O P E R AT I O N M O B I L I S AT I O N MAGAZINE 2021 ISSUE NO.2
3 WAYS TO D I S COV E R YO U R PLACE IN GOD’S MISSION
FA M I LY W H O A SAID ‘YES’ TO GOD
IN PURSUIT OF GOD’S EXTR AORDINARY KINGDOM
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ISSUE 2 2021
A WORD FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
ON THE COVER:
An African man finds rest in the shade of a tree.
PI C T U R E BY:
Do Seong Park
IN THIS ISSUE:
03
WORLD NEWS
When everything went virtual – even outreach
04
ZAMBIA
06
UNITED KINGDOM
09
BLOG
10
SHIP MINISTRY
12
M YA N M A R
14
LIVE OUT LOVE
Dear Friends, “ W hen they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” M AT T H E W 2 8 :17-19
A family who said ‘yes’ to God
How can we reach out to our Muslim neighbours with the love of Jesus?
3 ways to discover your place in God’s mission
Partnership worth celebrating
In pursuit of God’s extraordinary Kingdom
Living out God’s love in the workplace
O P E R AT I O N M O B I L I S AT I O N
Registered office: The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7LT. tel: 01691 773388 email: hello.uk@om.org w: www.uk.om.org
The early disciples worshipped the risen Lord Jesus, but we also read that some doubted! How can those first witnesses of the resurrection have doubted God’s plan through Jesus in any way? The word usually translated ‘doubted’ in our Bibles could, perhaps better, be translated ‘hesitated’. So, we have some disciples worshipping whilst others hesitate; some give themselves fully to bowing before Jesus whilst others hold back slightly. This description of worship and hesitation speaks to me and maybe reflects the experience of many of us as followers of Jesus today. What I find especially challenging is that it is within this mix of worship and hesitation that Jesus gives His followers the Great Commission, to go and make disciples of all nations. In the midst of our worship, hesitation, uncertainty and questions, we still hear the voice of Jesus today, ‘keep your priorities in order, do what is of utmost importance - go and make disciples of all nations’. I do hope that you will find this edition of Global to be inspiring as we share testimonies of those who live out the love of God among those who are yet to hear of and experience His life-changing love. And, as we are inspired, may we be moved afresh – amidst both our worship and our hesitation – to engage even more in living out God’s love in our own contexts, faithfully fulfilling our Lord’s Great Commission. Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel,
EDITOR:
Jane Knoop STORIES AND IMAGES:
OM International
© Global magazine 2021. 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. /OMUNITEDKINGDOM
M AT T H E W S K I R TO N , UK CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OM
P.S. I wonder, what happens with this magazine when you have finished reading it? Perhaps a certain article prompts you to think of someone you know. Let us all seek to intentionally pass this issue of Global on to someone who you feel may be uplifted and /or challenged by the articles included.
“Declare His glory among the nations.”
WORLD NEWS
PSALM 96:3
When everything went virtual - even outreach Church, work, socialising, house hunting… it all went virtual. But are there some things for which there is no substitute for physical presence?
WORDS JANE KNOOP
We may ask this question when it comes to outreach. Outreach is personable and practical; often dependant on those chance, Spiritled encounters, which can’t be prearranged in a Zoom call. Locally, practical outreach has been able to continue – even step up a notch! – in response to the strain the pandemic has placed on many vulnerable individuals. Yet international outreach has largely had to be put on pause while we have been unable to cross borders.
Virtual Outreach has become an innovative way to maintain our focus on global needs and connect with crosscultural mission. In the last eight months, seven Virtual Outreaches have taken place, enabling participants from across the UK to connect with OM teams, learn about other cultures, pray for ministry needs and prepare for future service. “It was such a blessing to hear how the Lord is –and has been – working in Hungary, and to meet with other Christians who have such a passion to share the Gospel among the least reached,” says Abi, who attended a Virtual Outreach to Hungary in November last year. “My eyes have been opened to another aspect of our world.”
For many individuals, a long-term commitment to serving God crossculturally begins with short-term outreach. And many OM teams are enthused and invigorated through the contributions of short-term outreach participants. There is an undeniable loss that comes with overseas outreach being temporarily on hold, but we can celebrate the fact that connections can still be formed, encouragement shared, and vision captured as we connect virtually with Jesus followers across the world.
Discover opportunities for local Outreach this summer at uk.om.org/go.
NEW BOOK BY OM FOUNDER George Verwer’s new book, ‘Confessions of a Toxic Perfectionist and God’s Antidote’ is available to purchase on the OM bookstore: uk.om.org/books. International Director of OM, Lawrence Tong, writes, “This is one of George’s best books yet. Pertinent, poignant and passionate.”
