Isaiah 6:8
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” and I said, “Here am I. Send me!” “ – Isa. 6:8
I remember hearing missionaries speaking when I was younger. I was always entrhralled by their presentations, preaching, and testimonies, and I loved watching their colorful slides, shown in darkened halls, using Kodak slide projectors. I loved it all, and I wanted to go. I wanted God to use me. It was challenging for a long time for to me to “stay” and not go, but I was young and needed more training in life, experience and ministry.
During the early years of ministry, I served as a pastor for 16 years. It was joyful season of life, and I loved and bonded deeply with the people in our congregation (many of whom I have had a lifetime of relationship), but there was always a sense that I was called to serve cross-culturally. When I resigned to take a position in Asia, I thought I would die. I loved the church and the people so much, but my wife and I and our family were being transitioned to go. We made our move to live in SE Asia, and during the next years we spent a cumulative total of 14 years of living in Asia. Our lives have been made rich with the honor of serving God cross-culturally.
It was evident that God had instilled in my heart a love for nations, ethnicities, and people, with the hope that they would hear the gospel and receive salvation, and I found an affinity to develop relationships with people from foreign cultures. My consistent passion has been to strengthen pastors, leaders and churches, and when I began to to serve in teaching and preaching on the mission field, I felt like God made me the richest man in the world. I want to do more. I’ve found my heart bonding with people, which has been especially strong with our home churches where we’ve lived, in Asian nations.
Sent by God, Sent by the church, Sustained in faith and prayer.
In Acts 13, we find the church in Antioch praying for the gospel to spread, and as a result they sent Barnabus and Paul to share the gospel in Asia Minor. (Acts 13:3). In this we see that Paul and Barnabus were “sent” with a biblical model of sustaining prayer, and after their missionary journeys the church was eager to hear the news of how the gospel spread through the reports of Paul. This beginning of missions in the church remains to be a model of sending workers to the field.
Phineas Bressee (1838-1915) founder of the Church of the Nazarene, taught that the gospel should reach the marginalized and those who have never heard. His quote, “We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it,” has affected me deeply.
We continue to ask God for partners and churches to help us in the work of missions – those who will pray, support and send … To send us, to send our co-workers, to help us send funds and resources to further the work of God’s kingdom in Asia (and wherever God will direct us.) Thanks for sending the efforts of our ministry to Asia.
Please contact us for updates and reports. info1@intlmissions.org
