The Greatest Distance

Three more teams have returned from the mission field!  Using their Spring Break to bring the Gospel to the nations, we have heard some amazing reports.  All three teams were in Guatemala, but they were in 3 different locations.  One team was in the north, near the Mexican border, one was in a village, and one was in a small city.

The teams reached out to people through evangelism, a VBS for kids, food distribution, and prayer ministry.  Ranging in age from 12 years old, to 72 years young, the missionaries on these teams did an amazing job.

I have heard it said that the greatest distance is from the head to the heart—many Christians understand what they are hearing in church, or studying God’s Word on their own, yet they do not truly believe it or make it a part of their lives.  I would take it further, saying that the greatest distance is from the heart to the feet—I find it hard to believe that true Christians want people to end up in hell, or live on this earth in abject poverty.  I think we all want to see people come into God’s Kingdom—but thinking about it, and believing it, do not make it happen.  We have to go.  Go into people’s lives.  Go into their world.  Go where the need is the greatest.  It is our feet that take us there.  Paul wrote in Romans 10:14-15,

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:  “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Nothing brings the Bible more alive than when you are engaged in ministry, outreach and evangelism—especially on the foreign mission field.  When I have the opportunity to stand in a village and speak to someone who has never heard of Jesus, I often think about verses like this one.  If we don’t go, they don’t hear.  We must go.

Pray for Global Infusion this month, as we are getting ready to launch TEN mission teams in the month of May.  Many are going, so many will hear.  Prayerfully consider donating to GI as well —with more funds, we can reach more people with the Gospel, feed more families, help more who are sick, and see more lives eternally changed.  donate now

Everest

I have returned from the country of Nepal with a Global Infusion mission team that experienced tremendous challenges on every front:  spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.  Our mission was to trek to Mt. Everest’s Base Camp (at almost 18,000 ft).  An 80-mile round-trip trek, that winds through both the lush and barren lands of the Himalayas.  With many unreached villages along the way, our contact and his lead Pastor for their area has asked to both evangelize, and facilitate medical camps.  The good news, is that that we did indeed reach the unreached.  There are no churches in any of these areas, with the exception of the church-plants initiated by our contact.  Most are still in the very early stages of growth, including the only “church” we were able to conduct a service at, which had 5 believers.  

It is amazing how the Bible comes alive on a mission trip.  Praying that no weapon formed against you will prosper takes on a entirely different meaning when you are in an area saturated by mind-numbing Buddhist incantations, and Hindu’s deceased body-burning sacrifices to the destroyer god, Shiva.  Or when a team member prays for a blind lady in a medical camp your team is facilitating, and she begins to say, “I see light, I see light!” - then goes and tells other people outside and in her village about what Jesus has done.  Praying for physical protection is important every day, but it seems to be more important to you when you are edging around the ridge of an icy mountain, or walking across a suspension bridge hundreds of feet above rushing water, or navigating your way through jagged rock areas and watching an avalanche descend rapidly on a nearby mountain. 

The physical aspects of this trip were tremendously difficult.  Though most of the team trained for this trip as much as possible, and took all advice given to us by our Sherpa (who is also the regional Pastor), trekking through high altitudes caused our team members to experience pounding headaches, nausea, acute mountain sickness, weight loss, dehydration, extreme muscle fatigue, light-headedness, and much more.  Yet through it all, God was faithful, and we sustained no long-term sicknesses, diseases, or injuries.  The lost were reached.  The sick were healed.  And I strongly believe that we have opened a spiritual door that no man can shut.  God is moving among the nations, and most definitely in Nepal.  Thank you to all of you who supported us financially or in prayer—we needed both.  With over 20 more mission teams scheduled to be sent out in 2013, one more will be returning to Nepal, and we are excited to see what God does.

The War

We are in a war, a spiritual war.  I regularly try to remind myself of this fact every day.  It does not take very long for things to happen during any given day to make me realize that we  really do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness (Eph. 6:12).

The one major difference between this spiritual war that we are engaged in, and every other war that has ever transpired, is that we know the outcome.  Jesus Christ has conquered death, hell and the grave.  Wars, however, are not a single battle, but a series of battles.  This is why we, as Christians, must take up our cross daily.  This is why we must fight for the Kingdom daily.  While the war will ultimately be won by Christ and His followers, there is a battle today that we must engage in.

