Not Brave, Just Obedient
Not Crazy, Just a Man of Faith by Undercover Disciplemaker I meet people all the time, who, when they learn where I do missions work, tell me I am either brave or crazy. I don't think I am either. The Word says, "...go and make disciples of all nations..." All nations must include those nations with a hostile spiritual environment and lack physical safety. To go to a country or area because you see a need can be presumptuous. But to go because the Lord personally tells you to is to go in obedience and faith.
I never planned on being a missionary. But looking back I can see where the Lord had planted this in my heart and prepared me for years before I moved in this calling. Several years ago I went to Asia Minor to visit a long-time friend who is a missionary. While I was there my heart was awaken to a call to share the gospel and make disciples. I then worked for the next two and a half years to find a way financially to join my friend in the ministry there. Because I was willing, the Lord then sent me where He wanted me, which was Central Asia. The Lord had to prepare my heart so I would go to this dangerous location.
When I arrived in Central Asia it was more than a shock in the natural; and it was very much a shock in the spiritual. I have been through more than one evangelism training course. All of them were taught from a western mind-set and from a western cultural perspective. This does not work in a closed Muslim country.
Fortunately, I went as part of a team. No one could get a visa to enter this country as a missionary but you could get one as part of an international humanitarian organization. Many of our team had many years experience in this land. And I was additionally blessed by working with two nationals who were believers.
I soon realized to be effective in presenting the gospel and to begin making disciples would require a long-term vision. Six months in and out would not build a strong foundation. I began to understand I must start by showing the love of Jesus and from there build relationships. Being in a closed country where its against the law to share the gospel caused me to hone the ears of my heart to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. This was vital for me to accomplish my mission. I had to grow in patience as I waited for the Holy Spirit to provide an opportunity to witness to anyone. Eventually, I learned many things such as to only answer the question I was asked and not try to tell the entire Truth all in one opportunity.
In my second year there I was able to begin a dialog with a national unbeliever. We were alone in a car and I was able to ask the national driver, who was carrying me out into the city, a question about Islam. As we talked, he questioned me about Christianity. As the weeks went by, he talked with me and with others on our team. After some months he prayed for the Lord to come into his heart and be his Savior. We baptized him in a bathtub. The next year another team member was able to get him into an evangelistic training center in a country in Asia Minor. While there he received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He has since returned to the country of his birth.
Last June the Lord directed me to return to the U.S. I had mixed feeling about this. After a couple of months I realized how much I needed to be recharged.
In January, God gave me the opportunity to return to the country in Central Asia and see Him move in some powerful ways in only a couple of weeks. I was able to meet privately with a group of 21 men with whom I had spent years building a relationship. All 21 allowed me to privately pray for them individually to open their heart to Jesus! During this trip I was also able to plant two New Testaments in the national language. One of the men I gave a copy to is having a national friend print 100 copies of the NT to distribute! This, of course, must be done in secret.
I looking forward to living out the Great Commission and II Timothy 2:2. The Kingdom of God will come to this country!
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