OM Global magazine 2023 #3

2023

ISSUE NO.3

RACING ACROSS EUROPE WITH GOD'S LOVE

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF MISSIONS

CONFUSION TO COMMISSION: HAVE WE MADE THE MOVE?

ON THE COVER:

Dear friends,

PICTURE BY: Hadley Toweel

WORLD NEWS

Racing across Europe with God’s love

ALGERIA

God is building His Church

SHIP MINISTRY

The significance of sameand near-culture workers

TEENSTREET

Hope for the future of missions

EUROPE

Do we need more Brits abroad?

UNITED KINGDOM

Connecting through shared experience

PAKISTAN

I was there...

BLOG

Confusion to commission: have we made the move?

OPERATION MOBILISATION

Registered office: The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7LT.

Registered as a company limited by guarantee no. 2564320 and charity no.1008196 (England and Wales).

tel: 01691 773388

email: hello.uk@om.org

w: www.uk.om.org

EDITOR:

Jane Knoop

STORIES AND IMAGES:

OM International

© Global magazine 2023. 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.

May I invite you to picture a scene. Teenagers eagerly fill a large, converted barn, excited to worship God. As they lift their voices to exalt the name of Jesus, Turkish teens are praying for British young people; Nepali followers of Jesus are kneeling alongside young Chinese believers; Africans and Eastern European young people are weeping, raising hands and singing praises together. The time of worship is supposed to last 20 minutes… but two hours later is still going strong … no one wants to leave. Some young people are giving their lives to Jesus for the first time, others are recommitting to Him. And it’s all happening here in the United Kingdom at our TeenStreet UK (TS) summer event!

Whilst teenagers were coming to faith and growing in their commitment to know Jesus and make Him known at TS, we also saw many from the UK serve on short-term outreaches around the world this summer. You’ll read in this edition of Global about the new Race Across Europe outreach, and how we are looking forward to sending out another group of young people on this outreach in March 2024. God is on the move among the next generation of Jesus followers – and we value your prayers that we might be able to inspire and help mobilise many more from the UK to become disciple makers among those who are yet to hear of God’s love in Jesus.

As we look to the future, we are really excited to be able to announce a new partnership with Capernwray, the Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers. As OM, we celebrate the way the Lord is working through ministry at Capernwray and we are so enthusiastic to enter into a new strategic partnership that will see Capernwray host TS UK in July 2024. It is our prayer that by working together, we will see even more young people discipled, and becoming disciple makers among the nations.

Thank you for standing with us as we seek to continue, by God’s grace, to live up to our name of Operation MOBILISATION.

Yours in Christ,

MATTHEW SKIRTON, UK CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OM

A Hindu man wearing a traditional headdress in Central South Asia.

to the hope we profess.” HEBREWS

challenge!” one of the participants, Whitney, shares. “But amidst all this God has been faithful. I have learned to trust Him.”

Racing across Europe with God’s love

Through July and August, three British girls in their early 20s interrailed across Europe.

Unlike the average interrailing trip, this was a journey with a vision and a focus; to share Jesus’ love with those they met along the way. Travelling through 15 major cities, the girls connected with OM projects

and supporting churches, engaging with ongoing ministry as they went; from cleaning warehouses used for ministry, to sharing their testimonies on the streets of Berlin.

“The trip has been fast paced! Moving through different countries exposes you very rapidly to different cultures and languages; adapting to that has been a

Remember Sudan

On 15 April 2023, heavy fighting broke out in Sudan between rivalling military forces.

More than half of the country’s population is now in need of humanitarian aid and protection, according to UN estimates.

OM’s entire team of 131 people in Sudan are all affected by the crisis, including suffering from lack of access to basic food items, water and medicine as well as skyrocketing prices for essentials. But amidst these difficult times, the OM teams have recognised an open door

for outreach. “Relief experience has helped us to distinguish the people most in need of assistance and those most affected. And we learnt that in difficult and tough times, God is always working,” one team member said.

Along with providing a tangible expression of God’s love, giving aid helps Jesus followers form relationships with people, the team explained. Through these relationships, they can share the

The next Race Across Europe (RAE) will be in spring 2024.

“I would really recommend RAE to others as a step into mission,” Whitney enthuses. “It has allowed me to grow and learn how to truly love and serve. It has also allowed God to speak to me about where He might be calling me in the future.”

