Time Is Short

Hello all!

I officially have one week left here in South Asia. As we say in the trainings here, “Go and make disciples because… time is short.” It’s true. Our time here on earth is but a blimp in the grand scheme of eternity, and while it sometimes feels quite the contrary, it sometimes feels just like that: short, fleeting, gone.

Speaking of trainings, I suppose it’s time I finally share a little more about them! D and A are here in South Asia to make fully devoted followers of Jesus. To give you a little taste of what they’re working with, in their state alone, an average of 600 people die everyday. Of those 600, 5 at most are believers. The rest, doomed to eternal destruction – many having never heard the Gospel. Part of the reason this is the case is due to the lack of discipleship among those who are believers. Again, to reference part of the training, many are only adhering to one side of “the coin” of Jesus’ call to follow Him and become fishers of men; many are following, but not many are fishing. If D and A can help disciple and train believers to fish for men, there will be multiplication of those who enter the Kingdom of God and not just additions.

So… what do these trainings look like?

Typically, these trainings happen in small churches or in the home of a pastor. We begin with prayer and worship, and then jump right into training. In the first meeting, we share God’s vision based off of Revelation 7:9-10, teach how to enter “new fields” or places where the Gospel has not been, teach how to go out 2×2 as seen in Luke 10:1-10, and then practice sharing the Gospel and personal testimonies. Between most sections, we have them split up into pairs to practice with one another. After walking through all of this, we have them set goals: how many new places will they enter, how many people will they share with, and how many other believers will they train. At the end, we pray over them and commission them out.

After the initial meeting, each training includes a large amount of time for review and accountability. The rest of the time is spent teaching something new, such as what a healthy church looks like according to Acts, or how to read the bible.

I must say, one of the biggest blessings AND challenges of these trainings for Lacey and I was teaching and urging brothers and sisters here to share the Gospel and make disciples. Every time we heard reports during accountability time, it encouraged my heart almost to the point of tears and at the same time, forced me to ask myself: am I being faithful to do the very thing I’m telling them to go do? The stakes are much lower for me, and yet, at home, I still manage to find excuses to not share and to not go outside my comfort zone.

Revelation 7:9-10 describes “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”

Our gracious and merciful Father is sure to accomplish this vision. He can and will do so with or without us but He invites us to partner with Him. Oh Church, it is such an honor and privilege – a blessing, indeed – to partner with Him. But will we? Will you?

Jesus commands us and those perishing in hell cry out to us: Go and tell and teach. May we heed the call and their cries because time is short!

Please continue to pray that the Lord would lead us to people of peace. Pray that Lacey and I would make the most of our last week here and continue to be bold! D, A, Lacey and myself are heading to a city nearby tomorrow to go out 2×2, and Lacey and I are going out this evening, so you can pray for those outings. And lastly, pray that D and A would have good follow up with many of those we’ve shared with.

May the Lord bless and keep each one of you!

Marylou