OPERATION MOBILISATION MAGAZINE GOD’S EXTRAORDINARY LOVE REVEALED THROUGH ORDINARY PEOPLE no.3 2020
“ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.” LUKE 4:18 (NLT)
God’s extraordinary love revealed
through ordinary people
OPERATION MOBILISATION MAGAZINE GOD’S EXTRAORDINARY LOVE REVEALED THROUGH ORDINARY PEOPLE no.3 2020
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free.” LUKE 4:18 (NLT)
MATTHEW 4:19
IN THIS ISSUE no.3 2020 On the cover:
DEAR FRIENDS,
God’s extraordinary love revealed
through ordinary people
In 1970, Logos – the first OM ship – began what would become a 50-year, four ship adventure to take the love of God to every corner of the earth.
A villager in the Himalayan mountains. Photo Credit: Garret N
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WORLD NEWS
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SOUTH ASIA
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MIDDLE EAST
Celebrating the life and memory of Peter Maiden
The feet that bring good news
Trusting in His timing
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Able to share love
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CENTRAL ASIA
Where can trust in God take you?
“ COME AND JOIN US! JOIN US AS WE SERVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHURCHES AND MISSION AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD.”
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When OM ventured out to sea
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UKRAINE
Go therefore and take your job with you
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Curious for more?
Thinking back to the innovation and creativity the early pioneers displayed through that vision, challenges and encourages me as I reflect upon how the Lord is leading us today. We are, of course, presently facing an unprecedented situation, with restrictions on day-to-day life and so much uncertainty due to the global pandemic. In many ways, it is so difficult to make plans and cast vision at this time. But over the past few months, we’ve sensed God leading us, stirring up innovation and creativity once again. In the early days, the founder of OM, George Verwer, often spoke about the need for a “Revolution of Love”. The challenge was for all believers to understand their calling to take God’s love to those who have never heard. Still today, we sense that same leading from God. You will read in this edition of Global of how God is on the move; the exciting ways in which He is enabling ordinary individuals to share the extraordinary message of His love to those who have yet to hear, with fresh creativity as we face this pandemic. Our invitation remains the same as in the early days; “Come and join us!” Join us as we serve in partnership with churches and mission agencies around the world. Be part of this movement – together learning, praying, supporting and going – so that all people, everywhere, would have the opportunity to experience and respond to the love of God demonstrated through His son, Jesus Christ.
15 BLOG
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
The urban opportunity
Thank you for your continued partnership with us for the sake of the Gospel,
Operation Mobilisation Registered office The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7LT. t: 01691 773388 e: info.uk@om.org w: www.uk.om.org
Matthew Skirton, UK Chief Executive, OM
Editor: Jane Knoop Stories and images: OM International © Global magazine 2020. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced in any form without written approval from the publishers. Country file information taken from Operation World, 21st Century edition. Bible references are from the New International Version unless stated otherwise.
Panoramic shots and pressing prayer updates, keep up to date and in touch via social media. facebook.com/OMUnitedKingdom
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WORLD NEWS
“ For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“OUR BROTHER WILL BE MISSED, BUT THE LEGACY OF HIS WORK FOR OM AND THE GREATER MISSION TO REACH THE NATIONS—AS WELL AS HIS KINDNESS AND FRIENDSHIP— WON’T BE FORGOTTEN.” - LAWRENCE TONG, OM INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF PETER MAIDEN On 14 July 2020, our friend and dear brother in Christ Peter Maiden met his Saviour face to face. With his passion for exegetical preaching and his shepherd’s heart, Peter leaves a legacy of sharing God’s truth with love and compassion that will live on within OM and the wider missions world.
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s the International Director of OM from 2003 to 2013, Peter emphasised the spirituality of OM team members and the importance of God’s Word permeating the entire life of Jesus followers. While leading a life of total surrender to Jesus in both his public and personal life, he demonstrated a quiet steadiness, coupled with a visionary passion for seeing the lives of people around the world changed by Jesus Christ. Under his leadership and guidance, new ministries developed as part of OM’s
growing holistic approach to mission, and leadership expanded, particularly in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Born in April 1948, Peter hailed from Carlisle, England, where he met his wife, Win. He joined the OM movement in 1974 as the ministry leader in the UK, after which he served alongside founder George Verwer as the Associate International Director before stepping into the role of International Director. In addition to his ministry with OM, Peter also served as an elder in his local church, on the Board of Trustees for Capernwray Hall and its Bible School, and as Chairmen of Trustees of the Keswick Convention. He also wrote a number of books, including Discipleship Matters and, his most recent, Radical Gratitude, which released this summer.
