"This is beyond revival. This will take a revolution."

"This is beyond revival.  This will take a revolution."

These were the closing words of one of the pastors in Trinidad, at the end of the workshop this past Saturday.  After two very good days together, with intense and deep discussions, he made this declaration with a bit of sadness, yet also an undercurrent of hope.  The pastors and leaders in attendance caught the vision for a paradigm shift of seeing the potential of equipping the 99%, of redefining the church as the people rather than the building, of seeking to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission through fulfilling the Great Commitment.  They were excited, animated, and hopeful.

At the same time, they recognized the challenge of change.  We all know that change is not easy and that it is often slow-going.  And that is what the pastor was acknowledging.  We coach pastors and denominational leaders on four key challenges that a church may go through in accepting a workplace ministry:

1. The challenge of people recognizing that this is what it means to be a Christian.  It is difficult to accept that worship is for all parts of life, including work.  It is difficult to accept that every person is in the fulltime ministry of giving glory to God, while our specific placement is different.  
2. The challenge of the inward pull of the gathered church - this is very strong and difficult to change.  We have been focused on the building and it's programs for so long.  To understand the importance of the scattered church will take time.
3. The challenge to the role of leaders - We do away with terms like "clergy" and "laity", recognizing that there is no holiness hierarchy; that there is simply the "people of God" and the "priesthood of all believers."  We want to work toward being a nation OF priests, rather than a nation WITH priests.  This challenge cuts both ways and can be difficult to accept by the church leaders and the members.
4. The challenge of sustaining change.  When change starts to happen, it can be difficult to sustain it, until there is a natural and self-sustaining response to whole-life discipleship.  The process can be long and complex.  There may be spiritual resistance at the beginning but without intentionality, there may also be a drift back to what is traditional and familiar.

While this can feel like a bit of a downer, it's a piece of reality that we believe is important to impart to church leaders.  But we also give them some simple ways to start:

1. You don't need to begin a series on work.  You just need to recognize that many of your listeners do work.
2. You don't need to present a whole new vision to the church that will take years to be adopted.  You simply have to ask your members what God is doing in their workplace, and how they can join Him in that work.  
3. Continue pastoral visits, but add in questions about their workplace, and how the church can better equip them to be a disciple in those places.  Take a position of a learner about workplace challenges.
4. You don't have to spend a lot of time explaining to people what has changed in your perspective.  You could just invite people to come to a workshop to explore what would help them live more fruitfully for Christ.  
5. You can start now.  

How did DML arrive in Trinidad?  We are working with an organization called Network for Christians in Business (NCB) led by Ladi Franklin.  NCB is an affiliate of Partners Worldwide, and I met Ladi many years ago when I worked for them.  We have connected on and off throughout the years, but in March of this year, she felt God very strongly telling her to work through the church.  She started asking questions about how that could be done and was directed to DML.  It was a joy to reconnect with her, in a much deeper way than before.  In the group picture, she is sitting to the left of me.

On Sunday, Ladi and her husband Vincent took me on a beautiful tour around the island.  So much beauty and an amazing history.  As is the case with most places, it is a history full of challenge and joy.  

One of the most amazing parts of the day was a small boat tour through canals that lead to the ocean, featuring so many mangrove trees (which are truly amazing), as well as many birds.  The most amazing bird is the national bird, the scarlet ibis.  We were there in the early evening when they all come to one island for the night, shared with other birds.  The flamingoes were there first, then the egrets and herons...and all of them move to the interior of the island as the scarlet ibis arrive...in the dozens and then hundreds.  Here are a few pictures, although as always, you can't truly capture the experience in pictures!

Trinidad with a view toward Tobago

Vincent and Ladi Franklin, a dear brother and sister in the Lord!

The ridge of mountains in the distance is Venezuela!  Just 6.8 miles away!

Mangrove trees - such cool trees!  The roots grow down from the branches, acting like breathing tubes!

Flamingoes are the first to come to the island every evening...

...followed by egrets (in white), herons, and then the red dots are the scarlet ibis.

The beautiful scarlet ibis...the national bird of Trinidad.  So striking against the blue and green! 

