A year of school has just
flown by and now here I am back in summertime again. I have chosen to
stay here in Michigan for the summer at my current job, at which I am
now working full time. I have been considering not working during
this upcoming fall semester at school because I have heard it is one
of the more difficult semesters and I also want to take full
advantage of the classes offered, I am signed up for 18.6 credits for
the Fall. Also I have been considering taking on a middle school age
Sunday school class for this next year with some other New Tribes
students. Please pray for me in making these choices concerning this
next semester. I have plans to take a trip back to the west coast in
August before school starts. I look forward to seeing all of you out
there.
As I look back on this
year of school I have observed that God has deeply impacted my heart
and mind. I am pleased to say that those of my home church are
responsible for many of the seeds planted that I now see growing in
my life. The theme of New Tribes Bible Institute is “where Bible
education and missions are one” knowing this I expected my heart
for missions to grow, and don't get me wrong it has grown, but in a
way I did not expect. I have seen great value and opportunity in
ministry in our own country and in our own churches. Both the
ministry here and the ministry to those in places that have much less
or no opportunity to hear the Gospel are important and a part of what
God is doing in the world. Both are needed and we should be working
together as the body of Christ to see results.
As we studied the book of
first Corinthians to finish out our school year here, I appreciated
the picture of the body of Christ, and the importance and need for
each person, it helped to complete this view I have of the importance
of every christian to be involved. I have met several people with a
strong passion that Christians should either be on the mission field
to the unreached or supporting it. I agree with this and I would
highly encourage you to be involved in supporting missions to the
unreached in some way, but don't let it end there. I remember my
first summer working with Child Evangelism Fellowship, the reason I
did it was because I knew God wanted me to share the Gospel and CEF
was doing that and they could train me to do the same. The reason I
am so passionate for missions to the unreached is because I believe
it is what God is doing in the world and I want to join Him in that.
So, why am I sharing this
with you, because I want to encourage you to continue to or begin to
seek God in Scripture. I want you to view this world through what He
has said, discover what God is doing and join Him. As I start out
this Summer, I want to begin by challenging you my friends, how are
you involved in what God is doing? He has a place for you in the work
He is doing, but it is your choice whether or not you will join Him.
“Missions exists because
worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is
ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions
of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God,
missions will be no more” -John Piper Let the Nations Be Glad