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Availability.
It’s not often mentioned in the list of important qualities of disciples of Jesus but in our strung out western world, it may well be the most important gift followers of Jesus have to offer a broken and hurting world.
Availability.
It is what Moses had when God called him to lead the people of Israel out of captivity. He was not a gifted speaker. He made bad decisions. He wasn’t very brave. But he was available and in his going back to Egypt he allowed God to work through him to rescue slaves unto freedom and to move God’s redemptive story forward.
Availability is what Gideon had when God called him to lead an army. Granted, Gideon was hiding in a winepress when God found him, and he wasn’t exactly excited to jump on God’s bandwagon. Once Gideon’s fleece was wet however, he obeyed even as God reduced his regiment to a hilariously small number that gave all the glory to God in victory.
And Rahab was available too.
She was a woman of ill repute, a foreigner and a prostitute who at the time we can assume knew very little of the God of the Israelites except what she has overheard; that He had been victorious in recent skirmishes and miraculously parted the Red Sea. She steps into God’s redemptive story when two of Israel’s spies step into her room and she risks her life to hide them.
If we survey the prominent characters of the Biblical narrative, few are chosen because they are highly qualified leaders. A few were of course – King Saul, Judas, Saul of Tarsus, but most of these didn’t work out so well. It seems the highly qualified often lean a little too deeply into self reliance and self reliance usually leads to trusting in man rather than trusting in God.
Relying on his own gifts and abilities and education, Saul of Tarsus was hunting down followers of Jesus to have them arrested and thrown in prison. It was only when he left his highly qualified self behind that Saul became available to become Paul and the man whom God could use to build his church.
When we look through the hall of fame that is Hebrews eleven, the number one thing each of the faithful had to give to God was themselves.
They said yes. They were available.
And while Jesus is highly qualified in every way, he models the radical availability that allowed him to say, “the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”
And that is why Jesus’ ministry looks so vastly different than the successful ministries of today. His is the ministry of availability, of responding to the interruptions of the masses, of walking miles out of his way to heal a leader’s son, of inviting the little children to come to him.
Jesus’ model is not that of the best leadership style but of availability.
It’s not often mentioned in the list of important qualities of disciples of Jesus but in our strung out western world, it may well be the most important gift followers of Jesus have to offer a broken and hurting world.
Availability.
It is what Moses had when God called him to lead the people of Israel out of captivity. He was not a gifted speaker. He made bad decisions. He wasn’t very brave. But he was available and in his going back to Egypt he allowed God to work through him to rescue slaves unto freedom and to move God’s redemptive story forward.
Availability is what Gideon had when God called him to lead an army. Granted, Gideon was hiding in a winepress when God found him, and he wasn’t exactly excited to jump on God’s bandwagon. Once Gideon’s fleece was wet however, he obeyed even as God reduced his regiment to a hilariously small number that gave all the glory to God in victory.
And Rahab was available too.
She was a woman of ill repute, a foreigner and a prostitute who at the time we can assume knew very little of the God of the Israelites except what she has overheard; that He had been victorious in recent skirmishes and miraculously parted the Red Sea. She steps into God’s redemptive story when two of Israel’s spies step into her room and she risks her life to hide them.
If we survey the prominent characters of the Biblical narrative, few are chosen because they are highly qualified leaders. A few were of course – King Saul, Judas, Saul of Tarsus, but most of these didn’t work out so well. It seems the highly qualified often lean a little too deeply into self reliance and self reliance usually leads to trusting in man rather than trusting in God.
Relying on his own gifts and abilities and education, Saul of Tarsus was hunting down followers of Jesus to have them arrested and thrown in prison. It was only when he left his highly qualified self behind that Saul became available to become Paul and the man whom God could use to build his church.
When we look through the hall of fame that is Hebrews eleven, the number one thing each of the faithful had to give to God was themselves.
They said yes. They were available.
And while Jesus is highly qualified in every way, he models the radical availability that allowed him to say, “the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”
And that is why Jesus’ ministry looks so vastly different than the successful ministries of today. His is the ministry of availability, of responding to the interruptions of the masses, of walking miles out of his way to heal a leader’s son, of inviting the little children to come to him.
Jesus’ model is not that of the best leadership style but of availability.
Jesus' avalibility in ministry begins as He models an availability to abide. Despite an incredibly full ministry, Jesus routinely makes time to be with the Father. He is part of the triune forever relationship of God and Son and Holy Spirit and this carries on into His thirty three years on earth.
He is a master of scripture, a mastery that most certainly came from years of immersion in those same scriptures. He is a master as well of prayer, of interceding on behalf of the sick and the demon possessed and the lost. There is authority in his prayers. And Jesus is the master at communing with God, of walking in a living relationship with the Father.
He is the master of abiding and he invites us first and foremost to do the same. And so while the immediate needs of the masses continually pressed in around him during his ministry on earth, we see the clear model that, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
When Peter and John were before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4, the characteristic recorded for all posterity is not that of highly qualified leadership skills or a refined speaking ability. It was that they had been with Jesus. The Sanhedrin note that while they were “ordinary unschooled men”, they had been with Jesus. Peter and John had become masters of abiding with God because it is the model that Jesus gave them.
And so at the forefront of the discipleship journey, we as followers of Jesus must learn to be available to abide with him. Despite the chaos of our frenzied western existence, we must learn to set aside time to be with Jesus.
Abiding is to be our first act of availability.
