Welcome to Issue II of our Story Roundup (threads, scraps, and snapshots of cross-cultural ministry from our missionaries around the world)!

Here you’ll get quick glimpses into many different types of work done by folks sharing the gospel across fields, so make sure to take a deeper dive on each of these locations by following the links.

Here’s just a few stories we’re loving this month:

The Best Couple (in Nairobi, Kenya)

Shanna and Nate have called Nairobi home for a decade, and along with their three kids, they serve their church and community through discipleship, training, and Serge's gospel renewal curriculum. Nate is continuing his education towards a counseling degree, while also coordinating Serge's Kenya Internship Program.

Shanna: “This past month, our dear friends Dennis and Bilhah were married, and we were honored to be a part of the wedding party. We were asked to be the ‘Best Couple.’

The Best Couple is a concept we Americans are unfamiliar with. Yet, here in Kenya, it is nearly essential to a traditional wedding party. Now that Nate and I understand our roles as the Best Couple, we think it’s such a wonderful component of both the wedding and marriage!

I had to be upfront with Bilhah, when she kindly asked if Nate and I would consider the honor of being their Best Couple. ‘What does that mean?’ I plainly asked. I already felt clueless about the traditions of Kenyan weddings, and I didn’t want to disappoint this dear couple by not carrying out my responsibilities with precision and respect for them and their culture.

Bilhah shared with me that, in Kenyan tradition, a Best Couple is an older, wiser couple that knows the bride and groom and commits to guide them in their engagement and marriage. It wasn’t just a one-day commitment, but rather an ongoing, even lifelong commitment to the couple! So the stakes felt quite high . . . I didn’t want to let her down.

With gentleness and grace, she explained our responsibilities:

• Meet with the engaged couple a number of times for advice and counsel

• Heavily assist the wedding committee (yes, there’s a committee) in planning the wedding details

• Act as the second-hand man/woman to the bride and groom on their wedding day

• Hold their phones and receive their calls on the wedding day (this was greatly emphasized, surprisingly)

• Sign the marriage license!

• Continue meeting with the couple for advice and counsel, especially in their first year of marriage

We gladly accepted, and tried our best to fulfill our duties!

The wedding day itself was an adventure and SO MUCH FUN! The dancing was such a highlight — everything was celebrated with drums and dancing, the entrance to the church, the pronouncement from the pastor, the exit, the slicing of the cakes, even the smallest gift! You couldn’t help but feel the joy!!!!! We praise the Lord for such a special honor, this precious couple and for the wisdom He has given us from 11 years of marriage and Nate’s counseling degree (in progress) to now share with newlyweds!”

More on the Nairobi Team

Freedom in Peru, Freedom in Christ (in Peru)

Daniel and Abigail Eguiluz were both born and raised in Lima, Peru, and now work to promote spiritual renewal for all of Lima through free, gospel-centered theological training. They serve under-resourced pastors, planters, Sunday school teachers, and other church leaders from all backgrounds through the Timothy Leadership Training program.

Daniel: “Did you know that both the US and Peru celebrate their Independence in July? As the US recently celebrated its 250th anniversary on the 4th, Peru will soon be turning 205 on the 28th. We pray that as both countries celebrate their freedom, all of us will take full advantage of this freedom in the service of our global Savior.

Last Saturday I drove three hours north of Lima to Chancay to meet with a team of local facilitators for Timothy Leadership Training (TLT)1. As TLT’s representative for Latin America, I provide pastoral and administrative assistance to teams across the region.

We gathered at a tent where the local congregation meets, so the space had multiple Christian banners on its walls. One of the banners had the image of an eagle and a reference to Exodus 19.4: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” The banner served as a fitting background for the picture above in this freedom-themed month.

Paul spells out the purpose of our freedom in Galatians 5.13: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

By the end of my visit to Chancay, I was greatly encouraged by the stories of how these TLT facilitators use their freedom to serve many TLT cohorts around the country. Some travel to the jungle; others to the Andes. Some travel by bus; others by air. One asked me how to keep in touch with a cohort that lives in an area so remote that it has no signal, not just for internet service but even for standard telephone. A different facilitator said, “I like to facilitate trainings where no schools can be found.”

More on the Peru Team

Ode to a 2001 Toyota Prado (in Nairobi, Kenya)

The Nihart Family is based in Nairobi, Kenya where Ben leads a growing team of Kenyan nationals who train other Kenyan church leaders in Chronological Bible Storying as a method of discipleship and evangelism.

Chronological Bible Storytelling (CBS) is one of the exciting tools currently being used throughout the world to plant churches among least reached people groups. While CBS is a fairly recent development in the world of missions—as a method of communicating a mature gospel message—in its most basic form, it is actually as old as biblical history.

Ben: “I have 8 years’ worth of stories of success and defeat when it comes to driving across the country. Our 2001 Toyota Prado has been faithful. Since purchasing it in 2018, it has carried us well over 100,000 miles across Kenya. It has taken us through deserts, mountains, flooded roads, and some of the most remote parts of Kenya. During my many hours in the car, much of it is filled with friendships and times of sharing, discipleship, laughter, and more.

One of those stories: I had been dreaming of finally arriving to begin a training among the Daasanach community in the northeast corner of Lake Turkana. Situated next to the largest desert lake in the world, this community lives isolated from the rest of Kenya. It was a 19-hour drive, 10 of those hours through the desert. It is a place where the gospel is deeply needed.

Some of the challenges include the remote location, a high illiteracy rate, no Old Testament in their language, and the fact that the Daasanach are less than 3% evangelical. On the positive side, the church is growing and expanding. People are eager to learn, and they are very welcoming.

During the first training, after having a tire blow out on the road and discovering a major leak in the power steering, we finally arrived and began the training.

We taught from Creation through the story of Abram. Roughly 40 church leaders gathered to learn together from different churches around the area, even from across the border in Ethiopia. Because there is no Old Testament in Daasanach, and only six of the students knew Swahili, everything had to be translated. Many of the stories we were teaching added details they had not known before. They were familiar with these Old Testament stories, but not with the depth and detail we were able to share.

