What is a "normal" missionary letter? When you read a missionary prayer letter what are you expecting to see and hear? Someone commented to me the other day that my letters are not your "normal" missionary letters. As I thought about that I wondered, "What makes up a 'normal' missionary letter?" and "Do I want to write a 'normal' letter?"
First of all I realize that we are living in a world where reading is becoming a thing of the past. Ask most young people if they like to read and you will have very few that say they do. Throw into the pot the words "Missionary Prayer letter" and the percentages will drop drastically. Missionary prayer letters are interesting to those involved in the ministry. Not just pastors, but people like you who read letters (or in this case Blogs) like mine. Though you trudge through names like Zelha, Alenildes, Itapetininga, or Barueri, as you might when reading the book of 1 Chronicles you are interested in what God is doing in our lives and ministry.
The reply to the first few questions of this article are as varied as the answers to, "What kind of art do you like?" or "Do you like my perfume?" or "What do you think of my dress dear?" My older brother once said to me, "Give me a pen and a piece of paper and I can be the best missionary that you've ever heard of." What did he mean? He meant that, if you are a good writer, you can satisfy your audience without lifting a finger to minister to anyone. This type of "Missionary Letter" might be enjoyable to read but might contain very little truth.
I like to write. I like to work. I like to see results. I would love to write to you all and say that things are going great here and that people are being saved every day and our church has already out grown our meeting place. But the fact is that things are going very slow. People are not being saved every day. In fact it has been awhile since our last baptism. These are negative things that have a tendency of eating at you and getting you down. You want to document great things but seemingly have none to report.
It is during times like these that I reflect on something that George Stiekes said to me many years ago during one of our few family crises, "Mike, is God on His throne? If God is still on His throne then He is in control!" God IS on His throne and the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18).
So, where is the great news? How about these blockbusters:
* This past week Bárbara came to me, "Pastor I need to talk to you privately." She had a serious look on her face but that is not uncommon for this troubled young lady. "Pastor, I need to ask for your forgiveness..." As she spoke it was as if the gates of hell had just taken a gargantuan pummeling! Bárbara asking for forgiveness? Impossible! A few minutes later she was asking pastor Davi for forgiveness for stealing money from his wallet. Davi and I were both shocked. God is at work in Bárbar's life. That is BIG news!
* Or how about this one, because of the painting class we made contact with a lady who had been married for 25 years only to have her husband leave her for another woman. Her life shattered she has taken up painting to pay the bills and to help pass the lonely hours. We had the privilege of sharing the precious Gospel with both Vera and her niece Marilha. The gates of hell took another beating!
* Carlinhos taught Sunday school class for two weeks in a row and loved it! He also told me, "Pastor, I was able to share Christ with two of my coworkers this week. I can't believe that I am doing that! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be talking to someone about Jesus Christ!" BOOM!
* That's Abby with her Sunday school students, saying their verse this Sunday morning. It is exciting to see her teaching! We're on the attack!
These are battering rams that the devil doesn't like. They are hell shattering details that sometimes get lost in my "We need more numbers" thinking. What is a "normal" missionary letter anyway?
First of all I realize that we are living in a world where reading is becoming a thing of the past. Ask most young people if they like to read and you will have very few that say they do. Throw into the pot the words "Missionary Prayer letter" and the percentages will drop drastically. Missionary prayer letters are interesting to those involved in the ministry. Not just pastors, but people like you who read letters (or in this case Blogs) like mine. Though you trudge through names like Zelha, Alenildes, Itapetininga, or Barueri, as you might when reading the book of 1 Chronicles you are interested in what God is doing in our lives and ministry.
The reply to the first few questions of this article are as varied as the answers to, "What kind of art do you like?" or "Do you like my perfume?" or "What do you think of my dress dear?" My older brother once said to me, "Give me a pen and a piece of paper and I can be the best missionary that you've ever heard of." What did he mean? He meant that, if you are a good writer, you can satisfy your audience without lifting a finger to minister to anyone. This type of "Missionary Letter" might be enjoyable to read but might contain very little truth.
I like to write. I like to work. I like to see results. I would love to write to you all and say that things are going great here and that people are being saved every day and our church has already out grown our meeting place. But the fact is that things are going very slow. People are not being saved every day. In fact it has been awhile since our last baptism. These are negative things that have a tendency of eating at you and getting you down. You want to document great things but seemingly have none to report.
It is during times like these that I reflect on something that George Stiekes said to me many years ago during one of our few family crises, "Mike, is God on His throne? If God is still on His throne then He is in control!" God IS on His throne and the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18).
So, where is the great news? How about these blockbusters:
* This past week Bárbara came to me, "Pastor I need to talk to you privately." She had a serious look on her face but that is not uncommon for this troubled young lady. "Pastor, I need to ask for your forgiveness..." As she spoke it was as if the gates of hell had just taken a gargantuan pummeling! Bárbara asking for forgiveness? Impossible! A few minutes later she was asking pastor Davi for forgiveness for stealing money from his wallet. Davi and I were both shocked. God is at work in Bárbar's life. That is BIG news!
* Or how about this one, because of the painting class we made contact with a lady who had been married for 25 years only to have her husband leave her for another woman. Her life shattered she has taken up painting to pay the bills and to help pass the lonely hours. We had the privilege of sharing the precious Gospel with both Vera and her niece Marilha. The gates of hell took another beating!
* Carlinhos taught Sunday school class for two weeks in a row and loved it! He also told me, "Pastor, I was able to share Christ with two of my coworkers this week. I can't believe that I am doing that! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be talking to someone about Jesus Christ!" BOOM!
* That's Abby with her Sunday school students, saying their verse this Sunday morning. It is exciting to see her teaching! We're on the attack!
These are battering rams that the devil doesn't like. They are hell shattering details that sometimes get lost in my "We need more numbers" thinking. What is a "normal" missionary letter anyway?
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