It was from this lifestyle of abiding availability that Jesus’ ministry flowed. And in his three years of ministry as recorded in the gospels, He models again and again the servant heart that makes him available to engage hurting, lost people – even when they interrupt him.
It seems an almost regular occurrence that Jesus responds to a pleading father, a frightened and sick woman or a shouting blind man. He is regularly going one way and then – in response to a need – heads another way. It seems at times haphazard and yet it’s not.
His ministry is focused.
He went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. There was purpose in his journeys. He trained up twelve men who would go on to launch His movement. He gave his followers what they needed – himself – to spread the good news of His kingdom.
Like Jesus we must live strategic lives of engagement with a clear goal in mind. But the way to do that – as modeled by Jesus – is first and foremost to be with God. To make knowing God our first priority.
And when we do. When we learn to discern the voice of God. When we begin to do only what the Father is doing.
Then we will be working in the ministry of availability.
He is a master of scripture, a mastery that most certainly came from years of immersion in those same scriptures. He is a master as well of prayer, of interceding on behalf of the sick and the demon possessed and the lost. There is authority in his prayers. And Jesus is the master at communing with God, of walking in a living relationship with the Father.
He is the master of abiding and he invites us first and foremost to do the same. And so while the immediate needs of the masses continually pressed in around him during his ministry on earth, we see the clear model that, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
When Peter and John were before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4, the characteristic recorded for all posterity is not that of highly qualified leadership skills or a refined speaking ability. It was that they had been with Jesus. The Sanhedrin note that while they were “ordinary unschooled men”, they had been with Jesus. Peter and John had become masters of abiding with God because it is the model that Jesus gave them.
And so at the forefront of the discipleship journey, we as followers of Jesus must learn to be available to abide with him. Despite the chaos of our frenzied western existence, we must learn to set aside time to be with Jesus.
Abiding is to be our first act of availability.
It was from this lifestyle of abiding availability that Jesus’ ministry flowed. And in his three years of ministry as recorded in the gospels, He models again and again the servant heart that makes him available to engage hurting, lost people – even when they interrupt him.
It seems an almost regular occurrence that Jesus responds to a pleading father, a frightened and sick woman or a shouting blind man. He is regularly going one way and then – in response to a need – heads another way. It seems at times haphazard and yet it’s not.
His ministry is focused.
He went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. There was purpose in his journeys. He trained up twelve men who would go on to launch His movement. He gave his followers what they needed – himself – to spread the good news of His kingdom.
Like Jesus we must live strategic lives of engagement with a clear goal in mind. But the way to do that – as modeled by Jesus – is first and foremost to be with God. To make knowing God our first priority.
- We must set aside regular time to go away and sit at the feet of the Father.
- We must practice listening prayer.
- Immersion in the scriptures must be a central part of our daily routines.
- We must step fully into abiding in Christ.
And when we do. When we learn to discern the voice of God. When we begin to do only what the Father is doing.
Then we will be working in the ministry of availability.
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One of the beautiful things about our everywhere to everywhere world is the ability to learn from and be challenged by our brothers and sisters in Christ from around the globe. One such couple serves in Thailand. I read about their journey of prayer which lead to church planting in an article recently published at the Multiply website.
It is a powerful story of perseverance and prayer.
It is a powerful story of perseverance and prayer.
We had been in Bang Chalong for months, and while we clearly felt God leading us to serve there, I often faced many feelings of inadequacy.
I had never planted a church before. In fact, I barely finished two years of Bible College! I don’t play guitar, so I couldn’t even use music as a way to draw people in. There were so many gifts that I lacked, so much that I could not do. Then God showed me that there was one thing that I could do. I learned this from the Book of Nehemiah. I saw that Nehemiah spent a lot of time in prayer before he ever built anything. I thought to myself, that’s something I can do! I can pray! So I began to do this.
We would rise early, at four in the morning, so that we could stand on a high bridge and see everyone going off to their jobs. We prayed over each person that we saw. Then we would walk the streets of Bang Chalong, praying for opportunities to meet people, to build relationships and to share the Gospel.
>>> read the rest of the story here
I had never planted a church before. In fact, I barely finished two years of Bible College! I don’t play guitar, so I couldn’t even use music as a way to draw people in. There were so many gifts that I lacked, so much that I could not do. Then God showed me that there was one thing that I could do. I learned this from the Book of Nehemiah. I saw that Nehemiah spent a lot of time in prayer before he ever built anything. I thought to myself, that’s something I can do! I can pray! So I began to do this.
We would rise early, at four in the morning, so that we could stand on a high bridge and see everyone going off to their jobs. We prayed over each person that we saw. Then we would walk the streets of Bang Chalong, praying for opportunities to meet people, to build relationships and to share the Gospel.
>>> read the rest of the story here
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The round up will be a semi regular feature of the E2E blog. With it we hope to share some of the articles, podcasts and videos that have inspired us or that we've learned from in the past weeks and months. We'll simply post the title of the article, podcast or video with the link embedded. We hope it will be helpful and that you will grow in your heart for the nations and your understanding of how you can be part of reaching the nations because of this feature.
