Well...I put two of my most valuable treasures on a plane today. Jennifer and Haley are headed to Alaska! It's hard to describe the emotions I'm experiencing. It's the first time we have sent a team to Alaska that I wasn't leading. All I can say is that my heart is in two places.
Over the last few years we have seen the missions activity of our church body increase greatly. Participation in missions has increased as well. Year after year I have witnessed God give our church family a heart for a particular people group. It's exciting to be a part of a "sending" church. The fact is that we do not "send out" missionaries but we actually send out ourself! Pioneer Baptist Church is actually going to be in Alaska and Virginia at the same time (we are also in an undisclosed location as well). It's absolutely mind-blowing to see what God will allow you to join Him in when you are looking.
For those of you who may not know a whole lot about PBC let me explain. We aren't a big church body. Before summer hit we were probably seeing about 250 people (on average) attend our Sunday morning Worship/Celebration. We don't have a huge budget and we don't live in some Metropolitan area. Nope...here we are in Southwest Virginia...Wythe County...Max Meadows. Yet God has chosen to use us!!!
I don't share these things so anyone will pat us on the back. The reason I share this information with you is to let you know that the work of missions is done by those who have a willing heart. Anyone who wishes to join God in what He is doing in the world has been invited. He is more than ready to equip, provide, and place you among His activity.
As I'm thinking about missions today allow me to share with you from Jerry Rankin's book "To The Ends of the Earth":
"As more and more people responded and began to share their faith, the missionary said he couldn't really tell if they were farmers doing evangelism or evangelists supporting themselves by farming!"
Rankin was simply writing about those who served as agricultural missionaries in a certain part of the world. The point being that once the work of sharing the gospel began, the lines became blurred. Is there anybody reading this today who would love to see some lines blurred? Are you ready to be wrecked for everything except the glory of God?
It's amazing what happens when God gives you a heart for a people group that is not your own. After a while you don't even notice the difference in culture, skin color, etc. I pray that all walls will be broken down for our Youth Alaska Team as they join God on the ground. I also pray that God will give them a heart for this wonderful people.
"Tell them I love them!"
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