Three Things Needed

As this month long mission trip draws to a close, I am in awe of the challenge of lighting a match in a dark place. This land (SE Asia) is vast in scope and it is heavily populated. The penetration of the Gospel to this point has been limited (usually less than 1% of the population). The task before us immense.

But I did not come to this land to see the magnitude of the task and then run back home to forget of the challenges here. No challenge is too great for God. He can empower us to overcome the obstacles on every side.

My theme for this trip / blog has been "a match in a dark place". It takes three things for fire to thrive: fuel, oxygen and a spark.

As I have talked with church leaders in the field here, they suggest three factors that have proven effective in spreading the Gospel in the past:

1) Christian education

2) Medical missionary work

3) Church planters / Bible work

One day we drove across a vast land here, and a pastor traveling with us said, do you realize that for the last 4 hours of our travel, there is not a single Christian church? Not. One. Church.

No groups of people learning about Jesus. No Bibles. No hymns. No young people with clean faces learning to love Jesus in a Christian school. Nothing. For hour after hour after hour after hour of driving at hiway speeds.

At every house there is a spirit house with offerings to idols. On every high place of the land a golden spire rises to the sun. Along every road walks the saffron robed monks. In every village a large Buddhist temple is prominent and lavishly adorned. Idols are literally everywhere, and people are bowing and praying to them. Spirit manifestations are real here. We have felt them here. This is Satans territory, but we need a match!

I have a dream. I dream of a Christian school in every city, town and village across this great land.

I have a dream. I dream of a medical missionary worker who gives God the credit for the miraculous healing that takes place under the inspiration of God in working with the sick that are everywhere here.

I have a dream. I dream of a Bible worker / church planter in every village. 

I don't think everyone in Asia will convert to Christianity. But the Gospel commission demands they have the option of knowing of and perhaps choosing Christ. Presently generations are born, live hard lives of hunger, toil and disease, and die never knowing the name of Jssus.

Now our task is to pray, promote, educate, invest and serve that these three elements might spread. May it spread like wildfire.

Pray with us for a spark.