MDT GOES LIVE! Even in the midst of a global pandemic, essential training and discipleship continues! Last month, participants from across the world logged in online to join a virtual Missions Discipleship Training hosted from the UK. The three-month intensive training will nurture and equip participants to confidently share their faith across cultures, and find their place in God’s plan for His world. Do you know someone who is considering their next steps? Could MDT be for them? Visit: uk.om.org/MDT
Peter passed international leadership of OM to Singaporean Lawrence Tong in 2013, after which he retired to Kendal, England, to be with family, as well as continue his ministry of teaching, preaching, writing and mentoring younger men.
In Peter’s honour, a memorial fund has been created. If you would like to send a gift please visit uk.om.org/peter
“ Equipped, resourced and ready to begin my journey into mission.”
I’M CONNECTED TO CHRIST
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SOUTH ASIA
by Ursula Conlong-Griffiths
THE FEET THAT BRING GOOD NEWS Workers trek for miles, carrying an extraordinary message of good news to people who have never heard.
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rekking along remote, rugged paths in the Himalayas, workers put one foot in front of the other for days on end to reach small villages tucked away in lofty valleys. What is their motivation? Other committed adventurers are attracted by the spectacular views, but for these followers of Jesus it’s the people in the villages who draw them, and a profound love which spurs them on. Geographical isolation, lack of education, and government restrictions mean that many of the people in these villages have never heard the name
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of Jesus, let alone know of His transforming love. The workers, who trek day in day out on mountain paths, are ordinary people, often locals themselves, but the love they’ve discovered in Jesus is worth the walk. And it is worth the weight they carry on their backs – supplies for the journey and Bibles and Gospel booklets in every spare corner of space. As they walk, they encounter people. Conversations flow. Booklets are opened. Hope is shared. Bibles pass hands. Prayers are uttered. In time, truth takes root. Individual lives and whole
communities are changed. God has been working through the committed steps of a few faithful Jesus followers, as they continually return to communities, establishing relationships, and venture into new territory. The team work creatively, offering audio Bibles to those who can’t read and Bibles apps to those with phones, all available in local languages. Over the past six years alone, God has nurtured 80 new fledgling churches into being, in communities where
Jesus’ name was previously barely known. “God is doing more than we could have imagined,” says the leader of OM in the Himalayan region. “Even through lockdown, God has been at work. We are mobilising more local believers these days – as they are more welcome in communities than foreigners – continuing to carefully and responsibly carry out distributions, by local people in their local areas.”
Thank you for your committed prayer and sacrificial giving which enables God’s extraordinary work to take place.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” Isaiah 52:7
ORDINARY PEOPLE USED FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY PURPOSES All over the world God is using ordinary people to join in His beautiful story. Some pray. Some give. Some walk hundreds of miles. Some show His love, others speak of His love. Some knock next-door, others fly to a foreign land. He makes the feet of all beautiful, with a message of extraordinary significance. In the Himalayas God is using ordinary individuals, like Pemba* and Sabita*, to build his Kingdom.
PEMBA’S STORY Pemba was officially too young – being only 15 – to join the team going on outreach to a remote Tibetan Buddhist village last year. But he was determined to go. He had grown up in that village and wanted to return. At the forefront of his mind were two families he knew. They did not know about Jesus. He was eager to tell them of the hope he had found. With some training behind him and support alongside him, Pemba joined the outreach team and set off for his home village. The month that followed was a fruitful one. He had many conversations with these families he knew and loved, and gave them audio Bibles. To his delight,
Over the past 18 months in the Himalayan region:
in late May, he heard that one couple were ready to believe in Jesus! “It seems that we are never too young or inexperienced to bring others to Jesus!” Pemba shares, with gratitude to God.