ZAMBIA
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
A family who said ‘Yes’ to God
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our years ago, the Bullock family left the familiarity and security of life in the UK to serve God cross-culturally in Zambia. OM writer Ivy Chiu spoke to Dan and Ruth about why they took such a bold step, and what life is now like for their young family. MOVING OVERSEAS WITH FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN IS A H U G E U N D E R TA K I N G ! WHY DID YOU DO IT?
In a worldly sense, we were settled. We had good jobs and the kids were happy. But I had a spiritual restlessness that I could not deny. DAN:
God laid on our hearts the urgency of mission. D A N : We felt real confirmation from God when He placed this calling on both our hearts, not just mine. If God was calling us to serve Him overseas, we knew it would be a calling for our whole family. WERE THERE THINGS YOU WERE FRIGHTENED OF MOVING TO ZAMBIA?
RUTH:
Of course, we were afraid about some things – we worried about whether the kids’ socialising and education would suffer, and whether we’d be able to raise the amount of financial support we needed. But we wanted to be led by the Lord, not by fear. We stepped out in faith, trusting in His promises.
Initially, we wondered whether this calling was for the future when the kids were older – our four boys were very young at that point! But
The reality is that if God calls your family, then He will meet your needs. We couldn’t have imagined how things would unfold, but He has provided for us and silenced so many fears.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” These words from Matthew 9 came up so frequently and in so many different contexts; it was clear that the Lord was speaking.
DAN:
WORDS IVY CHIU
“...listen to His voice and hold fast to Him.”
ISSUE 2 2021
We had good jobs and the kids were happy. But I had a spiritual restlessness that I could not deny.
H O W D I D YO U P R E PA R E YOUR CHILDREN TO GO?
A common prayer in our household is: “God, lead us where You would want us to go, and help us to be obedient.” We have always prayed this with the kids, so talking to them about following God to a new place was not a surprise! RUTH:
We also prepared them practically; making scrapbooks of what their surroundings would look like and talking to them about what would be different, like wearing shorts and t-shirts on Christmas day!
W H AT A R E S O M E O F T H E C H A L L E N G E S YO U FA C E SERVING IN ZAMBIA?
There are always needs here. It’s so hard to say no! The challenge is to learn how much I can do physically and when I need to say no. God has given us a heart for the Zambian people, but the reality is that there is only one of me and I can’t be spread in too many places! We are determined to make sure that family life is always a priority. RUTH:
W H AT A R E S O M E O F THE JOYS OF SERVING G O D A S A F A M I LY ? R U T H : The joy and privilege of living by faith! The kids are growing up seeing how we trust in God for everything, and they witness Him providing in unexpected ways.
In the UK there is a pattern to life that we tend to follow – school, university, then getting a job and so on. It is a joy to step out of that as a family and to think differently about
DEUTERONOMY 30:20
how God wants to use our lives. The kids see this lived out. We pray they’ll make decisions because they are led by the Lord, rather than feeling it’s the next step they should take. W H AT W O U L D Y O U S AY TO ANYONE CONSIDERING FOLLOWING GOD’S CALL A N D M O V I N G T H E I R F A M I LY OVERSEAS? D A N : Consider whether you could serve cross-culturally on a shortterm outreach first, or go on a vision trip to help confirm God’s calling.
Trust that He has gone ahead of you, that He has prepared good works for you to do for the sake of His Kingdom. He will quiet your fears and gently lead you forward. RUTH:
DAN:
Explore how you can get involved with local and global mission at uk.om.org/go
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UNITED KINGDOM
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
How can we reach out to our Muslim neighbours with the love of Jesus?
There are close to 3.4 million Muslims living in the UK alone. (source: Office for National Statistics).
ISSUE 2 2021
n the UK alone there are close to 3.4 million Muslims, many of whom may have little engagement with Christians in their lives. Alan Hallmart, who has worked amongst Muslims for over 40 years, implores us to get to know our Muslim neighbours. In between lockdowns, I have taken to walking with a neighbour during my lunch break. Over the weeks and months, we have talked of the weather, football, the merits of different cars and more. But as time has worn on, we have spoken more personally and vulnerably. We have spoken about the painful and unexpected divorce he has been going through. We have spoken of God, and I have shared my faith. My neighbour just happens to be a Muslim.
