Three Resources Given by God

God has given each of us three resources:  time, treasure and talent.

Of these three resources, two are renewable:  treasure and talent.  Time is not.  Once it is used up it is gone.

So we must be careful with how we use our time, but we also must use our treasure and talent as they are renewable and can actually grow and increase with good use.

To that end, DML has been looking at how to be stewardly with the use of our time, treasure, and talent, given that there are many opportunities for this forgotten message from Genesis 1 and 2, but limited time, treasure and talent.

We have concluded to look at potential partners in light of these three resources and separate them into three tears depending on the usage of these resources.

Our Level One partners are those partners who begin to interact with us and request some resources.  We send those to them but then we don't go much further. They have access to our "talent" in the form of materials but we don't really know how they are using them.

Our Level Two partners are those partners with whom we share our time and our talent.  We train them (time) and share our materials with them (talent).  

Our Level Three partners are those partners with whom we share our time, talent, and treasure.  These are the ten teams that we are currently working with the closest in Africa, investing our time, materials, and also the treasure that DML is able to raise through faithful friends and partners.  This treasure goes to stipends to those facilitating the ministry, communication and travel costs, equipment costs, scholarships for pastors or church leaders to attend trainings, scholarships to business owners to attend trainings, and so on.  

Friends, this past week we had the chance to travel to Dallas, Texas in order to present the work of DML to a Level Two partner who is doing work in a number of countries in Asia and South America relating to church planting and church leader equipping.  

Behind this group, there are about four other such groups talking to us as well who would fit into the Level Two partner group.  This is so exciting for us, as their passion for this increases and they take this message from God to the networks that they have.

The idea is that DML is one more tool in the toolbox of a healthy church.  As we keep saying, if you have a youth ministry, a women's or men's ministry, you need to have a workplace ministry or marketplace ministry, as that is where most adults spend most of their time each week.  

And that message is getting out to church planting organizations, in part because of some strategic networking with whom we have been blessed to be linked.  So next year, we will likely build capacity in this particular organization and travel with them to equip their teams.

The body of Christ is a beautiful thing when we can get out of our silos and work together.  We are intent, at DML, to have open hands with the message that God has invited us to join in giving, as well as our time, treasure and talent, as He allows!

And for those of you who give your time to pray for us and/or volunteer with us, we thank you!

For those of you who give your talent to work along side with us by advising or volunteering your services, we thank you!

And for those of you who give of your treasure so that this work can grow and reach more people, we thank you!

Some of you are giving all three, and for that we are very grateful!  Thank you for making the world a better place!