India and Vermont

I had the incredible opportunity to go to India this month with two good friends and my dad to encourage and equip seminary students and pastors from all over the country. The stories of the faithfulness of God in their personal testimonies and in His working through their ministries were both encouraging and faith-building.

I've heard that a few people who know of God's call on our lives to Vermont have asked, "Why India? How does this fit into the larger calling to Vermont?"

Those are really great questions. To answer these and other possible questions, I've created and answered the "Potentially Asked Questions" below. I hope they help explain our heart and vision for making disciples in Vermont and among the nations. If you have a question that I've not addressed here, please let me know!

Why India?
If we’ve ever shared our story with you, you know that God has given Kayla and I a desire to proclaim Christ and make disciples where people are unreached with the gospel. You’ve also heard us say that we believe in partnering with and training indigenous missionaries to reach their own people where indigenous believers exist.

Consider the following:

• There are over 1.2 billion people in India, comprised of 2,600 people/ethnic groups, almost 2,400 of which are unreached with the gospel (2% or less evangelical and less that 5% Christian adherents)
• 1,795 of these people groups (over 279 million people) in India are completely UNENGAGED with the gospel (no church planting movement planned, no missionary, no commitment to working in their language or culture)
• 27,000 Indians die every single day, the vast majority of which do not know Jesus Christ, and He shed His blood so that they might worship Him.

For these reasons, the Lord has laid India on our hearts for many years now. I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to train and encourage indigenous pastors and students to challenge and encourage them as they hold their ground on the front lines of the battle for souls among the unreached of India.

How does this fit into the larger calling to Vermont?
While God has made clear that, in this season, He is calling us to the unreached of Vermont and New England, any ministry that I’m given the privilege to lead will have a heart for making disciples of ALL nations because God’s heart is for all people.

My desire is to establish longterm international partnerships for the church in Brattleboro that will serve one of two functions:

• Disciple those who are THERE: Provide opportunity for leaders and teachers in our church plant in Vermont to go to other countries train, encourage, and equip indigenous peoples to reach their nations with the gospel of Christ
• Disciple those who GO: provide opportunity for lay people within the Vermont church plant to serve in a foreign context, helping them to acquire God’s heart for all peoples as they serve alongside ministries that are making disciples of peoples from other nations.

Though this trip accomplished the function of training indigenous missionaries, it also served as a foundational vision trip for developing relationships that I believe could be used of the Lord to accomplish both desired functions of our international partnerships in the future.

My dream has long been for those who are currently far from God in Vermont to be so gripped by Jesus that they go with me to take His gospel to the ends of the earth. This is one of the first steps to realizing that vision.

Were any funds that were raised specifically for Vermont used for the India trip?
No. God graciously provided for the trip to India apart from funds previously given to provide for our family and for the church plant in Brattleboro.

I get the need in India. Why include details of the India trip in your VERMONT partnership update?
Aside from it giving me the opportunity to explain that the church in Vermont will have a passion for reaching the nations, the Lord has given us a prayer team that now consists of over 150 people. We desperately needed people praying for us and the pastors and students there so that the week we spent in India would have drastic implications for the advancement of the Kingdom of God in India for years to come. We view you as our partners in ministry, not just for Vermont, but for whatever Jesus calls us to, so we wanted to have you praying for us and with us as we went!

I praise God for what He’s doing in India, I’m grateful for the opportunity to play a very small part, and I look forward, Lord-willing, to the church in Brattleboro partnering with believers there for years to come!

8 Simple Ways to Be Missional (from Verge Network)

Here is a really simple yet challenging post from the Verge Network on living intentionally in the places where God has you for the sake of the gospel. The Lord has been working this into the hearts of the people of City Church in Kennesaw, and viewing all of life as mission and as opportunity for discipleship will be part of the fabric of the church in Brattleboro. Take a minute to read this practical post, and let it serve you in equipping you to be a better missionary servant in your community.

http://www.vergenetwork.org/2011/06/08/8-easy-ways-to-easily-be-missional/ 

Everyday Opportunities for Discipleship

A book I'm reading right now just posed this question:

    "What little things do you do all the time that can become missional?"

One of the goals of the CityGroup that Kayla and I help lead is to challenge each other to live as a family of missionary servants. Our goal is not to add activities to our schedules, but to see us take the things we already do and let them serve our mission of making disciples in the places God has placed us.

Right before Kayla and I made dinner tonight, I got a call from our neighbor, Nick, who wanted to check in on us and see what we were doing.  I told him we were about to make dinner and then I was going to try to catch some of my brother-in-law's football game.  He said "Okay, have a good night," and I hung up.  When I told Kayla about our conversation, she said "Why don't you invite him to come eat with us?"

So simple.  Here was a perfect opportunity to take everyday life and use it for the sake of the gospel.  The ugly truth was that I didn't want to.  I wanted to enjoy a dinner with my family.  By myself.  We had already started to make dinner.  I had shared with Nick before, and didn't seem to get anywhere.  The excuses (lies from the enemy) were rushing through my head. But the more Kayla and I talked, I knew it was of the Lord.  I called Nick and asked him to come, and he was at our door almost immediately.

We had a great time eating and hanging out, and ultimately God opened the door for us to talk through the Creation narrative and read about the Fall of man into sin in Genesis 3.  We got to talk about God sending Jesus to bear the sins of the world so that we might be saved through Him.  He said that he had heard of Jesus coming to die for us, but he had never heard the story of Creation or the story of Adam and Eve.

Nick didn't respond to the gospel tonight, but seeds were planted.  Seeds were planted that would have never been planted if Kayla didn't think to take a little thing and turn it into an opportunity for mission. It wasn't the easiest or most comfortable option.  It didn't seem convenient. But it ended up being for our joy, and Lord-willing, will lead to Nick finding life and hope in Jesus. Please join us in praying for Nick, and join us in praying that God would open all of our eyes to using the little, normal parts of our days into opportunities to make disciples of Jesus.

     "What little things do you do all the time that can become missional?" What keeps you from turning those things into opportunities to make disciples?