Do you know someone ready to race across Europe with God’s love? Visit uk.om.org/race-across-europe to find out more!

hope that sustains them throughout times of trouble. “Many people began to doubt the Islamic religion,” shared a Sudanese team member. “They became open to hear the message of salvation, and we saw some people became followers of Jesus.”

Take a moment to pray for the situation in Sudan. You can support those who are there though the Mercy Appeal, uk.om.org/mercy.

God is building His Church

Samia* could not read. Having never been to school, the 23-year-old Algerian woman had no way to decipher the words in any of the books in her family’s home. What she did know were the teachings and practices of Islam, which had been impressed on her since birth.

While praying, Samia regularly spent a few minutes talking directly to God after she finished the traditional Islamic recitations. “God, please lead me to the straight way,” she interceded.

One night, while she was sleeping, Samia saw Jesus in a dream. He told her three times: “Go to your brother’s bookshelf. There is a book there. Take it and read it.” Finally, Samia got up and found the book Jesus had indicated: a New Testament that her brother had placed amongst his literature collection. Then Samia opened the Bible and started reading. Miraculously, Samia understood what she was reading, and she began to cry. Her family, awakened by the noise, gathered around her. Samia began to read out loud, explaining the text to her family members.

Because of Samia’s inexplicable ability to read the Gospel, her whole family came to faith, the OM team in Algeria reported. They also said that many of Samia’s friends, who knew she was illiterate, also decided to follow Jesus when they heard her story.

“Calls come in every day from people like Samia,” said Mustafa*, who leads OM’s work in Algeria. These phone conversations allow his team to connect new believers to another Jesus follower in the area where they live for follow up and discipleship. As new believers move from belief in Jesus based on powerful signs and miracles to

a true understanding of salvation through His finished work on the cross, they are invited to join a local church and be baptised.

In some ways, this pressure has led the Church back to its roots of revival: “Before the Church was recognised by the government as an independent entity, we used to meet in houses. And now, the church is closed, and naturally, and spontaneously, we came back to houses,” Amine explained.

God is building His Church in the North African nation, and “we believe that nobody will stop the gospel,” affirmed Mustafa and the OM leadership team.

ALGERIAN BELIEVERS COUNT THE COST

Although God is moving in Algeria, those who choose to follow Christ still face significant challenges. Across the country, church doors have been sealed, gatherings prohibited and believers imprisoned – some sentenced for blaspheming, others for refusing to leave the building when police came to close their churches.

For his own role in spreading the gospel, Mustafa has been jailed, arraigned in court, had property seized and been forced to leave the city where he lived. The government shut down a church he was pastoring, which led to a wave of ‘planned persecution’ that, according to Algerian believers, continues to this day.

“Jesus’ heart is the Church, and Jesus’ heart was poured in my heart,” Mustafa shared. “I want to see a church in every village, in every city, in every area of Algeria.” By spreading God’s Word online and in-person, discipling new believers, training leaders and starting new house churches, he and the OM team are working alongside other Jesus followers to see this vision accomplished.

And, as evidenced not only by the number of phone calls coming in but also by the increasing number of groups gathering in homes to study God’s Word, worship and pray for their country, the Church is, indeed, growing.

“We are witnessing many people coming to faith — imams, leaders, students, lay people, people from all walks of life,” Amine said. “So this is what is giving us confidence: that behind this work, there is a great God who is doing a great job in our nation.”

Join with us in praying for continued Kingdom growth and for strength and protection for the Church in Algeria.

WORDS NICOLE JAMES

*name changed to protect identity

I want to see a church in every village, in every city, in every area of Algeria.

The significance of same and near-culture workers

For almost a year, Logos Hope voyaged throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Her crew served and connected with local people in 13 different port cities across nine countries, including Iraq and nations in the Arabian Peninsula.

But out of a treasure trove of beautiful connections, it was those crewmembers and volunteers from the MENA countries themselves who engaged most deeply with their own region.

Logos Hope partnered with 96 local organisations and 100 churches throughout the MENA region, recognising that supporting local initiatives under the guidance of local people creates the most sustainable change. Their stronger foundations of pre-existing local connections and relationships, as well as deeper cultural and linguistic understanding, have been seen to help bring significant growth in a shorter time span.