Social Media On The Mission Field - Tweaks and Tips (article)
Looking Beneath the Surface (article)
A Priest and a Rabbi Walk Into a Bar (article)
Not Immediatly Finding a Man of Peace? (article)
Apartment Evangelism is Moving the Gospel (article)
How Local Missions Impacts Global Missions (article and video)
Abiding in Christ (Video teaching series)
God, Give us Austin, Texas or we die! (Podcast)
Social Media On The Mission Field - Tweaks and Tips (article)
Looking Beneath the Surface (article)
A Priest and a Rabbi Walk Into a Bar (article)
Not Immediatly Finding a Man of Peace? (article)
Apartment Evangelism is Moving the Gospel (article)
How Local Missions Impacts Global Missions (article and video)
Abiding in Christ (Video teaching series)
God, Give us Austin, Texas or we die! (Podcast)
What have you been learning from lately?
- Published on
As we head out into diverse neighborhoods in our city, we often run into new Americans, people who've just recently come to North America and who have yet to master the English language. Like first generation immigrants from years past, they'll probably never master English, working rather to earn a living and give their children a chance at a better life than they had.
As someone interested in sharing the good news of Jesus with these new neighbors, this poses an interesting challenge.
Technology offers a way around this challenge. There are some amazing apps that you can use to help share the good news of Jesus with the nations among us. These can be found by searching for the apps below on either your iPhone or Android phone.
Here are seven smart phone apps for reaching the nations among us that we have found helpful. As always, if you know of others, please share them in the comments below.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
As someone interested in sharing the good news of Jesus with these new neighbors, this poses an interesting challenge.
- How do we communicate?
- How do we build relationship?
- How do we tell the story of Jesus?
Technology offers a way around this challenge. There are some amazing apps that you can use to help share the good news of Jesus with the nations among us. These can be found by searching for the apps below on either your iPhone or Android phone.
Here are seven smart phone apps for reaching the nations among us that we have found helpful. As always, if you know of others, please share them in the comments below.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
Google Translate
Google translate is getting crazy good at translating. It's not perfect and it is capable of making interesting and at times embarassing mistakes, but it is very helpful for communicating with those whose languages we haven't mastered yet.
The "conversation" function allows you to simply set your phone in between you and your new friend and talk. It picks up your English and quickly translates it audibly to most target languags. Your friend responds and it translates to English. No typing. No pushing buttons.
Google translate is not perfect but it can be a useful tool to begin a conversation. You can use it online here: https://translate.google.com/
Google translate is getting crazy good at translating. It's not perfect and it is capable of making interesting and at times embarassing mistakes, but it is very helpful for communicating with those whose languages we haven't mastered yet.
The "conversation" function allows you to simply set your phone in between you and your new friend and talk. It picks up your English and quickly translates it audibly to most target languags. Your friend responds and it translates to English. No typing. No pushing buttons.
Google translate is not perfect but it can be a useful tool to begin a conversation. You can use it online here: https://translate.google.com/
Bible.is
There are a lot of Bible apps out there and others are probably better than Bible.is for functionality and reading plans and other bells and whistles. Bible.is has more languages available than any other app though and so it is a must have for anyone interested in diaspora ministry. With over 1,400 languages available, the Bible.is app is helpful when beginning to build relationships with new friends whose native language is something other than English.
There are a lot of Bible apps out there and others are probably better than Bible.is for functionality and reading plans and other bells and whistles. Bible.is has more languages available than any other app though and so it is a must have for anyone interested in diaspora ministry. With over 1,400 languages available, the Bible.is app is helpful when beginning to build relationships with new friends whose native language is something other than English.
Bible.is has a number of features that are helpful. If there is an audio version of the particular language, you can use it to listen to the language. I know a friend who was doing a creation to Christ Bible study with a Somali family and he'd simply place his phone in a bowl on the table (for amplification) and play the chapter of the Bible they were exploring that week. The family would listen in Somali and then they'd discuss the passage.
Learn more here: http://www.bible.is/
Learn more here: http://www.bible.is/
Jesus Film Media
The Jesus Film has been used by the Lord for nearly 40 years and through it, millions of people all across the globe have come to faith in Christ. Now the Jesus Film has found it's way onto your smart phones and the app is really pretty amazing.
The Jesus Film has been translated into oveer 1,600 languages and by using the app's "Map" function, you can simply find the country your friend is from on the map of the world, click on the country pin and find the Jesus film in their language. Push play and within seconds, they will hear their language being spoken as the Jesus film begins.
Learn more here: https://www.jesusfilm.org/
The Jesus Film has been used by the Lord for nearly 40 years and through it, millions of people all across the globe have come to faith in Christ. Now the Jesus Film has found it's way onto your smart phones and the app is really pretty amazing.
The Jesus Film has been translated into oveer 1,600 languages and by using the app's "Map" function, you can simply find the country your friend is from on the map of the world, click on the country pin and find the Jesus film in their language. Push play and within seconds, they will hear their language being spoken as the Jesus film begins.
Learn more here: https://www.jesusfilm.org/
5 Fish
5 Fish is an app that has consolodated all the available audio and video gospel resources available for each language. You can search by country name or language name. When you find the language of your new friend, it will give you access to whatever resources are availble in that language.
A good way to explore the resources is to search for the resources in English. This will allow you to listen in English first so you know what they are listening to. 5 Fish brings a lot of great resources (including the Jesus Film) into one place.
Learn more here: https://5fish.mobi/
5 Fish is an app that has consolodated all the available audio and video gospel resources available for each language. You can search by country name or language name. When you find the language of your new friend, it will give you access to whatever resources are availble in that language.
A good way to explore the resources is to search for the resources in English. This will allow you to listen in English first so you know what they are listening to. 5 Fish brings a lot of great resources (including the Jesus Film) into one place.
