What Nationals Can Do
This is our fifth day in Liberia and the blessings of training national church leaders just keep rolling in. On Sunday my church planting partner Greg Dixon spoke at the church at which I spoke last year at this time. This church was started by one of our pastor students just one year ago and had, when I spoke, about 75 people in attendance. This was just short of six months from the start-up. Sunday when Greg spoke there were 125 members present.
Today after class our host drove us to another church plant in Tomato Town, a place that once supplied all the tomatoes for the entire country of Liberia. Pastor Lake who started the church has also attended the GBTF classrooms for three consecutive years. Within the last year they have grown steadily to over 55 members, and also have been given an acre of land by one of their member's family members. Today as I sat and listened to them sing, it was simply thrilling to see what God is doing through the work of these men of God. I had a chance to speak to them for a few minutes about faith and how they can continue to grow and thrive right where they are serving.
What is the biggest take-away from what is happening here among our Christian brethren in Liberia? It's simply this: the nationals can do the work of the ministry far better than anyone else in the world! The only thing they really want is the training necessary so they can reach their own country for Christ more effectively.
Did I forget to mention that each of these pastors mentioned above have done all they have done on the support of just fifty US dollars a month! An American or otherwise western missionary would require thousands of dollars a month just for maintenance. It simply doesn't make any sense to depend on western personnel when there are indigenous leaders present who can do the work so effectively.
In class today several native pastors reminded me that despite the lack of training received from their original mentors they relish the training they are now receiving. The empowerment they sense is electric in the classroom, and it more evident every day exactly what nationals can do with the necessary training and preparation.
Today after class our host drove us to another church plant in Tomato Town, a place that once supplied all the tomatoes for the entire country of Liberia. Pastor Lake who started the church has also attended the GBTF classrooms for three consecutive years. Within the last year they have grown steadily to over 55 members, and also have been given an acre of land by one of their member's family members. Today as I sat and listened to them sing, it was simply thrilling to see what God is doing through the work of these men of God. I had a chance to speak to them for a few minutes about faith and how they can continue to grow and thrive right where they are serving.
What is the biggest take-away from what is happening here among our Christian brethren in Liberia? It's simply this: the nationals can do the work of the ministry far better than anyone else in the world! The only thing they really want is the training necessary so they can reach their own country for Christ more effectively.
Did I forget to mention that each of these pastors mentioned above have done all they have done on the support of just fifty US dollars a month! An American or otherwise western missionary would require thousands of dollars a month just for maintenance. It simply doesn't make any sense to depend on western personnel when there are indigenous leaders present who can do the work so effectively.
In class today several native pastors reminded me that despite the lack of training received from their original mentors they relish the training they are now receiving. The empowerment they sense is electric in the classroom, and it more evident every day exactly what nationals can do with the necessary training and preparation.
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