Revelation 12:11 gives us incredible insight and wisdom on how to win these battles.  “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

The “him” in this case, is the enemy, Satan.  Since his fall, he has relentlessly accused the brethren (v. 10) day and night.  He is overcome by two things:  1) the blood of the Lamb that was shed at Calvary, and 2) the word of our testimony.  Why is evangelism and mission work so important?  Our constant barrage of declaring what Jesus has done for us is a strong, biblical method of defeating the devil.  You see, the enemy wants you to keep your mouth shut.  He wants you to be so overwhelmed with the issues of life, that you cannot lift your head to speak.  He does not want any of us using our time, energy or resources to venture into countries foreign to us, for the exclusive task of sharing the Gospel.  If the enemy can keep us pinned down at home, he has won his side of the battle.  He, himself, knows the power of the message of salvation and God’s Word.  He knows, like we do, that it transforms lives.

Global Infusion’s next mission team being launched out to the field will be going to the country of Nepal.  Our team of 12 will literally be trekking to Mt. Everest.  Some of the most unreached people in the world live in the villages and communities of the Himalayan mountains.  Christ has done the work of salvation, now we are going with the word of our testimony to defeat the enemy and lift up the name of Jesus.

Your Favorite Verse

I recently heard a talk-radio host, who is a Christian that has a show on secular radio, ask his listening audience what their favorite Bible verse is.  It was interesting to hear the responses of the callers, most of whom were Christian.  The verses quoted were largely related to God taking care of us (Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 23, Luke 6:38, and so on).  Not that there is anything wrong with clinging to verses like these that get us through hard times and life in general, but Christianity is more than fire-insurance from Hell, and licking our wounds every day.  We were created to serve Almighty God.  We are part of a divine plan that we would not believe, even if it were told to us (Habakkuk 1:5).  We were miraculously and precisely designed (Psalm 139) for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).

I strongly believe that we were each individually created with a Godly purpose locked inside us that releases and unfolds throughout the course of our life as we allow God to work in us, and through us.  This process requires us to spend time in His Word, and time in prayer.  When God’s Holy Spirit is allowed to guide us (John 16:13), we begin to participate in God’s global plan of salvation (John 3:17).

I have often said that the litmus test for our devotional lives is measured by our desire to see the lost reached.  Why?  Because our flesh will never motivate itself to evangelize.  2 Corinthians 5:14-15 says, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 

We might see pictures of starving kids, or hear crazy missionary stories of what happens in all those villages around the world, and be moved for a moment.  But it takes the love of God, penetrating to our core, then transforming us, in order for us to become witnesses for Him.

The majority of this generation is without a Savior.  Untold millions are living and dying without even hearing the name of Jesus Christ.  My favorite verse?  Acts 1:8.  It reminds me of where our power comes from, and what I am supposed to do with it while I have breath.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; 

and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, 

and to the end of the earth.

The Mission of Christmas

What a year it has been for us!  Twenty mission teams have been sent to the field so far, and currently we have a team in Guatemala, and more missionaries ready to be launched out to India and Nepal after Christmas.  What is even more exciting, is that we are expecting 2013 to be our greatest year yet.  More mission teams than ever before will be sent to reach the unreached.  We are sending families, and young people for long-term assignments.  We are also adding more country sites to the places GI works around the world.

When Jesus came to Earth as a baby, it was the ultimate mission trip:  to win the soul of every person who existed, and every person who would ever exist.  Though it is used very rarely at Christmas time, I believe the Bible succinctly states the reason for Jesus’ birth and life in John 3:17:  “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Everything Jesus did revolved around rescuing souls from the pit of hell—both in this life, and the life to come.  He preached, so they would know the path to salvation.  He healed, and performed miracles so the unbelievers would believe.  Knowing that His physical time on Earth was limited, He trained disciples, so He could multiply His impact for the rest of history.  Finally, He gave everything He had, including His own life, so that we would forever have access to salvation and eternal life.  His assignment was to restore the broken relationship humanity had created between themselves and the Father.  He was to provide a way for people to repent of their sins, then live a sanctified and victorious life.  His final goal, was to return to heaven to prepare a place for us, that where He is, there we may be also.

