Why?
Well, tomorrow night at 10:00 P.M. Abbey and I will be on a plane headed for Indonesia. We're excited on the one hand because it will be our first experience together overseas. On the other hand, it's kind of crazy because we haven't had much time to prepare. Our flights were't even booked until 2 and a half weeks ago, so we weren't even sure if we were going or not. I'm grateful for all the support that has come in so quickly to allow us to go! It is a blessing to have so many people in our lives who believe in what we do and get behind it.
Married life has been wonderful! We are learning more about each other everyday, and it is just so great to always be around your best friend. We have so much fun together. We have been going to the Village Church (www.thevillagechurch.net), and have enjoyed it so so much. The pastor is an excellent teacher, and the people are so real and genuine. We are looking forward to engaging in a home group when we get back and really going deeper with other couples. Our hope is to be able to mobilize other believers around us to have a heart that beats for all peoples to know Christ well. I am amazed at how many believers have no idea what's going on in the world, nor do they pray for them or seek to go to them.
Abbey and I were talking earlier today about how nothing was mentioned in the service this morning about what's going on in Israel and Lebanon and Palestine and North Korea and India and Iraq and Iran and Afghanistan, etc. I rarely hear anyone speak of these things in conversation, and yet these are major issues in the world. I mentioned that it seems to me that people have this general disinterest in what's going on in the world. She corrected me by saying, "Not disinterest, but ignorance." I agreed. I believe there is a general ignorance in the church in America about global issues. I doubt that it's an "America only" type thing, but this is the only place I've lived. I said at a camp this past week that "missions should not be just 'another' ministry of the church, it's the point of the church!" Proclaiming the glorious gospel of the kingdom is what Christ commissioned His Church to do. It's what He told His disciples was necessary before the end would come.
In Matthew 24:14 Jesus says, "And this gospel of the kingdom WILL be preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations (people groups), and THEN the end will come." (emphasis mine) The word "will" indicates a promise. Jesus promises us that the end will not come until the whole world has heard the gospel of the kingdom. Estimates indicate that anywhere from 1.7 to 2.5 billion people have never heard the gospel. They reside in what is known as unreached people groups, of which estimates say there's anywhere from 6500 to 10,000 based on the definition the statisticians definition of a people group. Many of the people groups are in areas like Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, etc. Yet nothing is said.
Why?
Maybe more later.
For His glory and fame among all peoples,
Bryan
Married life has been wonderful! We are learning more about each other everyday, and it is just so great to always be around your best friend. We have so much fun together. We have been going to the Village Church (www.thevillagechurch.net), and have enjoyed it so so much. The pastor is an excellent teacher, and the people are so real and genuine. We are looking forward to engaging in a home group when we get back and really going deeper with other couples. Our hope is to be able to mobilize other believers around us to have a heart that beats for all peoples to know Christ well. I am amazed at how many believers have no idea what's going on in the world, nor do they pray for them or seek to go to them.
Abbey and I were talking earlier today about how nothing was mentioned in the service this morning about what's going on in Israel and Lebanon and Palestine and North Korea and India and Iraq and Iran and Afghanistan, etc. I rarely hear anyone speak of these things in conversation, and yet these are major issues in the world. I mentioned that it seems to me that people have this general disinterest in what's going on in the world. She corrected me by saying, "Not disinterest, but ignorance." I agreed. I believe there is a general ignorance in the church in America about global issues. I doubt that it's an "America only" type thing, but this is the only place I've lived. I said at a camp this past week that "missions should not be just 'another' ministry of the church, it's the point of the church!" Proclaiming the glorious gospel of the kingdom is what Christ commissioned His Church to do. It's what He told His disciples was necessary before the end would come.
In Matthew 24:14 Jesus says, "And this gospel of the kingdom WILL be preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations (people groups), and THEN the end will come." (emphasis mine) The word "will" indicates a promise. Jesus promises us that the end will not come until the whole world has heard the gospel of the kingdom. Estimates indicate that anywhere from 1.7 to 2.5 billion people have never heard the gospel. They reside in what is known as unreached people groups, of which estimates say there's anywhere from 6500 to 10,000 based on the definition the statisticians definition of a people group. Many of the people groups are in areas like Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, etc. Yet nothing is said.
Why?
Maybe more later.
For His glory and fame among all peoples,
Bryan
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