Despite the annual reoccurrence of Remembrance Day/Armistice Day/Veteran’s Day, we are prone to forget that fallen humanity is inherently destructive. We tend to be breakers, not builders.
But, if Genesis 3 teaches us anything, it is that God never gives up on us.
Adam and Eve had broken their perfect world through disobedience, and yet God came looking for them.
And Deuteronomy 7 reminds us that God loves us not because we are impressive, but simply because he chooses to love us. Indeed, that is one of the main fundamental principles of the Gospel…that while we still sinners, Jesus died for us.
And the thief on the cross reminds us that, even at the very last moment, it is never too late to turn to Jesus.
We are also taught in Scripture that God doesn’t give up on us when we are sincerely wrong. Job's friends had confidently proclaimed some very bad theology, yet God gave them the opportunity to repent. And Paul’s letters reveal a heart that was not prone to disown even the deluded.
This gives us tremendous encouragement as we look at the state of the Church in Europe today.
There is certainly plenty to worry about. Christians are in the decided minority in most European countries. Governments are telling us to prepare for possible power cuts, food shortages, cyber-attacks and even the likelihood of yet another Great War. But while we should be sensible and prepared, we don't want fear to become the lens through which we see the future.
So, Louise and I have chosen to focus on Jesus as our King…the universal Monarch who is still seated on the throne, ever reigning until all his enemies are placed firmly under his feet. We pray that we, like Paul, might be content in all circumstances. Indeed, my prayer is for God’s presence to be so pervasive that the darkness will not be able to penetrate.
We truly believe that God has not abandoned his Church. His plans have not been derailed. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us, and we know that he works all things together for the good of those who love him. The battle ultimately belongs to the Lord.
And this is why we remain deeply hopeful about the Church in Europe. In fact, we don't believe God has given up on the Church of England, the denomination we serve in as missionaries through it as well as to it. The newly elected General Synod is undoubtedly one of the most polarised Synods we have seen, and there are significant theological battles ahead, but our response must not be despair or defeat or desertion. It must be prayer, truth, courage, and grace.
We have seen some very promising signs recently. Numerous biblically orthodox believers have taken up the cause…some, like Nicky Gumbel, have been elected to Synod…many are praying earnestly for biblical truth to prevail. 24/7 prayer groups are popping up everywhere.
So, may we please ask that you will join us in praying for every member of the Synod…the bishops, clergy, and the lay representatives. Pray that those who love Jesus and his Word will have wisdom and strength and courage and that truth will triumph, not through hostility, but through faithful Christian witness. May we win our challengers, not lose them. Pray for those who have their own personal agendas, that they might be enlightened by the Holy Spirit himself.
But there is still yet another reason for hope. We are seeing signs of a spiritual awakening among the younger generation, particularly the Gen Z. Across Europe and beyond, young people who have grown up in a profoundly secular culture are beginning to ask questions about God…about meaning, truth, and the reality of eternity. Many are discovering Jesus for the first time, and they are hungry for something authentic and something deeper than the empty promises of this culture.
So we are praying for a flood of new believers, particularly among this emerging generation: young men and women who love Jesus, hunger for Scripture, cherish truth, and are unafraid to ask difficult questions.
Indeed, we might do well to ask what might happen if an entire generation discovered the transforming power of the Gospel? What might happen if an entire body of the very immigrants everyone fears so much were ushered into the Kingdom of God through dreams and visions? Perhaps some of the very people who will shape the future of the Church have not yet walked through its doors.
That is why we are here. Europe may be a dark and difficult spiritual battleground…indeed, one of the most difficult we have ever encountered…but it is also a mission field filled with people for whom God demonstrated his love by dying for them while they were still his enemies. After all, Scripture teaches us that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.
So we choose not spend our days looking anxiously at the darkness. We choose to look to Jesus. We choose to pray and to pray fervently and ceaselessly. We choose to boldly proclaim the Gospel. We choose to stand for truth. And we choose to trust our universal King, because Jesus is still reigning and the story is not over yet.
Please pray with us for an outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit upon us all…pray that God might purge the Church of all that does not honour or glorify him. Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict us all of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. In short, pray for revival.
As Pete Grieg says, “The cross proves once and for all that Satan’s worst atrocities can now, in Christ, become God’s best opportunities.” (Dirty Glory, 265)
Pray for us as we endeavour to disciple the new believers and the many new attendees who are coming to Christ Church.
God willing, we will be in the US next year. After spending some time with our children and grandchildren in Boston, we hope to head out West to visit our faithful supporters there. We plan to be in the Carolinas from Tuesday April 6 to Wednesday April 28. Part of that time we will be at Ridgecrest for the SAMS-USA reunion, but other than that we are open to visiting churches, Bible studies, book clubs, small groups, etc. Please let us know if you would like for us to come to see you and when.
Please pray for our planning as right now, we are struggling to secure a vehicle as our usual missionary rental companies now require a valid US license. We only have Dutch licenses.
Please pray also for our fur baby, Mr Pips, that we will find the best place for him to stay for the six weeks.
We simply cannot express how grateful we are for every one of you who are part of our ministry…you are all members of a team that, by God’s grace, will push the very portals of hell and will rob it of many precious blood-bought souls.
May the Light always shine brighter in our lives than all the darkness in the world.
Love, hugs, and blessings
Johann and Louise
 | | Johann and Louise spent two years helping to develop the St. Frumentius Seminary in Gambella, Ethiopia. They then worked in Southern Africa, serving in seven southern African countries, while continuing to work with the Diocese of Egypt, North Africa through engaging in a disciple making movement in order to grow the body of Christ. They are now serving in Heiloo, the Netherlands. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment