest on the seventh day.

If you are feeling overwhelmed and the call is too big, retreat to God's presence. Let Him bring you to a place of rest. Stop pushing forward until you recognize that His plan is His responsibility to accomplish. You are a bit player and not the one carrying the weight of success. That is His job. You are not enough but you were never meant to be. His grace is sufficient to carry you into the fulfillment of His plans for your life.

[2Co 12:9 ESV] 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.