Kingdom Hope Unfurled

A theme of this blog for the past several years is a Kingdom vision versus a church vision.  A Kingdom vision sees all the world flourishing as God originally intended, with every person being agents of reconciliation.  A church vision is often limited to the flourishing of the building and the people inside, and the work of the church is limited to volunteering for the programs of the church.  

Last week at Lausanne, we had an opportunity to glimpse a Kingdom vision, far beyond a church or denomination, with mechanical engineers, economic professors, pastors, and NGO leaders all sitting at the table to discuss what flourishing looks like for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

The Gettys were one of the worship teams during the week, and there is one song that I just can't get out of my head.  The name of the song is, "Facing a Task Unfinished" (sung to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation") - the lyrics and the YouTube video are below.  It is a beautiful song, with inspirational words that "rebukes our slothful ease," but the words that capture me are these:

We go to all the world, with Kingdom Hope unfurled...

"Kingdom hope unfurled."  What beautiful imagery!  The Kingdom of God, the author of hope, joy, peace, and flourishing, raising or unfurling a flag throughout the world.  A flag planted in soil makes a claim of ownership.  It is a Kingdom that promises good not evil, that provides meaning and purpose in every day for every person, where "my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands...for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them" (Isaiah 65:22-23). How we long to see this flag unfurled.  

How we long to see hope in the eyes of our brothers and sisters, both at home and around the world! 

How we long to see the Kingdom of God on earth, as it is in heaven; not waiting for the Lord's return, when that will be a sure thing, but actively participating and working toward it in our own ways, in our own sphere of influence!

I have the joy and pleasure of seeing lightbulbs go on when people realize that work is not a curse; that work is a gift; that work is more than a paycheck, but a chance to contribute to the flourishing of others; that their work matters to God; that they were created on purpose and for a purpose, which can be lived out every day; and that work can be done as an act of worship. What a privilege to see new hope on the faces of those who hear this message and then the stories of impact as they begin to live it out.  

This past week, the DML Zambia team had a zoom call with us to share with great excitement what is happening in the churches and businesses who are hearing and living out this message.  Their goal was to share their excitement and to be an encouragement to us!  It is calls like that that gives me hope to believe that Christians can be agents of reconciliation in bringing about "kingdom hope unfurled."

This week, I travel to Trinidad and Tobago to share the message of "work as worship."  Another new country, another new culture, another new opportunity to work with like-minded brothers and sisters in participating in this message.  Please pray for this seed to find a home where it too can flourish.

And if you don't know this song, please click the link below.  But beware, it may also get stuck in your head!

Keith & Kristyn Getty - Facing A Task Unfinished (Lyric Video) (youtube.com) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOpt_bulJxY

Facing a Task Unfinished 

Facing a task unfinished, That drives us to our knees, A need that undiminished, Rebukes our slothful ease

We, who rejoice to know Thee, Renew before Thy throne, The solemn pledge we owe Thee, To go and make Thee known

Where other Lords beside Thee, Hold their unhindered sway, Where forces that defied Thee, Defy Thee still today

With none to heed their crying, For life and love and light, Unnumbered souls are dying, And pass into the night

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

We bear the torch that flaming, Fell from the hands of those, Who gave their lives proclaiming, That Jesus died and rose

Ours is the same commission, The same glad message ours, Fired by the same ambition, To Thee we yield our powers

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

O Father who sustained them, O Spirit who inspired, Saviour, whose love constrained them, To toil with zeal untired

From cowardice defend us, From lethargy awake!, Forth on Thine errands send us, To labour for Thy sake

Chorus: We go to all the world, With kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

Chorus: We go to all the world, His kingdom hope unfurled, No other name has power to save, But Jesus Christ The Lord

The Beauty of the Global Church

Dear Friends,

I arrived home on Saturday night around midnight, exhausted and spent after a month on the road, from Uganda to Singapore to Indonesia to South Korea.  But despite a thirteen-hour time change and hours and hours of travel, there was a deep joy in my heart.  I experienced a phenomenal gift when I saw the global church at work in Lausanne.  It was beautiful and I will carry it in my heart for a long time.  To all those who supported and prayed for this trip, I am so grateful!

