The Nerve Center

 

Four years ago, the Lord started speaking to me about a ministry of encouragement to missionaries. Since that day in April 2018, the thought has never been far from my mind. I have had lots of ideas and considered several different ways to do that. As I pursued them, each time, they came up short of what I was pushing for. Just this week, in the middle of feeling sorry for myself because I couldn’t seem to put it all together, the Lord spoke again. He said He had showed me an end and I tried to start at the end. The steps I have been pursuing were in the wrong order. Hopefully, in the next few paragraphs I will be able to explain the journey I have been pursuing. I am praying that a few of you are finding yourself on this same road I am travelling.

While I was in mission’s school in Reynosa, I had a vision of providing missionary retreats so missionaries could come together, share their stories, and encourage one another. The idea was not to do a conference or a provide hours of teaching crammed into each day, but rather to provide a forum where they could come together, and talk about the work they were doing, look for areas of commonality and for ways they could support and encourage one another. This would all take place in a nice setting, a beach resort, or a mountain retreat so they could bring their families and have a time of fellowship, relationship building and rest.

As I prayed about how to make this all work, the Lord directed me to a step that needed to happen before any of this could work. Churches needed to catch the vision for supporting missionaries in a new way. In this day of instant communication and easy travel to almost anywhere in the world, missionaries often feel isolated. They have traded the known for the unknown. They have left family, friends, and careers to pursue God’s purposes for people they may have never even met. On the occasion that they are able to talk with the people from their old life, they often feel that the world is leaving them behind. They have missed out on big family events. They have lost contact with most of their Church family, and they are usually living on a substantially diminished income. They need an advocate to encourage the Church to pursue them and encourage them.

From this, I came up with a plan to speak to Churches and to their missions’ committees and help them formulate a plan to intentionally involve themselves regularly in the lives of the missionaries they have sent or are financially supporting. It is a must for a missions’ success that the Churches that sent missionaries stay involved in their lives. I equate it with when a child leaves the nest. They may no longer live at home, but they still need to know that they have a family behind them to encourage and support them as they pursue their dreams. The Church needs to do this for missionaries.

I talked to a friend in Guatemala about this and he gave me some good advice on how to pursue this idea. As I went back to the U.S. and started doing what he suggested, I realized that I was premature. I have a desire, a goal that I believe God planted in me, but it is easy to jump the gun. I have continually wanted to jump to the finished product but there are in between steps that I need to take if I am going to be faithful to what God is calling me to, which is to build a network of missionary support, not to replace their missions’ organizations, but to supplement them. The missionary needs their home Church family to be involved and to encourage them as they pursue God’s call on their lives and the Church needs to be involved in outreach on a local level as well as in missions.

I have been sensing God say that the first step is to gather information to support what I am seeing and hearing from many of my friends in the mission field. It is time to collect their stories and share them. The last 2+ years of Covid have created a challenging environment for many of them. Several have even left the field to go back home and work. Many have seen their income dry up and lots of projects put on hold. The teams that used to come and support them have slowed to a trickle. For many, everything they knew pre-pandemic has changed. At the same time, they have continued to adapt and change so they can be faithful to the call God has placed on them.

Over the next few weeks, I would like to solicit stories from missionaries. I am praying for the best way to disseminate them, but I know the Church, as a whole, and not just the local Church that sent them, needs to know what missionaries are doing around the world. There are many people that would help and support ministries because they are doing something close to their heart, but they do not even know they exist. They would love to encourage, support and even work with them but first they have to be made aware of the work and the need.

God often speaks to me through pictures. The most recent picture He gave me was for the body and the role of missions in it. Jesus is the head. We are all parts of the body with our own roles to play. Every role is important but none of them work well if we do not communicate. If the body does not know the needs of one part, not only will that one part suffer, but soon, all the parts around it will suffer too. The central nervous system connects all our body and tells other parts to slow down when one part is suffering. It communicates the need of the foot to the head and every part in between.

