Telling the story

VIDEO: My students in their own words
Click on the photo above to see the video


Yes, I get to work with amazing young leaders like these in the video above. "But I could never do all that missionary support-raising!”, people tell me on a regular basis. Believe it or not I enjoy it. There are so many lovely people with a genuine interest in global Christianity, and as a new missionary appointee I get to talk with lots of them. (Probably a happier thing for extroverts like me than for introverts, I realize.) Some of these people and/or their churches become supporting partners, some don’t. That doesn't bother me. As I see it, my part is to tell the story about global theological education and how I've been called to serve in it, while God’s part is to provide the resources as he chooses. The good news is we're now at 56% of the needed financial support – I'm so excited!

Full disclosure, however: What really gets to me is the uncertainty of not knowing how long this will all take. The most anxiety-provoking question that kind, well-meaning people ask me is “When are you going?” (The answer is “When the support is raised.”) The problem is that I want to CONTROL the process and CONTROL the timing. “Hah!” you may say. This entire process is a spiritual discipline of releasing control and trusting that God’s timing is just right. Arghhhh!! But yeah, I know. It’s good for me.

So I’m relishing the opportunities I have to meet God’s people in so many interesting places, and trying faith-fully to relinquish control over how God’s going to bring this all together. When I’m able to keep that straight it’s actually quite fun. This past weekend I was at First Presbyterian on Hilton Head Island, SC, leading a retreat for sixty lively women on Saturday and sharing some thoughts about the gospel and culture at a mission dinner on Sunday night. Tuesday I found myself having lunch with a group of leaders from a church near Charleston, SC, sitting on our hosts’ cozy screened porch overlooking beautiful salt marshes and live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. (Thank you, new friends at Rockville EPC!) This weekend I’m preaching at a small church near Charlotte, NC. Here’s the upcoming itinerary:

• Sun 18 Sept - Garden Memorial Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC

• Fri-Sat 23-24 Sept - EPC Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic, Virginia Beach, VA

• Sun 25 Sept - Kempsville Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach, VA

• Wed 28 Sept - Galatia Presbyterian Church, Eagle Rock, VA

• Fri-Sat 30 Sept-1 Oct - EPC Presbytery of the Southeast, Dalton, GA

• Tues 4 Oct - Christ Community EPC, Montreat, NC

• Sun 9 Oct - Westminster Presbyterian Church, Burlington, NC

• Wed 12 Oct - Northampton Presbyterian Church, Hampton, VA

• Sun 16 Oct - Englewood Presbyterian Church, Rocky Mount, NC

• Sun 23 Oct - Northminster Presbyterian Church, Madison Heights, VA

• Sat 5 Nov - Hope Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC

• Sun 6 Nov - Peace Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC

Please pray for safe travels. And if I’m going to be somewhere in your vicinity, let’s meet for a Starbucks at some interstate exit!

The goal of all this is to help train emerging church leaders in the developing world. As I think you know by now, in my new role as international Theological Education Specialist for Serge – in partnership with EPC World Outreach and based in Dublin, Ireland – I get to serve the Kingdom of God by teaching in theological institutions alongside Serge's church-planting efforts in Africa, Asia and post-Christian Europe. I’ll help Serge develop and strengthen partnerships in theological education. I hope also to equip others to participate in theological training in cross-cultural settings. But rather than me telling you why this is so important, I thought you might enjoying hearing some of my former African students tell the story in the video above. (Next month I'll let you meet some of my students in India.)

If you feel the Lord prompting you to become a partner with me in global theological education, now would be a great time to let me know. Thanks! You can give here to Serge or here to EPC World Outreach. Otherwise, please pray that the Lord provides everything needed for this ministry to go forward. And pray that I have the patience to trust him and to trust his timing – which seriously, may be the bigger miracle...