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The language that dominates the theology of mission today features a hierarchy or an order of status describing its very essence. All the terms are derived from the Latin word missio (roughly translated “sent”) and are used to convey the concept rooted in the biblica l Greek term apostello. At the top is Missio Dei. This is followed by mission and missional in the middle. At the bottom, and considered by some to be a relic from the past, is missions. This reality raises a couple of questions: “Are all these terms really needed? Are there distinctions to be communicated by the different terms?” As to the distinctions they convey, Missio Dei literally means “mission of God,” and includes everything that God is doing in the world to achieve His purposes. He is sovereign over all and all that He does in the world, either directly or through His agents, is apart of Missio Dei. The part of the Missio Dei that is undertaken by the Church in all of its variety is reflected in the word mission—the mission of the Church, and all it is to do in the world. Missional is a much more recent adaptation of the term to distinguish the outward or other-focus of the Church’s mission from all that the Church does to teach, care for, and minister to its own. While some may see it as a vestige of the colonial past, or a “From the West to the Rest” approach to mission, missions is actually about that part of the mission of the Church that seeks to cross cultural, religious, and ethnic boundaries to introduce and further the work of the gospel. In addition, establishing churches among those people groups and communities where Christ is least known has been distinguished over the last several decades as what frontier missions is all about. missions is actually about that part of the mission of the Church that seeks to cross cultural, religious, and ethnic boundaries" As to whether all these terms are really needed, each one has a particularly important emphasis, even though each overlaps or encompasses at least some of what the others convey. So they are all interrelated, but, to the extent that they are properly understood, each term serves a useful purpose. The problems arise when the terms are used in exclusive ways for which they aren’t adequate. To say, for example, either that the Missio Dei and the mission of the Church are synonymous, or that the mission of the Church is all that one needs to focus on or be concerned about, runs the risk of defining everything as mission. As historian Stephen Neill once pointed out, “If everything is missions, nothing is missions.” Neill might have been even more correct had he said, “If everything is missions, cross-cultural missions is not far from extinction.” The reason is that squeaky wheels receive all the attention, but even squeaky wheels that are far away are rarely heard. Human nature is very predictable when it comes to setting priorities. The things that affect us most intimately—the welfare of our family and friends and the welfare of our community and country—are always going to receive first dibs on our attention. It takes a major adjustment to our mental and spiritual orientation for us to add a focus on geographically or culturally-distant people living and dying without the gospel. If people(s) and places are outside our orbit of first-hand relationships, then it takes a lot of information and inspiration to get us to really care. And if a missions emphasis focusing on those outside of our own language or culture is not a significant part of the burden and teaching of local churches and their members, it will almost always be ignored. Without an intentional emphasis, the needs across the street will tend to crowd out the needs across the world. So rather than limiting ourselves to one or two generalized terms related to mission, or using generalized substitutes words like ‘outreach’, it really is important to be precise in what we are talking about. Missio Dei is about all that God does in the world. Mission is about all that the Church/churches do in the world. Missional is about what the Church/churches do to reach out beyond themselves. And missions is about crossing cultural and language boundaries with the gospel to minister to those with limited/least access to it. Without a special emphasis on missions, the unreached and the least-reached will likely stay that way far longer than they should. If everything is missions, nothing is missions."
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Do you know what the ten truths in missions are? The ten things that without, things begin to go astray? Each of the ten truths is important; none should be forgotten or ignored. Take a look to see if you and your church have remembered all 10 in your missions strategy. 1. God has an end goal for humanity, that all peoples, tongues, tribes, and nations worship Him (Rev. 7:9-10) John Piper states in his book, “Let the Nations be Glad” that missions is not the ultimate goal of the church; worship is. “Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more.” 2. This goal is a major theme of Scripture (Gen 3 – Rev 22) It is an often neglected or ignored theme though. If I were to ask you to complete this verse, ‘Be still and know…’ most would be able to say ‘…that I am God.’ But that is only 1/3 of the verse. The complete verse, from Psalm 46:10 is, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The point of much of the Old Testament is to showcase God’s marvelous deeds in order that His name would be made great among the nations. 3. The Great Commission – the Evangelization and Discipleship of All Nations (Matthew 28:19-20) The Great Commission is the means to the goal. Only those who are born again (John 3:3) may enter the kingdom of God and participate in the worship of the Lamb that we see in Revelation 7:9-10), which is the ultimate goal for humanity. Therefore, it is through the proclamation of the gospel in the completing of the Great Commission that we accomplish this goal (Romans 10:14-15). How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 4.The Church is God’s primary agent to carry out the Great Commission in this age We know that the Great Commission given to the disciples was actually given more broadly to the church because of the promise that completes the commission in Matthew 28:20 “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The age has not yet ended; therefore the commission is still in force on those of us who have followed. And the means of doing this is through the proclamation of the gospel (Romans 10:14-15) and the making of disciples (Matthew 28:19). 5. The Great Commission is the primary mission of every church Apart from the church’s imperative to worship God, it must be all about the business of making disciples. Whatever else a church may do, if it is not making disciples, it is failing in its obedience to its master and his commission. 6. This mission belongs to the whole church There is no basis upon which a congregation may claim exclusion from obedience to the Great Commission. 7. The Great Commission includes three kinds of people People like us nearby People unlike us nearby People unlike us far away This is one way of understanding the final words of Jesus to his followers in Acts 1:8, “…and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” There are those in our neighbourhoods who look like we do, who speak the same language as we do and who have a similar cultural paradigm. These are those like us nearby, our Jerusalem. Then there are those unlike us nearby, the immigrants in our communities, perhaps refugees who have settled, or the foreign students on a college or university campus. They do not look like you, do not share the same language or cultural paradigm. These will require a significant investment of time and effort to cross those boundaries of difference in order to make a Gospel connection. And lastly there are those people groups who are unlike us and who live far away. These are the ones typically targeted by missionaries. 8. The congregation is responsible to reach the people they can reach The endless near-neighbour evangelism is the responsibility of each congregation that is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to be salt and light in our community (Matthew 5:13-16). 9. Missions is primarily the church’s efforts to help fulfill the Great Commission among people beyond the reach of the local congregation The “s” on the end of missions is important because it helps to differentiate the evangelistic efforts directed toward those unlike us far away. It is primarily this activity that moves us closer to the completion of the Great Commission, which we believe to be explained by Jesus in Matthew 24:14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” 10. The church’s missions team has two arenas of responsibility: external (deployment) and internal (mobilization) Typically, when a congregation thinks in terms of it’s responsibility in missions, it involves the sending of funds for support of a missionary who may or may not have come from within the congregation. That is the external deployment of resources whether personnel or finances. But there is a neglected aspect of the missions team’s responsibility and that is the development and mobilization of those resources. Specifically, it means developing the source of the funds that are sent in support of missionaries. Whether it is through a discipleship of generosity or through fundraising events, the funds must be gathered. The more intentional the missions committee can be about this responsibility, the easier it will be to follow through on commitments. There is also the responsibility to develop and mobilize new missionaries. A significant element of the discipleship process should be the consideration of how one may be obedient to the Great Commission and whether a period of time spent serving cross-culturally is an option. Romans 10:14-15 asks,”…and how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Final Words So how are you doing? Each of these 10 truths highlight an important area of missions work. The extent to which we are hitting each of the 10 truths indicates how well we are doing at missions. If you would like help in thinking through the process of examining your church’s missions strategy in order to be more efficient and focused, contact us. We would love to begin a discussion with you. If you were to ask the people in your church, how many of them would be able to tell you what the Great Commission is? Not where you find it in the Bible, or what the verse is, but the actual meaning and importance of it? We tend to forget to teach that part. The Great Commission is more than a verse in the Bible; it is the church’s job, our job, to help people understand what it is and what it means. What Is It?
The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed". What Does It Mean? Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” Matthew 28:19-20, the famous Great Commission. But what does it mean? To get a good understanding of what the Great Commission means it is best to break it down into 5 parts. 1. “Therefore, go” We are called to go, to get up and do something! But it means more than to get up and go somewhere. It means to leave your comfort zone. God doesn’t expect everyone to do the actual going, He doesn’t call everyone to do that. Sometimes God calls us to be the ones that support the actual goers. This may require us to get out of our comfort zone by praying for someone or supporting them financially. Even Paul in Romans 15:23-33 asks for material and prayer support, and he was known as one of the great missionaries. 2. “And make disciples of all nations” This part ties in with the first. We are to Go and make disciples of all nations. This is the section that is the direct command of the commission. We are to make disciples of all nations, and the rest are the means to this commandment; go, baptize and teach. We also need to focus on the last part of this sentence, “of all nations’. This is so important! The Great Commission isn't only about local evangelism; it focuses on all nations! We can’t stay home in our own little community and think that that is enough! We need to cross borders and reach every nation around the world! 3. “Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. This is one of the means to obeying the ultimate command of making disciples. We must baptize new believers. Jesus said in John 3:5-7 that no one can come to know God and enter His kingdom unless they are born again of water and of the Spirit. To be born again is to leave your old life behind and give up yourself and all that you had to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus! To follow Jesus, is to be a disciple, so through baptism we are creating disciples. Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 4. “And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” Another means to obeying the ultimate command of making disciples is teaching. Jesus tells us to teach the nations EVERYTHING he has commanded us. Not certain aspects or the good or easy things but everything he has commanded. And not to just teach the command but teach to OBEY the command. It is important to see this difference. To be a disciple of Christ we must obey his commands and not just know them. If we don’t teach the nations to know AND obey Jesus’ commandments we are failing at making true disciples. As Jesus says “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). We can’t be Jesus’ disciples if we don’t love him, and if we love him we need to obey his commands. 5. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” This is the ending of the Great Commission. It ends off with Jesus reminding us that he is always with us. We can take comfort in this knowing that when we are going, baptizing and teaching we aren’t doing it on our own strength, but with the power of Jesus. “To the very end of the age”, means to the end of time, and the end of time comes when Jesus returns. So this commandment is a commandment that continues for all old and new followers. It wasn't given only for the 12. It needs to be obeyed until Jesus comes back to earth. We need to do a better job at teaching others about the Great Commission. We can’t pass it off as just another verse to be memorized. We need to explain the meaning of it, what it means for us to actually do what is commanded of us and why we must do it. We need to leave our comfort zones and go. We need to cross borders to all nations. We need to baptize new believers and teach them to know and obey Jesus’s commandments. And we need to realize that this commandment didn’t stop existing when the 12 died. It continues today, and will continue until Jesus returns. We can’t let it end with our generation, we need to teach the importance of it to each generation to come. So what steps will you take to obey this Great Commission? If you love me, keep my commands." How many times have you told yourself that you weren’t a good enough person for God to use? How many times have you thought that you were too damaged or broken for anything good to come from you? Well, you aren’t alone with these thoughts! Many Christians today believe the lie that they will never be good enough for God to use. But, that is all it is, a lie. God uses the broken and He can use you! You are Chosen We are God’s chosen people. God chose us because he wanted us to do His work. God doesn’t have favourites that He chooses. He chooses all of us. We may think that we will be the last chosen because we are more broken or we sin