Today was a really good day here in India. The weather was nice, we had a full day of teaching and investing in men and women's lives as they lead new churches and strengthen existing ones, and connections are being made.
Here is what has me thinking at the moment. Someone commented somewhere that they had talked to recipients of foreign missions teams in the past and not one had anything favorable to say about the experience. It was suggested that we in the states, should just send money and that the pastors should just vacation stateside.. First, anyone with hands on missions in the context that I am participating this week would say that this is anything but a vacation. I understand where this person is coming from, however, because other places I have visited have said similar things about their missions experiences with American missionaries. The truth of the matter is that there are teams sent all over the world every week where there is no supporting structure, no follow thru after the trip is done and no on the ground help offered or available.
It's is not the case with the group that I am traveling with. First, both groups have decades of experience in doing hands on missions thru teaching, Equipping and empowering indigenous people to plant and grow their own churches. In fact, Gobal Advance and the Crosspoint division of New Beginnings Ministries have both been working with the groups we are working with. So for more than 20 years a rapport has been established with the locals and real change has occurred in both the short and long term measures. Second, both groups have folks that are on the ground in India year round. They are supported financially and go about continuing the work we begin once we are gone. This is huge. We aren't doing construction (which if not committed to ongoing care can leave a village or city worse off than when the team started their work). I guess it's just a little frustrating when folks don't understand the complexity of what's going on here.
Regardless, there is amazing ministry that is taking place on this trip to India. The participants and presenters are growing. Folks are recommitting their lives to Christ and follow up is already set in place to continue to nurture and grow this group of predominately new pastors. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that today.
The other thing going thru my mind is the thinking already about coming back again in the future. There is a particular soon to be pastor that has become a new acquaintance of mine. He is doing some amazing work with small groups and parachurches and he has invited me to come and teach his leaders for a two week intensive period. I am humbled that after only knowing one another for a few days, that such an offer was given, I will of course have to pray about it and see what that might look like, but it was an honor to be presented with the opportunity. I guess I am just in awe (again/still) of what God can do if we just get out of the way.
I'll talk more about the conversations my new acquaintance and I have had at some point down the road...suffice it to say that the long travel and investment (on all levels) is already creating blessings for participants and team members alike. I am excited to be continuing the journey, and I invite you to join me...we will leave for Lucknow, India Friday morning and head to our third spot on Sunday. Please keep those prayers coming!
Here is what has me thinking at the moment. Someone commented somewhere that they had talked to recipients of foreign missions teams in the past and not one had anything favorable to say about the experience. It was suggested that we in the states, should just send money and that the pastors should just vacation stateside.. First, anyone with hands on missions in the context that I am participating this week would say that this is anything but a vacation. I understand where this person is coming from, however, because other places I have visited have said similar things about their missions experiences with American missionaries. The truth of the matter is that there are teams sent all over the world every week where there is no supporting structure, no follow thru after the trip is done and no on the ground help offered or available.
It's is not the case with the group that I am traveling with. First, both groups have decades of experience in doing hands on missions thru teaching, Equipping and empowering indigenous people to plant and grow their own churches. In fact, Gobal Advance and the Crosspoint division of New Beginnings Ministries have both been working with the groups we are working with. So for more than 20 years a rapport has been established with the locals and real change has occurred in both the short and long term measures. Second, both groups have folks that are on the ground in India year round. They are supported financially and go about continuing the work we begin once we are gone. This is huge. We aren't doing construction (which if not committed to ongoing care can leave a village or city worse off than when the team started their work). I guess it's just a little frustrating when folks don't understand the complexity of what's going on here.
Regardless, there is amazing ministry that is taking place on this trip to India. The participants and presenters are growing. Folks are recommitting their lives to Christ and follow up is already set in place to continue to nurture and grow this group of predominately new pastors. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of that today.
The other thing going thru my mind is the thinking already about coming back again in the future. There is a particular soon to be pastor that has become a new acquaintance of mine. He is doing some amazing work with small groups and parachurches and he has invited me to come and teach his leaders for a two week intensive period. I am humbled that after only knowing one another for a few days, that such an offer was given, I will of course have to pray about it and see what that might look like, but it was an honor to be presented with the opportunity. I guess I am just in awe (again/still) of what God can do if we just get out of the way.
I'll talk more about the conversations my new acquaintance and I have had at some point down the road...suffice it to say that the long travel and investment (on all levels) is already creating blessings for participants and team members alike. I am excited to be continuing the journey, and I invite you to join me...we will leave for Lucknow, India Friday morning and head to our third spot on Sunday. Please keep those prayers coming!
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