WORDS ALAN HALLMART
The idea of sharing our faith with anyone might be daunting and perhaps particularly so with our Muslim neighbours. We are afraid of the unknown. We don’t know what they believe, nor do we understand their culture. The occasional onesided portrayal of Muslims by the media and the atrocities committed in the name of Islam has led to Muslims being regarded with
“...love your neighbour as yourself.”
suspicion and subconsciously shunned. But in reality the majority of Muslims living in the UK are just like you and me. Their day to day lives are consumed with bills, school runs, and jobs, much like ours. They worry about their careers, their kids, the mortgage and lockdown much like we do. It’s actually often easier to have a conversation about our faith with a Muslim than our secular friends and neighbours, because they accept there is a God.
The idea of sharing our faith with anyone might be daunting. So how do we move beyond our fears to be able to witness to our Muslim friends and neighbours? As Brits, we often have a certain reticence about entering someone’s private space, we don’t want to invade. But we have to make the effort to get to know our Muslim neighbours. Start by looking for opportunities in everyday life. I often strike up conversation with the person delivering my parcels, or the server
MARK 12:31
at my local Indian restaurant. I develop a rapport and sometimes get their contact details to send them links for the Jesus Film or YouVersion bible app in their own language. Reaching out can also be in the form of advocacy. My wife has struck up a friendship with an Iraqi lady living at the end of the street and when she was told her children had been given asylum status and she had not, my wife dropped everything to help her. So, check in with your Muslim colleagues, friends and neighbours. When opportunities arise, be inquisitive and ask them what they believe. From there you can build bridges of understanding, developing relationships and demonstrating empathy. But how do you bring in the Gospel? As well as a lack of understanding, our fear can also come from a lack of confidence in what we believe. Muslims often seem to be so certain in their beliefs, while we can feel afraid and less assured in our faith and theology. What if we can’t explain the Gospel clearly? What if we don’t have the answers to their questions? We need to equip ourselves with understanding and confidence in the Gospel; to remind ourselves of the incredible news of Jesus’ redeeming work on the cross, the power and love of the God who created the universe, the God in whose name we go out.
UNITED KINGDOM
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
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How do we move beyond our fears to be able to witness to our Muslim friends and neighbours?
In all my years of ministry, I have found that it’s not in-depth theological insights that are most effective, but rather our stories. So be quick and ready to share your testimony. At OM we encourage people to share their story in three minutes. In those three minutes you explain the Gospel and its impact on you, you make yourself vulnerable and then end with a hook. A question, something to engage them, “So I started to read the Gospels and was amazed by
what I found, have you ever read a Gospel?”. You ask a question; you build a bridge. You share yourself and invite them to do the same. Sharing the Gospel with Muslims does not need to be scary or even difficult, but we will have to make the effort. So, build understanding with the Muslim community, learn your story, pray and step out confidently in the power of the God who has promised to gather all tribes, tongues and nations around His throne.
Discover more about Islam and grow in confidence in sharing your faith in Jesus with Muslims through reading Nabeel Quereshi’s ‘Seeking Allah Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity’ or ‘A wind in the house of Islam’ by David Garrison. Both books are available at uk.om.org/books
“...He first loved us.”
UK.OM.ORG/BLOG
1 JOHN 4:19
3 ways to discover your place in God’s mission Jesus left His followers with a promise. It was an invitation to join in God’s ongoing mission to share His transforming love to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The question for us today is, how do I find my place? Missions Discipleship Training (MDT) exists to help you answer that question, by committing five-six months to God and discovering your place in His mission. Here’s how it works… 1 . E X P L O R E Y O U R O W N S T O R Y
Your past and your present – all the interwoven experiences in your life make you, you.
WORDS ARTHUR MAGAHY
MDT offers a secure, supportive, prayerful community where you will have time to reflect on your story, while exploring your present gifts, skills and passions. Knowing who you are, and how your unique life story contributes to your identity, is essential in discovering how you can best serve God in mission. We each come from different places and perspectives but are united in one good news (Gospel) story. Your
story will find life-giving roots and meaning when it is embedded in His. 2 . D I S C O V E R Y O U R P L A C E IN GOD’S STORY
From Genesis to Revelation we see God’s love expressed in His commitment to relationship, to justice, to community, to the poor, to the Church, and to eternity. This is God’s story. There is a place for you in that story. MDT takes place within a community of those who are actively living out God’s love in cross-cultural contexts. This means that MDT is not limited to the classroom. You will be able to discover your passions and your gifts by gaining practical mission experience alongside some of these workers.
3 . S E T F O O T O N T H E GROUND!