47,392
Gospel packs have been delivered to households
SABITA’S STORY High up in the mountains, a group of seven believers gather to worship, pray and learn from the Bible. This new fellowship is God’s gracious response to one woman’s faithful prayers. Sabita first heard the Gospel a year ago when some workers came to her village. As she listened and processed what she heard, she felt drawn to her knees and put her faith in Jesus. Every weekend, Sabita would walk for six hours to reach the nearest church. She longed for a fellowship to start in her own village, so she began to pray in faith every day. Later that same year, God answered! Her mother and five other local people put their faith in Jesus and now meet in their village for weekly fellowship. “I praise God for hearing me,” says Sabita, “Now we can grow together, and support one another to share Jesus with others in our community.”
When Jesus was born, God used ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plan for mankind. Today, He delights in using ordinary people to take part in His extraordinary work.
3,046
New Testaments have been given to believers in their local language
429
Audio Bibles have been distributed in local languages
This is the story of OM – everyday people undertaking seemingly impossible missions to share Jesus with those who do not know Him. Since 1957, thousands of Bibles have been distributed, ships have sailed, children have been fed and the Gospel proclaimed time and time again. Join us and be part of this extraordinary story God is weaving. You can find out about the OM Christmas appeal at uk.om.org/christmas
12,529
Bible App downloads have been recorded
* Names changed
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MIDDLE EAST
by Jane Knoop
TRUSTING IN HIS TIMING Throughout the spring months, when much of the world was in lockdown and international travel had ground to a halt, Joanna and Luke* were busy planning to leave their London home and set out to serve God in the Middle East.
Global Editor, Jane, asked Joanna what it has been like to pursue this journey in a tumultuous year. Why have they persevered and what has God been teaching them? Isn’t this terrible timing to be thinking about sharing the Gospel overseas?! Looking at it from the outside, yes I guess it is! There is so much unknown! Will there be a second wave? What will the situation be like in the Middle East in a few months? Will our flights be cancelled? But when we look at it from God’s perspective, this is the very time to be taking His love to the least reached. The world has and will always need the message of the good news of Jesus. Take me back to the beginning. How did this all start? Simply, it started with an unsettledness. A restlessness. We knew that God was prompting us to make a change, but we didn’t know what. This began last summer. In time we realised that God was perhaps pushing us to think a bit more proactively about going overseas.
“WE KNOW THAT FOR GOD, PROVIDING FOR US TO GO OVERSEAS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS NOTHING FOR HIM.”
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“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9
IS GOD PROMPTING YOU? For Joanna it started with a restlessness; a sense that a change needed to be made. For others, it’s an ever-growing intrigue with a particular people group or place. Could God be prompting you to consider serving Him among those who have never heard of His love? the future, whist regaining a vision of what the Lord might have for us going forward.
But in some ways it started long before last summer. Both Luke and I had grown up as missionary kids and we had met years ago in Darfur, South Sudan and then in Somalia whilst working for a humanitarian organisation. For both of us, it felt quite natural to be overseas and we always thought that one day we’d go back… we just didn’t know when.
And God has been so good in confirming that this is His timing, not ours. While it’s not always been easy, things have fallen into place in a miraculous way, and we feel an excitement which we know is the Holy Spirit.
How did God confirm that this was the right time for you to be going?
What has it been like, preparing to go during the coronavirus restrictions?
What has God been teaching you during this season?
It’s funny really, how God’s timing can be so different from our own. When we moved to the UK eight years ago we thought we’d only be there for a year or two and how the years have flown by!
At times it has been quite challenging. We’ve had to be creative in how we’ve told our friends and church family, and in how we’ve raised financial support. It’s taken a lot of effort and has been a real test of faith.
Yet looking back, any sooner wouldn’t have been right for us. We have had our two children during this time and we’ve had the unexpected blessing of being able to get involved in our local church—something we couldn’t do easily in the countries we had previously worked in. It’s been a season to serve in the UK and prayerfully consider
But we know that for God, providing for us to go overseas during the coronavirus pandemic is nothing for Him. Some people think that we’re crazy to be doing this now, but it’s a good conversation starter! And we’ve been amazed at how far we’ve come since June and how supportive people have been.
To be faithful in the small steps and trust Him with the rest—that is where we have found our peace. There is so much unknown and so many big decisions that need to be made, but we are willing to take risks; not in an unwise or foolish way but because we know we can trust Him.