more but Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We all have sinned! Before you were even born God planned your path, and he chose you for a specific purpose. You are a chosen child of God; you may be broken but it doesn’t mean you can’t be used. God isn’t done with you yet. -Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 1:3-4, Philippians 1:6 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last." God Walks with You We may be broken, but God often uses brokenness for His glory. When God calls us to service, I think we sometimes forget that we aren’t doing it alone. I don’t know about you, but, as a broken person, if I were to try to do anything God asked of me alone and on my own, I would fail. So I am super grateful to know that I am never alone. God doesn’t call us to do His work and then just leave us to do it alone and on our own! He provides us with the strength, the knowledge and the tools to complete our task. In Matthew 28:19-20 we can find the Great Commission where God calls us to go and make disciples, but do you know how it ends? The Great Commission ends with God telling us that He will be with us the entire way! -Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 118:6, Matthew 28:19-20 God Chooses the Least Likely You may think God won’t call you to do something because you don’t think you are qualified to do it. That isn’t how God works. God doesn’t necessarily call those that seem the most qualified. God calls anyone and everyone and then He makes them qualified for the job. Don’t believe me? Well, look at a few examples in the Bible. Moses was called to speak in front of Pharaoh, but he wasn’t good at speaking. Elijah was a Prophet; he was also suicidal. And Job, Job went bankrupt but God still used him even after he had no money. These people may never be our first picks to do our work, but they are God’s. Why? Because God can and will use anyone. God wants to use those less qualified because it shows His glory more when He makes them qualified and they succeed at their work. -1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Exodus 3-4, 1 Kings 19:1-18, Book of Job God doesn’t necessarily call those that seem the most qualified. God calls anyone and everyone and then He makes them qualified for the job" God knows how we humans work. He knows that we relate better to those of the same kind. If you went bankrupt and were struggling, who would you rather talk to about it, someone who has been where you’ve been, or someone who has never known the struggle? God takes what we call weaknesses and He makes them our greatest strengths. You may think that because you’re depressed you have nothing to offer, but you do! You have the ability to talk and help others who also are depressed in a way someone else can’t. He prepares you. Maybe you don’t think you have the money to serve, but if God calls you, He will provide the funds for you to go. He equips you. Look for ways that God may be preparing you for service because God can use you! You’re His chosen child and He has a use for you! Are you ready to let God turn your weaknesses into strengths? But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Following God’s call to become a Christian missionary is a great way to serve the Lord. Yet, there’s more involved than just declaring that you want to be a missionary. Each mission field, mission agency and mission opportunity will have its own special requirements. You will need to take time to prepare for serving the Lord long-term. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” --Isaiah 6:8 Missionary Calling A speaker may emotionally move you to go and serve, but this emotion will only sustain you on the field for a short time. A true sense of calling by God is what’s necessary to keep a missionary on the field. So, how do you know you have been called to mission work? Well, first, there should be an internal compelling desire to serve the Lord in some capacity. You cannot deny that God is leading you, by the Holy Spirit, to perform a task. The best external indicator of God’s call is your pastor. Your pastor can often see fruit in your life and recognize God’s leading. Of course, they can be wrong, but most pastors will be able to honestly evaluate and either confirm or caution you. It is always a great idea to talk to your pastor before making any life changing decisions. The Initial Preparation Once God’s call to be a missionary has been confirmed, you should begin preparing for service. Many decisions must be made in the process including:
Formal Preparation The formal preparation for becoming a missionary is schooling and educational training. It may or may not be a Bible degree but many agencies will require that you have a college degree of some sort. This requirement is so they can know that you have the character to complete more training if needed. Some areas of ministry may require special training beyond your normal schooling. This may be practical training such as on the job experience or formal training in the specific area. For example, if you are looking to be a missionary working as a teacher you may need formal training as a teacher. Language training may also be required if you are doing cross-cultural missions. It is always beneficial to know the language of the people you will be serving. It is wise to start language training as soon as possible so you can be prepared. Online tools and apps are great ways to get started! Practical Preparation Practical preparation is not necessarily required but it is highly recommended and beneficial. It can include reading, going on a short-term trip first and finding fellowship. Read Reading missionary biographies will help the you learn about life on the field. Knowing that others have gone through incredible trials of faith can be encouraging when you learn how God demonstrated his faithfulness. See the Field Going on a short-term mission trip before committing to long term missions can be beneficial. The experience can help you see what it is like to be on the mission field. It can also give you a better perspective of what the people need. Like-minded Fellowship and Counsel A great idea if you are wanting to become a missionary is to get to know other missionaries. It allows you to build relationships with others who understand what you will experience on the field. You can also receive council and encouragement from veteran missionaries during trying times. Following God’s call will take time. Rarely does someone hear God’s call on their lives and goes to the field in a matter of weeks. With choosing the right mission opportunity, the training and the extra preparation, it can take years. As a missionary you will also be called to raise prayer and financial support. This involves several months of visiting churches, pastors, friends and family to share about the call God has placed on your heart. But don’t be discouraged. All the preparation is necessary to prepare you for a lifetime of service. God is getting you ready to follow His call. Are you ready to get started? Click here to see the 10 Steps to Becoming a Missionary. After 10 days of Haiti at a stand-still, paralyzed by high prices, lack of fuel, political tension and mounting fear, this morning began with loud mayhem and the sounds of glass shattering, right in front of the Emmaus gate. |
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In the 1960s, the team at Radio 4VEH, One Mission Society’s radio ministry in Haiti, realized that most people across Haiti did not have a radio receiver to listen to Radio 4VEH. So, they began the ministry’s first distribution campaign of radios fix-tuned to Radio 4VEH. About 2,000 radios were assembled by a team of engineers and given out to communities, sharing the message of Jesus and reinforcing community development.