During the teaching about Noah, when we reached the place where God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise to never flood the whole earth again, an older man raised his hand. He said, “In our culture, when we see a rainbow, it is a sign of a curse. It means that no more rain is coming. This story shows that the rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness and promise.”

As I thought more about this, it made perfect sense. In a place that receives only one or two rainfalls a year at most, the sign of a rainbow would feel troubling, not hopeful. Moments like these, along with several other “aha” moments throughout the week, deeply encouraged our team.

After this first trip, we realized it is essential to translate the materials into the Daasanach language. There is one local pastor and two others who are able to help with this work. Although over twenty of the participants will not be able to read the materials themselves, those who can will be able to teach others from them.

Even more importantly, translating the materials will allow us to create audio recordings of the stories and teaching so people can listen, memorize, and store these truths in their hearts. We plan to translate the lessons, record them, and purchase solar-powered audio players that can use an SD card or flash drive to play the recordings.

A week ago, the engine [of our 2001 Toyota Prado] finally failed completely. After talking with my mechanic, we purchased a used engine from Japan that is currently being installed. Lord willing, it will give us a little more time.

Rather than forcing us to sell the Prado for scrap value, this repair allows us to continue using it while we begin preparing for what comes next.

As we look toward replacing the Prado, we’re hoping to purchase another Toyota Land Cruiser, something dependable enough to serve the next decade of ministry.”

Get Ben A New Car

In Sonship, there’s a lesson on heart renewal and Kingdom work. We call this the propulsion of grace. An inward movement of God’s grace in our hearts should always create an outward movement of love for God and others.

Grace frees us from living a risk-free life. Trusting God means dying to our doubts that we can be used by Him. You may feel weak, but if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, God will use you.

It’s Peter stepping out of the boat (Matthew 14).

It’s the woman at the well hearing Jesus say, “You avoid me, but I’m pursuing you,” and so she goes back to the town to tell everyone she knows (John 4).

Serge’s founder, Jack Miller, once wrote to a friend1:

“I want the Spirit to grace me with much patience, a willingness to take each small step necessary to make friends with the lost person, and then boldly stand before the heart’s door and knock, there to stand with tears before the person’s inner citadel and plead for the lost one to grab hold of the only salvation there is. The Father must give much new grace if this is to happen. I am often so far from this kind of total commitment to the Lord Jesus. Pray for me, my brother, pray for me.”

The Spirit is with you. In Christ, His power is propelling you to step out with the gospel. Good news, when it’s shared, travels fast2. And if we have the Good News, we should, too.

“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.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Are you IN or OUT?

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Welcome to Issue I of our Story Roundup (threads, scraps, and snapshots of cross-cultural ministry from our missionaries around the world)!

Here you’ll get quick glimpses into many different types of work done by folks sharing the gospel across fields, so make sure to take a deeper dive on each of these locations by following the links.

Here’s just a few stories we’re loving this month:

On safari (in Kijabe, Kenya)

The Sund Family lives in Kijabe, Kenya, working on discipling, training, and providing safe anesthesia. Greg is the head of anesthesia at AIC Kijabe Hospital, where he helped start the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) anesthesia residency program, aiding medical students and nurse anesthetists, many of whom come to Kijabe from countries in East Africa where there are severe shortages of qualified anesthetists. Greg and Kijabe’s simulation team travel to many rural hospitals in East Africa to train medical providers on how to handle obstetric emergencies.

Greg: “We went on Safari and stopped for our ‘bush breakfast’1. Biniyam walked into the dry riverbed in front of the safari vehicle; suddenly, we all heard a thundering roar as a lioness leapt from the nearby bushes, not too far in front of him. Greg yelled ‘run!’ and we all booked it back to the vehicle. Our safari guides seemed surprised but not too concerned; they told us we should get out and eat breakfast. The lioness roared one more time when our guide got too close to the riverbed, and then the third time she roared, none of us were near the riverbed—the lioness must have moved to watch us. At that point, our guide quickly said, ‘Time to go!’ He didn’t have to tell us twice!

We were able to drive around to the other side of the riverbed and see two lionesses with their cubs in the bushes. We are all grateful that Biniyam survived safari and now has an epic tale to tell.”

More on Kijabe

Movie nights (in Nagoya, Japan)

Daniel Kawasaki is a part of a growing Serge team in Nagoya, Japan, where he’s been serving since 2022, supporting Japanese churches and pastors in their gospel ministry. He is involved in a local Japanese church where he participates in weekly prayer, facilitates a home group, and has helped to organize an Ayako Miura reading group.

Daniel: “This [verse] is written on the front of the cover of the novel by Ayako Miura entitled Shiokari Pass. Our reading group just finished the novel, and so last week we also hosted a movie night to show the adaptation. My teammate, Steven, made a flyer for the movie night that we were able to hand to people from various churches, as well as out in the community with friends who are not part of the church. We hosted the event at the church hall, where we put it on a large screen. Thankfully, all of the technology worked well enough, and we had 22 people show up. The movie was made in the 1970s and was very well done. It is hard to get to the end without crying.

The story is based on the true story of a man who became a Christian and ended up giving his life to save the lives of people on a train that was going to be derailed. After the movie was finished, I invited those present to talk with the people next to them about their impressions of the movie while they had tea, coffee, and snacks. I was able to speak with a few people. One person mentioned that there were various points where they would have liked to stop the movie and think about what they had just seen. It makes you think deeply about sin and the nature of sacrificing one’s comfort, or even one’s life, for the good of others. It makes one think about what it really means to follow Christ. Please pray with me that those who came will be motivated to follow Christ wholeheartedly.”

More on Nagoya

The Great Physician (in Kapsowar, Kenya)

The Borkerts live in Kapsowar, Kenya. John is one of the three main medical doctors taking care of medical inpatients who come to the AIC Kapsowar Mission Hospital.

The medical team in Kapsowar sees patients of all ages, from the tiniest of pre-term babies to the elderly men and women. Each of these individuals has come for different medical reasons, and each person is a precious soul coming to the hospital with both physical and spiritual needs.