Learn more here: https://5fish.mobi/
God Tools
Devleloped by Cru, the God Tools app has six great "tools" for sharing the gospel. The app allows you to search through the list of tools and select the ones you want to use. You can find apps in parallel languages that allow you to see each page of the particular study in English and in the other language with the click of a button.
One tool that will be helpful is called Honor Restored and it shares the gospel through the lens of honor and shame. This app is simple to use and there are tools available in over 70 languages.
Learn more here: https://godtoolsapp.com
Devleloped by Cru, the God Tools app has six great "tools" for sharing the gospel. The app allows you to search through the list of tools and select the ones you want to use. You can find apps in parallel languages that allow you to see each page of the particular study in English and in the other language with the click of a button.
One tool that will be helpful is called Honor Restored and it shares the gospel through the lens of honor and shame. This app is simple to use and there are tools available in over 70 languages.
Learn more here: https://godtoolsapp.com
M28 Global Discipleship
When beginning to engage new friends with the word of God when you don't know their language, discovery Bible study (DBS) is a helpful way to go. With DBS, you don't need to rely on your ability to explain concepts but rather focus on allowing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to be the teacher.
The M28 Global Discipleship app will help you facilitate a DBS with your new friends. It will equip you to lead a DBS and walk you through the process. Coupled with the Bible.is app and Google translate, anyone can lead a creation to Christ DBS even if you don't know how to say anything more than hello in your new friends language.
Learn more here: http://www.m28global.org/
When beginning to engage new friends with the word of God when you don't know their language, discovery Bible study (DBS) is a helpful way to go. With DBS, you don't need to rely on your ability to explain concepts but rather focus on allowing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to be the teacher.
The M28 Global Discipleship app will help you facilitate a DBS with your new friends. It will equip you to lead a DBS and walk you through the process. Coupled with the Bible.is app and Google translate, anyone can lead a creation to Christ DBS even if you don't know how to say anything more than hello in your new friends language.
Learn more here: http://www.m28global.org/
Google Earth
This may seem like a strange app to finish out our list with, but there is something special that happens when you open up Google Earth and find your friends home village on the map. When you zoom into their neighborhood and perhaps even to their house -- well it's pretty special and a lot of fun.
It also expresses a level of concern and shows that you want to really know about them and their story. It allows you to enter into their story, to walk the streets of their home town, a place that they've left, probably for good. And then it's interesting to show them the street that you grew up on.
Learn more here: https://www.google.com/earth/
This may seem like a strange app to finish out our list with, but there is something special that happens when you open up Google Earth and find your friends home village on the map. When you zoom into their neighborhood and perhaps even to their house -- well it's pretty special and a lot of fun.
It also expresses a level of concern and shows that you want to really know about them and their story. It allows you to enter into their story, to walk the streets of their home town, a place that they've left, probably for good. And then it's interesting to show them the street that you grew up on.
Learn more here: https://www.google.com/earth/
We hope that these smart phone apps will help you out in the harvest among the nations. If you know of other helpful apps, be sure and share them in the comments below.
- Published on
We pray because our vision exceeds our ability. Prayer is the soul's deepest cry of rebellion against the way things are, seeing the lost of this world and crying out, "This does not glorify God, and so, by God's grace, it must change!" Prayer comes from God and ascends back to God on behalf of those who do not know God. Extraordinary prayer lays a firm foundation for a movement of God."
-David Garrison
I was reading in Luke 11 today, through the passage where Jesus teaches us His prayer and then goes on to tell us to, "ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, recieves, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."
It reminded me of the Garrison quote above and of the many resources available to help the body of Christ focus "extraordinary prayer" on the nations. And so today I want to share Seven Prayer Resources To Fuel Your Missions "Prayer" Fire.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
It reminded me of the Garrison quote above and of the many resources available to help the body of Christ focus "extraordinary prayer" on the nations. And so today I want to share Seven Prayer Resources To Fuel Your Missions "Prayer" Fire.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
Hindu World Prayer Guide
The Hindu World Prayer Guide will take you on a journey of learning about and praying for the world's 1 billion Hindus. This fifteen day prayer journey is scheduled for October 28th - November 11th but you can use the guide to pray at anytime during the year. Guides can be ordered from World Christian for $3.00 but there are substancial discounts if you order in bulk. We'd like to encourage you to consider ordering 10 today and mobilizing nine others to join you in praying for Hindus to come to faith in Christ this fall.
The Hindu World Prayer Guide will take you on a journey of learning about and praying for the world's 1 billion Hindus. This fifteen day prayer journey is scheduled for October 28th - November 11th but you can use the guide to pray at anytime during the year. Guides can be ordered from World Christian for $3.00 but there are substancial discounts if you order in bulk. We'd like to encourage you to consider ordering 10 today and mobilizing nine others to join you in praying for Hindus to come to faith in Christ this fall.
Muslim World Prayer Guide
Every year during Ramadan, thousands of Christains around the world use the 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World to interceed for those following the religion of Islam. This year Ramadan is from May 5 through June 4. Take a moment to set a reminder on your calendar for April 1st to order your prayer guides. Talk to your pastor about ordering a box for your church. Order ten yourself and mobilze nine others to join you in praying. This guide will do much to help you learn about Islam while you pray for Muslims to come to faith in Christ.
