Our Ministry Vision
This update is coming to you from our home in Loudonville, Ohio. We’ve been busy settling in, visiting friends and family, and meeting with our mission board and our sending pastor. The occasional rest is welcomed having just returned form the work in Niger. As you may be aware, Lois and I have no plans at the moment to return to Africa. God has directed us home due to some family health issues and limited finances.
We have enjoyed teaching missionary kids. We consider ourselves blessed to have worked with international kids for eight years. One of my goals in whatever class I teach was to present a biblical worldview. I have seen the lights go on in the lives of my students; parents have thanked me for preparing their children for the barrage of unbiblical thought that they have received in college. Our stated goal for our ministry has always been, “Training the Next Generation.” We have returned with a vision to continue the ministry that we have been doing for years. Many of you have asked what this ministry looks like. The following is a description of our vision.
Many missionaries have found that they cannot go into an isolated village in Africa and start their ministry by sharing John 3:16. They have to take the time to start with Genesis and teach a biblical view of God as Creator, the concept of sin and accountability. Only then can they present Jesus as Savior. At one time in America, churches were able to witness starting with John 3:16 because most people had an understanding of God, sin, and the Bible. Today we cannot assume that people are starting out with this biblical worldview. In the last few decades there has been a shift in thinking in America. Our educational system and our entire culture has been permeated with humanistic and New Age thinking.
We must respond to this and start our witnessing with a worldview foundation just as missionaries do in Africa. Likewise, we cannot assume that our church members have a complete biblical worldview. Most just add Jesus to their current worldview and not realize that they have to start with the Bible as the foundation for their thinking in every area of life. It is especially devastating to our young people who have been taught to love Jesus and to be good, but when it comes to matters of science, history, sociology, psychology, government and economics—that is all just opinion. Statistics show that when they go off to college, the majority of them are rejecting the faith.
The purpose of missions is not just to make converts but to disciple all nations, taking the time to train them in the truths of Scripture. The whole purpose of it all is so the nations will bring glory to God. We as created beings bring glory to our creator best when we function the way we were created. For example, a train functions best when it stays on the track because it was designed that way. It is a good reflection of the designer of the train when it functions smoothly as it should. If it tries to go its own way, it crashes and burns alongside the track. In the same way, when we function as we were designed, and things go well, we bring glory to our Creator. When individuals, families and nations accept man’s view of marriage, government, economics, etc, they reap disastrous consequences. In contrast, when God’s truths are believed and practiced, freedom and prosperity reigns and God is glorified. People need to know that they can trust the Bible right from page one and that it fits with science and is not contrary to it. The foundation for our worldview starts with Genesis. People also need to know that there is truth and error which has consequences. The world is experimenting with all sorts of ideas concerning the family, the church, the government and economics. People need to know that there is truth to be found in God’s Word for every area of life, and there are devastating consequences for individuals and nations as a whole if these principles are ignored.
God has given Lois and me a vision to come along side our churches here in America and help them develop their own worldview discipleship. I see my role as one who presents the need and motivates others to study the Word of God and develop a Biblical worldview. One way this can be done is to recommend books, videos, and curriculum that will equip the church for the task. I feel that it is a vital part of my ministry to help moms and dads train their children in a Biblical worldview so that we do not loose them when they go off to college. I have also observed that many Christian school teachers have not been trained in a Biblical worldview and end up teaching aspects of humanism without even knowing it. Therefore I see another aspect to my ministry to the church is to train and equip Christian teachers in a Biblical worldview. From my experience in Africa I see a great need in training national pastors to develop a biblical worldview so that they can train others. I see this as an international ministry in worldview discipleship of national pastors.
The church for the most part has withdrawn from our culture and has adopted a “Build an Ark” mentality. We have taught our people how to be saved and become good Christians, but we have not gone on to disciple them to engage their culture with the truths that will keep all of society from falling apart. We need to respond to our changing culture and disciple a generation of Christians who know what they believe and why they believe it, and are not ashamed to proclaim it. If we fail to disciple our “Jerusalem” now, we may well see our right to proclaim the gospel eroding away, and foreign missionaries being deported for human rights violations.
It is our prayer that our supporting churches will catch the same vision that God has given us and continue with their prayers and financial support. Our schedule is booked solid through December with meetings to our supporting churches. This is a crucial times for us and the vision that God has given us. We humbly ask for your prayers as God directs us in this ministry.