John: “Medical rounds that day began like any other, moving from bed to bed, seeing patients who primarily had respiratory complaints. When we reached Prudence, a 13-year-old girl, my heart sank. She was unconscious and unresponsive to even painful stimuli, and was struggling to breathe. Her heart rate was low, and she had excessive oral secretions. She had been placed on a non-rebreather mask, flowing at 10L of oxygen.

In the United States, a patient in this condition would be intubated (placement of a breathing tube) immediately, but here in Kenya, ICU resources are very limited. Prudence had intentionally ingested a large amount of cattle dip—an organophosphate insecticide that is highly toxic to humans. Her family brought her to the casualty department (ED) without delay, and she received emergency medical interventions, including gastric lavage (stomach pumping), activated charcoal, and atropine to counteract the poisoning.

Even though she was in critical condition, over the next two days, Prudence miraculously made remarkable progress—she began to wake up, eat, and move normally. Yet, her amazing recovery was not just physical; it was also spiritual. As she regained strength, Prudence chose to open up—at her own pace—about the struggles she was facing. She had been carrying a heavy burden of guilt, shame, and relational conflict. The despair she felt under these burdens led her to think that harming herself was the only option. God’s goodness and kindness allowed her to come to our hospital when she was at her lowest point physically and spiritually. And He graciously used her family, the Kenyan chaplains, nurses, and the medical team to bring her to the point of experiencing not just physical healing, but also the beginnings of emotional and spiritual healing. She encountered the truth of the Prodigal Son—that though she was broken and unable to “fix” her circumstances and even her very heart’s condition, God’s mercy and grace are abundant and have reached deep into her chasm of despair, guilt, and shame. Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, offers restoration and new life to all who trust in Him. He offers hope. Praise the Great Physician, that though her path may continue to be difficult, Prudence has experienced the opportunity for a second chance. She was able to understand that her life matters, and she is seen and loved by her Creator. Her life matters, her story matters...

Prudence’s story reminds us that healing happens on many levels—physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. We are so thankful to witness and support the ways God is at work in the lives of patients like Prudence.”

More on Kapsowar

We pieced together some more music for you to quietly sit with Jesus. This playlist is curated to soundtrack 1hr. of devotional time—alternating songs with simple lyrics and instrumental spaces to accompany scripture reading, journaling, and reflection from artists like: Masakatsu Takagi, The Porter’s Gate, Jackie Gleason, Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru and Sleeping at Last.

Enjoy time with Jesus!

“Okay, Lord, it’s Take-Your-Kid-To-Work-Day, and you’re taking me to work with You and You’re my Good Father and I want You to lead me.” — Tom Gilliam, Serge Missionary in Ireland

Seven teammates.

Three continents.

A single story.

Today in Peru, Serge missionaries reach those on the margins to give a holistic testimony of Christ’s love. In Ireland, teams encourage and disciple local pastors and leaders, sustained by the daily, renewing experience of the Father’s love for them. In Burundi, medical missionaries serve among just 300 physicians for a country of 8-10 million people. In England, the church-planting team faithfully proclaims to displaced and transient communities the message of a Savior who can restore our belonging and give us a home.

A Day In The Life is a short film documenting movements of grace reaching, renewing, and restoring all things for the world’s good and God’s glory.

Are you ready to go?

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. — Matthew 4:1-2, NIV

There was a planned power outage in our neighborhood this week. On one of the coldest days of the year, we went 12 hours without electricity—no lights, no hot water, no internet, no heat. We opted to be out and about for the better part of the day, but there came a point when we just wanted to go home. We held a faint hope that maybe the outage would end early (it didn’t—in fact, it was extended by four hours).

As the sun dropped below the horizon, the temperature inside dropped as well. We lit some candles, dug out flashlights and headlamps, sent a tribute for takeout, and huddled together under piles of blankets.

When the lights finally came back on, we all cheered with relief. The furnace kicked in, and our trial came to an end. We emerged from the darkness with a newfound appreciation for warmth, the ability to open the fridge, a hot shower, and the wonder of light. None of us in our right minds would cut the power voluntarily and hunker down in the dark.

So, let’s talk about Lent.

Lent, which is the 40 days leading up to Easter (actually 46, but we don’t count Sundays in Lent), is a season traditionally set apart in the church calendar for reflection and repentance in preparation for remembering the death and celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

While observing Lent is not a mandate in the Reformed tradition, many have come to see the value of using the time for personal reflection and spiritual retreat. It’s meant to mirror the time Jesus spent in the desert after His baptism and before beginning His public ministry.

Jesus, prompted by the Holy Spirit, voluntarily withdrew to fast and pray in the desert for 40 days. And at the end of this time, while He was suffering from extreme hunger, the devil showed up and tempted Him.

What was the main temptation? It was for Jesus to stop depending on His Father and take matters into His own hands—to feed Himself, save Himself, and worship Himself. But using promises of Scripture as His defense, Jesus withstood the temptation to break away from His fellowship with and reliance on the Father and sent Satan packing. It was a foreshadowing of another time when Jesus would withstand the temptation to take matters into His own hands, alone again in a garden in the dark. “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

The gospels record more than 25 times when Jesus put Himself in hard, desolate, and isolated places—on purpose. He voluntarily “cut the power,” and in His discomfort, He pressed deeper and harder into His relationship with His Father—and His Father did not disappoint. Paul tells us Jesus became obedient to death, even death on a cross! The ultimate desolation. And so “God exalted Him to the highest place” (Philippians 2:8-9). The ultimate fullness, Lord of All.

So, what am I saying?

We have an opportunity in these coming days and weeks to press deeper and harder into our relationship with the Father during the season of Lent.

The prescribed way of doing this is by voluntarily putting ourselves in hard places, denying ourselves some of our creature comforts, taking time alone to reflect on the state of our souls, and returning in repentance and dependence to our Father. We voluntarily “cut the power,” so to speak, and collapse under the cross of Jesus Christ. We quiet and humble ourselves because we believe that the Father will lift us up (James 4:10) just as He lifted His Son from the grave on that glorious Resurrection Day.

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“What in the world?!” was the daily echo from our lips for the first few years of life in the rural Himalayas. It often felt like somehow our plane did not land in a different country, but rather another planet.

• Muddy dirt roads on the edge of cavernous cliffs

• Monkeys sneaking into our house to steal the fruit off our table

• Power outages that would last for days

• No hide and seek after twilight because of the prowling tiger

• Pray about Mr. Cobra before venturing toward the river

• Children playing ball on rooftops without fences

• Milk stored under the bed until it turns sour and becomes a delicacy offered to guests

• Women carrying loads of grass/animal feed five times their size up steep mountains

• Buffalo wearing bells jingling their way to the higher plains every spring—by the hundreds, and at night—led by Muslim nomads.

Embedded in the village, we were an anomaly.

No westerner had ever lived in this particular part of the world, and we received a lot of stares and curious questions.

“Char bachee?!” (four children) would echo behind us from fellow bazaar patrons. Giggles as we dodged cows and motorcycles. My watchful, mother-eyes were always alert for the cheek pinchers.

To be called here by God was both costly and priceless.

To be trusted in this place, though, is a sacred privilege.

The children of God in the “land of the gods.”

“Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” Psalm 86:8, NIV

The land of our calling, like many of the unreached places in the world, held deep significance for the gods of this earth. Each summer, before the monsoon rains would begin, we would witness Hindu pilgrims clad in orange passing by the hundreds. Sometimes they would ride in cars, most would make the journey on foot, and a few would crawl on their knees, hoping for greater forgiveness and reward. We would grow to have respect and compassion for these souls, who clearly understood the need to be forgiven.

Our first home

In our first home, we would often wake to tapping on our bedroom window, inches from our sleeping heads. All social boundaries seemed utterly absent as people tried to figure us out. Over time, we grew more comfortable with our new home, and the village grew comfortable with us.

We loved the wildness. We loved the little shop that sold chips and candy just feet from our front door. We learned how to elbow our way to the front of a line, alongside masses doing the same. More than once, my mother-glare landed on anyone who shoved my children.

Endless needs

The medical needs would vary from children with sniffles to people literally dying on our doorstep.

My husband saw a huge variety of patients with things like schizophrenia, a dislocated arm, eye infections, depression, unhealed gangrenous wounds, hepatitis, a cockroach in the ear, infertility, and diabetes. As we developed trust, the word began to spread, and people would walk for hours to be seen. Normal medicine seemed to have abnormal efficacy.

We knew God was in this, “stretching out His arms to a people who did not call on His name” (Isaiah 65:2).

These were our neighbors who became our friends—friends who would teach us to put pepper in chai, chili in everything, then would laugh as the water poured from our eyes and noses with each bite.

These friends who would teach us to dance in wide circles of men or women with laughter and joy. We were clumsy and awkward, but grew ourselves into “pukka” (solid) neighbors over time.

The baffling wisdom of God

Sometimes it would baffle us that this was God’s plan—to transplant His children from places where they felt competent and articulate, to the far reaches of the world where they would feel like ever-dependent children in language and cultural comprehension.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!” — Romans 11:33, NIV

Occasionally, though, the veil would tear and we would glimpse the glory of His ways.

“. . . the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open.” — Matthew 27:51-52, NIV

The story of Sangeeta and Abhishek

This story does not highlight the efficacy of the physical care or medicine that was given, but rather the strategic trust that the clinic earned for a kind of holistic care that wraps around both body and soul—an incubation zone for seeds of eternal life.

One such veil-tearing day, a strong and gentle local woman, Sangeeta1, came into our bustling clinic. Her symptoms were not remarkable. She was seen, provided with necessary medications, and offered prayer. Actually, prayer is the reason she had come in the first place. She had heard that the clinic was the place where she could come for true healing through prayer.

“The one who really needs prayer is my husband, but he cannot come here!” Sangeeta pleaded with our staff for someone to return to her home with her.

Our team of brothers made plans to visit and minister to Abhishek, a frail man who had been sick for eight years with an incurable illness. Though he had been a wealthy landowner, he was now just skin and bones, utterly paralyzed. This grief was multiplied in the accumulation of debt, which resulted in sending their 14-year-old son to the city for labor work to help with the medical bills.

When our brothers arrived, they found Abhishek actively dying. When a Hindu dies, at least in our “sacred mountains,” he is fed specific things to carry into the afterlife (a kernel of rice, a tiny nugget of gold, etc.). Abhishek had already swallowed the amulet to prepare for his going, expected at any moment. Though he did not want to die, he especially did not want to anger the gods he was about to face.

But Abhishek did not have the strength to resist. Our brothers prayed boldly. As they prayed, Abhishek’s heart became soft and his legs became strong. By the end of the visit, this man was walking for the first time in years. In barely a week, Abhishek was visiting relatives to tell them that there is a God who loves them, who has power over illness and sin.

Not only was Abhishek visiting local relatives, he was climbing mountains to visit his extended family members who were scattered in remote villages only accessible by foot. He came to our clinic, all smiles, and asked for people to come with him because he needed to tell his family about this God who heals, but he didn’t know where to begin.

The couple’s young son, Deepak, was called home, and though he was glad for his father’s recovery, he was angry that his parents had chosen to follow this Jesus. From Deepak’s perspective, this decision disrupted everything in his life and community. He often went out before dawn in a rage against his parents.

One misty morning before the sun rose over the mountains, Deepak encountered a “bhag,” or tiger, just feet away from him, ready to pounce. In the Himalayas, there is a keen awareness that everything in life is spiritual, so Deepak immediately recognized his need to call on a strong God.

Instinctively turning to the God who healed his father, Deepak cried from his spirit, “Jesus, if you rescue me, I will serve you with my whole life!”

The tiger retreated and walked the other direction, and Deepak ran home with newfound confidence in this powerful God of his parents.

Abhishek and his son Deepak now minister together in their village, which had never encountered the gospel of life and light. They have opened the first place of Christian fellowship, and both are often found telling friends and neighbors, through tears, the stories of the rescuing power of Jesus who “has delivered [them] from the domain of darkness and transferred [them] to the Kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13).

His work, not ours

The privilege of this work came to an abrupt end last fall when my husband was denied entry at the airport, trying to come back to our home.