Every year during Ramadan, thousands of Christains around the world use the 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World to interceed for those following the religion of Islam. This year Ramadan is from May 5 through June 4. Take a moment to set a reminder on your calendar for April 1st to order your prayer guides. Talk to your pastor about ordering a box for your church. Order ten yourself and mobilze nine others to join you in praying. This guide will do much to help you learn about Islam while you pray for Muslims to come to faith in Christ.
Buddhist World Prayer Guide
This will mark the fist year of the Buddhist World Prayer Guide. Much like the Hindu and Muslim World prayer guides, it is sure to be both a great resource for learning about and praying for the Buddhist world this coming year. It will be availble starting in January, so like the Muslim world guide, set a reminder on your calendar to order yours then.
This will mark the fist year of the Buddhist World Prayer Guide. Much like the Hindu and Muslim World prayer guides, it is sure to be both a great resource for learning about and praying for the Buddhist world this coming year. It will be availble starting in January, so like the Muslim world guide, set a reminder on your calendar to order yours then.
Prayercast
Prayercast is a unique prayer resource that is helpful for group prayer events. Prayercast produces short videos for each nation on earth. Each video features a montage of images and video from the country while a national believer prays for their nation. The videos end with a few prayer points for the nation. We use these videos to pray for the nations throughout each E2E training event we host. They also have a number of theme based videos for different religions. We try and post at least one Prayercast vidoe each week at the E2E Facebook page. Check out the Prayercast for North Korea at the bottom of this article. Each video is 3-4 minutes in length.
Prayercast is a unique prayer resource that is helpful for group prayer events. Prayercast produces short videos for each nation on earth. Each video features a montage of images and video from the country while a national believer prays for their nation. The videos end with a few prayer points for the nation. We use these videos to pray for the nations throughout each E2E training event we host. They also have a number of theme based videos for different religions. We try and post at least one Prayercast vidoe each week at the E2E Facebook page. Check out the Prayercast for North Korea at the bottom of this article. Each video is 3-4 minutes in length.
Operation World
Operation World is a great resource that every family should have on their coffee table. Originally a resource guide that had information, maps and prayer topics for every nation on earth, Operation World, while still publishing a book, has expanded to offer a variety of online prayer resources as well. Be sure and order the latest prayer guide for your home and encourage your praying friends to do the same.
Operation World is a great resource that every family should have on their coffee table. Originally a resource guide that had information, maps and prayer topics for every nation on earth, Operation World, while still publishing a book, has expanded to offer a variety of online prayer resources as well. Be sure and order the latest prayer guide for your home and encourage your praying friends to do the same.
Mission Organizations
Many mission agencies and organizations have great resources to help you pray for the nations. If you support a missionary through a particular agency, be sure and check out their website for prayer resources. Here are a few organizational prayer resources that we're excited about.
Many mission agencies and organizations have great resources to help you pray for the nations. If you support a missionary through a particular agency, be sure and check out their website for prayer resources. Here are a few organizational prayer resources that we're excited about.
Prayer for SF Muslims
This email prayer guide will lead you through 30 days of praying specifically for God to bless and reveal himself to the Muslim community of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. You'll get one email each day for 30 days.
This email prayer guide will lead you through 30 days of praying specifically for God to bless and reveal himself to the Muslim community of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. You'll get one email each day for 30 days.
We hope that these prayer resources will help you do your part in fostering extraordinary prayer for the nations. If you know of a helpful prayer resource, be sure and share it in the comments below.
Prayercast Video for North Korea
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Dyann was baptized just 5 years ago. She knew she was committed, but wasn’t sure what to do next. She decided to read through the Bible. On doing so she naturally evaluated her life against what she was learning about God and His people.
Coincidentally, her church was gearing up for an extended mission conference where there were many missionary guests. She was deeply moved by the whole-life surrender of the individuals and families she was meeting. She decided to take the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course and had her entire world opened up before her.
What she learned is that her role was to reach her neighbors, whoever they may be, with the good news of the Gospel.
“It really is my job to get to share this.”
Perhaps the most precious thing about her testimony is her heart that is obviously broken for the lost who do not know the love of God.
Dyann has already received training to share her faith and has begun training others to do the same even as she shares her own faith regularly. She has also served cross-culturally in Argentina, Lebanon and next up, Mexico.
Coincidentally, her church was gearing up for an extended mission conference where there were many missionary guests. She was deeply moved by the whole-life surrender of the individuals and families she was meeting. She decided to take the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course and had her entire world opened up before her.
What she learned is that her role was to reach her neighbors, whoever they may be, with the good news of the Gospel.
“It really is my job to get to share this.”
Perhaps the most precious thing about her testimony is her heart that is obviously broken for the lost who do not know the love of God.
Dyann has already received training to share her faith and has begun training others to do the same even as she shares her own faith regularly. She has also served cross-culturally in Argentina, Lebanon and next up, Mexico.
Do you want to see this kind of transformation in your life?
We'd love to help you. Join us for our next Everywhere to Everywhere training event.
Learn about Perspectives
The Rock Community Church
We'd love to help you. Join us for our next Everywhere to Everywhere training event.
Learn about Perspectives
The Rock Community Church
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Every fourth Saturday of the month, a group of Jesus’ disciples gather in Sioux Falls South Dakota for what we call Sent Saturdays. We spend some time training through Luke 10, do a little role play, pray together and then head out into the city to knock on doors, offering to pray for people. After about an hour in the harvest, we return for a time of debrief.
