Prayer for the Africa Crew: Week 4 - 8/3 - 8/9/14

Preparing to Depart!

The time has finally come for our Africa Crew: Sheri, Enrique and Cecil, to depart from Mesquite and journey to Mozambique! Let us be in one accord in our payer as our dear brothers and sister make the long trip and adjust to the time change, possible jet lag and new surroundings. Please also join us in prayer for the Crew's family members and friends, as they also sacrifice for their loved ones' callings.  Let us also lift up Stephanie as she prepares for their arrival. May our Lord protect them in their travels and bless the work ahead! 

Africa Prayer Calendar: Week 4

Excerpts are taken from Neal Pirolo’s book “Serving As Senders Today.”

“That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.”

Colossians 1:10

Phillips’ translation puts it, “That your outward lives which men see may bring credit to your Master’s Name.” Watchman Nee said, “If you want to be a missionary to China, plan on wearing a ‘learner’s permit’ around your neck for the first ten years!” Due to diverse cultural distinctives and your cross-cultural worker’s lack of ability to communicate deeply, it is often the love of Christ working through his lifestyle that gives the Gospel message.

Another perspective, of course, is that “What your are doing speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you are saying!” When your worker’s actions differ from his words, it will be his actions that the people among whom he ministers will believe.

The enemies of the cross gave the name “Christian” (little Christ) to the believers in Antioch (Acts 11:26). It was a dirty word then, but since the followers of the Way were living epistles, known and read by all men (2 Corinthians 3:2), they were easily identifiable. Are we so easy to identify?

A team of college students walked into a remote village in Central America where there were no Christians. Their job was to paint a school building a previous team had built. They were excited to share the Lord, so the weight of their luggage and equipment seemed light.

As they entered the square, they were met by the village captain. He told them his people had heard all they needed to about ‘this Man, Jesus’ from the last team. “We don’t want to hear another word you might have to say. Just paint our school building as you said you would. We will watch you. When you have finished, we will let you know if we want your Jesus.”

The team knew their outward lives would be living epistles, “the Work written on fleshly tablets of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). All they believed about the Word was put to the test in that village.

Those students “walked worthy of the Lord”; when they were ready to leave, ten people including the village captain trusted in Christ as their Savior!