Amidst all the present uncertainties, our God remains certain, and His timing is perfect. Begin a conversation. Explore options at uk.om.org/go or email us at personnel.uk@om.org
We serve an almighty God, and if He wants this work to happen then it will happen—no pandemic will stand in His way. Because nothing can stop the work of the Lord.
Please pray for workers who are preparing to serve overseas during this challenging season marked by coronavirus.
* Names changed
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ZAMBIA
ABLE TO SHARE LOVE Peter met Jesus when he was at his most broken. His life up until that point had been full of challenge and trauma. Could God really use someone like him to impact others for His Kingdom?
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I was a thief. I thought I was too bad to deserve God’s love. Now my life has been touched by God and I’m even able to live it for others,” said Peter. Growing up, Peter had to fight his way to survive. Meeting his daily needs was a struggle and he began stealing to sustain himself. One night, while fleeing the police, Peter was shot in the back. Awakening in the hospital, the first thing the doctor said was: “You will never walk again.” The bullet had travelled along his spinal cord and exited under his arm, very close to the heart. The doctor didn’t think Peter would live long. Peter believed his life was shattered. But while in hospital, a follower of Jesus shared the Gospel with him. He struggled to accept it; such loved seemed impossible. “I thought I was too bad to receive God’s love and there was no hope in my life,” he shared. But in time, Peter realised that no one was
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“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
by Ivy Chiu
“I SMILE WHEN I SEE THE LIVES GOD HAS IMPACTED THROUGH MY LIFE.”
beyond the reach of God’s love—even he, complete with all his failure and regret. Three months in the hospital changed Peter from a man in total despair to a champion for God’s love. The doctor admitted Peter’s life was a miracle; though he could only slowly drag his legs, Peter was able to walk. But being released from the hospital was just the start of his new life.
A VESSEL FOR HIS LOVE In Zambia, cultural stigmas can make life for those with disabilities very difficult. Many children with additional needs are hidden at home because they are seen as a cause of shame. Peter not only had to face the stigma of his disability but also the mark of his past in the community. “And yet, every time I felt hopeless, the more I felt the presence of Jesus in my life,” said Peter.
WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE LOVE… …because He first loved us. Peter was transformed by God’s love and empowered to share this love with others from his community. Transformed and empowered by His love; who is God prompting you to extend love to in your community? #loveyourneighbour
In 2014, Peter became the leader of Bethesda Mercy Ministry, which serves those with additional needs in their community. From a handful of students in the beginning, to around 70 students in two schools in 2020, God has drawn close to many who were once considered untouchable. “Without this school, these children would never have been educated,” he says. “Slowly, the community is starting to accepting these precious souls.” Peter not only rejoices as a child of God but as a vessel in sharing His love. “I smile when I see the lives God has impacted through my life,” he shared.
Pray for Peter and those he works alongside, as they serve those with additional needs in their community.
CENTRAL ASIA
“…the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
by Kate Torreti
WHERE CAN TRUST IN GOD TAKE YOU? Looking back, Rob* can see how God’s plans superseded his own, taking him on an unexpected journey to share the Gospel with Central Asians in their own language.
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ob, 28, from the UK, never planned to spend five years in Central Asia. When he decided to study Russian at university he had straightforward but personal motivations. “Russian sounded exciting, interesting and useful for a career in business or translation,” he reflects. “But I see now that it was God’s sovereignty that I chose it.” Rob grew up going to church but at university he came to truly understand the Gospel and decided to follow Jesus, entrusting his whole life to God’s Kingdom purposes. A short-term outreach to Central Asia followed, where he enjoyed sharing God’s love so much that he began to consider serving God overseas longterm. But only for the distant future, he reasoned—once he had matured in his faith and completed Bible school.
“IT EXCITES ME THAT GOD CAN USE ME AND THAT I HAVE SKILLS TO OFFER. MY TIME WITH OM HELPED ME REALISE THAT.”
God, as usual, had other plans. Back in the UK, Rob heard about an opportunity with OM to teach English for a year at a language centre in another Central Asian country, and he felt pulled towards this new path. Trusting God’s leading, Rob found himself in a country were Russian was the second language. He was able to translate for and speak with people in his new community, even while learning their local languages. This led to opportunities to encourage believers and share God’s love with those who didn’t know Him.
