Man, 3 weeks!
Can I just say what a blessing it is that you’ve taken the time to come and see what God is doing in my life. I can’t tell you how much it means to me. Jesus has been showing me so much, and I can’t wait to see what’s next—thank you for being His hands and feet in my life. It honestly just kinda blows my mind that the Lord wants to use me to bring honor and glory to His name. Wow, thank You Jesus!
Hungarian Schooling
Our class sessions have been amazing. We were able to have Phil Metzger as one of our teachers this past week. The reason this was so special is because he and his wife were missionaries for 20 years in Eastern Europe. They have firsthand experience with taking the Gospel to the nations. Hearing those experiences is an absolute treasure for someone seeking to do the same. I think one of the things the Lord was really revealing to me was that I’m not called to make disciples of my culture. As an ambassador of Jesus, I am called to meet other people where they are at, and to be Jesus’ hands and feet in their lives. When I understand their culture better I can know how to properly bring the Gospel. If I don’t, I may hurt my opportunity to make the Gospel known there. Friday’s class played a huge role in all of this as well because Pastors Joel and Mike from SGWM spoke on true worship. The Lord used this to remind me that my purpose and motivation for all that I do is to be done out of love for Jesus—to worship Him! You guys, we get to worship the one true living God!
No Time to Be Picky
The outreaches I helped with this week were a little different than most we’ve had so far. Ultimately, plans in ministry are subject to change. Chuck Smith used to say something along the lines of, “blessed are the flexible for they will not be broken.” We got to experience this firsthand with our outreach on Saturday. Even though things looked different than we thought, the Lord had a sweet plan where He gave us the opportunity to do some physical labor to help out. In that, we were able to get to spend time with and enjoy our brothers and sisters there. Originally, we had planned to go and serve through teaching and kids ministry, but that wasn’t the need. We got to get our hands dirty instead.
Running a church is hard work (not that I know from firsthand experience). When a ministry or new work is being started with a set amount of people it’s a huge blessing to have an infusion of 10 plus workers into your crew for a day. It was a blessing to be able to go and serve and love on these sweet people. Being able to share, between both of our groups how God has changed our lives. I’m thankful that the Lord used us to refresh His people. One of my favorite moments was being able to sit around with everyone and listen to Pilar, the wife of the associate pastor at that local Calvary, share her testimony. It’s an amazing thing when someone sits down with you, a group nonetheless, and shares all that God has done for them.
So many things can distract us and act as obstacles in our path. Maybe things don’t go as we’d planned, but God is so good, and we get the opportunity to go and be His hands and feet wherever He takes us. Wherever you’re at, be encouraged. Remember that the Lord is with you, He loves you, and that you, like us, have an opportunity to not only make Jesus known, but to encourage the believers around you by serving and loving them like Jesus.
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” -Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV)
How To Get Involved
God has been doing a lot, and maybe you’ve been wondering, Jordon, why are you doing this school of missions? Well, I feel the Lord has laid on my heart to go and do missions. To take the Gospel to the nations (Matt. 28:18-20), and to do so wherever He leads. All I know right now is that this is a time of preparation, and as the Lord reveals what the next step is I want to be ready to respond in obedience to what He’s calling me to do. The Lord is growing my heart more and more for church planting, and flowing out of a church plant a school of ministry where locals in an area can come and be trained up in the Word of God. Then they would be able to be sent out to areas where they can far more effectively reach their people than I ever could. That heart is something that the Lord began to grow in me starting with my first semester of school at CCBC in 2014. If you feel led to give, there will be needs as time continues to go on. Needs for plane tickets, housing, and things like that. For going on scouting trips and then, of course, the actual going. If the Lord is stirring in your heart to be a part of what He’s doing and what He will do then there’s a link below to give. As we continue to do food relief and outreaches there will continue to be opportunity to bless those communities we visit with food and other things that they might need. If you have a heart to add to the blessings in these outreaches, then you are more than welcome to do that as well. With that in mind, our greatest need is prayer, so if you would please continue to pray:
- For continued wisdom and discernment as we go out
- For boldness to share the Gospel
- For me (and all of us) to be completely yielded to the Spirit in all I (we) do
- For provision for everything that is needed upon going back home
- For me to serve and place the needs of others above myself
- For health, safety, and protection for the team and I
- For continued leading and direction for where the Lord is leading me
- That we would continue to come alongside and support the church plants we are helping and be a blessing to them
- That we would all walk in unity
- That above all, the Lord’s will would be done
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)
With love, in Christ,
-Jordon
One reply on “Pressing On”
“I’m not called to make disciples of my culture”
BOOM.
So good! Love that reality. Great update.