Send the Light

A little light from the deepening shadows of the early evening filtered through the closed blinds of the darkened auditorium.  In front of the pulpit on the communion table, a pillar candle with three wicks cast light into the room.  Behind it stood the pastor of the church.  On the platform, the visiting missionary began the second part of his sermon. 

“'Send the light' has been our theme this week,” he went on," “and this candle in the front represents this church right here.  You can see how much light this candle throws into the room.  Indeed, this church has stood for over a century bringing light to this region.”  He gave a history of the church, described the current pastor’s call to lead this flock, and talked about the many ministries that the church has used to reach out to the community around it.

“But preacher!”  Mark, a man in the congregation stood to his feet and interrupted the missionary.  The missionary paused.  “Preacher,” he exclaimed, “I spent two tours of duty in Iraq.  I didn’t see any churches there.  There were hardly even any Christians in my unit.  The soldiers serving our country and the Iraqi people are lost.  What about them?”  Tears were in his voice, and nearby people began to wipe tears out of their eyes.  He went on.  “Here in Georgia we have churches on almost every corner.  What about them, preacher?  They need Jesus too.  We may be helping our neighborhood, but who is going to care about them?  Who will tell them about Jesus?”  His voice broke.

“Well,” said the missionary.  “I appreciate your concern.  I truly do.  But this church gave $35,000 last year toward missions.  Those missionaries still need your support.  You are already stretching yourselves in order to reach out to the world.  I don’t know if this congregation can raise even more money in order to help send someone to Iraq.”

The pastor jumped in.  “I think we can do it, brother.  I really think we can.”

“Your pastor has a lot of confidence in you, I see,” the missionary said.  “But even if you did manage to raise enough money to send someone to Iraq, someone has to be willing to go.  We don’t have anyone here interested in going there right now.”

“I’ll go, preacher,” Mark said quietly.

Behind me, a gasp went up from several people.  Beside him, his wife started to cry.  Others were stunned.

“Do you mean that?” the missionary questioned. 

“I do.”

“Then I need you to come up here and grab one of these candles that is here in front and go stand in the back corner to represent Iraq.”

As he walked up to the communion table, the pastor handed him a white taper and he lit it.  As he walked back to the corner, a small amount of light came from there as well as the larger light in the front of the room.

The missionary continued with his message.

“Preacher!”  Matt jumped to his feet.  “I’ve been reading lately about all the violence and bloodshed in Colombia because of the drug wars.  Someone needs to go tell them about Jesus.”

The missionary smiled.  “Yes, someone does.  But you see the problem we have?  As a church you’ve already committed to help someone go to Iraq.  How can this church stretch even farther to get someone to go to Colombia?  There isn’t enough money in the budget.”

The pastor spoke quietly.  “I think we can raise it, brother.”

“Okay, then, but we still have the same problem with our brother who is concerned about Iraq.  Who will go?”

“I will, preacher,” Matt responded.

Once again a gasp went up from the congregation.  Someone started crying.  Someone else didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  Some began to wonder who would be left in the church if this continued.  The two men who had jumped to their feet were leaders.  How would their places be filled?

Matt also took a candle, lit it, and went to stand in another corner in the auditorium.  The room was slowly brightening.

Mary stood to her feet.

“Preacher, you’ve been talking about all the AIDS orphans in Africa.  Someone needs to tell them about Jesus.  If my brother and brother-in-law are willing to go, I’ll go too.”  She, too, took a candle , lit it, and found a spot against the wall.

By this time, the people began to catch on that this was a drama.  After all, Mary would never have stepped forward without her husband.  By the time it was over, six people stood in different parts of the auditorium holding candles.  The missionary’s wife and two families (including us) were in the audience.  We were asked to light small candles and stand on the platform with the preacher. 

“Now for those of you still sitting," the missionary continued.  "If you are willing to support your worldwide missions program with your prayers and financial support, would you come up here, take a small candle and go stand next to one of the representative missionaries.  Light your candle from theirs as a way to show your support.”

The room brightened steadily as, one by one, the candles were lit.  Now the room was filled with light as about sixty candles glowed in the darkness.

The missionary continued.  “Now let’s suppose that problems arose here at home.  Bickering, gossip, discontent, and fighting arose within the church.  New people stopped coming because they didn’t like what was going on here.  People began to leave to get away from the fighting.  Soon there were only a few left and the church had to close its doors.  The support that the missionaries were receiving from this church dried up."

He paused for a moment to let that sink in.  "Now, those of you holding small candles, blow them out and return to your seats.”