Communities would listen to the radio together; in many villages, coming around the radio to listen to a church service was the first time they had church in those villages, and many churches were planted as a result. But these bulky units needed frequent battery replacement. Today, as part of the Resounding Hope initiative, we give out solar-powered radios (now also with audio Bible in Haitian Creole) as part of evangelism and outreach alongside local churches, connecting families in need with daily hope and help from Radio 4VEH.
Did you know:
“I’m 65 years old. I can’t even write my name. But I know what the Bible says because I listen to it on Radio 4VEH”
You can help deliver #HaitianHope by keeping the generators running. Donate today to help purchase the diesel fuel needed to keep 4VEH on the air.
Communities would listen to the radio together; in many villages, coming around the radio to listen to a church service was the first time they had church in those villages, and many churches were planted as a result. But these bulky units needed frequent battery replacement. Today, as part of the Resounding Hope initiative, we give out solar-powered radios (now also with audio Bible in Haitian Creole) as part of evangelism and outreach alongside local churches, connecting families in need with daily hope and help from Radio 4VEH.
Did you know:
- 4 in 5 people in Haiti live in poverty, surviving on less than $2 a day?
- 4 in 5 adults in Haiti cannot read or write well enough to cope with daily life?
“I’m 65 years old. I can’t even write my name. But I know what the Bible says because I listen to it on Radio 4VEH”
You can help deliver #HaitianHope by keeping the generators running. Donate today to help purchase the diesel fuel needed to keep 4VEH on the air.
In a country where attending school can be difficult and expensive, Starfish Kids is helping Haitian families by providing tuition assistance and books for sponsored students. Even with the sponsorships, we sometimes see students leaving schools for various reasons, often involving the family moving due to illness or for job opportunities. We don’t always know why a student leaves, sometimes mid-year, which can be a challenge. But this makes graduation stories even more inspiring. We see incredible stories of perseverance through some of our sponsored students.
In June 2017, Luvenson Lorvince graduated from secondary school after 11 years of sponsorship through the Starfish Kids program.
Luvenson grew up in a single-parent home. Luvenson’s mother was responsible for raising Luvenson, along with five of his siblings and two of his sister’s children. She worked hard, selling bread and roasted peanuts to provide food for her household, but it wasn’t enough to send her children to school.
Through his local church, Luvenson was accepted into the Starfish Kids program and was matched with a sponsor. Luvenson says that, after God, his Starfish Kids sponsorship has been the most important thing in his life. It provided him with an education he would not otherwise have.
He graduated with the highest grades in his community. His dream is to attend university to become a civil engineer and help improve his country. He wants to give back and help provide opportunities in the same way they were provided for him. Luvenson believes that without education, there can be no progress for his country.
He is thankful for his sponsor through Starfish Kids and prays that God will continue to bless all sponsors abundantly so more children in Haiti can be helped.
Our prayer at Starfish Kids is for God to reach students like Luevnson and their families through school sponsorships. The gift of sponsorship truly is changing lives in Haiti one student at a time. You can help us do so by clicking here or by calling the OMS Canada office - 800-784-7077.
In June 2017, Luvenson Lorvince graduated from secondary school after 11 years of sponsorship through the Starfish Kids program.
Luvenson grew up in a single-parent home. Luvenson’s mother was responsible for raising Luvenson, along with five of his siblings and two of his sister’s children. She worked hard, selling bread and roasted peanuts to provide food for her household, but it wasn’t enough to send her children to school.
Through his local church, Luvenson was accepted into the Starfish Kids program and was matched with a sponsor. Luvenson says that, after God, his Starfish Kids sponsorship has been the most important thing in his life. It provided him with an education he would not otherwise have.
He graduated with the highest grades in his community. His dream is to attend university to become a civil engineer and help improve his country. He wants to give back and help provide opportunities in the same way they were provided for him. Luvenson believes that without education, there can be no progress for his country.
He is thankful for his sponsor through Starfish Kids and prays that God will continue to bless all sponsors abundantly so more children in Haiti can be helped.
Our prayer at Starfish Kids is for God to reach students like Luevnson and their families through school sponsorships. The gift of sponsorship truly is changing lives in Haiti one student at a time. You can help us do so by clicking here or by calling the OMS Canada office - 800-784-7077.
God used the daily sports program on Radio4VEH to draw a well-known witch doctor to Christ.
"Charles persecuted the Gospel and us too," Pastor Joseph, an evangelism partner, told us. "He set up his Voodoo altar right across from our church. We prayed for him.
"In the end, he went away, but we kept praying. When he came back, I gave him a 4VEH Solar radio.
"Charles only listened to the sports program, because he loves soccer, " said Pastor Joseph.
"But yesterday, after listening to the soccer results as usual, he forgot to turn off his radio. What he heard next was the Gospel message.
"As soon as the program ended, Charles called me, wanting to become a Christian. So I went to his house, talked him through the way of salvation, and we burned all his Voodoo things. And this witch doctor came to Christ.
Like Saul, the persecutor of Christians who met Jesus and became the great missionary Paul, this former witch doctor is now urging others to choose Christ
"My wife and my children are now in Christ too," said Charles. "A lot of people I used to serve as a witch doctor have seen the difference in my life now and have come to Christ themselves.
In Haiti, witch doctors can be very influential - giving advice or "cures" for problems like sickness, money and relationships. So, when a witch doctor turns to Jesus, he often influences many people for the Lord as they see his live transformed. Surely the Lord will use Charles for his kingdom!
Charles will soon give his testimony on 4VEH's Let The Rocks Cry Out weekly program, to encourage others including witch doctors to come to Christ.
"Charles persecuted the Gospel and us too," Pastor Joseph, an evangelism partner, told us. "He set up his Voodoo altar right across from our church. We prayed for him.
"In the end, he went away, but we kept praying. When he came back, I gave him a 4VEH Solar radio.