We are not wanting to do door to door evangelism with Sent Saturdays.
We are looking for persons of peace.
We are not wanting to do door to door evangelism with Sent Saturdays.
We are looking for persons of peace.
At the heart of Jesus’ ministry was the conviction that, since the Father is Lord of the harvest, he will provide the workers. God alone initiates the mission. So in each location the disciples’ assignment was to find the people that God had prepared. In this way Jesus laid the foundation for a missionary movement that would reach the world.”
--Steve Addison, What Jesus Started
A person of peace is a God prepared person. Troy Cooper, in the video below, defines a person of peace as someone who:
The woman at the well (John 4), the demoniac (Mark 5), Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia at the river’s bank and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16 ), Jason in Thessalonica (Acts 17) and Crispus the synagogue leader (Acts 18) are all examples of people in the Bible - persons of peace - who received the messenger, the message and the mission.
God had prepared them to encounter the gospel witness and when they did, they became the conduits of the good news in their families and communities. They, not the apostles who shared with them, become the main vehicle for the spread of the gospel in their regions.
The person of peace is not the only strategy that God uses to expand his kingdom in families, cities, nations and people groups but it was one strategy that we see Jesus training his disciples to use.
- Receives the messenger
- Receives the message
- Receives the mission
The woman at the well (John 4), the demoniac (Mark 5), Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia at the river’s bank and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16 ), Jason in Thessalonica (Acts 17) and Crispus the synagogue leader (Acts 18) are all examples of people in the Bible - persons of peace - who received the messenger, the message and the mission.
God had prepared them to encounter the gospel witness and when they did, they became the conduits of the good news in their families and communities. They, not the apostles who shared with them, become the main vehicle for the spread of the gospel in their regions.
The person of peace is not the only strategy that God uses to expand his kingdom in families, cities, nations and people groups but it was one strategy that we see Jesus training his disciples to use.
Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
-Luke 10:1-11
Jesus sent the “seventy two others” out on mission. These aren’t even his closest disciples but “others” who’ve been hanging around, learning, growing, observing. And Jesus sends them out on mission. They are to go into the villages of the region, sent as sheep among wolves. They’re not to take anything with them but rather to depend on the hospitality of strangers. They are to find the peaceful person who will accept them and feed them and listen to them. They are to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom. If they don’t find the peaceful person, they are instructed to brush the dust off their feet and leave.
Who does ministry this way? . . . Jesus does.
Think of it this way. You may be the person of peace in your neighborhood, the person through whom God will work to introduce your friends and neighbors to the life of faith in Christ. You know these people. You have regular chances for interaction. You understand their culture, language and history.
But you probably won’t be the one to reach the apartment complex on the other side of town. The harvesters are in the harvest. The person of peace living in that apartment complex, who knows the culture, language and history of those living there is better positioned to naturally share the good news of Jesus with everyone in the apartment complex.
Jesus commands his disciples to pray for harvesters as they are going into the harvest. Why? Because the harvesters are in the harvest. And so when we go into neighborhoods and apartment complexes and new communities, we are not looking to evangelize the whole area. We are looking for the person of peace and, when we find them, we don’t leave. We invest there. We cast vision. We train them to be disciples of Jesus so that they can disciple their friends and neighbors.
This is the basic idea behind the idea of the person or house of peace. Again, it’s not the only way that God works to expand his kingdom but it is an important principle that we see again and again in scripture.
I want to encourage you to explore this principle more. First, study Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 10:1-11. Read the book of Acts as well. Look for how and where the person of peace principle shows up. Take notes and ask what it would look like to apply the principle in your context.
Next, take some time to look through the resources in the links below. I’ve added approximate times to read or watch each. In it all, be like the Bereans (Acts 17:10-12) and examine the scriptures to see if what we’re talking about here is true.
Learn it - Apply it - Share it - Today.
Who does ministry this way? . . . Jesus does.
Think of it this way. You may be the person of peace in your neighborhood, the person through whom God will work to introduce your friends and neighbors to the life of faith in Christ. You know these people. You have regular chances for interaction. You understand their culture, language and history.
But you probably won’t be the one to reach the apartment complex on the other side of town. The harvesters are in the harvest. The person of peace living in that apartment complex, who knows the culture, language and history of those living there is better positioned to naturally share the good news of Jesus with everyone in the apartment complex.
Jesus commands his disciples to pray for harvesters as they are going into the harvest. Why? Because the harvesters are in the harvest. And so when we go into neighborhoods and apartment complexes and new communities, we are not looking to evangelize the whole area. We are looking for the person of peace and, when we find them, we don’t leave. We invest there. We cast vision. We train them to be disciples of Jesus so that they can disciple their friends and neighbors.
This is the basic idea behind the idea of the person or house of peace. Again, it’s not the only way that God works to expand his kingdom but it is an important principle that we see again and again in scripture.
I want to encourage you to explore this principle more. First, study Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 10:1-11. Read the book of Acts as well. Look for how and where the person of peace principle shows up. Take notes and ask what it would look like to apply the principle in your context.
Next, take some time to look through the resources in the links below. I’ve added approximate times to read or watch each. In it all, be like the Bereans (Acts 17:10-12) and examine the scriptures to see if what we’re talking about here is true.
Learn it - Apply it - Share it - Today.