When everyone had returned to their seats, the pastor also blew out the three wicks on the big pillar candle in front of the room,  and walked down the aisle and out the back door.  The once bright room was now shrowded in darkness.  Six candles scattered throughout the auditorium still shone brightly.

“Well, now the missionaries are out there without support.  One by one they faced troubles that they could not overcome.  They needed the prayer and support of the people back home, so one by one, they left the field and returned home.”

One by one, the six representative missionaries blew out their candles and left the room. 

“But it doesn’t have to be this way,” the missionary continued.  “You can stay bright in this place.  You can give missions a priority.  You can keep burning bright, both here and abroad.”

The six representatives and the pastor returned with candles burning bright, singing “Send the Light, the blessed gospel light.”  The second time through, the congregation joined their song. 

When the drama was over and the lights were turned back on, people began to stand to their feet and give testimony to God for what He had done in their lives during the week of missions conference.  Later, the faith promise commitments were taken.  People were reminded that a "faith promise" commitment is not based on what you can do, but what you believe God will allow to pass through your hands for missions.  When the commitments were tallied, almost $40,000 was pledged through faith that God would provide the money to His people for use around the world!

* * * * *
Note:  All the "M" names are pseudonymns.  Since we are in many churches, and I love what the various churches are doing for God, I would love to name them all.  However, I realize that not all people like their actions to be this public, so I try to give them annonymity.  Those who were there at the time will know who is who, and for the rest of us, it doesn't really matter.  All that really matters is that God saw what happened and sees into each of our hearts to know the whole truth.

Light

I sit on the beige loveseat in my parents’ home, looking out the front windows at the freshly-rinsed spring-green grass, sparkling in the sunshine.  Long shadows from tree trunks fall across the lawn, and dappled shadows flirt among its blades as the wind blows through the tall pine trees.  I love the sunshine.  I need light, and today I’m realizing it more than ever.

For months now I have been struggling with lethargy.  I get very little done each day, and yet I am so tired that all I want to do is sleep.  I awaken tired in the morning and could fall asleep almost anytime I sit down.  The only time, it seems, I don’t feel like sleeping is when a screen is in front of me.  So I spend too much time browsing on the computer when there are so many other things I need to do.

This week Charlie and I have been attending and participating in a missions’ conference.  The theme has been “Send the Light.”  It has been a good reminder of Jesus’ light in our lives and our need to reflect and spread that light to those around us who are in darkness.  My heartbeat quickened whenever the preacher talked about the joy of seeing the light come on in someone' else’s life when they realize they need God to fill the vacuum in their lives.  It has been a long time since I’ve personally experienced that.  So I began to pray that God would make me more effective in sharing God’s light with others. 

While I prayed, a thought occurred to me: Could my lethargy be partly due to a need for more light?  The thought almost startled me.  I thanked the Lord for His care for me, asked forgiveness for my own sin of giving into laziness, and asked for His healing in my life with His light, both spiritual and natural.

This morning, I read my Bible with the "Lite Book” off to one side.  The Lite-Book shone its light into my eyes as the Bible shone its light into my heart.  It’s too soon to tell, but I think the Lite-Book is helping. 

The good news is that I don’t have to wonder about the Bible.  It always helps shine the light into the dark corners of my heart where the nasty weeds of selfishness and pride are finding a place to take root.  Depending on how long I’ve let them grow, sometimes removing them is hard and painful, but oh, so good at the same time.

Thank you, Lord, for light!

Changes in Raising Support

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?"  Matthew 6:25-26

My first support raising experience was simple.  After I graduated from college, I decided to go work in an orphanage in Mexico.  Most of my daily costs would be covered by living at the orphanage.  I would need money for insurance, food costs on my days out of the orphanage, gas money to travel back and forth to the orphanage in Mexico and the office in Texas, and other miscellaneous expenses.  My home church promised me monthly support as well as several relatives and individuals.  Within a little more than a month, I was ready to go.  I don't think I even had health insurance.

After my two-year commitment there, I resigned and looked for another ministry where God could use me.  God opened the doors to Guatemala.  This time I was asked to raise $400 a month in support.  That sounded like an astounding amount to me after my first experience.  The mission agreed to let me go even though I didn't have that much promised yet, and they would help me find more support after I arrived.  In three months, I was in Guatemala.

When I left Guatemala for the Philippines, my support requirements increased as did my connections.  By the time I left there, though, I was working for a church that gave me a salary and no longer needed monthly support.

This experience is completely different.  Because of overseas travel, medical sharing expenses, and the cost of living, we are being asked to raise a phenomenal amount.  We are hoping to demonstrate that we can live well on a lot less than is recommended, but until we have enough to cover our daily expenses so that we can buy (or rent) a place to live again, we won't know.  We are frugal people.  We don't believe we should be living lavishly.  We want our supporters' money to be well spent in ministry.

