Sunday, August 26, 2007

Native missionary pastors…

I have an incredible (and true) testimony/story to share – but I want to give some background first…

If you haven’t heard of Gospel for Asia or Gospelink – you need to order the free book: Revolution in World Missions. If possible, I would recommend you consider giving a few dollar donation to cover the cost of the book and shipping – but, whether or not you are able to give anything - I encourage you to get the book!

One thing I will mention: I believe the book leans towards not sending any American's out as missionaries but, instead, using that money to sponsor local missionaries in other countries. I can definitely see the incredible logic in that thought as the average American family costs $3,000+ to keep on the field per month while the average local pastor in Africa or Asia often requires only about $100 month for full support. If you do the math that translates to 30 native pastors (who already know the language) vs. one American family. However, I know that when God calls, a person should respond! Perhaps they are called to the field as a Hudson Taylor (to live as the locals in an inexpensive way), but, when He calls, anyone should answer.
Gospel for Asia and Gospelink both allow you to support local pastors that are already on the mission field and that already know the local language. Gospel for Asia works only in India. You are only able to sponsor up to 1/3rd of a missionary (I think it is about $30 or so per month) and you get a report every six months or a year.

Gospelink allows you to sponsor in a variety of countries (Africa and now Asia) and you can partially or fully sponsor a local missionary pastor (full sponsorship is $110 per month). What I really love about Gospelink is that you can personally correspond with your pastor – in fact, they encourage you to do so! In addition, every three months, you will receive a personal letter from your pastor outlining their ministry, how many people they led to the Lord as a result of your support (often an incredible number!), and many times photos will be included.

If you are not already sponsoring a native missionary pastor in a foreign country, I strongly recommend you do so. $110 a month may sound like a lot, but think about that money: it will, in essence, put a full-time missionary onto the field!

The reason I share all this? I have a sister in the Lord that shared a report with me that she had received from the pastor that she fully sponsors. I have transcribed a portion of it below.

(this pastor personally led 19 people to the Lord during the 3-month period that he was reporting about)
“About the preaching of the word and the winning of souls for Christ. God helped me very much.

“I planned to go for door to door evangelism campaign. Before that I sat for two days of prayers, over that programme. After prayers, I started the work. The first day I visited nine houses and three persons were converted, one repented. The second day I found a man and his wife, and his sister-in-law with her two children.

“They welcomed me and gave me a chair. I introduced my subject telling them that I wanted to share with them the word of God. The woman asked me “Which God do you want to talk about?” I answered that it is God the Creator, the One Who sent Jesus Christ His Son to become the Saviour of the world. She said that, “Us, we do not worship Jesus Christ. We worship God in the name of Kimbangu a great prophet.” I told her that this Kimbangu got his power from Jesus Christ, but you have turned the story and started to worship him as God. The Bible says there is no other name on earth which is above Jesus’ name. Then I told them to believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God to be saved. They said “We will not believe because Jesus you are talking about did nothing for us.” I told them that Jesus did a big work at the cross, He came to die for us and God woke him mightily from the dead that is why He is preached everywhere in the world. He resurrected and appeared to people with the power of fire from the Lord, and now He is at the right hand of God. But Kimbangu is still in the tomb waiting for the day of judgment. I continued telling them to believe in Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life. They said “Not now can we believe, he is a man who was born like any person was born.” Finally they told me to leave and come back another day.

“After three days I fasted and pray for them, then I went to meet them again and found them all three. They welcomed me and presented me a chair. I asked them “Brothers, what do you think about the subject we discussed last week with you about Jesus?” One said that we have nothing to think about Jesus, nevertheless what we want to tell you is that you also, you believe in the name of Kibangu, you will live well and be rich. I stood and said the Word from the Bible, in the book of the prophet Jeremiah: “Cursed is a man who trust in man, who make a man become his hand and in his heart he forget God” (Jeremiah 17:5)

“Then I told them that the day Jesus was being baptized the voice came from heaven saying “This is my beloved Son, in Who I am well pleased” – God did not say about Kimbangu that He was His son, he did neither say it about Mohamed neither Kadima, nor to anybody in this world, but God’s voice spoke about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Whoever believes in Him should be have eternal life. If you believe in Jesus you become the beloved one of God. And those who have believed in Jesus have been set children of God. They now believed in Jesus Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour! This happened in Kikala Wamba area, Kamibanga quarter, Kampemba township.”
I added the emphasis throughout the report...

What a blessing to hear of this man of God: he first spent several days in prayer before going out door-to-door. Then, after a visit, he spent several more days fasting and praying for a particular family before he revisited them. Sometimes, here in America, we think that hearts are hard (and, truly, especially because of riches, they are) but that in Africa hearts are open (and, truly, especially because of poverty, they are), but look at the time spent wrestling against principalities and powers! Perhaps we would see more fruit here in America if we invested that much time in prayer and fasting for the souls of those that are around us!

You may not feel led to begin sponsoring a native missionary pastor right now, but, at least, I ask that you order the free book and read it. You will be challenged and encouraged!

Next I hopeto share some of the testimonies from the County Fair...

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