Headquarter Happenings

Every once in a while, we come across good articles that we’d like to share with our missions family. Some are meant to be an encouragement; others are more informative. We hope that these will be a blessing to you. If you have articles you believe would be a help or encouragement to the missions family, please email us and share those!

From Baptist Missionary Women:

Young Missionary Women’s Survey, Part One:
“I think deputation is God’s way of teaching patience, and it is an opportunity to work with and try to be a blessing to hundreds of Christians and other co-laborers you never would get to meet otherwise. So enjoy it! It shouldn’t be a time you look back on with dread. It is also a chance to see God work in ways you haven’t seen yet!”

Young Missionary Women’s Survey, Part Two:
“Practice being positive and making the best with what you have. We all have down days and struggles, but no one has to live there. There are always blessings and things to be thankful for in every situation and generally more than we realize. I believe a happy person and a content person is a thankful person.”

From one of our missionaries in Spain, Lou Ann Keiser:

When God Redirects Your Path

“When God changes your direction, when He moves you, how do you react? Of course, if there’s loss or sickness, you’ll go through grieving, pain, and whatever trial is involved in sickness or disability. How will you react to your new situation, your new path? I don’t think anyone knows before he gets there. But, a Christian is prepared when it happens, even though he might not be aware of it.”

Where’s Home? The Question that Confuses Your Missionaries

“For the new missionary, the answer’s easy. It’s everything he left behind. It’s where he just left. It’s where family and friends are. But, for a missionary with ten years under his belt, he’ll say, “Home? We made our home here.” Or “Oh yes, it’s great to be home.” He’s moved on, his family back home has adjusted, too. And, he’s made new friends and family on his field of service. He’s into the language and culture, and from time to time, he forgets he’s a foreigner. He even dreams in his acquired language!”

From World Wide’s Missions.Today site:

Travel and Credit Card Tips by Gabriel Eiben

“Depending on your field of service, obtaining a credit card linked to an airline that services your field can be a real help with airline ticket costs.”

Guest Room Information

“The Ruwersma family (missionaries to the United Kingdom) has created a database of Guest Rooms in the Northeastern and Southeastern U.S.”

Some of you who currently serve, or plan to serve, in more restricted countries may find this article from Baptist World Missions a great resource to share with friends and family:

Handle with Care: How to safely communicate with missionaries in countries hostile to the Gospel

“Sending a missionary to a foreign country requires great care.  Sending them to a Creative Access Nation—one which forbids missionary endeavor—requires even greater care, especially when it comes to communication.  Here are some suggestions to avoid the ‘minefields.'”

Please note that WWNTBM does not necessarily endorse all of the contents of every site, nor would we necessarily endorse everything by these authors.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night . . . and there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night. (John 3:1-2a, 19:39)

Three windows are all the Holy Spirit gives us to understand His work in the heart of Nicodemus, that intriguing man who visited the Savior by night. Curiously enough, the trio of accounts are in the same Gospel, the one written by fisherman John.

We find the first in chapter three, so famous for its sixteenth verse. Here the influential teacher of Israel is introduced to us as he made his initial, secretive, nighttime visit. No specific reason is given for why he chose to approach Jesus after dark, but quite clearly he did not want to be seen. Whether that was out of pure fear, professional discretion, or simple practicality will remain a mystery until we get to heaven.

The scene closes after a lengthy answer by the Lord, in which He draws special attention to the striking Old Testament story of the bronze serpent. We have no recorded response of Nicodemus, but this prophetic illustration must have made a huge impression on him.

In chapter seven a second window opens, this time into a larger setting. A furious group of Pharisees and priests are scolding some of their officers who failed to haul in Jesus as ordered. As they ridiculed the men for being swayed by the Lord’s words, the whole bunch is stunned by a voice that spoke up in Christ’s defense.

It was Nicodemus.

Again the passage closes with no comment by the teacher.

The third and final window swings open in chapter nineteen, and this time we see things happening in the broad daylight of a crucifixion scene. As the Lord is being lowered from the cross a rich member of the Sanhedrin steps forward. This man has been in the shadows for a long time, afraid to identify himself with Jesus. But now, setting aside his fears, Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for the crucified body.

As he goes to get it he is joined by another wealthy Jew.

Nicodemus!

Though it is impossible to enter his mind for the exact thoughts, the implication is that they were triggered by the “lifting up” of the Savior. For many months he had remembered, watched, hesitated . . . but when he saw Christ raised high on the cross the light of understanding pierced his soul.

This was what Jesus had told him would happen, back when they had had their private conversation. He was the one to look at! He was the one to believe in! He was the Savior who loved the world!

Nicodemus’ story can remind us all of an important truth as we sow the Gospel in tough hearts. God is not necessarily in a hurry like we usually are and can be working in a soul when we have no inkling of progress.

As His Spirit softens the mind and cracks its brittle arguments, the sinner is being guided to a specific crossroads. When it dawns on him that Jesus was crucified in his place, all the previous intellectual obstacles can be vaporized in a second.

And God alone will be glorified.

Dear Father, You are always doing way more than I realize, and Your calendar is perfect. Help me be faithful in sowing and confident in Your Spirit’s work.

After that He poureth water in a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. . . . For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:5, 15)

There is a certain concept of leadership that is faulty, or at least, incomplete.

It is the idea that leaders are mainly the visible and popular individuals, who are behind the podium, on the platform, speaking into the microphone. Often we see these people interviewed by the media, followed by crowds, and living in opulence. Unconsciously, we can adopt the common opinion that they are the image of leadership and generally define what it is.

Now I am not questioning that they are leaders. They usually are, for good or bad. But if we take a closer look at the matter in the Bible, we will discover that the real thing goes a lot deeper.

Take this passage in which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, undeniably one of the noblest scenes of servanthood in all of Scripture:

The Savior saw a need and moved. His action spoke of initiative, of resourcefulness, and wisdom. It was stepping out to do what needed doing, regardless of whether others followed suit, agreed, or even understood what was going on.

That is exactly what a leader does.

He is one who assesses the situation in front of him and moves. With that movement, he instantly steps into a role of influence and becomes an example to follow: a leader.

It is significant that the Lord chose to act out this lesson Himself, rather than just refer to an Old Testament example. He took off His outer garments, rolled up his sleeves (so to speak), and started serving. The shock, bewilderment, and embarrassment this created among the Twelve was instantaneous. The Man now washing their feet was the Word, who according to this same Gospel, had created everything! They were scandalized, wondering how they had allowed the situation to come to this.

Quite in sync with his personality, Peter put up a fuss.

But the Lord did not back down. Why not? Was it just that He didn’t want to give in? Was He trying to shame them into service?

Clearly those were not His reasons. I believe He was trying to teach us all something extremely important about the very nature of godliness.

In Heaven, the dwelling place of the Most High, that ideal atmosphere where the Almighty lives, we will find serving others to be a part of the beautiful essence of the land. On this earth, where sin has warped human thinking, service is seen to be the career of the under-privileged, the lower class, the common man.

Who knows? Maybe in glory the Son of God will at times serve His disciples, as the eternal and perfect example of the way things really are. I don’t think we should be too surprised.

Remember, He does not change.

One double thought I believe is clear: we are all called to serve, and we are all called to lead.

Dear Father, give me a love for service. Help me see it as a privilege and act of obedience of the first order. Thank you for serving me even today as You intercede for me before the Father. I praise you for being so humble, so good, so consistent. Amen.