"Charles only listened to the sports program, because he loves soccer, " said Pastor Joseph.
"But yesterday, after listening to the soccer results as usual, he forgot to turn off his radio. What he heard next was the Gospel message.
"As soon as the program ended, Charles called me, wanting to become a Christian. So I went to his house, talked him through the way of salvation, and we burned all his Voodoo things. And this witch doctor came to Christ.
Like Saul, the persecutor of Christians who met Jesus and became the great missionary Paul, this former witch doctor is now urging others to choose Christ
"My wife and my children are now in Christ too," said Charles. "A lot of people I used to serve as a witch doctor have seen the difference in my life now and have come to Christ themselves.
In Haiti, witch doctors can be very influential - giving advice or "cures" for problems like sickness, money and relationships. So, when a witch doctor turns to Jesus, he often influences many people for the Lord as they see his live transformed. Surely the Lord will use Charles for his kingdom!
Charles will soon give his testimony on 4VEH's Let The Rocks Cry Out weekly program, to encourage others including witch doctors to come to Christ.
Tere Eestist! (Hi from Estonia!)
Saturday was a great day! For those of you who receive the OMS Canada Contending in Prayer guide, that was the day you prayed for our Bible study day in south Estonia. Livia and I were both sick, making it hard to prepare, but Friday evening after work we drove 4 hours south, to within a stone's throw of the Russian border for the first of a series of Bible study days. Saturday morning, the tiny village congregation of Viitka (average Sunday morning attendance of less than 10) was filled with 26 adults plus kids, ready for 5 hours of Bible study! Friends from a total of 5 congregations gathered, eager to spend time listening to and discussing God's Word. The theme was standards for a relationship with God, looking firstly at Elisha's encounter with King Joram in 1 Kings 3. I dealt with the Old Testament, explaining the story and the spiritual principles behind it, and then after lunch Livia took those same principles into the New Testament and into their personal lives. It is so exciting to see people hungry to learn from and apply God's Word! Livia and I were so exhausted in the days leading up to this Bible Study day, we really didn't know if we could manage. But God is good and your prayers certainly helped! God willing, this is the first of a series of Bible Study days we will be doing with these congregations. Keep praying!
-Mark and Livia Nelson
Saturday was a great day! For those of you who receive the OMS Canada Contending in Prayer guide, that was the day you prayed for our Bible study day in south Estonia. Livia and I were both sick, making it hard to prepare, but Friday evening after work we drove 4 hours south, to within a stone's throw of the Russian border for the first of a series of Bible study days. Saturday morning, the tiny village congregation of Viitka (average Sunday morning attendance of less than 10) was filled with 26 adults plus kids, ready for 5 hours of Bible study! Friends from a total of 5 congregations gathered, eager to spend time listening to and discussing God's Word. The theme was standards for a relationship with God, looking firstly at Elisha's encounter with King Joram in 1 Kings 3. I dealt with the Old Testament, explaining the story and the spiritual principles behind it, and then after lunch Livia took those same principles into the New Testament and into their personal lives. It is so exciting to see people hungry to learn from and apply God's Word! Livia and I were so exhausted in the days leading up to this Bible Study day, we really didn't know if we could manage. But God is good and your prayers certainly helped! God willing, this is the first of a series of Bible Study days we will be doing with these congregations. Keep praying!
-Mark and Livia Nelson
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Life is never dull in Mozambique. The last month of school is always filled with programs and of course, graduation. This year, we had nine seniors, and the ceremony was uplifting and very honoring to the Lord. We are so proud of all our graduates over the years.
In July, we hosted the first ever CAM School graduate reunion at our home. Our first graduates were in 1998, and all the graduates from the first ten years are scattered around the world, and none are living in Mozambique. During graduation, we discovered that several of our graduates were back in Mozambique visiting their families. We decided to have a gathering, and there were 20 graduates from 2008, 2010, 2014-2018. It was great to hear from them as they shared their stories and experiences after CAM and gave helpful advice to our recent 2018 graduates.
Although school was out for the break in June and July, we kept busy. These are the weeks where we prepare for the new school year which started August 1. Larry was busy overseeing the needed repairs, painting, and some improvements with new sidewalks. Of course there are other “emergencies” that take lots of time, and we are thankful to the Lord as He continues to guide and direct us at CAM. One of those interruptions was Susan having gallbladder surgery on June 11. It slowed her down for a few weeks, but she is doing really well now.
Susan was busy finding new teachers and working with one of our CAM graduates who is on staff now helping to prepare for the long and tedious process of school accreditation. He is also filling in as a teacher in the sciences until our new teacher from Northern Ireland arrives this fall (spring in Mozambique).
Pray for us as we seek wisdom for this next school year and beyond for CAM school.
-Larry and Susan Weil
In July, we hosted the first ever CAM School graduate reunion at our home. Our first graduates were in 1998, and all the graduates from the first ten years are scattered around the world, and none are living in Mozambique. During graduation, we discovered that several of our graduates were back in Mozambique visiting their families. We decided to have a gathering, and there were 20 graduates from 2008, 2010, 2014-2018. It was great to hear from them as they shared their stories and experiences after CAM and gave helpful advice to our recent 2018 graduates.
Although school was out for the break in June and July, we kept busy. These are the weeks where we prepare for the new school year which started August 1. Larry was busy overseeing the needed repairs, painting, and some improvements with new sidewalks. Of course there are other “emergencies” that take lots of time, and we are thankful to the Lord as He continues to guide and direct us at CAM. One of those interruptions was Susan having gallbladder surgery on June 11. It slowed her down for a few weeks, but she is doing really well now.
Susan was busy finding new teachers and working with one of our CAM graduates who is on staff now helping to prepare for the long and tedious process of school accreditation. He is also filling in as a teacher in the sciences until our new teacher from Northern Ireland arrives this fall (spring in Mozambique).