More than 20 workers from sameor near-culture countries (see page 10 for definitions) joined Logos Hope’s recent visit to the MENA

region, via either the Short-Term Exposure Programme (STEP) or the one two-year programmes. “Being from the same or similar cultures allows crew to connect with visitors on a much deeper level,” remarks Roberto Facanha, Logos Hope’s People Services Director. “Many on this current programme are able to enjoy the ship’s training and development programmes –preparing them for leadership roles either when they return home or as they continue serving people groups in their own or nearby nations.”

Equally as key are the port volunteers – local believers who temporarily work on the Visitor Experience Deck or in departments on board, such as in the kitchen or with accommodation services. Upon departing each port, volunteers are often instrumental in maintaining local connections and discipling those who have been impacted by

Every crewmember can recollect a story of a moment, friendship, or conversation they shared with a local person that left them changed forever...

the ship’s ministry. This short taste of ship life often inspires volunteers to join the crew themselves.

One such young man is Adam*. “I experienced Logos Hope for the first time in 2011 when she visited my city,” says Adam. “I was young, but I still remember the time so clearly. It impacted me so much, as well as many others in my country. I heard the ship was coming again [in January 2023], and I was so excited to volunteer. Thousands of people came to the ship every day from all over the country. Everyone was impacted by the ship and her ministries. It was so amazing! I’m sure it will be remembered for a long time and many people want Logos Hope to come again soon.”

help and are waiting for something like Logos Hope to come, and I was honoured to be a part of that.”

“People were happy and impressed to see people on board who were from Arab countries. People were excited when I told them I was from [my country] and they connected with me on a deeper level, especially believers from the region.”

Now Adam looks forward to being able to share his experiences of his time as a crewmember in his home country. “There are many things I’ve learnt on board; how to serve people from different backgrounds, how to love and care for people I don’t know, different

ways to pray and worship, and to serve others everywhere that I go.”

PREPARING FOR EAST AFRICA

Building on the success of Logos Hope’s same- and near-culture programme in the Middle East, this approach continues for the visit to Africa, which began earlier this year in August. Fifty Africans have been extended scholarships to serve on board both Doulos Hope and Logos Hope

Africa is the most Christian continent in the world today (Africa to the Rest, Yaw Perbi and Sam Ngugi) and Logos Hope’s visit is set to be a catalyst in releasing this

“I wanted to be a part of the team, to leave a lasting impression in every country we could visit. I joined the ship in May 2023 for the STEP programme, which is three months. There are many people who need

People in the MENA region connect easily with others from the same region. They were happy and impressed to see people on board who were from Arab countries.

‘ready to go’ workforce into sharing God’s love around the world. Please pray that sufficient income can be found to meet our target of 50 scholarships, or even more!

COME AS YOU ARE!

Reflecting the diversity of the Church has long been a strand in OM’s DNA. Whilst we recognise

the significant contribution of near culture workers, far-culture workers and crew from countries like the UK, are equally essential.

“Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit Logos Hope

in Bahrain as part of an exposure trip,” shares Clare Macleod, from High Free Church Stornoway, who went on board as part of her role in OM, processing short-term applicants. “It was a refreshing and inspiring time being able to see first-hand what the Ship Ministry is all about. There are so many ways to serve on board with lots of opportunities to learn, grow and be pushed out of your comfort zone.”

“What a great opportunity to prepare for further cross-cultural work – or to even come home living more vibrantly in your faith!”

Do you know a young Jesus follower who would benefit from the discipleship and leadership development found on board one of our ships? From three months to two years, there is a place for everyone on board an OM ship. Find out more at uk.om.org/ships.

There are so many ways to serve on board with lots of opportunities to learn, grow and be pushed out of your comfort zone.

Hope for the future of missions

Global editor, Jane Knoop, visited TeenStreet UK's (TS) weeklong youth event in August, and left deeply humbled and encouraged that the future of missions lies in the hands of our young people.

“Does anyone have a Scripture to share?” Tim Berry asks, as he leads an extended time of worship with sensitivity to the Spirit.

Silence.

Then a hand goes up. A teen stands up – Bible in hand – and they read the words of truth God has placed on their heart. Then another stands and reads. And another. This goes on.

The teens have been invited to stay and continue to meet with God in worship. They don’t have to stay, they are free to go and chat or play ping pong, but the majority of the young people at TS are still here, sat on the floor of this warehouse, with the rain hammering on the roof, desiring God and His presence. And He is here by His grace, moving in our midst.