When I started the Lausanne journey a year ago, I had been discouraged by the global church and its shortcomings and failures.  But in this past year, I have met people from all around the world, from places that I've never heard of, each doing their part to make this world a better place, striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Most people I have met are not doing phenomenal things but small things, unknown to many around them, and that has been so encouraging.  Every person trying in their own sphere of influence, based on their passion and interests, to make this world a better place.  

The week at Lausanne was a precious time as it was a glimpse of the global church with 5000 people from 202 countries.  All regions of the world were intentionally included in the speaker panels.  There was also great intentionality on the part of the planners for connection and discussions, and week-long table assignments facilitated that.  The men from my own group (see picture) became dear brothers to me during the week. Together we celebrated, lamented, agreed and disagreed about the work of the global church.  

I'm still processing the week, especially as I catch up on sleep and recover from jet lag, so more will come later.  But here are some takeaway quotes from some of the speakers:

“We must seek and show the whole world the beauty of the whole body of Christ!

 Not just one tiny part. To be honest, even on the most beautiful person, if you just see their big toe or their elbow, you might think they are quite ugly!

So let’s show the whole world, the whole body of Christ!”  

— Michael Oh

“Witnessing in the workplace is woven into the DNA of the early church.”

— Julia Garschagen, Lessons from Acts: Christian Witness in the Workplace

"Yet for all our diversity, there is only one kind of Christian who is able to carry forward the Great Commission. There is only one kind of preacher or proclaimer,
one kind of pastor or church planter, one kind of mission strategist or marketplace mobilizer who is able to do the true work of evangelism anywhere in this world: someone who embraces Christlike servanthood as a way of life."

— Philip Ryken, Lessons from Acts: Christlike Servanthood

“I believe that every missional community will pay a cost no matter what. The question is: will it be the cost of staying silent while false teachings divide us, or the cost of breaking the silence with true teaching that should unite us?”

— Anne Zaki, Lessons from Acts: The Missional Community as God's New Society

“My encouragement to senior leaders in the room is this — we need you.
It is impossible for this emerging generation to fulfill the call of God without experienced leaders who are willing to be a shade over our boldness and who will intercede for our healing.”

— Sam Cooper, Missional Engagement: God's Mission Through Intergenerational Disciples

“Persecution will never kill the church, but a compromised gospel will.”

— Patrick Fung, Lessons from Acts: Persecution and Mission

“The greatest manifestation of love is suffering.”

— Farshid Fathi, Missiological Engagement: God's Mission Amidst Challenge and Adversity

“In the eyes of great and mighty God, no matter how much you bring or little you bring to the table, it’s still five loaves and three fishes. It is not how much or what you bring to the table but in whose hand you place them.”

— Jiyoung Yoo, Collaborative Action Team

This week: Lausanne Congress #4

[Update on the time in Singapore and Indonesia will come next week.  This week I want to focus on what is happening with the Lausanne Congress.]

Today, in Seoul, South Korea, 5,000 people from around the world will gather to begin a week-long discussion as representatives of the global church, seeking to address how the church can engage in global opportunities and challenges.  An additional 5,000 people will be online.

But this is not an event that happens as a one-off conference.  The work and build-up to this started a year ago, and the expectation is that those who are engaged will continue to do this work of networking and collaboration for the foreseeable future.  The effort to pull this off has been significant and as one of the attendees, I have deep appreciation for the work that has gone into this through the efforts of more than 1000 volunteers.  

Just two weeks ago, Lausanne released the State of the Great Commission report, which can be downloaded here.  Be aware that this report is over 500 pages, so it isn't for the faint of heart!  But there was a lot of research that was done with more than 100 authors and there is a lot of great content.  

In this report, Lausanne has identified twenty-five "gaps" in fulfilling the Great Commission, which will be addressed during the week.  These 25 gaps come out of the following seven questions:

1. How can emerging population blocks be reached?
2. What is ministry in a digital age?
3. What does it mean to be human?
4. What is polycentric mission?
5. How can spirituality and holiness define missions?
6. What is community?
7. What is our influence on society?