Pray for us as we seek wisdom for this next school year and beyond for CAM school.
-Larry and Susan Weil
Tere Eestist! (Hello from Estonia!)
This past year was hard for Lívia as she adjusted to teaching in a new school in a new community, but praise God it has gone well and her relationships with co-workers as well as the kids are developing nicely. Some time ago we asked prayer for a very troubled 6th grader. Your prayers are working! Lívia has been able to build a relationship of trust with him to the point where a shift in his attitude is seen, despite the fact that he still claims to hate school. As a teacher, she is limited in how she can present the Gospel, but her testimony comes through very clearly! Keep praying!
One of Lívia’s goals for the year ahead is to put Bible studies that she has lead into a written form that can be distributed. There is a very great lack of Bible study material in Estonian and Lívia’s approach is exactly the very practical approach that is needed to help people develop their relationship with God. Finding the time and energy, however, is a major challenge, so prayers are appreciated.
For me, the last months have been about handovers. Mostly planned and prepared for in a way that will take God’s work in new directions and allow me to focus on the Seminary and Bible school.
Handover #1: Estonian foreign mission work has a new leader. Kaire (who graduated from the Seminary in June and has been on several of our mission teams) officially replaced me this spring taking the seat I had on the Estonian Evangelical Alliance’s board as mission committee leader. This handover took more time than I expected, but I trust that God’s timing is best and I see that Kaire has the skills and energy to take this work forward.
Handover #2: The Bible school for indigenous people groups in Russia is relaunched with a new leader. For security reasons I won’t be giving details, but I can say that a new group of 22 students started recently. I am so happy to see the creative teaching approaches that are moving a step beyond what I did in the past, making the teaching method more relevant to their culture. That is what handovers should do! I feel like a parent watching my child beat my own record! I am so happy! I wish I could tell you all about it.
Handover #3: The Seminary has a new leader, Külli Tõniste. Külli was my student when I first came to Estonia. She went on to do a master’s and a PhD in New Testament and with her American husband Doug has been back in Estonia teaching with us for 3 years. On August 1 she will officially become our Rector (president). I was her teacher, her boss, and now she will become my boss. Honestly, I am really looking forward to it! We have had lots of conversations about the direction the Seminary needs to go, and I really believe that God can use her to take the Seminary to new heights. Most importantly: she understands the importance of prayer and keeping God central to what we are doing.
Handover #4: We have a new head of the church in Estonia: Robert Tcherenkov. Unlike the others, Robert has never been my student, but he was my partner for the last two years leading the Estonian Bible School program. Working together helped me to get to know him better and to see the heart that he has for God. I really believe he is the right man for the job and although he is facing a huge challenge, I am looking forward to seeing what God will do.
As you can see, there are a lot of changes and we really believe that all these new leaders can bring a new start to the church in Estonia. Please keep praying for God’s guidance, strength and protection. Estonia is not an easy place to serve God and your prayers are an essential part of what we are doing.
Have a great summer!
-Livia & Mark Nelson
This past year was hard for Lívia as she adjusted to teaching in a new school in a new community, but praise God it has gone well and her relationships with co-workers as well as the kids are developing nicely. Some time ago we asked prayer for a very troubled 6th grader. Your prayers are working! Lívia has been able to build a relationship of trust with him to the point where a shift in his attitude is seen, despite the fact that he still claims to hate school. As a teacher, she is limited in how she can present the Gospel, but her testimony comes through very clearly! Keep praying!
One of Lívia’s goals for the year ahead is to put Bible studies that she has lead into a written form that can be distributed. There is a very great lack of Bible study material in Estonian and Lívia’s approach is exactly the very practical approach that is needed to help people develop their relationship with God. Finding the time and energy, however, is a major challenge, so prayers are appreciated.
For me, the last months have been about handovers. Mostly planned and prepared for in a way that will take God’s work in new directions and allow me to focus on the Seminary and Bible school.
Handover #1: Estonian foreign mission work has a new leader. Kaire (who graduated from the Seminary in June and has been on several of our mission teams) officially replaced me this spring taking the seat I had on the Estonian Evangelical Alliance’s board as mission committee leader. This handover took more time than I expected, but I trust that God’s timing is best and I see that Kaire has the skills and energy to take this work forward.
Handover #2: The Bible school for indigenous people groups in Russia is relaunched with a new leader. For security reasons I won’t be giving details, but I can say that a new group of 22 students started recently. I am so happy to see the creative teaching approaches that are moving a step beyond what I did in the past, making the teaching method more relevant to their culture. That is what handovers should do! I feel like a parent watching my child beat my own record! I am so happy! I wish I could tell you all about it.
Handover #3: The Seminary has a new leader, Külli Tõniste. Külli was my student when I first came to Estonia. She went on to do a master’s and a PhD in New Testament and with her American husband Doug has been back in Estonia teaching with us for 3 years. On August 1 she will officially become our Rector (president). I was her teacher, her boss, and now she will become my boss. Honestly, I am really looking forward to it! We have had lots of conversations about the direction the Seminary needs to go, and I really believe that God can use her to take the Seminary to new heights. Most importantly: she understands the importance of prayer and keeping God central to what we are doing.
Handover #4: We have a new head of the church in Estonia: Robert Tcherenkov. Unlike the others, Robert has never been my student, but he was my partner for the last two years leading the Estonian Bible School program. Working together helped me to get to know him better and to see the heart that he has for God. I really believe he is the right man for the job and although he is facing a huge challenge, I am looking forward to seeing what God will do.
As you can see, there are a lot of changes and we really believe that all these new leaders can bring a new start to the church in Estonia. Please keep praying for God’s guidance, strength and protection. Estonia is not an easy place to serve God and your prayers are an essential part of what we are doing.