“God is exceeding our expectations… as is His way,” one leader shares the next morning, laughing in joy and astonishment at the way God is moving. There is an openness and receptivity to God’s love, and when I move around site and ask the young people what they love most about TS I get similar answers; “I’m loving drawing closer

to God and getting to know others,” Hazel (15, Nepali speaking church, Aldershot) summarises.

It’s humbling, and challenging. As the leaders teach, mentor and disciple these young people, there is also a sense of them leading us, in their raw, honest, genuine hunger for more of God. “It’s like our souls are taking a breath,” shares Mihail (14, Turkish speaking church, north London). “God is working among us, giving dark lives colour. There are no words to describe it. It can only be lived.” His friend Nehir (15) follows on, “Yes, before coming here I felt like there was a force building a wall between me and God. But God has met with me here. I don’t want to go home and lead my regular life anymore.”

God never fails to encounter and then transform. As He meets with young people at TS, we can also see Him aligning their hearts with His heart for His world. “God is speaking to us

about our role in the body of Christ,” speaker, Megan Foster, says with passion one morning. Our collective and unique missional purpose is woven into all the teaching, and Megan goes on to talk about the Great Commission and our role within it. I look around at this diverse group of teenagers, so many of them wholeheartedly open to God’s Spirit and ready to take their place in the Great Commission. There is so much hope for the future of missions.

Does the youth leader at your church know about the TS movement? Pass on this article and point them to uk.om.org/teenstreet-uk.

Do we need more Brits abroad?

As the global trend in missions has shifted –away from western heritage to expanding the contribution of same- and near-culture workers.

asks if there is still a place for Brits in global mission.

Ian Baker*, Associate International Director of OM,

Definitions

Same-culture workers: serve in the culture they were brought up in. They have an intuitive understanding of the cultural systems, beliefs, values and language.

Near-culture workers: serve in a culture of which they have a significant understanding. Typically, they have a shared history, geographical proximity, and a shared language or language family.

Far-culture workers: serve in a culture significantly different from the one they were brought up with. They don’t have an intuitive understanding of the cultural systems, beliefs and values; it takes intentional effort to learn these things.

Celebrating and prizing the contribution of same- and nearculture workers in mission is core to OM’s DNA. Ministry that is driven by those who are intimately connected to a nation and a culture is natural, and it is essential for strategic growth and the sustainability of ministry.

OM is committed to equipping and mobilising near- and sameculture workers, to serve in nations where Jesus is not known, or in places where the existing church is too small to reach the rest of the population. Envisioned through training, mentoring, practice, encouragement and accountability, many of these individuals go on to serve in their home countries, not necessarily formally joining OM, but keeping their jobs and ministering from within their communities. It’s

empowering and sustainable, and it’s effective for Kingdom growth.

In one country in South Asia –which I won’t name here for security reasons – 100 same-culture workers were discipled and equipped to reach remote communities through a year-long training course in 2021. This resulted in the emergence of 60 new fellowships in least reached areas. In this country, and the majority of others where OM has a presence, the team is predominantly made up of local nationals, with far-culture workers leaning on the wisdom and insight of those who know the customs, ways and practices of the culture in which they serve.

So, is there still a role for far-culture workers in mission?

Yes. As long as there are nations without enough Jesus followers to reach the rest of the population; as long as we face the reality of billions of people living with no awareness of God’s life-changing love; as long as the Great Commission still stands… we must go, “and make disciples of all nations.”

on their own ethnic religious group. While far-culture workers also need to address their own prejudices and preconceptions, they can sometimes be welcomed into spaces local Christians struggle to access. These are precious openings for God’s love to be shared.

Far-culture workers face significant challenges as they learn to respect, understand and adapt to values and customs that don’t come intuitively – often this even includes re-learning the way in which they share the gospel. But amidst the challenges there are also unique opportunities. Far-culture workers can be significant catalysts among believers, and at times gain access to communities into which near- and same-culture workers struggle to find openings due to local tensions. For example, some Arab Christians may feel oppressed as a minority group, harbouring fear and needing to overcome centuries of prejudices when seeking to love their Muslim neighbours. A number do overcome these fears and tensions, reaching out in love to those around them, but they can still experience opposition and tension from within their own communities, and may feel concerned about bringing trouble

The global trends in church growth are shifting; from the emergence of the early church in the Middle East, to the spread of Christianity globally – especially in the west –to the current growth of the Church in the global south, most recently across Africa. We are beginning to see more far-culture workers from the global south, and we expect this increase to continue as a wave of the Spirit mobilises individuals across Africa and elsewhere to respond to the Great Commission.