“I thought mission work was only for ‘the spiritual elite’,” Rob recalls. “But through seeing different people with different skills serving with OM, I realised that anyone can be involved. There is a role for everyone.” Those years in Central Asia helped Rob discover his next ministry: Bible translation. “It excites me that God can use me and that I have skills to offer,” he explains. “My time with OM helped me realise that.” Rob recently joined Wycliffe Bible Translators, and may return to Central Asia. “I’d love to spend my life doing this. There’s nothing more important for Christians to do than to spend their lives using the gifts and skills God has given them for the sake of the Gospel.”
WHERE HAS YOUR JOURNEY WITH GOD TAKEN YOU? We’d love to hear your story! Have you served with OM in the past? Where has following God taken you since? Share your journey. Email Nic at alumni.uk@om.org
* Names changed
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SHIPS
by Julie Knox
WHEN OM VENTURED OUT TO SEA This autumn, we mark the Ship Ministry’s 50th anniversary. Our pioneering vessel, Logos, was purchased in October 1970 and launched into ministry from London in February 1971. In this article, the first teacher to serve on board, Nancy Izzard (née Coates) and OM’s founder, George Verwer, share their reflections.
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y 1970 the Ship Ministry had been five years in the pipeline. There had been persistent prayer, fundraising frustrations, ship-shopping setbacks and many doubters to convince. Not to mention coming up with skilled crew who would be willing to serve as volunteers. Twenty-three-year-old American Nancy Coates was on a two-month summer outreach in Spain and heard about the need for someone to teach the leaders’ children on board the new venture. “I said ‘Sure!’ and called the school I worked in to say I wasn’t coming home. I’d just bought a red Mustang convertible – I told Dad to sell it and give all the money to OM!” Nancy found herself on Logos, undergoing refit in Rotterdam that Christmas. Shipmates sneaked onto a Chinese vessel in the same dockyard and hid gifts of Christian literature on the shelves of
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OM’s pioneering vessel, Logos.
the ship’s reading room. “The guys were frogmarched down the gangway,” she says, “But we prayed hard for those Chinese books. You never know where they ended up.” George and Nancy agree that in the early days they were on mission in uncharted waters: “Our lawyer could have written a book on bluffing your way through ship purchasing!” Verwer laughs. “It was a miracle to buy this old ship and ready her.
In refit, she almost tipped over. The captain was not on board and the engineers made a mistake shifting liquid; putting the ship into a dangerous list. But that led to a weekly planning group being set up which still continues in the Ship Ministry today.” “God had His hand on us and knew the ministry the ships would have – we didn’t,” Nancy muses. “We were just a bunch of immature, ignorant kids – a mess of a crew – and we frustrated the experienced seafarers. In each port, we were taught something new. From pastors’ conferences to tours of the vessel and outreach in communities: it got more successful and God showed us ministries along the way.”
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
George Verwer prays with crewmembers on the upper deck of Logos.
Nancy teaching crewmembers’ children on board Logos.
the move, ministering in the name of the Lord in strong unity. I honour those who joined in the early days when this was a controversial project,” says the founder. “I also want to pay tribute to our donors; the people who put up the money. They are our unsung heroes.” Well-wishers wave Logos off as she departs London in 1971.
“THE LEGACY IS IN THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE: THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN.”
Departing London in February 1971 was a moving commissioning for Nancy. “The UK was the nation most behind Logos at the start, in both prayer and funding. People came from all over England to wave us off. They were up on Tower Bridge, singing Christian songs as we sailed under. It was such a blessing,” she remembers. Five decades and four vessels later, the ministry has come through shipwreck, terrorism, financial and diplomatic difficulties… all sorts of highs and lows, says George, but, “God is just continuing to give grace. This is God’s work; He brought it into being. Things do go wrong, but most of the time our ships have been on
Look out for our special 50th Anniversary Fuel Appeal in January.
Combined, Logos, Doulos, Logos II and Logos Hope have covered enough nautical miles to lap the earth five times and welcomed 49 million people on board. “The legacy is in the lives of the people: thousands and thousands of people who have been born again,” insists George. “It’s a move of the Holy Spirit and when people get near a place or a person where the Holy Spirit is working, it’s contagious!” “Behind the whole concept was my passion for revival and seeing lives changed,” he continues. “Not just new Christians, but believers, too: many were lukewarm. It was on my heart for young people to grow and become mature as a result of volunteering with OM – and that’s still taking place.” Join us in praising God for all He has done through the Ship Ministry in it’s 50 years!