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING
The Person of Peace by Jerry Trousdale and Glenn Sunshine
(article -5 minutes)
Kingdom Kernels by Steve Smith and Nathan Shank
(article - 15 minutes)
Testimony of a person of peace at Movements
(article - 3 minutes)
Searching for a House of Peace in the U.K. at Movements Podcast
(podcast - 30 minutes)
House of Peace by Jeff Sundell
(youtube training - 12 minutes)
Four Fields of Kingdom Growth by Nathan and Kari Shank
(training manual - 2-3 weeks)
Image Credit
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Here is a question for you: Are you training or teaching your disciples?
You may be wondering, is there a difference?
There is a difference and despite the differences, they are both used powerfully by God to raise up disciples. Both are valuable and important, but we too often try to teach things that we should be training.
-- Teaching is the passing on and receiving of information to gain knowledge.
-- Training is the passing on and mastering of skills.
Again, both are important.
But consider the picture above. A man is helping a younger person become a bicycle mechanic.
There are many ways to become a bicycle mechanic. My wife once bought be a book called "Bicycle Maintenance" and it gave instructions on how to fix all sorts of problems that happen with a bicycle. There were even lots of pictures.
Reading a book is one way to learn about fixing my bicycle.
But I never really became a bicycle mechanic - I had a lot of knowledge, but I didn't master the skills. That is because fixing a bicycle is more about learning skills than it is about gaining a bunch of knowledge.
To become a competent bicycle mechanic, what I need to do is spend time with a bicycle mechanic - like the boy in the picture above.
I need to change hundreds of bicycle inner tubes. I need to adjust hundreds of bicycle break problems. I need to take a apart and put back together hundreds of bicycles.
Because the only way to get competent at fixing bikes is to fix lots of bikes.
Some aspects of being a bicycle mechanic are really just about knowledge.
But most of the work of a bicycle mechanic is a skill. And there is really only one way to get competent at a skill.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And it is that way in almost every area of life.
Anything that you do well, you do it well because you have done it a lot. You have mastered a skill.
So now let's step back and look at how we make disciples. Much of what we know to do in order to obey Jesus are actually skills that we have learned. We don't just know about prayer, we have become better at prayer as we have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed.
We don't just know about reading our Bibles. We are a lot better at reading God's word and interacting with it and learning from it now than when we first began.
And with both, there was probably someone who modeled for you what prayer is and how to read your Bible and walked with you until you figured it out.
What are the things that disciples of Jesus do?
I would encourage you to make a list of five to ten things that you wish every member of your church was doing regularly as a disciple of Jesus and then ask yourself, "Has someone trained them to do that?"
I'll give you one example. We all know that as disciples of Jesus we are commanded to tell others about the gospel. One way to do that is to share our personal testimony. Paul did this frequently in the book of Acts. And we should learn to share testimonies of what God has done in our lives as well. The 15 second testimony is one simple way to train others to share their testimony.
Learn How: Share Your 15 Second Testimony
We won't be confident to share what we are not competent to share.
Learn it. Apply it. Share it. Today.
photo credit
You may be wondering, is there a difference?
There is a difference and despite the differences, they are both used powerfully by God to raise up disciples. Both are valuable and important, but we too often try to teach things that we should be training.
-- Teaching is the passing on and receiving of information to gain knowledge.
-- Training is the passing on and mastering of skills.
Again, both are important.
But consider the picture above. A man is helping a younger person become a bicycle mechanic.
There are many ways to become a bicycle mechanic. My wife once bought be a book called "Bicycle Maintenance" and it gave instructions on how to fix all sorts of problems that happen with a bicycle. There were even lots of pictures.
Reading a book is one way to learn about fixing my bicycle.
But I never really became a bicycle mechanic - I had a lot of knowledge, but I didn't master the skills. That is because fixing a bicycle is more about learning skills than it is about gaining a bunch of knowledge.
To become a competent bicycle mechanic, what I need to do is spend time with a bicycle mechanic - like the boy in the picture above.
I need to change hundreds of bicycle inner tubes. I need to adjust hundreds of bicycle break problems. I need to take a apart and put back together hundreds of bicycles.
Because the only way to get competent at fixing bikes is to fix lots of bikes.
Some aspects of being a bicycle mechanic are really just about knowledge.
- What size of tube goes in what type of bike tire?
- Where can I find the parts I need to fix bikes?
- When do I need to replace bearings?
But most of the work of a bicycle mechanic is a skill. And there is really only one way to get competent at a skill.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And it is that way in almost every area of life.
Anything that you do well, you do it well because you have done it a lot. You have mastered a skill.
So now let's step back and look at how we make disciples. Much of what we know to do in order to obey Jesus are actually skills that we have learned. We don't just know about prayer, we have become better at prayer as we have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed.
We don't just know about reading our Bibles. We are a lot better at reading God's word and interacting with it and learning from it now than when we first began.
And with both, there was probably someone who modeled for you what prayer is and how to read your Bible and walked with you until you figured it out.
What are the things that disciples of Jesus do?
I would encourage you to make a list of five to ten things that you wish every member of your church was doing regularly as a disciple of Jesus and then ask yourself, "Has someone trained them to do that?"
I'll give you one example. We all know that as disciples of Jesus we are commanded to tell others about the gospel. One way to do that is to share our personal testimony. Paul did this frequently in the book of Acts. And we should learn to share testimonies of what God has done in our lives as well. The 15 second testimony is one simple way to train others to share their testimony.
Learn How: Share Your 15 Second Testimony
We won't be confident to share what we are not competent to share.
