Thoughts Along The Journey

Sitting in discussions with our Asia leaders last week, I learned of the obstacles and challenges they each face in ministry to the unreached in that part of the world.  I was also amazed by the number of opportunities they have in front of them to launch new works to new unreached people groups.

Yet, there is a consistent problem these leaders run up against – the lack of resources, primarily people resources. 

If they just had the people, they could extend the reach of their team to a new people group, but they just can’t seem to find or mobilise the people that they need.

Sometimes, in discouragement, we might say that our lack of resources simply indicates that it is not God’s will for us to enter this new people group.  And that could be true.  Sometimes, we might say that the people resources we currently have are all the resources God has given us for the moment and we just have to work with what we have.  And that could be true. 

Sometimes though we might just need to look at the situation with ‘new eyes’.

For one, we might look at our prayer life with ‘new eyes’ and determine that it may need a “refresh”.  Jesus said in an oft quoted text: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  (Matthew 9:3). Two things catch our attention in this passage: that we are called to ‘earnest prayer’; and that the ministry we are seeking to resource is His ministry.  Rather than focusing on what we do not have (workers), we should put our focus back on the God of the harvest whose resources are unlimited.

For another, we might look at our ‘resource poor’ situation with ‘new eyes’ and recognize that we are not alone; we are part of a larger community.  Rather than feeling that we need to find these resources all on our own, we might begin to network with other like-minded WT workers who could come alongside of us in seeking the resources we need to minister to new unreached people groups that God lays on our hearts.

Finally, we might look at our current team situation with ‘new eyes’ and realize that we are actually ‘resource rich’ with current workers and colleagues within WT.  A survey done several years ago demonstrated that the average number of years of ministry on field among all our workers was: 18 years.  That’s a wealth of experience!  And maybe, we might begin to pray and challenge some of our colleagues to consider serving on other teams that are just starting, and bring that experience to this new team

May we earnestly pray the God of the harvest to supply the resources that we need!

Filed under: Collaboration, Community, Mobilization |