His visa had been flagged. Our world, which had seen the joyful fruit of surrender, turned upside down, surrendering that fruit to the true Gardener.

My head swims with the stories: surgery on a pet monkey who had been attacked by a dog; the old Hindu priest who, in place of money, brought his cobra to the clinic, sending my husband to stand on his desk when he briefly escaped the basket; the shopkeeper who regularly talked to me about her marriage and whether my husband could help her husband.

The memories are jewels of immeasurable value. We take tremendous comfort that though we are again transplanted, we belong to “a Kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Heb. 12:28).

I continue to marvel at the simplicity of obedience. God invites us to participate in His extravagant grace, but only one trembling step at a time. Often, when we try to step out in faith, we stumble at the cost or the bigness of the task. But at the end of the day, the task is His, not ours. We simply show up. And somehow, He delights to use those who show up.

Our current team carries on without us. They come with severe health concerns, and the Lord has met and sustained them. They come lonely, trusting in the provision of Christ. They come with queasy stomachs on windy roads. The darkness threatens, but can only chase them to their knees. They know the King of this unshakable Kingdom. Their joy is before them.

An invitation to costly joy

Our expulsion has stirred in us a desire to walk with and spur others on in this journey. If you are looking ahead and can’t see where your foot might land, but you are stepping forth in faith, we would be delighted to pray with you.

This journey is not for the faint of heart, and yet, maybe it is for the faint of heart, because truly His strength is made perfect in weakness.

Indeed, as sojourners for the gospel, we are called to lose our lives in order to find them. But don’t miss those last words because of the weight of the first. Yes, losing our lives is full of heavy cost and sorrow. But what is on the other end of the sentence? To find them, meaning our very lives. Come find life.

We welcome you to the greatest adventure this beautiful world has to offer. Life. Multiplied. Furthering the Kingdom, where the King Himself does the heavy lifting. Including lifting you often.

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This liturgy was crafted in partnership with those who live and work in London, and is part of an Advent devotional journey called: The Kingdom Mapped. Scroll to the bottom to get access to the full guide.

This week’s theme is love.

Lord Jesus, 
   creator of humanity, 
   designer of family, art, food, beauty, light, and love. 
   You have made us so that our culture 
   flows forth from us in countless forms. 
The cultures that make up 
   the many neighborhoods of London are often so ready 
      to celebrate goodness, 
      to honor what is lovely, 
      to create spaces of joy and community, 
   and to partake in worship.

And yet, in spite of the beauty of every culture, 
    each is flawed. 
How quickly
   good desires can turn to selfish ones,
   honor toward what is lovely 
   becomes honor toward what can never satisfy.
Instead of communities of invitation 
   we become ones of exclusion and fear,
   and Lord, we are full of wrongly-ordered worship.

O Creator, 
   we pray that the outcomes of these good desires 
   will turn toward You. 
We pray for the church communities of London, 
   that celebrations will be of Your goodness, 
   that honour will be bestowed upon Your Name, 
   that communities will gather in Your presence, 
   and that worship will be before You only, Lord. 

In this season of Advent, 
   as many church plants across London
   host seasonal services and gatherings of welcome—
   displays of color, community, and beauty
   —would the swirl of movement and music 
   take on new and greater meaning. 
Would the people who gather 
   come to know the One True God, 
   and dance to honor Love Himself, 
   our great Creator.

In this season of Advent, 
   as unique celebrations, events, and gatherings take place  
     in our own homes, 
     in our own churches, 
     in our own places of work, 
   may these seasonal times of singing and art, 
   community and traditions, craft and food, 
   remind us, Lord, of their intended, 
   greater purpose: to glorify You.

We long to see Your Kingdom on Earth. 
We long to taste Heaven 
   in the land of the living. 
We long for the love of God to overflow 
   in our homes, and for Your truth to 
   fill our hearts. 

Our faith is feeble, and this work is long. 
We are tempted by skepticism
   —to doubt that You can do something new here 
   in both London neighborhoods and our own. 
Forgive us when we don’t trust 
   in Your ability to do what seems impossible. 

Give us Your holy imagination to see
   Your goodness on this side of Heaven. 
Accept our meager loaves and fish, 
   and do something inexplicable in this land. 

Remind us that You are Love incarnate. 
   Love embodied in flesh, 
   Love driven to sacrifice, 
   and Love offered in an intimate relationship. 
   May we, 
   and those we love, 
   enter in. 

Amen.

This liturgy is part of our Advent journey: The Kingdom Mapped. Each week, we’ve been featuring a different region with resources to explore. Next week, we’ll have a final reflection—don’t miss it!

Access the Full Advent Guide

This liturgy was crafted in partnership with missionaries who live and work in Burundi, and is part of an Advent devotional journey called: The Kingdom Mapped. Scroll to the bottom to get access to the full guide.

This week’s theme is joy.

Father, we are waiting.

And long indeed is our wait
   to see Your promise fulfilled
   to see all things made new
   to see the healing of the nations
   to see our hearts made whole like the heart      
   of Jesus.

For how long will we wait?

It takes all our fortitude to not close our eyes
   against the pain and the myriad   
   disappointments,
   against the wars and the want,
   against our cold hearts and our selfish    
   darkness.
Who has the strength left to hope for such a profound joy as You promise?

Our sisters and brothers in Burundi,
as in so much of the world,
have borne plentiful scarcity, 
   crushing loss, and early death.
We are all waiting together 
   for what You have promised.
Yet as they weep, they often rejoice.
They may be weeping 
   while they sow their maize,
   but they also sing with joy, 
   harvest baskets on their heads,
   resembling our weeping and joyful Lord.

For there is yet joy all around us.
Beauty to overwhelm our eyes,
   wonder to bow our heads in worship,
   kindness to surprise our hearts,
   joy that is more than we can bear.

But the joy that is now, 
   flowing like a desert stream,
   is nothing compared 
   to the joy that will come to us,
   a torrent to send us over the falls, 
   to roil in the crystal pools below.
And that future has a way of working backwards, of creating a joyful hope 
   even in anticipation.

