An Invitation...and a Warning

On Sunday, August 4 at Madison Square Church at 6 pm, Rev. Stephen Mairori and Dr. Phil Walker from International Christian Ministries will be speaking and you are invited to attend!  Rev. Mairori will be bringing the message at the 6 pm service, and then Dr. Walker will be giving a presentation following a dessert time after the service.  I know it is summer and the evenings are warm and inviting to spend outdoors, but I hope that you will spend this evening with us! 

However, I must give a warning in addition to the invitation.  It was listening to Dr. Walker last year in May, when he spoke in Ghana, who caused me to leave Partners Worldwide, join a new ministry, and move across the continent of Africa, from West to East.  It was talking to Dr. Walker after his presentation who inspired me to embrace my vision and not fear it.  So...if you are in any way struggling with a vision and how to fulfill it, or considering work internationally, be fully warned that attending this "Dessert with the President" of ICM may actually result in you making some radical decisions!  God has used this man in mighty ways!

In all seriousness, Dr. Walker has become a mentor to me in the very short time that I have known him.  He speaks with great wisdom and experience, and I know that his presentation will be inspiring.  He recently taught in both Nigeria and Egypt and I so wished to be sitting in his class while he taught.

ICM has a vision for the African Leader and sees the role of Africa changing significantly in the next twenty years.  They have seminaries in a number of different countries, work alongside Walk Thru the Bible, the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, Equip, and the Purpose Driven Life.  Each country where they work is owned and run by nationals.  For example, while I live and work in Kenya, I am working for ICM Kenya, and Rev. Mairori is my boss.  If I would move to Burundi, I would then work for the ICM country director of Burundi.  This approach is so important and is one of the reasons why I appreciate the work of ICM.

So please join us!  Feel free to email me if you have any questions.  We will have some yummy desserts!

On a different note, last week I sent out an email informing most of you that I had been told by ICM that before I could book my ticket back to Kenya in early September, I would need to have 100% of my support pledged.  In the email I sent out, I asked for 20 people to pledge $100 per month for the next year; I also asked for church connections if your church might consider taking on a new missionary; and I asked for prayer.  I want to thank God with you that within five minutes I had two pledges of $100/month, and two people who committed to increase their monthly support, as well as two church suggestions!  Five minutes!  Within 48 hours, nine of the twenty people needed made the commitment.  Praise God!  So thank you for praying!  And for those of you who made a commitment to give, thank you!  Please continue to pray for the last eleven people to come forward and make this commitment.  As I said in that email, and continue to maintain, this is God's ministry that I am joining - not my ministry.  And He has the resources and knows the people to be involved in this work, not me.  

Our God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine!  Amen!