I feel God is building a network to build, support and encourage the body. It begins with the various parts sharing their story, their call, and their needs. As one shares, another can offer up the needed support and encouragement to lighten the load of the call and to help carry the burden. Not only has Jesus sent Holy Spirit to encourage, guide and comfort us. He has called us to come together and support one another. Networking is a key part of Kingdom life. I feel He is saying that now is time to develop the network, the nervous system of the body so every part can be well supplied and strengthened.

Stay tuned for stories from missionaries in the near future.

The Three Dependencies (Pt 3) Getting Connected

 When we think of missions, the most common question to ask is who they are going with. Most people tend to join some missions sending organization when they leave home to jump into the mission's life. When we think of Missions, we think of organizations like Wycliffe, CTEN, YWAM, and countless others. They all function a little differently but they all have the same basic focus. They exist to help the missionary adapt and succeed in their new home. These organizations provide numerous support and training opportunities for the new missionary. They provide what most Churches are not equipped to provide.

Anybody looking to go into missions should be searching out these organizations and asking lots of questions. There are some that exist within denominations and many more that are parachurch organizations. Depending on what you are intending to do, there are some that will fit your needs better than others. Some have a high degree of oversite while others allow more freedom and flexibility to pursue the work God has called you into. The organizational structure s vary but their purposes are the same. They are there to advance the Gospel and let God's love be seen in the missionary. Depending on your task and your temperament, you will find that you may need one over another. The most important thing to remember is that you most likely need one.

Stand back, I got this.

If you are not a self starter, you may need an organization with more oversite. If you are highly motivated and have a clear vision, you may prefer an organization that looks at your plans and then sets you free to run with them. There is no one right answer for everyone concerning what organization type you need but the missionary needs connection and support. These organizations tend to do those jobs better than ministries that are not specific to missions. They have the experience and insight that the new missionary will need. Find one and get connected

There is also a second important factor in this connection in the new country. The missionary needs to be connected to a local Church or a body of believers. This connection can come through their missions organization but they should not overlook becoming part of a local Church if there is one in their region. The local Church has local people and is an invaluable place to meet the community and learn to assimilate. When you connect with the non-missionary part of the body, you begin to find home. You are not just a foreigner, come to help and serve. You become part of the community.

As you begin to live in community, new opportunities arise. You get to know people and can draw local people into the work of God in their community. The work is no longer just about someone coming to do for us. It begins to be about a community working together to find the answer to their needs and to spread the Gospel to those that have not heard it. When we join the local body, it produces the Acts 1-2 moments where we see Holy Spirit make Himself known because the body is together in unity and He produces fruit through us that we never could on our own.

I have been writing to encourage new missionaries not to go it on their own. They need the fellowship and oversight of an organization and they need the connection to the local body of believers. As their home Church, you need to help them find that connection. It can be easy to feel cut out of the picture and feel like someone else has usurped your place. Get over that jealousy and continually encourage your missionary to pursue those relationships. Missions is a partnership. None of us fulfills the call of God on our lives in a vacuum. We need connection, We need Godly support and encouragement.

Success in missions requires Holy Spirit's leading, a good home Church to encourage and support and finally, a team of missionaries and a local Church in the new country. Independence can be deadly to a missionary. Don't let the young (or old) missionary fall into the trap of believing they can do it on their own.

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.

Around the Mountain Again

I don't know about you, but sometimes I am a slow learner. I can go through something and God shows me how he was faithful through it all and then, a similar crisis arises and I am panicing all over again. Circumstances can really cause me to take a step back and even start doubting what I know god clearly told me. Life often throws us curve balls and I, for one, feel ill prepared regularly.

Today I was reading in Matt 14 and 15. I find these chaptesr a great comfort when I feel like I am hopelessly missing God's leading. The disciples were out with Jesus and he was being followed by 4,000 men, plus women and children. They were desperate for a miracle. They stayed close to Him for quite some time watching, listening and trying to get close enough to touch Him. If I were desperately ill or crippled, I would be right there with them as long as I had the help I needed to get there.