An essential part of discovering your place in God’s mission is stepping out, to serve in unknown places, and exploring where He may be calling you to in the future. During MDT you will spend a few months serving full-time with an existing OM ministry. With opportunities spanning continents and cultures, you will have a unique opportunity to share God’s love in cross-cultural contexts with the guidance of long-term workers. Throughout this we support you to continue to reflect on your story, in the context of God’s story, with an eye on what God may be calling you to in the future.
Tell someone about MDT! Pass on this article, or direct them to uk.om.org/mdt
SHIP MINISTRY
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
Partnership worth celebrating
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OM Ships is marking 50 years of God’s faithfulness. As we reflect on all that God has accomplished through willing crewmembers and local partnerships, we cannot miss the essential contribution of prayer supporters and financial donors – who are just as much part of our kingdom effort.
We are honoured that many partners have been with the Ship Ministry for decades! They have seen God answer prayer, grow their own faith and deepen their heart for mission as they enable His work to take place around the world. A few have shared what the connection has meant to them: THE CHURCH
WORDS JULIE KNOX AND JANE KNOOP
“Mission is part of our DNA,” says Wayne Sutton, who’s been the pastor of Carrubbers Church, Edinburgh for 30 years. What started as an evangelistic mission outreach in the mid-1800s has grown into a church community with a focus on Bible teaching and discipleship. “Throughout this journey, we’ve remained passionate about sharing God’s love at both a grass-roots local level, and globally.”
The focus on discipleship among a predominantly young congregation has seen the emergence of individuals who are passionate to serve Jesus in Edinburgh and beyond, including on OM’s ships. “We’ve supported the Ship Ministry by sending people and donating – and we’ve also benefitted significantly from this relationship,” enthuses Wayne. “We’re not out there, but you are,” he continues, “And this partnership lifts our eyes. We are stimulated to be global-minded rather than inward-looking and we’re constantly reminded that there is a big world out there that needs Christ. Now Edinburgh is becoming very ethnically diverse and there are things we can learn from OM that help us communicate the Gospel in our cross-cultural environment right here.”
ISSUE 2 2021
“I thank my God everytime I remember you.”
PHILIPPIANS 1:3
Logos Hope in Caracas Bay, Curaçao, ahead of entering the shipyard for the annual dry dock maintenance.
“ This partnership lifts our eyes. We are stimulated to be global-minded rather than inward-looking.”
INDIVIDUALS
In Lisburn, County Antrim, Ruth Kirk and her late husband Tom held an OM prayer group in their home for more than 20 years. She can recall her first exposure to the Ship Ministry: “We went to volunteer on Logos in Dublin in 1976, with a team from Northern Ireland. Later, when the ships came to Belfast, we attended conferences on board. I was so impressed by the whole organisation of it all,” she reflects. Ruth and Tom opened their home monthly from the mid-eighties. People prayed through newsletters from crew and a diary that listed ministry needs, from appeals for funds and skilled workers to permissions to enter countries. Returning crewmembers would visit to recount
their experiences – including the Logos shipwreck – and the Kirks hosted international crew lining-up port visits. “They all seemed to learn so much. Tom and I felt there was a bond between OM-ers,” says Ruth. “We really valued being involved and I always encourage people to support mission, because the needs are great around the world.”
Partnership in the Gospel is very much a two-way blessing and we praise God for all who have stood alongside the Ship Ministry, the world over, in the last five decades. If you or your church would like information about connecting with us as we serve God for greater things still to come, visit uk.om.org/ships
M YA N M A R
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
In pursuit of God’s Extraordinary Kingdom
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Myanmar has been brought to our attention in recent months. A country ravaged by fighting, marred by political unrest and scarred by the persecution of minorities. It is also a country in which the hope of the Gospel is largely unknown among many people groups.
W O R D S A N N I E R E E D A N D E L LY N S C H E L L E N B E R G
Ordinary Jesus followers, Jill and Simon*, have seen the need for God’s hope and presence in this country and are not deterred.
higher than them,” Simon says. “We praise God that we’re seeing new believers from Buddhist backgrounds, accepting Jesus!”
SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING HIGHER
Recently Jill, another worker in Myanmar, delivered relief supplies to a group of people who had fled their homes due to the fighting. She had the opportunity to sit down with them and tell them about her faith in Jesus.