But we mustn’t take this as a signal that the west can step back from sending workers.

The Church needs to step up and take action. We need to be intentional about sharing the gospel cross-culturally – wherever the least reached are, whether that’s abroad or in the UK – remembering that increasingly we do this as servant collaborators with the wider global Church. 2.2 billion people live in places where there are not enough Jesus followers to reach the rest of the population with the good news (source: Jason Mandryk); around 66,000 are added to this number every day. The need is great, and the need is growing. This is something every Christian must engage with and ask, how is God wanting me to engage?

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.”

We need to be intentional about sharing the gospel cross-culturally –wherever the least reached are.

Connecting through shared experience

Joyful laughter and grateful praise characterise Naomi Cheung - even when experiencing cancer. Inspired through her own experience and by her nursing background in Hong Kong, Naomi leads the Chinese Association for Cancer Care (CACACA), partnered with OM.

This specialised medical ministry serves Chinese cancer patients throughout London, declaring, “Motivated by our Christian faith, we are committed to journey with cancer patients to cope with the disease and share with them God’s love, grace and peace.”

“God has equipped me in amazing ways to serve cancer patients,” enthuses Naomi. She first developed breast cancer in 2010 whilst serving Muslim communities through OM with her husband, Philip. Surviving life-threatening complications following her mastectomy left Naomi with a powerful sense of God saving her for a purpose.

Having navigated NHS oncology services as a Chinese person and

former nurse, Naomi helped launch CACACA in 2013 to meet the needs of ethnic Chinese cancer patients with little or no English language; barriers of language and culture exist for both new arrivals in the UK and people who’ve been here for years.

WALKING EVERY STEP OF THE ‘CANCER JOURNEY’

Naomi is an independent specialist interpreter and advocate, in all its variety - interpreting someone’s diagnosis; attending chemotherapy; providing comforting homemade Chinese food; celebrating recovery – or ‘being there’ as someone dies.

“Miss Wang* from mainland China was an asylum seeker, here alone,” remembers Naomi. “But I was with her when she died. Jesus said that

whatever we do for one of the least of these, we do for Him.”

Naomi helps about 25 clients at a time but never feels overloaded. “Every day I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me who to contact, so Jesus arranges my schedule for me, it’s so amazing.” Along the way, she absorbs people’s life stories and prays for them…like one woman from south-east Asia who poured out the story of her broken marriage while Naomi waited with her for a procedure. “How I cried in my heart to God for that lady,” she recalls.

CULTURE’S STRONG INFLUENCES

Naomi sees the impact of traditional thinking; some patients have faith in Jesus but are still influenced by previous Chinese idol worship.

One woman regarded her crucifix pendant as an amulet against cancer. “I tried to explain that we put our faith in the living Jesus, not a necklace,” remembers Naomi.

Strong connections with Chinese churches strengthen Naomi’s ministry. A very highly-educated Mandarin-speaker was approaching end-of-life; she accepted Naomi’s introduction to a male pastor who was an ex-professor and fellow Mandarin-speaker. “And she truly responded when he shared the gospel! For three years I had been sharing Jesus with her – but I was not a man, not a professor, and my Mandarin isn’t fluent, so she never really listened to me!” reflects Naomi, a Cantonese speaker.

FREEDOM THROUGH SHARING STORIES

Naomi organises CACACA’s support groups, dotted across central London. Current and former patients encourage one another in a hopefilled atmosphere of worship and praise. Relationships last down the years; through group newsletters, over 80 people have shared their cancer stories and testimonies about God’s love and help.

“Cancer is a shameful cursed thing in our traditional culture,” says Naomi. “We encourage patients to share their stories in an open and honest way, in a shame-free environment.” Naomi lives this out herself. Her first mastectomy after breast cancer had been in 2010. “When I felt my cancer experience was outdated, I got breast cancer again in 2022, so I could again count

myself as a cancer patient!” she shares. When her cancer community heard about Naomi’s second mastectomy, a former patient said Naomi’s honest and hope-filled testimony was helping her finally face her own journey with cancer.

“Cancer does not discriminate, and I am not exempted! Thank Jesus for my two different times with breast cancer,” Naomi concludes. Heading off on another visit, she quotes another favourite Scripture, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God.”