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UKRAINE
by Jane Knoop
YOUR PROFESSION IN MISSION
GO THEREFORE “ AND TAKE YOUR JOB WITH YOU Engineering graduate, Josh, discovered an opportunity to use his training to serve in a country where God’s love is so needed but barely known.
For years, I’ve longed for God to show me how I could combine engineering with Christian mission,” says Josh (Glasgow). “I can’t quite believe that God has given me this opportunity; to serve the least reached using the skills that He has given me.”
God’s love and approval. But in that tent at Keswick, the truth hit home. The bar was too high. There was nothing he could do. But Jesus had done it all – the message of the cross suddenly meant everything, “I realised how much I needed Jesus,” Josh recalls.
It was the teaching in the Sermon on the Mount – the enormity of Jesus’ words explained so clearly by a kid’s ministry leader at a Keswick Convention when Josh was 12 – that shattered his young worldview. A conscientious child, he’d always strived to do better, to be better, to earn
This revelation would continue to shape his life and decisionmaking. Josh could not contain the compelling realisation that the message of the cross was not only for him; that there were billions in the world who had never heard the name of Jesus, and remained unaware of their need for Him.
COMBINING PASSIONS FOR HIS KINGDOM
Josh, Wayne and a friend outside the Pyrolysis workshop in June 2019.
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University was a season for Josh to deepen in faith and pursue his fascination and passion for engineering. But how could the two – his desire to share the truth of the Gospel with those who don’t know their need for Jesus, and his years of training in engineering sit together? “I spent much of my fourthyear despairing as to whether I really wanted to continue
“Each one of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in it’s various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
ENGINEER? TEACHER? CHEF? GRAPHIC DESIGNER? Whatever your expertise, you don’t have to set aside your training to serve God among the least reached.
engineering!” Josh shares. But in the midst of his questioning he read a book - Scatter by Andrew Scott - which spoke to him about the role of the global marketplace in Gospel growth. “God stepped in,” Josh recalls,
“GOD STEPPED IN, REMINDING ME HOW HE CAN BRING TOGETHER ALL OF LIFE - ALL OUR PASSIONS AND SKILLS - AND USE THEM FOR HIS KINGDOM.”
“reminding me how He can bring together all of life – all our passions and skills – and use them for His Kingdom.” An innovative project in Ukraine first captured Josh’s imagination when he was on a short-term trip in 2017. He was introduced to Wayne, the country leader, with whom he shared a number of interests, including engineering. In recent years Wayne has pioneered a series of innovative projects to start tackling problems of sustainability in his local community whilst engaging locals with the Gospel. His current project is the development of equipment to convert plastic waste into a usable fuel (liquid
Do you know someone who could use their professional skills in mission?
and gas) though a process called pyrolysis. “This project is already impacting the community by creating jobs and facing the reality of the enormous plastic problem,” Josh shares – you can sense his excitement. “Most importantly it’s creating Gospel opportunities through the numerous relationships formed.” “Ever since this trip, I have had a yearning to return to a place where I saw a clear answer to my prayers regarding combining my skills with mission.” Having recently graduated, Josh has grasped the opportunity to go back to Ukraine and spend a year supporting the pyrolysis project. He plans to return to the UK following this, “I want to build on my skills in
From a student placement year as an engineer on board OM’s ship Logos Hope, to working as a Midwife in the Arabian Peninsular, there are many opportunities to connect your passions with a deep desire to see people come to know Jesus. Find out more about using your profession in mission. Contact us at: personnel.uk@om.org
a professional environment, so that I have more to offer working on such projects in the future”, he shares, aware of the value of professional excellence in the mission field. “This calling is not just for me,” he adds. “I long for others, students and professionals, to see how God can weave together opportunities to use their skills while sharing the urgent message of the Gospel.”
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TEENSTREET
“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Luke 9:18,20
by Corinna Scharrenberg
CURIOUS FOR MORE? TeenStreet youth event usually sees thousands of teenagers from across Europe, and further afield, gather together to worship God and deepen in faith. This year, the gatherings were smaller, but the vision even bigger.