So it seems that the tension 
   between joy and sorrow is not confusion, 
   but rather central to who we are as Your        
   people, even as it was so characteristic of  our Lord Jesus.
We need not deny the darkness, 
   pasting on a smile.
We need not minimize the goodness, 
   as if its celebration means we are blind to injustice.

Instead, we pray. 

We pray for the work of Your Holy Spirit
   to enlarge our souls, that the joy and the     
   sorrow could dwell together.
We pray for Your people in Burundi to be  
   faithful in the lightness and the darkness.
We pray for Your grace to be a people who   
   wait patiently
   for Your redemption of all that is
   with gratitude for all that is
   with tears and with songs for all that is
  and with joy for all that will be.

Amen.

This liturgy is part of our Advent journey: The Kingdom Mapped. Each week, we’ll feature a different region with resources to explore.

Access the Full Advent Guide

This liturgy was crafted in partnership with Serge missionaries to Japan, and is part of an Advent devotional journey called: The Kingdom Mapped. Scroll to the bottom to get access to the full guide.

This week’s theme is peace.

Lord of Angels, 
Lord of Glory, 
Lord Jesus, 
hear our prayer. 

Hear us, the outcasts. 
Hear us, the little ones. 
Hear us, the downtrodden. 
And hear those whose voices are even smaller than ours, who stumble in the shadows in search of a Savior. 

Look with love upon Nagoya, 
 lit by millions of lights, 
 filled with millions of souls 
 adrift in the gloom. 
Oh Lord, 
 this darkness is so heavy, 
 so alive, 
 so deadly. 
It blinds the eyes, 
 stops the ears, 
 and opens its maw 
 against all creation. 
Generation after generation 
 is consumed, 
 knowing nothing else, 
 nothing of hope, 
 nothing of light, 
 nothing of peace.

Would Your song ring out through the night-air over Nagoya, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” 

Invade the darkness 
 here as in Bethlehem, 
 and reveal yourself to the Japanese, 
to those longing for a way out of these shadowlands!

Would the good news 
of Your coming no longer fall 
on lingering hearts and deaf ears, 
but like the shepherds rushing to find You in the manger, embolden the Japanese to seek You out. Open their eyes to Your glory and awaken them to the hunger of their own souls for a Savior and a King.

Would Your peace rest 
 on your children living in Japan. 
Sustain them, and fill their hearts 
 with hope as they labor 
 amidst Your harvest fields. 
Encourage Japanese 
 and immigrant
 and missionary alike 
 in this season of Advent, 
 as they both celebrate Your first coming and long for Your second. 

Lord of shepherds, 
Lord of mangers, 
Lord of the lowly, 
 hear our prayer.

Strengthen us, 
 Your Church, 
 in this time of waiting for Your return, 
 and help us to fear not, 
 but rather give us good courage as we join in the angels’ song, declaring Your gospel to hearts longing for a Savior. 

Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

Amen.

This liturgy is part of our Advent journey: The Kingdom Mapped. Each week, we’ll feature a different region with resources to explore.

Access the Full Advent Guide

This liturgy was crafted in partnership with missionaries who live and work in the Dominican Republic, and is part of an Advent devotional journey called: The Kingdom Mapped. Scroll to the bottom to get access to the full guide.

This week’s theme is hope.

O Christ, our Hope 
  in the dark of night,
  who offers light 
  to those of us who sit in darkness, 
  who warms our hearts to the gospel, 
  we lift up to You Crucero during 
  this Advent season. 
Would those living in this region 
  learn to hope in the only One 
  who will never leave them 
  or forsake them.

In a few weeks’ time, 
  when families, friends, and communities 
  join together to eat the Noche Buena feast, 
  may they come to know 
  the Lord of the Banquet, Jesus Christ. 

As they share the traditional enriched bread 
  called telera, may they learn to love 
  the One who came to us 
  as the Bread of Life.
As they open their doors 
  to everyone passing by, 
  calling them in to join in the party, 
May the doors of their own hearts 
  open, allowing Jesus to reign.

King Jesus, 
  hope depends on the object 
  one has put their trust in. 

The people of Crucero have learned 
  that politicians, 
  foreigners, 
  and even missionaries 
  are not always trustworthy. 
Promises are made and broken, 
  and people wait for the next person 
  to come and save them. 
Young people often move away, 
  seeking better opportunities in cities. 
Many older people have given up hope, 
  adopting a fatalistic approach to life. 
What is the point of trying when 
  one illness, 
  one accident,
  one bad crop 
can devastate a family for years?

Lord, show Yourself 
  as the Help and Shield of Crucero. 
Use both local leaders 
  and outside resources 
  to grow a sense of community and hope, 
  especially to the younger generation.

Bless the work 
  of Carlos and Kimberley Verhulst, 
  and La Mesa Ministry, 
  as they strive to set tables 
  for transformation, 
  inviting local leaders 
  to share their needs 
  and work together to find solutions. 
We pray that the Verhulsts 
  would also put their hope in the Lord 
  and resist the temptation to act 
  as mini-saviors, instead 
  of pointing Crucero to the Savior.

Loving Father, 
  as we celebrate Jesus’s birth together, 
May we expand our definition of family 
to include those He came to save, 
  especially the poor, 
  the broken, 
  and the marginalized.

May we embrace inconvenience 
  and discomfort for the sake of others.
May we remember 
  that our final home will be Heaven, 
  and generously share our earthly homes
  and hearths with those in need 
  of comfort and joy.
May we rejoice in the birth of Jesus 
  as we look with anticipation 
  to His coming again. 
May we share the good news 
  of forgiveness, 
  redemption,
  grace, 
  and mercy 
with a world in need of hope.

O Banquet-throwing God, 
may your Kingdom be stoked in Crucero. 
May it be 
  a place 
    of crackling, noisy joy, 
  a place 
    of gospel-fire, 
  a place 
    of hope 
  in the One who is always trustworthy.

Even as an oven provides warmth 
  and the means to bring forth sustenance, 
  may You be to the people of Crucero 
  as a wood-fire stove, 
    offering hope like heat 
    overflowing by the power 
    of Your Holy Spirit this Advent, 
  this Christmas, 

until You come again. 

Amen.

This liturgy is part of our Advent journey: The Kingdom Mapped. Each week, we’ll feature a different region with resources to explore.