This story follows shortly after the disciples had their eyes open to Jesus' ability to provide from abundantly from next to nothing. Before He multiplied the food Himself, Jesus told the disciples to give them something to eat. He was testing them and letting them know that they had the ability to do what He was about to do as long as they walked in fellowship with them. They did not understand what He was doing so they just questioned. Jesus, full of compassion for the hungry people had the people sit down and then He fed them all.

Right after this story, He sent the disciples out in a boat while He wrapped up with the crowd and then went to pray for a while. He came walking to them on the water and they were frightened. When they recognized it was Him, peter asked if he too could walk on the water. He did for a few seconds. In my mind, he got just out of reach ofthe boat and then he turned his eyes from Jesus to the circumstances. Jesus reached out and saved Him but then He chastised them all for their lack of faith. Peter was the most obvious failure but all of them were afraid as Jesus came walking up to them.

I do not think that you can separate these 2 stories. They were both faith building exercises for the disciples. Both of them revealed their weaknesses and lack of faith. At the same time, they were designed to destroy the disciples faith but to strengthen it. Jesus just walked them through 2 amazing faith building exercises.

 Unfortunately, I think we miss the message of these two stories just like the disciples did. Jesus was trying to create an opportunity for them to see Him move through them. Once again, Jesus did what we assume only He could do. Really, He was saying to them that they could have done this themselves. Becasue He was with them, they had the ability to multiply the food and bring glory to the Father. We have been given that same challenge. Jesus calls us to do things for His glory that we assume only He can do. What He wants us to see is that He will use us if we are willing to allow Him to work through us. He is not limited by our limitations. The unlimited power of God resides in us and wants the world to see Him through our obedience as we walk in faith.

I have now been unemployed for 3 weeks. In September, I felt like God was telling me that 2022 was a new season for me and I needed to cut ties to old things, work and leadership positions specifically so I could focus on the new season. In September, it was an easy thing to say I would do it but when the end of December came, I started questioning if I had made a mistake. Actually, there were moments that I was panicking. I thought through my bills and what things I felt led to do and I could not see how it was all going to come together. Life is expensive and I had just walked away from my only source of income.

God has been faithful to me for years. He has provided countless times. He used many people over the years to meet my financial needs and also to encourage me to continue pursuing what He called me to.  Sometimes experience does not teach us trust. If we don't recognize the hand of God in all we walk through, we will still try to do it in our own strength. We have to choose to continually walk in obedience and also acknowledge the past works of God in our lives so we can live from a place of expectancy and not fear. Worship is essential to build confidence that God is moving on our behalf because we have seen He already has.

I want to just introduce you to what I am moving into now. My heart has been to help missionaries succeed and to encourage them for about 4 years now. Much of that time I have been praying and asking God what that would look like. I have had countless ideas rolling around in my head. Some of them are going to eventually happen but for now, I will be working with Churches to help them prepare for sending missionaries and to walk with those missionaries through the transition to their new country. Then I will continue to work with the missionary and the Churches that sent them so that they can be ready for long term success. Missions is not just about the missionary going to serve Jesus but it is also about the Churches back home that are holding their arms up while they proclaim the victory of Jesus to the people they serve.

I am not looking to compete with missions organozations. They are an important part of the big picture for the missionary. They help guide them through things that the home Church has no experience in. They provide resources and encouragement beyond what the Church can offer. That being said, both of these are legs of the stool a missionary rests on. The 3rd leg is the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want to help make sure the home Church, the commissioning and sending Churches are not the week leg of the stool.

If this is your heart, please reach out to me. You can contact me at thegeokr@yahoo.com  I would love to hear from you/ Also please subscribe to this blog and share it with all your friends and your Church.