Have a great summer!
-Livia & Mark Nelson
-I recently returned to Haiti for two months after a one-year absence. My heart overflowed the first couple weeks of reunions! My former students at Cowman International School stopped for a hug and a kiss at every possible chance; how I missed those little rascals! I taught fifth grade for the last three weeks of school and organized the school’s annual Fun in the Sun Day. It was a blast! I believe the highlight was our “Teacher Target” station, where students got to hurl soaked sponges at our brave teachers. However, stress from the field’s difficult land situation and political tensions in the community quickly stole our focus as we begged God to guide us through the turmoil. Many of our last smiles for our students were painful as our hearts cried for our family, our campus, and the community of Vaudrieul. As chaotic and heart-wrenching as it was, I believe it was a time of strengthening for the OMS family on the Haiti field. In every discussion, I witnessed pure hearts cry that these difficult times would further the Gospel in the community, that this situation would exalt Jesus; and while we didn’t understand, I saw so much willingness to suffer for Christ and His kingdom. As a young woman just beginning her missionary journey, it was so encouraging to see how the years our long-termers have invested in and sincerely cared for the Haitian people produced a huge spiritual blessing in a very dark time. It manifested itself as a whole community of faithful believers interceding in prayer! It was a hug and a kiss from the cleaning ladies to encourage me to “kenbe fem” (stay strong). It was singing praises with the kitchen ladies while we washed the dishes and tried not to cry. It was watching an Almighty God provide a solution when every possible solution had been rejected and exhausted. Upon my return, I have been asked if I had a fun trip. It makes me chuckle! I don’t know if being stretched spiritually, emotionally, in my giftings, and every other area of my life to an extent that one begins to feel broken can be classified as fun, but it resulted in incredible joy that made this trip my most meaningful yet. And as I led my most frustrating and difficult student to the Lord on the last day of summer school, I realized that every single moment is and was worth it.
-Susie Heinrichs
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On a personal note Julie and I have left Haiti temporarily to adopt our nephew, Jacob. We are currently in Canada going through the adoption process and hope to be back in Haiti for the start of the next semester at Emmaus.
Emmaus Biblical Seminary continues to advance. On May 11, 19 men and women graduated, equipped to serve the Kingdom in Hai-ti. We have also started construction on a new classroom and office building in order to accommodate our growing class sizes and faculty. Also, this semester Emmaus started a new master’s in education program in the hope of training and influencing the future and current educational leaders in Haiti for Christ. But the biggest advancement, the biggest news of this semester was that the Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association granted EBS accreditation. Emmaus is the first school to be granted accreditation by CETA in either Haiti or the Dominican Republic. This is a massive achievement which Emmaus has been working toward for over a decade. Accreditation means that a degree from Emmaus is the equal of any post-secondary degree in the world. We praise God and give Him the glory for the blessings that he has poured out upon us so that we can serve Him more effectively.
Bethesda Medical Centre’s physio department also continues to advance. The beautiful new building was opened at the start of January and Altidor, a local physio technician, started working with Julie the first day that they were opened. They have been work-ing hard ever since. Altidor is learning quickly and since Julie left the clinic in March she has been doing an excellent job on her own.
Dr. Rodney Baptiste had a very successful fund raising trip to Western Canada in February raising more than $80,000 for the clinic. That is almost enough to supply them with medicine for a whole year! Bethesda is very thankful to God for His provision!
-Bill and Julie Edler
Emmaus Biblical Seminary continues to advance. On May 11, 19 men and women graduated, equipped to serve the Kingdom in Hai-ti. We have also started construction on a new classroom and office building in order to accommodate our growing class sizes and faculty. Also, this semester Emmaus started a new master’s in education program in the hope of training and influencing the future and current educational leaders in Haiti for Christ. But the biggest advancement, the biggest news of this semester was that the Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association granted EBS accreditation. Emmaus is the first school to be granted accreditation by CETA in either Haiti or the Dominican Republic. This is a massive achievement which Emmaus has been working toward for over a decade. Accreditation means that a degree from Emmaus is the equal of any post-secondary degree in the world. We praise God and give Him the glory for the blessings that he has poured out upon us so that we can serve Him more effectively.
Bethesda Medical Centre’s physio department also continues to advance. The beautiful new building was opened at the start of January and Altidor, a local physio technician, started working with Julie the first day that they were opened. They have been work-ing hard ever since. Altidor is learning quickly and since Julie left the clinic in March she has been doing an excellent job on her own.
Dr. Rodney Baptiste had a very successful fund raising trip to Western Canada in February raising more than $80,000 for the clinic. That is almost enough to supply them with medicine for a whole year! Bethesda is very thankful to God for His provision!
-Bill and Julie Edler
The CAM (Christian Academy in Mozambique) school year is quickly coming to a close on June 8th. This year we are graduating nine students who are busy seeking the Lord as they decide their future studies and the Lord's leading. It has been a challenging year, but we give praise to the Lord in all things and we pray for a strong finish. We are a few teachers short for the new school year in August and appreciate your prayers as we interview and decide who to hire. Finding qualified teachers is a challenge in Mozam-bique.
A recent development is that Susan was having severe pain and has been diagnosed with gallstones. Her surgery was postponed on May 13 and we are now praying for wisdom about when she can have the surgery. In the meantime, pray the pain doesn't return.
Larry continues to keep busy with two business offices to oversee and all the grounds maintenance workers, repairs and construction on the campus and around CAM school.
The seminary program is running well and there are about 75 students in the day and night courses. Your prayers for these students and for the finances needed to continue the program are appreciated.