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ver 80 groups of teenagers from 44 countries – from El Salvador to Pakistan, from the UK to South Africa – took part at this year’s TeenStreet in early August. They met in houses and churches in their hometowns, slept on floors or in tents and spent the week going deeper with God in their small groups and accessing live teaching and worship from the TeenStreet online platform.
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As the TeenStreet week came to an end, it was in fact just the beginning. Eager to support teenagers as they continue to journey with God throughout the year, the TeenStreet team launched the start of a yearlong programme – TeenStreet 365. “We don’t want to go from event to event but take the event as a catalytic start for a movement,” shared Ewout van Oosten, Director of TeenStreet International, “We want to offer resources to small groups around the world, without taking away the responsibility of the churches.” TeenStreet Life was the start of something much bigger. As the teens are supported in their questioning, discipled in their seeking, and encouraged to live for Jesus, this is the message they are left with: living for Jesus and sharing His love is for 365 days of the year.
Do you know a parent or youth worker who would be interested in knowing more about resources available through TeenStreet 365? Visit teenstreet.life to find out more.
GAP YEAR THAT CAN...
#OMGAPYEAR
The theme of TeenStreet Life was ‘Curious’. In the Gospels, Jesus is recorded to have asked over 300 questions! He often began conversations by asking questions, to challenge ideas and help people discover for themselves who He was. “God welcomes our curiosity, our questions and our doubts and He invites us to search for answers,” the main speakers, Rachel, Rich and Aaron shared. Through the online teaching, and in small groups, the
teenagers asked questions and pursued God’s truth.
AL GIVE YOU SPIRMITEUNT R EF R E S H Unleash your passion to reach others who have not yet heard the Gospel, join OM’s Gap Year Challenge at uk.om.org/gap-year-challenge
Do you know a young person who’s Gap Year plans have fallen through? Tell them about OM’s Gap Year Challenge!
BLOG
…because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Revelation 5:9
by Andrew Berry
BLOG.OM.ORG An excerpt from the OM blog, written by workers describing missions from their perspective. Andrew Berry, UK Director of People in Mission, reflects on urbanisation and the opportunities for cross-cultural mission.
THE URBAN OPPORTUNITY
D
uring these COVIDdays, I have been encouraged to hear how the Church in the UK has adapted to new ways of meeting together and sharing fellowship. But what excites me most is seeing the effort and ingenuity being poured into figuring out how to effectively reach out in love to those around us – a society that is very culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse. We estimate that there are nearly 5 million people in the UK who come from cultural backgrounds where the Gospel is largely unknown and many of them live and work in our cities. These people are our neighbours, so how can we as believers reach out and make disciples of them? I believe that if we want to be effective in reaching these ethnic, cultural and linguistically diverse communities we must invest in urban ministry. Imagine with me, a strategic response to urbanisation,
where mission communities commit to investing deeply in building relationships and churches in urban areas. There are no quick wins here – love has its speed, and it is slow.
“IN THE UK THERE ARE NEARLY 5 MILLION PEOPLE WHO COME FROM CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS WHERE THE GOSPEL IS LARGELY UNKNOWN.”
God is always at work, and there are some exciting things already happening – even in these uncertain COVID-days. Christians are finding ways of communicating with ethnic minorities; others are choosing to live in neighbourhoods where the Evangelical Church is missing; new churches are engaging a younger generation. We are humbled to witness how God has been moving in the Turkish community in one of our cities. Thousands of Turkish-speakers engaged in online services during lockdown and a constant flow of individuals are turning to Jesus during the personal, faceto-face follow-up that’s been taking place since. In another
city, individual friendships within the Kurdish community lead to increasing curiosity in the Gospel, and a mum’s support group among Pakistani women nurtures an openness to Jesus. In many cases, it is now Kurdish, Turkish and Urdu speakers who are the ones sowing the Gospel broadly amongst the diaspora as God’s Kingdom multiplies. This is my prayer – that the Church in the UK would be bold and loving enough to reach out to the diverse cultural groups in our cities with the Gospel; that many would come to know Christ and would start ‘being church’ together, in their own unique cultural ways; and that they would grow to maturity as believers, wanting to share the hope they have found. Disciples producing disciples and churches reproducing churches. To the glory of the Lord.
GLOBAL 15
This Christmas, your church can join OM in sharing the Good News of Jesus with those who have never heard.
Order your free church resources for online family services. To order, visit:
uk.om.org/Christmas