Access the Full Advent Guide

For now, cultures may clash, but despite the collision, when we set the table and join together for a singular purpose—to give thanks—our hearts become full. This is evident in the stories missionaries tell as they set the table for their local communities in the name of Christ.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” — Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV)

Creating relational spaces (East Africa)

Ben and Nicole1 know what it’s like to host a ton of people for Thanksgiving.

Last year, their backyard was filled with all kinds of people—Africans, Indians, and Americans; Muslims, Christians, and converts. They celebrated, gave thanks to God, and enjoyed good food (for many of the people there, it was their first time eating turkey!).

But it was also an investment.

This holiday gave Ben and Nicole an opportunity to invest in the people who mattered deeply to them, giving those friends a space where they know they are valued, loved, and safe. It is the purest form of evangelism.

“So much of our work here is about creating relational spaces where people can know they are loved,” said Ben. “From these spaces grows the ability to enter into loving conversations about who Jesus is and why we follow Him.”

Inviting people into your home for a meal is a significant gesture in African culture. Doing so strengthens friendship bonds, and Thanksgiving gave them that opportunity.

“It was a chaotic, busy, messy, and incredibly beautiful day,” Ben said. “Our now annual tradition of hosting a ‘Friendsgiving’ celebration is always such a joy.”

“Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” — Ephesians 5:19-20 (NIV)

Ten countries, one living room (Prague)

Matt and Anna are fairly new to the field, and this past year was their first Thanksgiving abroad. They quickly learned that celebrating in their traditional way was harder than expected since a turkey is difficult to come by and their oven is more the size of an American microwave.

Matt took public transportation for an hour and 15 minutes each way to reach a farm where he could buy half a turkey on the bone.

Still, the effort was worth it for them, as they wanted to celebrate the blessing of friendship and community that the Lord had already provided for them in a short time. They knew they had so much to be thankful for.

They hosted 12 people in their home, and in that group, 10 different countries were represented. The only Americans in that room, Matt and Anna were surrounded by friends from the Czech Republic, India, Italy, France, Nigeria, and many other parts of the world, all gathering to give thanks together.

“It was a testament to the Lord’s hand in our lives and that He is at work in ways we do not always see,” said Anna.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” — James 1:17 (NIV)

Backyard s’mores (Eastern DR Congo)

Patrick and Anna LaRochelle are seasoned vets when it comes to navigating holidays abroad. They normally celebrate with their teammates, but last year those teammates were all out of town, so they got the chance to celebrate with their Congolese loved ones.

They worked hard with their kids to prepare a variety of food: pumpkin cake, apple pie, fried chicken, mashed potatoes. They were even able to get a turkey from the United Nations building in their city.

The family and their guests had so much fun talking and laughing, and they even taught their guests how to play the card game ‘spoons’.

“We took time to talk about this funny American holiday,” Anna said. “We call it funny because natives find it weird that people eat turkey and call it our turkey holiday, but once we explain it, people think it’s really fun.”

Anna says their guests loved getting a taste of American culture, and that their Congolese friends were very proud of themselves for trying new dishes. Apparently, people took the event very seriously, even leaving work early to attend.

Patrick and Anna ended the day around a backyard campfire, roasting marshmallows—another American tradition they were delighted to share with their friends.

“We had a wonderful time,” Anna said. “We laughed and chatted well into the evening, and ended the day with really joyful hearts, thankful that we have great friends here and could enjoy celebrating with them.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” — Psalm 107:1 (NIV)

Googling ‘pumpkin pie from scratch’ (Central Europe)

Jake and Melissa have also celebrated Thanksgiving every year they’ve been abroad. They say Thanksgiving is an easy way to bring God into the conversation.

“We’re thankful, not just for the blessings we have, but to our Heavenly Father who pours His grace out on us,” said Melissa.

Every year, Jake makes fried turkey, which alone is enough to draw a crowd of curious spectators to their home.

They had a diverse crowd, and everyone brought something to share, from potatoes to salads to Czech beer. They even had a neighbor ask Google what to bring, who then made a pumpkin pie from scratch!

“The time was very sweet,” Melissa said. “They asked about every dish and tradition. They even brought gifts for the kids. It was a very warm and sweet time of enjoying each other and the holiday.”

Jake and Melissa witnessed how grateful their guests were for a chance to come into their home. They plan to continue this celebration for the years to come.

“Thanksgiving is a chance to pause and deliberately thank God for all that He has given us over the last year.”

What an important reminder for us all.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” — Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

True thanksgiving

As Western Christians serving globally, American Thanksgiving can be an opportunity to participate in our own cultural traditions with a deeper awareness. The reality is that the Christian faith is intertwined with brokenness and the stories many of us grew up with often hold painful truths. This may be something that many national partners can relate to. With this in mind, true thanksgiving is not about focusing solely on an American tradition, but finding common ground with neighbors around the world who understand what it means to pause, take stock, and give thanks.

When we all pause to give thanks, we participate in something sacred and unifying: the breaking of bread in community points to the coming feast when every tribe and nation will rejoice together before the Lord. Until that day, may we continue to set our tables with open hands, full hearts, and a spirit of thanksgiving that reflects the generosity of Christ Himself.

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We collected some songs for quiet mornings to sit with Jesus.

Day after day of hurrying out the door and jumping right into the daily tasks takes its toll after a while. So, make some room! We curated this to soundtrack about 1hr. of devotional time—alternating songs with simple lyrics and instrumental spaces to accompany scripture reading, journaling, or reflection from artists like: Jess Ray, Jon Guerra, Nicholas Britell, William Grant Still, and Abbie Gamboa.

Enjoy time with Jesus!

