Week 3
This week was power packed with a lot of learning especially regarding ministering and evangelism.God was opening our hearts and minds to new possibilities.
▪️South Indian gathering
Zechariah 4:10
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin “.
This week God opened an opportunity to minister to a gathering of 7 South Indian families which has the potential to become a church. My wife & brother in law led the group in an intense time of worship. God enabled me to preach about faith to the small group based on Hebrews 11. A wonderful family with origins from Kerala, generously opened their house for all of us and provided wonderful home cooked food.
The gathering started at 7pm and went on till 11pm. Felt at the siruseri Saturday gathering, people from four different states of south India were there.
This was mainly a Malayalam speaking gathering however there were many families where one of the spouse was from a different state. There were many more families to join and if this fellowship can be carried forward in this fashion this can blossom into a wonderful church.
After a week time God helped to meet the person and his wife who was driving force behind this monthly gathering.This brother who had to be away from US for a period of time(his wife & kids alone are in US) was very happy because me & my wife could come over to USA. As they were looking for someone to drive this fellowship.
It’s amazing how God brings like minded people together for building His kingdom.
▪️ Meeting American street evangelist
Romans 11:4-5
“And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, are the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.”
God opened an opportunity to meet with a Tamil brother, who along with his team shares gospel message in the streets of Ohio. This brother is in US on a H1B visa however he goes to the streets of Ohio and shares the love of Christ. We had a wonderful time talking since we both shared same passion for reaching out to the lost souls.
After sharing what led me to US and how they can reach out to people effectively in US. They were encouraged and invited me to join along with them in their prayer and share the burden for lost souls. God willing coming days expecting Holy Spirit to help in some effective evangelism outreach as summer is approaching.
▪️ Meeting US prison minister from Tamil Nadu
“The world has yet to see what God can do through a man who is totally yielded to Him”
- Henry Varley
By grace of God I could meet Cyril Prabhu, an ex senior VP at Bank of America who was ministering among the prisons in America and successfully transforming lives of children of prison inmates. Due to the effectiveness of his break the chain program as part of his proverbs 226 initiative, US government has recognised him and given him the access to all prisons in US. Through his ministry where the hardcore prisoners are taught and led to repent and reconcile with their children (based on the washing of feet of disciples by Jesus) the prison population in many states of US where this work was done has significantly reduced. Even many prisons were shut down and local communities prospered.
I could watch his life story which is made as a movie and later hear his message which is challenging on what God can do through one man who stands for a God given mission. Inspired.
▪️ Redeeming the culture- Evangelism through Easter egg hunt
2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season.
Sunday the American AG church we attend had organised an Easter egg hunt for children which was a new learning experience in evangelism. Church culturally appropriated the Easter egg tradition of popular American culture and used it to invite non Christians to the church on that day. More than half of the crowd in the church were non Christians they sat through the worship &a short evangelistic Word of God and then proceeded to the open ground for Easter egg hunt.
Children were given a church name printed cover to collect Easter eggs which were filled with chocolate of all kinds. Even the 17th month old EbenHaezer also loved picking Easter eggs.
When we entered the teens and youth of the church were lined up from the gate to the entrance with welcome signs and waving and smiling and welcoming. Inside the elders of church setup a quick registration & welcome desk and were given church logo printed covers to collect eggs and a palm leaf and ushers guided the non believers & guests to the church. The worship involved children performing actions for songs. There were two quick short games. Pastor engaged the crowd with the message involving the crowd (majorly kids) to wave and respond using palm leaves. Then clear instructions were given to go to the ground behind church for egg hunt. Thousands of eggs were scattered in a huge ground and in a count of ten kids rushed to pick the eggs and collect the chocolates inside. The volunteers from church ensured no kid was left without a chocolate. After the egg hunt Photo Booth was set up for families and kids to take a picture as a special memory.
The elders of church explained to me how the church uses this opportunity to reach out to nearby non Christian families across different nationalities to share gospel by doing something that appeals to their kids.
▪️ Meeting an American missionary
Isaiah 65:24
“Before they can I will answer; while they still speaking I will hear.”
Met a wonderful American missionary from assembles of God to Switzerland working from a base station out of Germany.
He spoke on something interesting which really resonated with me.
It was called theology of waste based on watch man nee’s message. During q&a after sermon he took good amount of time to kindly answer my questions with his own personal experience during his move to Germany to start missions to Switzerland,challenges he faced,how God helped him handle his identity crisis through the teaching on theology of waste and was kind enough to pray for me. God really spoke to me and addressed the questions in my heart at the right time.
Full message of watchman nee here (it’s a classic Christian article).
A concise summary is below.
Lord Jesus was laying down one thing as a basis of all service: that you pour out all you have, your very self, unto Him; and if that should be all He allows you to do, that is enough.Lord is not so concerned about our ceaseless occupation in work for Him. That is not His first object. The service of the Lord is not to be measured by tangible results. No, my friends, the Lord’s first concern is with our position at His feet and our anointing of His head. Whatever we have as an ‘alabaster box’:
the most precious thing, the thing dearest in the world to us—yes, let me say it, the outflow from us of a life that is produced by the very Cross itself—we give that all up to the Lord.
To some, even of those who should understand, it seems a waste; but that is what He seeks above all.
Often enough the giving to Him will be in tireless service, but He reserves to Himself the right to suspend the service for a time in order to discover to us whether it is that or Himself that holds us.
To be continued…
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