Learn it. Apply it. Share it. Today.
photo credit
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Set aside ten minutes - Hit play - Make it Full Screen - Meditate on Psalm 67
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One of the biggest influences on my heart for the nations and the fulfillment of the great commission has been books. As I first read biographies of missionaries and now more and more often, educational and inspirational non-fiction about missions, books have shaped the way I think about the world, my values, and the place in my heart that missions holds.
And so I'd love to encourage you to consider reading these books to fuel your missions fire. They are not necessarily in any order and aren't in any way thought to be the best seven books - it certainly isn't an exhaustive list.
As always, if you have a book that has been instrumental in growing your heart for the nations and the completion of the great commission, mention it in the comments.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
Jungle Pilot
Author: Russell T. Hitt
Nate Saint was one of the five missionaries killed in Ecuador by the Waodani Indians in 1956. Their story caught the attention of the church and God used their martyrdom to ignite a new passion for frontier missions - it certainly did for me. While Through Gates of Splendor is the most famous of the books on this incident, Jungle Pilot is an inspiring look into the life of Nate Saint and the motivations and love that drove him.
Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret
Author: Dr. Howard Taylor
A missionary biography classic, this book about Hudson Taylor's life looks into a time when missionaries were first pressing into the inlands of places like China, Africa and India. Filled with stories of risk taking obedience to Jesus and great faith, this missionary biography is one everyone should read.
Eternity in Their Hearts
Author: Don Richardson
Don Richardson was a missionary in Indonesia in the 1960s and while there, discovered a principle: God has been preparing the peoples of the world to know him. Through the lens of twenty five uniques stories from all across the globe, Eternity in Their Hearts proves the truth in the words of Ecclesiastes: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Let the Nations Be Glad
Author: John Piper
With deep Biblical insight and reflection, Piper forcefully makes the case that, "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate." This is a great resource for everyone interested in learning more about why we do missions and why it should be in the mind of every follower of Jesus.
In the Gap
Author: David Bryant
In the Gap lays a foundation of understanding for what it means to be a world christian, those who are (in Corrie Ten Boom's phrase) tramps for the Lord who have left their hiding places to roam the Gap with the Savior. They are heaven's expatriates, camping where the Kingdom is best served.
Out of the Comfort Zone
Author: George Verwer
George Verwer is the founder of Operation Mobilization where he now serves as the "Special Projects Dude". This small book has been used to mobilize many to the mission fields of the world. You can even get this book and others free when you email George.
Western Christians in Global Mission
Author: Paul Borthwick
As the state of Christianity increasingly shifts to the global south, our missionary strategies and thinking will need to adapt to new realities. Borthwick presents a thoughtful book to help the church navigate these new realities with honest self reflection and missional determination.
This list of seven books is in no way exhaustive and so I want to encourage you to share the book that has helped you catch the missions vision in the comments below.
*all links to books are affiliate links
And so I'd love to encourage you to consider reading these books to fuel your missions fire. They are not necessarily in any order and aren't in any way thought to be the best seven books - it certainly isn't an exhaustive list.
As always, if you have a book that has been instrumental in growing your heart for the nations and the completion of the great commission, mention it in the comments.
[READ ALL OF THE 7 SERIES BLOG POSTS]
Jungle Pilot
Author: Russell T. Hitt
Nate Saint was one of the five missionaries killed in Ecuador by the Waodani Indians in 1956. Their story caught the attention of the church and God used their martyrdom to ignite a new passion for frontier missions - it certainly did for me. While Through Gates of Splendor is the most famous of the books on this incident, Jungle Pilot is an inspiring look into the life of Nate Saint and the motivations and love that drove him.
Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret
Author: Dr. Howard Taylor
A missionary biography classic, this book about Hudson Taylor's life looks into a time when missionaries were first pressing into the inlands of places like China, Africa and India. Filled with stories of risk taking obedience to Jesus and great faith, this missionary biography is one everyone should read.
Eternity in Their Hearts
Author: Don Richardson
Don Richardson was a missionary in Indonesia in the 1960s and while there, discovered a principle: God has been preparing the peoples of the world to know him. Through the lens of twenty five uniques stories from all across the globe, Eternity in Their Hearts proves the truth in the words of Ecclesiastes: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Let the Nations Be Glad
Author: John Piper
With deep Biblical insight and reflection, Piper forcefully makes the case that, "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate." This is a great resource for everyone interested in learning more about why we do missions and why it should be in the mind of every follower of Jesus.
In the Gap
Author: David Bryant
In the Gap lays a foundation of understanding for what it means to be a world christian, those who are (in Corrie Ten Boom's phrase) tramps for the Lord who have left their hiding places to roam the Gap with the Savior. They are heaven's expatriates, camping where the Kingdom is best served.
Out of the Comfort Zone
Author: George Verwer
George Verwer is the founder of Operation Mobilization where he now serves as the "Special Projects Dude". This small book has been used to mobilize many to the mission fields of the world. You can even get this book and others free when you email George.
Western Christians in Global Mission
Author: Paul Borthwick
As the state of Christianity increasingly shifts to the global south, our missionary strategies and thinking will need to adapt to new realities. Borthwick presents a thoughtful book to help the church navigate these new realities with honest self reflection and missional determination.
This list of seven books is in no way exhaustive and so I want to encourage you to share the book that has helped you catch the missions vision in the comments below.
*all links to books are affiliate links