My past experiences of raising support were simple.  Raise what you can, go, and expect God to meet the rest.  This time we can't do that.  Although we might end up living abroad, that is not currently the plan.  The current plan is to live in the US and travel to other locations to teach.

I sometimes wonder how in the world we will raise this kind of money.  We're talking more than twelve times what I was asked to raise thirty years ago.  But God is able.  He can either raise that kind of money for us or show us how we can reduce our expenses so that we can live on lots less.  Either way, it will be God who meets our needs.

We would appreciate your prayers for us.  We have had requests to go teach which we have had to turn down because our support isn't high enough yet.  We are currently at 7% of our stated requirements.  In order to accept more teaching engagements, that number needs to come up. 

Our Trip to Florida

The Maces, friends and members of our home church in Maine, invited us to visit them in Florida.  We decided to take them up on the offer and visit churches while we were there.  We drove down on Valentine’s Day and spent the rest of the week there.  On Sunday afternoon, we left the Maces and drove north a couple hours to my cousin’s church for the evening service.  We then spent two nights with an aunt and uncle before driving to Atlanta for the BJU friendship dinner.  We stayed there with my sister so that we could attend a church in Atlanta on Wednesday night, and finally returned home on Thursday.  Altogether, it was a great week that can be summed up in these phrases.

1.       Restful workplaces.  Although we had some work that had to be done, our hosts gave us a very relaxed atmosphere in which to do it.  They have a screened balcony that overlooks a golf course.  It was the best “office” we could have had.  From there we answered mail, made phone calls, and enjoyed the fresh breeze and beautiful scenery.  Then, at my aunt and uncle’s home, the dining room became my “office”.  From there I could see the sun shining on the water of the lake behind their house and watch alligator bask in the sun.

2.       Daily exercise.  Florida temperatures made neighborhood or beach walks possible every day.  Jogging was on the agenda several times.  One day we went to the weight room.  Swimming would have been possible, but after a walk on the beach, a pool seemed small and the bay felt cold.

3.       Good church contacts.  We visited a number of churches, one of which looks like it will schedule us for a meeting. 

4.       Delicious food.  I think I gained more than five pounds in that one week.  The food was great, and there was always more of it than I needed.  I discovered that I like sweet potato soup (yummy!), orange swirl ice cream, and watermelon chunks as an evening snack. 

5.       Reconnecting with missionaries.  Our church has supported Margaret Holmes-Gualtieri for years.  Now she is retired and living in Bradenton.  One afternoon we drove over to see her and meet her husband, Art.  They invited us in and showed us around the village where they live.  During that time, I got to see my childhood hero, Pat Filmore, for the first time in more than forty years.  Pat was a missionary nurse in a remote tribe in the highlands of Papua, Indonesia.  As a child, she was my hero, and I wanted to be a missionary nurse because of her.  (High school chemistry convinced me otherwise.)

6.       Christian relatives.  One of the joys of getting together with my family is the bond we share as Christians.  Charlie and my uncle spent hours discussing various issues.  It was also great to hear how the Lord is using their retirement years as they invest dozens of hours every week in helping others.

7.       Unexpected blessings.  A pastor offered to have us come back for a meeting.  One night we walked into a church, and found they were having a special guest:  Dr. Bob Jones III.   I met a woman who was a toddler the last time I saw her in Indonesia.  I had just put a hole in a pair of jeans, and my aunt gave me a new pair. 

Altogether it was a great week, and we're thankful for all the people who made it special for us.

Divine Appointments

As we continue in our deputation ministry I am amazed at the many times it is obvious, to me at least,  the Lord has scheduled an appointment for me.  I only need to be faithful in fulfilling the appointment. The other day Joan and I went out to try to catch some pastors in their studies and talk with them. On our first visit we found the pastor in, willing to speak to us, knowledgeable about IPM and open to the possibility of our presenting our ministry at the church. We found a man we knew from Maine standing in the office.  He is a part of the ministry of the church. We did not know what we would find, but God had set up a divine appointment.

“ Ah,” you say, “what of your other visits that day?” They did not go as well.  One flat turn down, one offer to give our prayer card to the Missions Committee and one conversation with a pastor who did not seem overly interested. “It was only the luck of the draw, pure chance!,” you say.  I believe it was a divine appointment, and so were the others. I cannot see the results of any of the visits yet.  I can only be faithful to take the opportunities the Lord gives me and use them to minister to the churches and people He places in my life, divine appointments, for His glory!