Today, the team and I went into another state that was about 2 hours away to do some ministry. We entered into a school that was started by the ministry that we are working with here. It was good to see how a school can be an open door for the love of God to be shared. Since education is highly regarded in India, they are using this avenue to make an impact in the villages. It was exciting to see many Muslims and people from Hindu background attending this school. What was more amazing was the fact that many of these children were singing Christian songs and even hearing Bible stories. At first I thought it was very subversive and misleading for the families of the Muslim and Hindu background, but they told me that everyone knows and understands it is a Christian school and that the students were going to be taught Christian things. This really captured my attention. I was reminded once again how important the avenue of education is in some parts of the world and it is a great tool for evangelism. In fact, the Word of God is being planted in these children and some day it will take fruit and bring forth transformation. As the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 55:11, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
We then went to a church planters gathering to minister with God’s Word. We also spent some time in prayer for the leaders. It was humbling to see people who are on the frontlines risking their lives to proclaim the Gospel. I had a message that I was going to share with them but as we were singing some songs, the Lord prompted me to preach a different message. As I shared God’s Word, I realized how many of them were in need of encouragement. They needed to be reminded of the fact that God uses “unschooled, ordinary men” (Ac 4:13) to accomplish His will. When people are anointed with His Spirit, they are able to be courageous and lay down their lives for the Gospel.
The need here is very great. There are hundreds and thousands of villages which have yet to hear the Gospel. Many people in these villages are trapped in a religion that constantly puts them in bondage – bondage to fear and bondage of “good works” to earn salvation. The verse in Matthew 9:37-38 came to my mind – “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” All we can do (right now) is pray and ask God to send more workers.
Continue to pray for us. Here are some prayer requests:
1) Pray for God’s anointing as we will be visiting more villages in the next couple of days. There is strong opposition to the Gospel by radical Hindus and Muslims in some of these areas. We need God’s protection.
2) We will also be ministering for Sunday Celebration here at the Bible College. Pray that God will use us to encourage the faculty and students.
3) Some of us have been getting sick, but nothing that is serious. It has been more in the ballpark of cold symptoms and the stomach flu.