“Over 100 years ago, our forefathers in Myanmar received the good news. Now there are churches in some parts of Myanmar. But there are still many unreached people groups who have never heard about Jesus,” explains Simon, who has been developing church planting initiatives in his home country of Myanmar. “People in Myanmar are very religious in their following of Buddhism. It is a common thing for people to search for something
“I didn’t realise I was a favourite of God,” one young Buddhist man expressed, with a mix of joy and disbelief. “I didn’t know I was created, but I really didn’t know I was a favourite.” The man’s worldview was completely altered when he realised he could personally talk to God.
ISSUE 2 2021
LIVING AMONG THEM
Chance encounters and seized opportunities can have a significant impact in planting seeds and bringing hope, but it is long-term discipleship and relationship investment that workers in Myanmar focus on. “Effective discipleship means having a presence with someone, walking with them, having a relationship with them,” Jill explains. “It is best if you can live in the community when possible.”
The man’s worldview was completely altered when he realised he could personally talk to God
*names changed
Currently, OM has 14 partners in Myanmar who are living in remote communities made up of mainly practising Buddhists. One partner baptised five people near the end of 2020 after time spent sharing the Gospel in his community and investing in local relationships.
“...go and make disciples of all nations...” M A T T H E W
This hope of sharing Jesus to those who don’t know Him or have misunderstood His message is what motivates Simon and Jill to equip more people in Myanmar with the skills and vision to share Christ’s love where it is not yet known. Thank you for your generous gifts to the Christmas Appeal. You are enabling extraordinary things to happen in pursuit of God’s Kingdom in countries such as Myanmar where many people have no opportunity to hear of God’s love.
Join us this Summer! The need for the Gospel is great. Billions of people live in places around the world where there is no opportunity to hear of God’s hope for the world in Jesus. Join us in raising awareness and financial support through fundraising challenges. Go the extra mile for the sake of God’s Kingdom this summer! Visit uk.om.org/fundraise and discover collaborative fundraising opportunities to participate in, or register your own fundraiser!
28:19
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LIVE OUT LOVE : PROFESSION IN MISSION
Living out God’s love in the workplace Can our ordinary, everyday lives really make a difference for God’s Kingdom? And why is the workplace a strategic mission field for the emerging generation?
GLOBAL MAGAZINE
ISSUE 2 2021
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” C O L O S S I A N S
Earlier this year, Tim Yearsley from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity (LICC), shared with us the opportunities and impact of living out God’s love in the workplace as part of an OM online event, Ordinary Lives. We might spend up to ten hours serving God in church-based activities every week, but is it as easy to see how we might serve God in the 110 hours in the rest of our waking weeks? At LICC, we want to help Christians see how they can make a difference with God and for God wherever they are: at the school gate, in local leisure centres, on the streets where we live, and in the workplace (even if your workplace is Zoom).
WORDS TIM YEARSLEY
The workplace is especially significant for Christian young professionals. It seems that young adults, of all faiths and none, are looking to their careers for a sense of meaning and purpose that previous generations would have found elsewhere. So work has taken on new significance as a context for discovering what life is about. This means that, more than ever, the workplace is a mission field. Could Christians learn to show up there with the kind of purposeful
approach to life that their non Christian friends are looking for? To show their colleagues that their work really matters, but that their purpose needs to come from something greater?
We want to help Christians see how they can make a difference with God and for God wherever they are. It also raises questions for us as Christians though: Are we approaching our work in a way that is different? Do we see our emails as worshipful acts, written and sent ‘as if for the Lord Christ, not for men’ (Col 3:23)? Does our attitude under pressure provoke curiosity in the people around us? We will only earn the right to speak about our faith when people have seen the difference it makes. But when that opportunity does come – and it will - I have three guiding principles for having better conversations at work. Three things that I see Jesus himself doing in the conversations He had at workplaces, on streets,
3:23
and in people’s homes. The first is to be present with people, really listening to what they are saying and where they are coming from. The second is to be curious, asking questions and inviting opportunities for your colleagues to open up. Lastly, we can be brave by sharing personally about the difference the Gospel makes to us. In helping Christian young professionals to join the dots between their faith and their work in all these ways, we want to enliven discipleship and empower mission with the next generation. May it be so! You can find out more about Tim and his work at LICC by following them on Instagram: @liccltd
Live out love beyond the UK Could God be prompting you to make the workplace your mission field in a country where there are unlikely to be any other Jesus followers sharing His love in their office? Email personnel.uk@om.org to begin exploring opportunities and look out for an interview with Jenna Montgomery in the next issue of Global, as she unpacks exploring her calling and the realities of taking your profession overseas.
Billions of people have yet to hear about Jesus. How will you Live Out Love? Discover how God wants to use you and be part of the movement.
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