God can work powerfully though our shared experiences to bring Kingdom growth. Could He be calling you to share His love and comfort with others in a specific way? Speak to a mission coach to help guide you on your journey. Visit uk.om.org/ talk-to-a-mission-coach

be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… who comforts us in all our troubles…”

I was there...

Every summer is monsoon season in Pakistan. Last year was no different, until the rain turned relentless at the end of July. OM worker, Aleem*, was there. He shares his story.

A few days into the downpour, I began receiving calls from the villages where the OM team I lead serve. People were getting nervous and basic needs, such as food and shelter, were becoming a concern, with no sign of the rain ending. Two days turned into three, then four. By day five, Pakistan had become a humanitarian crisis. Water was everywhere—homes destroyed, people displaced and some left stranded in deep water or cut off from food supplies.

As we served communities and met physical needs, we saw God opening doors.

One day, in the midst of the initial crisis, I had a call from Imran*, a Muslim man I’d met once but hadn’t heard from in a while. Imran explained that he was stranded in his house, unable to get out due to his disability – he called many people, but no one had been able to help him. I went with two other team members, climbing along a wall and down some wooden stairs to get to him and bring him to safety. Once the waters had receded, I visited him again and shared about the love I’d found in Jesus. The man asked for a Bible and invited more than 50 of his neighbours to also hear what I had to say!

On another occasion, I met a group of people sitting on the roadside. I asked if they needed help, and one man replied, “You will not help us because we are Hindus.” Out of the 30 families in his village, none had met a Christian before, the man shared, and he did not believe me when I promised to bring them food.

The man greeted me with a big smile when I showed up the next day. I explained that I was a follower of Jesus, called to love others as I would love myself. Praise God that, a year on, we are still working in this village (and nine others!), building relationships, and sharing the love of Christ.

THE FIRST TO RESPOND

When disasters occur, local workers are some of the first to respond. The language and culture are their own; they know the terrain, the needs, and the complexities of the situation.... As they step out, God's love shines through, bringing hope and fresh opportunity in regions where the gospel is not known.

Find out how you can support those who are there: visit uk.om.org/mercy.

Confusion to commission: have we made the move?

Recently, OM commissioned a survey which revealed humbling statistics regarding the UK Church’s attitude towards mission. Matthew Skirton, CEO, OM in the UK, urges us to re-embrace our God-given purpose.

The story of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 is a bit strange. Humankind is on the move but then a decision is taken, to settle and build a city with a great tower.

God has made his plans and purpose clear. We are created in God’s image as the pinnacle of His creation, to make Him known in His world. But the people had another plan.

They chose to stay put. To build a tower for themselves. The problem was the people had rejected God’s purpose for them.

God sees what is happening and the people are cast into confusion as they are scattered around the world.

Do we as God’s people today better understand and embrace our calling to make God known? A recent survey commissioned by OM suggests that we don’t!

Today, less than 33% of Christians believe that the primary purpose of

church mission work is to share the Christian faith among those who don’t know Jesus. That’s 1 out of every 3 followers of Jesus.

we have failed to embrace the purpose that comes with our salvation? I wonder if we sometimes find ourselves preoccupied with building our own lives and ‘making a name for ourselves’ rather than allowing God to build and bring glory to His name.

It would seem, sadly, that this story in Genesis 11, of people choosing confusion over God’s purpose for them, is reflective of many people’s lives today. We may feel we have moved from confusion to salvation, but is it possible that we too often still experience confusion and uncertainty in life because

Back in Genesis, God called people to be on the move. We too are called to not settle, but to bear His image. To reflect His glory and make known His love. In this way His Kingdom comes, and His will is done.

As followers of Jesus, do we need to re-embrace our purpose and encourage others to do the same?

Let’s refuse to settle in a place of confusion, and embrace the high calling, purpose and Great Commission to which we are called.

Back in Genesis, God called people to be on the move. We too are called to not settle, but to bear His image.

Him

SHARING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS so that all may adore Him.

As your church prepares to worship Christ the Lord through carol services this Advent, find out how you can help raise support so that everyone, from every nation, may come and adore Him.

ALL THE NATIONS

yo u h ave made will come and WORSHIP before you, Lord; they will bring GLORY to your n ame.

PSALM 86:9 (NIV)

You and your church leaders can find out more about the OM Christmas Appeal at uk.om.org/christmas