My wife & I just got off the plane with a team here in Ghana, West Africa. I remember in 1985, while preaching for a Tongan congregation in Seaside, California, when God spoke to me about Mission's travel.
As a child, my parents fought often. Prior to their divorce, we would spend countless nights in motels and relatives homes. My mom would take us to a local airport and we would watch the planes touch and go. Airports represented peace and tranquility for me. That day in 1985, I heard a loud plane engine in the valley. It caught my attention; and I watched that plane take off. The Lord spoke and said, "the very tool that I have used to bring peace and tranquility will also take you to many places around the world." There were days when I couldn't wait to travel.
As a husband and father, traveling is tough; but I know that I'm a man on a mission! My friend here in Ghana is building a 10,000 seat auditorium. He has planted about 20 churches. He, too, is a world traveler and has written many books. He comes to our church each year; and our families are very close.
What are the benefits of "thinking outside the box"? First, "Divine Connections" are awaiting you somewhere. You are the solution to someone's problem! Second, your family and church need to think beyond themselves. People everywhere in the world live with so much less than we do. For example, here in Ghana, the average household income is under $400 per month. Third, it's eye opening when you see the view most of the world has toward us (Americans). Often, they see us as arrogant "know it alls". I've discovered that some of the brightest people in the world are outside the U.S. We have so much to learn from them.
What's your mission? How are you reaching beyond your local church? What connections do you have beyond the norm? Are you on a mission?
Jeff, first of all, i hope you and your wife enjoy the Mission you are on. It is awesome to do a Mission with our spouse.
ReplyDeleteWe should continually be challenged to reach outside our local sphere of ministry to touch the lives of people outside our "WORLD". We can become very comfortable and really close our eyes to the outside world if we are not proactive.
For me, my first Mission in the local community, Rolla. OUr next Mission beyond that is planting video venue churches in our surrounding communities within our state. Our first one is set to launch in January 2010 in St. Robert, MO.
We made a God connection a couple of years back with a ministry to bring reconciliation & economic development to Rwanda through coffee farming. Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee (www.landof1000hills.com)and director, Robert Crowe, has been a God connection. We have parterned with them for the restoral of Rwanda after over 1 million people were brutally murdered and Genocide took place several years ago.
i love God connections and looking forward to the opportunity to travel to Rwanda within the next year.
This is an area I must admit I fall short. I have never traveled outside the U.S. other than on a cruise ship. I desire to take a missions trip for many reasons. I feel some of these connections here at the npn will maybe help facilitate that. I tell our people about the world around us but probably not enough. I had a pastor from Kenya minister last onth and Karl Hargestom is ministering next month. I am hoping it will light a fire under our church as to the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteJEFF & EDDIE, thanks for challenging me and reminding me of the bigger picture.
Love you guys!
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteGodspeed on your trip to Ghana. I traveled outside the U.S. for the first time in 2004 and have since been privileged to visit 6 different nations. The first trip changed my life and I am forever ruined. The perspective it gives a person of the Kingdom of God and how He is at work globally is one that changes (or should change) the way we do church on a local level. Mission is the heartbeat of God and thriving churches figured this out a long time ago.