One of my favorite things I hear on mission trips is when we are out ministering, people say to me, “This is so amazing.  I feel like I understand how Jesus felt!  Walking from one village to another, telling people the plan of salvation, praying for the sick, embracing the little kids, and feeding the hungry.”  And the list goes on.  Global Infusion patterns our outreach after the life Jesus led while He walked among us.  I want to say thank you to everyone who prayed for us, gave to us, and came with us in 2012.  Your involvement changed lives for eternity.  We look forward to you partnering with us in 2013, so we can continue to reach the unreached.  Merry Christmas, from everyone at Global Infusion.

Thankful to Serve

Over the last few months, we have all witnessed people taking a stand for what they believe in. Literally billions of dollars have been spent to express these ideas, and at the end of it all, the country is still divided.

Though there are many great causes in this world, as Christians, we should be united, and focused on expanding the Kingdom of God. This requires intentional evangelism and discipleship.

GI Team members in Ghana (October 2012): 160 souls saved!

While many have heard the Gospel and rejected Christ, there are many who still have not heard.  The primary mission of Global Infusion is to reach the lost in countries and locations where the Gospel is unavailable or not prevalent. We also disciple indigenous believers, so they will have both knowledge and confidence to reach their own people for Christ. Not only that, but our teams regularly tend to the physical needs of the people we work with. This includes providing food for the hungry, treatment and medicine for the sick, clothes for the needy, Godly education for children, Bibles for the new believer, and biblical training materials for those being discipled. Whatever it takes to reach people for Christ through the vision of our contacts on the ground, that is what we do.

We cannot accomplish this vision alone. It requires people interceding for our ministry. It requires people to financially invest in Global Infusion, so we can continue to reach the unreached.

It requires people to fill a variety of positions, whether they are staff, interns, volunteers or team members.

Being involved in foreign mission work comes at a high cost. It requires taking great physical risk as we go into unfamiliar environments. It requires a tremendous emotional cost as we regularly take time away from our families. It requires enduring weeks and months without paychecks, when each of us could be working other jobs. But we do this, “For the love of Christ compels us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14)

I ask you to prayerfully consider investing into Global Infusion, as we continue to touch tens of thousands of lives each year with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Expanding His Kingdom

Greetings from beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado.  While Global Infusion has been moving (literally) across the country to our new location as a base for our ministry, our work to reach the world has not stopped.  This month, we are sending a team to our site in Ghana, West Africa.  I am very excited about this team because they will be training 40 village Pastors, leaders, and their spouses. 

If you have been following what Global Infusion has been doing over the years, you will know that this type of team is very specialized, and plays a very important role in the expansion of God’s kingdom.  One phrase I always teach our teams and leaders is:  “Short term strengthens the long term.”  What this means is, that the focus of each one of our “missions” is to help, enhance, grow, and encourage the vision of our contacts.  They are the ones who consistently live and minister among the people they are trying to both reach and disciple.  We do everything in our power to further and increase their impact, both geographically and spiritually.

Our goal as a ministry is not to create a vacuum every time one of our teams leave a country.  We are always happy to receive great reports about what our team members have accomplished, but it becomes counter-productive to leave a place after starting something we (or our contacts) cannot finish.  Our goal is not to make people dependent on us.  We must operate strategically, in such a way that the indigenous people we work with are stronger when we leave, not weaker.

Team Ghana will be facilitating an extensive conference using training materials that they have used and seen results with in their own church.  They will be focusing on sharing their discipleship and evangelism strategies with men and women who reach their villages every day, but rarely have access to furthering education.  The team is made up of Pastors and lay leaders who have lived and breathed what they are about to teach.

Think of it as taking the Great Commission to the Great Commission.  Teaching people how to not only evangelize and disciple those who find Christ, but showing them how to continue that pattern themselves, long after the team is gone.

If we are to win this world for Jesus, we must do two things.  First, rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit, and His power.  Second, we have to be very intelligent in determining strategy to expand God’s kingdom if we are going to be effective as Christians.  We cannot let false religions and cults influence people the way they have been doing over the past few years.  Those demonic spirits need to be broken so that people can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  (2 Timothy 3:13-15)