Global missions includes local missions, wherever “local” may be…

 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”  -Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV

We have been blessed to speak at several churches in New England this summer, and want to thank those of you who have come out to hear us share about our ministries in PNG. One theme we have reiterated frequently is the call for all Christians to be missionaries in their spheres of influence. When most people think of missionaries, they think of overseas Christian workers who translate the Bible, plant churches, feed the hungry, educate children and treat illness. While accurate, this is an incomplete idea of missions. Those of us who go overseas to promote the cause of the Gospel are indeed missionaries, but the reality is ALL Christians are called to be missionaries in the communities in which God has placed them. The Great Commission (above) is one of many scriptures where God tells us to go into the world and make disciples. Some other references include: Genesis 12:1-3, Psalm 67, Psalm 96, Matthew 16:14-18, Luke 24: 44-49, John 20: 19-23 and Acts 1: 4-8. This list is not exhaustive, but it does illustrate a point: these “commissions” are not just for pastors and overseas workers. Missions is not an optional exercise of the Christian church; it is the core work of the church wherever the church exists. 

We support the work of Bible translation through education and risk management, but we also serve as missionaries here when we encourage other believers and point those who don’t yet know and trust Jesus to Him. As a believer, this is true of you as well. When you pray for others, tithe, serve in your church, talk to people about God’s Word, show compassion, mentor young people and support local and global ministries, you also serve as missionaries. We want to thank you all for your prayers and financial partnership with our ministry. We’d also like to know how we can be praying for you, so please send us an email and let us know your prayer needs.

The blessing of seeing family…

One of most challenging aspects of living overseas is the infrequent visits we have with our families, who we have not seen since 2019. It was a special blessing to get to see Kathy’s mom in July for a week, which was sooner than expected. Every visit is a gift and one we do not take for granted. None of us know how long we will be alive or how many opportunities we will have to spend time with those we love. May we love our families well (both bloodrelated and our brothers and sisters in Christ) and may we share God’s love and the joy of knowing Jesus with everyone He places in our spheres of influence.

Prayer Points:

• Papua New Guinea (PNG): Praise for recent peace treaties signed between villages in the Aiyura valley.

• Bible translation: Praise for the positive responses among the Arop-Lokep people to the Culture Meets Scripture workshop held on Long Island.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for the teachers and students at UIS who are already half way through Term 1. Pray for the security team in Ukarumpa.

• PNG missionaries: Pray for wisdom and strength for the 6 new families starting their PNG Orientation Course.

• God’s provision: We are so very thankful for your faithful partnership, and for the blessing of getting to see so many of you already while we’ve been in the northeast. We will begin to travel south starting in October; please contact us if you would like a visit!