Our national church, the Living Word Evangelical Church, continues to show spiritual growth. We are thankful for this new growth and the involvement of those from the churches who help with the OMS Helping Hands ministry to the disabled and those who help with the church women's programs.
One of the schools continuing challenge is the poor condition of the road to the school/OMS compound. There are still 300 meters of sand/unpaved road that in the rainy season becomes impassable and filled with large potholes that cars and even a school bus gets stuck in. We keep praying the government will finish paving the road. We still need to deal with high water in the "road" that becomes a "river" that cuts off the entrance to the school. Several times during the rainy seasons we have to close school because the water is too deep for vehicles to cross into our compound.
-Larry and Susan Weil, Mozambique
A recent development is that Susan was having severe pain and has been diagnosed with gallstones. Her surgery was postponed on May 13 and we are now praying for wisdom about when she can have the surgery. In the meantime, pray the pain doesn't return.
Larry continues to keep busy with two business offices to oversee and all the grounds maintenance workers, repairs and construction on the campus and around CAM school.
The seminary program is running well and there are about 75 students in the day and night courses. Your prayers for these students and for the finances needed to continue the program are appreciated.
Our national church, the Living Word Evangelical Church, continues to show spiritual growth. We are thankful for this new growth and the involvement of those from the churches who help with the OMS Helping Hands ministry to the disabled and those who help with the church women's programs.
One of the schools continuing challenge is the poor condition of the road to the school/OMS compound. There are still 300 meters of sand/unpaved road that in the rainy season becomes impassable and filled with large potholes that cars and even a school bus gets stuck in. We keep praying the government will finish paving the road. We still need to deal with high water in the "road" that becomes a "river" that cuts off the entrance to the school. Several times during the rainy seasons we have to close school because the water is too deep for vehicles to cross into our compound.
-Larry and Susan Weil, Mozambique
As prayer partners of OMS Haiti missionary Colleen Taylor, we have been interested in Haiti for many years. When she wrote, asking for ESL teachers, we took up the challenge and arranged to go to Haiti for two months. Our first event, one hour after our arrival, was the weekly OMS missionary prayer time. We received an immediate and warm welcome, and we saw the genuine support that missionaries give to one another. This was followed in a day or two with the monthly prayer time in Creole for the many OMS ministries, including 4VEH Radio and TV, Cowman International School, Bethesda Medical, Maternity and Dental Clinics, Emmaus Biblical Seminary, the Starfish kids and the English Classes. Soon reality began to set in. We lived in a completely different environment, of not knowing what was safe and what was unsafe, and having no opportunity to return home for 2 months. We had a whole new appreciation for the mission staff who leave everything and simply come, having no guarantee but God.
As we learned more Creole, we learned to talk with people, and they wanted to know about us. Many knew Jesus and we shared the blessing of his presence. What we came to realize was that, although there is a history of dark involvement and although there are still strong evil forces, the power of the gospel is evident everywhere. People have hope in Christ, even when they have little else. As we spoke a word of blessing, “Bondye beni ‘w,” people would eagerly respond.
On an evangelism trip into the mountains, we had a real taste of the remoteness of village life. The road was the riverbed. The water supply was the river. There was no electricity, and the primary cash crop was cocoa beans. As we visited people, we asked, “May I tell you about Jesus?” We received a “Yes” reply over and over again. Not only did people receive Christ as Saviour, one woman renounced her previous dedication to Satan and smashed a whisky bottle which was to be used in an upcoming ceremony. People received solar radios, tuned to radio 4VEH, and with an MP3 recording of the entire Bible.
The English classes led to warm relationships and friendships. They were for 4VEH staff, and others that they invited. Most participants in the 2 month program were able to achieve a certificate of having achieved either Level 1 or Level 2 of ESL training. The readings were from scripture passages, and we sang and prayed together, and grew in Christ. The work at Cowman International School included classroom support, office supplies organization, and reshelving library books. Pat found herself eating lunch with little friends, some of whom were also our neighbours on the OMS grounds.
God is powerfully at work through the work of OMS in Haiti. The need is great, and because of that
need, people’s hearts are wide open to the Grace of our God, and the Salvation found in Jesus Christ.
Mesi Seyè! Thank you Lord!
-Lucas and Pat Van Boeschoten
As we learned more Creole, we learned to talk with people, and they wanted to know about us. Many knew Jesus and we shared the blessing of his presence. What we came to realize was that, although there is a history of dark involvement and although there are still strong evil forces, the power of the gospel is evident everywhere. People have hope in Christ, even when they have little else. As we spoke a word of blessing, “Bondye beni ‘w,” people would eagerly respond.
On an evangelism trip into the mountains, we had a real taste of the remoteness of village life. The road was the riverbed. The water supply was the river. There was no electricity, and the primary cash crop was cocoa beans. As we visited people, we asked, “May I tell you about Jesus?” We received a “Yes” reply over and over again. Not only did people receive Christ as Saviour, one woman renounced her previous dedication to Satan and smashed a whisky bottle which was to be used in an upcoming ceremony. People received solar radios, tuned to radio 4VEH, and with an MP3 recording of the entire Bible.
The English classes led to warm relationships and friendships. They were for 4VEH staff, and others that they invited. Most participants in the 2 month program were able to achieve a certificate of having achieved either Level 1 or Level 2 of ESL training. The readings were from scripture passages, and we sang and prayed together, and grew in Christ. The work at Cowman International School included classroom support, office supplies organization, and reshelving library books. Pat found herself eating lunch with little friends, some of whom were also our neighbours on the OMS grounds.
God is powerfully at work through the work of OMS in Haiti. The need is great, and because of that
need, people’s hearts are wide open to the Grace of our God, and the Salvation found in Jesus Christ.
Mesi Seyè! Thank you Lord!
-Lucas and Pat Van Boeschoten
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