Archive for March, 2009

The Apostle Paul expected nothing but difficulty.  He only anticipated “chains and tribulations.”  Every step brought him nearer to trouble and hardship.  Yet, in his farewell address to the Ephesian elders, he made clear that nothing would stop him from fulfilling his God-given ministry.  He tells them,

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.  (Acts 20:24Acts 20:24
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
24 But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.  

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No fearful prospect swayed Paul from his course.  Paul knew that he found joy, not in hanging on to his life but in letting it go in service to the King.  He kept focused on only one thing-fulfilling his God-given ministry of testifying to the gospel of the grace of God.

God has given us, Village Missionaries and Village Missions as a whole, the ministry of testifying to the gospel of the grace of God to rural and once rural communities throughout the United States and Canada.  As I reflect on our history, I have no doubt that we have received this ministry from the Lord.  As I reflect on how God is at work on our fields, I have no doubt that He would have us continue testifying to the gospel of the grace of God. 

For example, I think of the rodeo cowboy and town drunk, Sam (I’m changing his name and the missionary’s name for obvious reasons) that came to Christ recently on one of our fields.  People were afraid of Sam when he went on one of his drinking binges.  Dennis, the Village Missionary, prayed with him when he was in the shoot, ready to ride the bucking bronc.  He won grand prize that day!  The next Sunday Sam was in church and he continued to show up most Sundays.  A few months later, in a drunken stupor, he was somehow shot in the leg.  He decided to dig the bullet out himself rather than go to the hospital.  Sam spent the long hours of the next days recuperating and thinking about his life.  He finally realized that he could have a different life and he went forward the next Sunday in church, loudly proclaiming that he had trusted Christ!

On the road into this cowboy’s ranch is a sign warning, “Trespassers Will Be Shot.”  But the newly saved rodeo cowboy carved “Except for Dennis” underneath “Trespassers Will Be Shot.”  

In some ways, it seems like our society has a big sign warning, “Trespassers Will Be Shot!”  Village Missions faces one of our most difficult time in our sixty-year history.  The loss of so much income from Stonecroft is a major challenge, but we also face many other obstacles to ministry in our post-Christian world.  Al Mohler discussed the recently released American Religious Identification Survey in his March 2009 blog (http://www.albertmohler.com/blog).  He considered the survey’s finding that now 27% of Americans expect a secular funeral.  He wrote:

The researchers are surely right to see this trend as related to a decline in “personal concerns about salvation.”  If anyone needed proof that many Americans now operate out of a secular worldview, this single data point should suffice.  There can be little doubt that when 27% of Americans “do not expect a religious funeral at their death,” this does indicate an absence of religious concern at the point of death.  Millions of Americans expect to die without God.

In a previous blog, commenting about this study Mohler concludes:

In any event, the ARIS report draws our attention to one great and undeniable fact — we are living in the midst of a vast mission field for the Gospel.  Of course, we should have known that all along.

For sixty years we have known that our two countries are a “vast mission field for the Gospel.”  No matter what obstacle or difficulty, mission wide or on an individual field, we simply must persevere, like the Apostle Paul, in our God-given ministry of testifying to the gospel of the grace of God.  People like Sam, who used to be the town drunk, but is now a new babe in Christ, impel us to continue.  It will be our joy!

The Board of Village Missions met via conference call on March 2 to discuss the elimination of Stonecroft funding for Village Missions resulting in the loss of $40,000 per month to Village Missions.

Although February financial reports are not complete, the Mission’s income continues to do well.  The Board felt it was not necessary to make any changes to this year’s budget, which ends in June.  I praise the Lord for the way He has been moving people to give to Village Missions. 

Anticipating the possibility of a complete cutoff in funds, the Board had appointed a committee at its meeting in November to consider the implications of the loss of all funding from Stonecroft.  This committee had completed much of its work before we received word that funding was indeed being eliminated.  They had developed a “brainstorming list” of cost savings and revenue enhancement that they then presented to the administration for estimates of savings/revenue and reaction to the concepts.  The administration also added some additional possibilities for savings and revenue. 

Each item was discussed during the two-hour long conference call without the pressure of having to make a decision.  Some items were determined to be “worst-case” scenarios that are not needed in light of our current financial position.  The Board did decide to increase the operational service fee for incoming missionaries to $300 per month. 

The Board and administration have three goals in mind:  1) Making any cuts as equitable as possible for everyone (For example, lowering the minimum base salary would only effect missionaries on below minimum base fields and thus would not be equitable), 2) continuing to advance our mission of keeping country churches alive, and 3) keeping the mission financially sound. 

Please continue to be in prayer for Village Missions.  As is always the case, God is as much at work in the adversity He allows as in the prosperity He brings.  Any input you have would be very much appreciated.  I am deeply appreciative of all those who have e-mailed me or posted words of encouragement and prayer!

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “God’s grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring—that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as He is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace.”