Cults proclaiming a “salvation” message that has nothing to do with Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. The so-called Prosperity Gospel (which is no gospel at all!) deceiving many and claiming adherents from the church’s membership. Active opposition coming from the surrounding culture or government. Personal struggles arising from the challenges of daily living.
What do you and I do to understand and respond to such situations? Hopefully, we care about what’s happening and we pray. We might also order a book to give us insight. Or we go to a respected pastor/teacher and ask questions. We may choose a good book in the church library. Maybe the hardest thing for us is to find the time to make use of the resources which are easily available!
But what do sincere followers of Jesus do in response to such circumstances in those parts of the world where the greatest church growth is taking place? Do they have a church library? Almost certainly not. Do they have the resources to order a good book (even if they know of one) to answer their questions? In many cases, no. Do they have a pastor who has been trained in the Word and can point them to and clearly expound the Scriptures that are relevant to their concerns? Such is not the case in many places where conversions abound!
What is to be done to help in this situation? How, trusting in God’s gracious provision and seeking to obey His wise commands, do we use the resources He has entrusted to us? Do we just preoccupy ourselves with our own needs and interests? Do we pray?
The missions committee at Grace Community Church has wrestled with this issue. So, we have made the support of theological education in needy Christian communities throughout the world one of three priorities for our work. We want to help train pastors in those areas where such education is not so available as it is here in the US. Then believers can be faithfully taught God’s Word, so that He might be honored in their lives. Of course, we are relatively small, and this is a pretty lofty goal. But we are committed to doing something (even if it seems small) to advance this cause.
So, we support Equipping Leaders International (I hope most of you know something about this one!). Also, part of the missions budget assists Trinity Center for World Mission (training pastors in Central Africa), the Irish Bible Institute (Bible education and leadership development), and the Global China Center (more information on these and other missions is available in the new tri-fold brochure the committee has produced). And we hope that someday there will be funds available to increase support to these works or even other worthy efforts to train those who proclaim God’s Word. Wouldn’t that be spectacular?