Sitting in Nepal

I’d like to begin by thanking God for our church and their willingness to support the spread of the Gospel around the world. It’s not the most popular thing these days and there are any number of reasons a church can give for not going or sending people to other countries. All I can say is that I’m so thankful our church has chosen to obey God’s command to take the
Gospel to all and to engage and not withdraw from the world. I’m sitting at a table in Nepal talking with our Indian partner about the work being done for the kingdom in this region. The pressure is growing and the resources are in decline as the IMB (International Missions Board) pull their resources from this region. We are discussing how God might help many of these faithful Indian servants to continue to serve without the encouragement and resources that are brought from their relationship with the IMB. The IMB has a pretty strict policy of not giving salaries to nationals, however, there are numerous ways they provide: money, Bibles, bikes, vehicles, water, medical care etc. resources. My prayer is that God will meet these men’s needs in extraordinary ways far beyond what the IMB could ever provide. I must admit that I am discouraged to see what appears to be a loss of the IMB’s physical presence in one of the most populated countries in the world. We aren’t dealing with only human issues but the enemy himself who is trying to take the light from India. Now, don’t get me wrong, God’s Kingdom will advance just fine without the IMB or the West for that matter, but I long to be part of watching these faithful men serving in the villages and streets, risking their lives and livelihood for the Gospel. I enjoy seeing their faces each year as they share their victories and struggles. It’s wonderful to see men with their hands in the air and smiles on their faces with little or nothing praising God. Because the IMB’s presence in the region is less, churches like ours become even more important. We plan to schedule a few times next year when teams can come to India and serve with love in the villages. Our role will be to come alongside the pastors and evangelist of India and help them bring the Gospel into their home and villages and regions. There are also resources we can provide:
– Water, Wells, Bath and toilet facilities, Bikes and Motorcycles
While the IMB may be backing out of India to a large extent, I hope God will allow us to continue to partner with our brothers and sisters in India until Jesus returns and every tongue, tribe, people and nation are worshiping God together.