We wrote this poem, then made a video about it and invited some friends to join in. Hope you enjoy!

   i. 
   all fabric frays.
      if you turned me inside-out, you'd see
   life has a thousand ways to pick loose threads
     to stretch
     and strain
     and stain
     and wear down our lives
   sometimes we do the fraying to others
      sometimes we are the ones unraveling
   so we turn our ourselves outside-in

   ii.
   if we curate an image, 
      check out, 
   distract ourselves, 
      you'd never see the fray

     but God's inviting us in
His grace is that thing that takes 
    our ragged edges and makes them
into a smooth seam

Christ makes you an insider
   when we move in to Him,
we are known and loved like nowhere else
    new creation is breaking in to the present

 iii.
the invitation has already arrived
   the door is opened
a continual, beautiful cycle:

Jesus invites us in
   then calls us out
to take the gospel
   to every corner of the earth

and the gospel is our entry point 
   for life wide-open

the gospel is what gives us life
   life
inside-out

And through faith in Christ, the “new creation” is breaking into the present, including the “glory and honor of the nations” (Revelation 21:26)

Are you IN or OUT?

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Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave His charge: “God authorized and commanded Me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” —Matthew 28:18-20, MSG

Jesus’ parting words to His disciples before ascending into heaven contain what is known as the Great Commission—a call and commandment for all followers of Christ to spread the gospel message throughout the world.

In the ESV translation of Matthew 28:18–20, Jesus declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” These verses raise critical questions for Christians today.

Through examining Jesus’ words and their implications, we gain insight into our mandate as Christians to further God’s Kingdom across all boundaries.

The Commission shapes not only the mission of the global church but also the mission of each believer.

Here’s five key questions to help us better understand Jesus’ Great Commission and how it applies to our lives as modern-day disciples.

1. Who has authority in your life?

Is it a parent or a supervisor? Your friends? Reddit? And how far does that authority reach? Is it only at school or in your job? At home?

On the day of His ascension, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” To understand this more clearly, let’s look at what He didn’t say:

He didn’t say, “Today all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me to give you this command.”

He didn’t say, “Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. I’m just one of many with this kind of authority.”

He didn’t say, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to you.”

The authority Jesus was talking about is an epic authority—eternal, expansive, and unique. Take a minute to think about whose authority you are under, and ask yourself honestly if the authority of Jesus is in its proper place on the list.

Authority is not a popular thing these days. Sadly, it can be synonymous with controlling, overbearing, and inhibiting leadership.

We hear more about abuses of authority in the news than we do celebrations of boundaries and directives given by people in powerful positions.

There is a great fear that if we subject ourselves to someone’s authority, we will be taken advantage of, used, and even discarded. Not only that, we love our independence. We love to proclaim, “I got this!”

Jesus made it very clear: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”

2. What does Jesus do with His authority?

In the gospels, you see Jesus’ epic authority demonstrated in many ways. He shows His authority over the spiritual realms as He casts out demons.

He shows His authority over creation when He calms the storm with a word. He shows authority over sickness when He heals the paralytic.

He even has the final word over death: “Lazarus, come forth!”

Once, when traveling in Rome, I stumbled upon the Plaza Venezia and saw something extraordinary.

It wasn’t a fountain, a temple, or an obelisk, though there are plenty of those in the vicinity.

It was a traffic cop standing on a pedestal in the middle of an insanely busy intersection, waving his gloved hands and blowing a tin whistle with such beauty and grace that pedestrians literally stopped in their tracks.

This policeman was providing much-needed direction to those entering the crossroads, and he did it with finesse and gentleness.

This picture is a shadow of one of the ways Jesus wields His epic authority—He uses it to direct us with grace, beauty, and finesse. And what is His directive? “Go.”

To understand this more clearly, let’s look at what He didn’t say:

He didn’t say, “If you feel like it, go.”

He didn’t say, “I’m calling some of you to go.”

He didn’t say, “May I suggest that you go?”

Jesus said, “Go.”

3. Where does Jesus want us to go?

Eugene Peterson’s translation in the Message says:

“Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

I think the operative word that Peterson uses is “out.” “Go out.” Not, “Stay in.”

In the Disney movie Home, the alien “Oh” is locked in a freezer. He is negotiating with Tip, his captor, and he asks her, “Can I come into the out now?”

That always cracks me up. But there’s something different about Jesus inviting us, indeed, commanding us, to come into “the out.”

And though the command includes going out to places like Thailand and Turkey, it also may mean, “Go out of your dorm room” or “Go out from your front door.”

It’s a call to movement, to action, to change—all for the sake of the gospel. So ask yourself again, “Where does Jesus want me to go?”

There’s another phrase that can’t be overlooked. Peterson translates “all nations” as “everyone you meet.”

Not “your friends and family.” Not “your inquisitive neighbor.” Not “people of peace.” Everyone. You. Meet.

It begs the question: What would it look like to share the gospel with everyone I meet? What would it look like for you?

Lord, help us to be bold for the sake of Your Kingdom!

4. What does Jesus want us to do once we get there?

Jesus uses His epic authority to not only move us but also to use us, and He’s very specific about how He intends to do it. Let’s look at the Message again:

“Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

He intends to use us to train others in “this way of life.” He’s specific—distinguish them through the sacrament of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit.

And then He’s broad, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

He’s using us to bring people into His family, and then He’s using us to show them what it means to be a part of the family.

And remember, He commands us to live holy lives—don’t commit adultery; don’t even lust. Don’t murder each other; don’t even harbor anger.

He also knows we cannot do this perfectly, so He commands us to repent when we fall short.

To turn to Him in dependence and rest fully in the grace we have received through His sacrifice on the cross.

And let’s not forget: because of His epic authority, Jesus can forgive our sins.

5. How does Jesus want us to do it?

My 12-year-old has just started playing basketball. She grew up overseas, so she is unfamiliar with the rules of the game.

Everyone in North Africa plays football. (No, not that football. The real one.) At any rate, playing actual games is highly stressful for her.

She prefers practice, where her coaches interact with the girls on the court, even jumping in and playing from time to time.

But during a game, she’s on her own. Her coach puts her in and takes her out but does not play alongside her.

Jesus closes His great commission by assuring us that He is not on the sidelines; He’s in the game.

And He never sits out, never needs a water break, and never mocks you because you miss a pass or foul shot.

He promises, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

More absolutes! Surely! Always! To the very end!

And then there’s the “I am with you.” Emmanuel. The Epic Authority. With me. With you.

May God give us the humility to put ourselves under the epic authority of Jesus and the courage to go wherever He graciously directs us to go.

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