If you are interested in learning more about these gaps, you can go here for brief videos and descriptions of each.  I have been assigned to #7, looking specifically at "Societal Trust and Influence of Christianity," asking this question:  How might the church, parachurch, and workplace reach and disciple others in a Christlike way which rebuilds societal trust and demonstrates the gospel's plausibility through Kingdom influence?  Research shows that the church is either maintaining or losing trust in society.  How do we rebuild this trust?  How can we live as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God in every sphere and sector of society?

Important questions to wrestle with and even more important that there is collaboration going forward.  Societal trust and influence seem to be at an all-time low for the global church, due to many different issues.

While this past year has been a flurry of activity, reading, learning, communicating, and meeting with people around the world, I have been so very encouraged by all the ministries and individuals that I have met who are trying, in their own way, to make this world a better place and to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  

Please pray that we may lay our egos and personal ministry agendas aside, to network and collaborate for the building of the global church, for the flourishing of all of creation, and for the glory of God.

Beautiful Uganda: Lake Victoria and the Nile River

Greetings from Singapore!  Last year I met a wonderful sister in the Lord at the Beyond Business Conference in Hyderabad, India, and she invited me to Singapore and Indonesia to share the message of DML.  She has been working with universities and Bible schools across Southeast Asia teaching entrepreneurship and has many connections who need to hear the message of "work as worship."  So when I had a week between the Ugandan conferences and the Lausanne Congress in South Korea, she jumped at the opportunity to schedule some meetings.  I will speak at three Bible Colleges on the island of Batam, which is about 70% Muslim and 20% Christian.  This sister is also going to Lausanne, so we will travel there together on Saturday. We expect to have an amazing time as the global church sits down to work out how to be a healthy body of Christ!

Last week in Uganda, we had a wonderful time with the Pentecostal Theological College in Mbale, Uganda and they are hoping to integrate our courses into their curriculum.  We thank God for this! 

I then had the joy of spending a couple of days with a friend who joined me on the Uganda portion of this trip, and we visited the source of the Nile River and a beautiful island on Lake Victoria covered in birds.  What an amazing creation God has made!

Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world (the first being Lake Superior).  It covers almost 60,000 square kilometers and connects to Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.  Many rivers flow into Lake Victoria, but there is only one outlet to the (White) Nile River.  At that point, you can see the water bubbling up to the surface from the springs below (see picture below).  About 33% of the water that flows from Lake Victoria from the Nile is from the spring, and the rest is from the lake.  

The water then travels 6,800 km (4,000 miles) over 90 days to reach the Mediterranean Sea, traveling through South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt, joined by the Blue Nile River, coming out of Ethiopia.  Tributaries contributing to Lake Victoria are also in Burundi, Rwanda, Eritrea, and the DRC, bringing the number of African countries impacted and impacting this water source to twelve.  This means there needs to be lots of cooperation relating to this very important water source!

We learned that close to where we were, on Lake Victoria, were two prisons, built right on the lake.  We were told that many Ugandans do not swim, therefore the lake served as a natural protection against escape.  The crocodiles are also a big part of that deterrent.  Many factories have been built along the waterfront for easy access to the ports for export to neighboring countries; unfortunately, many were abandoned after the reign of Edi Amin and are still not functioning.

I don't usually do much tourist stuff so this was fun for me!  (BTW, a little promotion of tourism for Uganda - they have bungee jumping and ziplining over the Nile if you are into adventures!  Plus kayaking, fishing, and more.  A beautiful place to visit!)

The water bubbling up from the springs at the source of the Nile.

Rapids further down the Nile from the source.  We met several people worshipping other gods here - praying to the river.  That has been happening for many centuries - we pray for all to recognize the power of God in this river!

These trees are FULL of birds - all around this small island.  So beautiful.  (It's also a bit dangerous to walk under the trees, as there are a lot of droppings!  And yes, that happened to me.)

A new name for God? God as......waiter??!

This week in Kampala, I visited the Gaddafi Mosque, an amazing building built on the highest hill in Kampala and able to hold 25,000 people for prayer.  On one of the walls were written the 99 names that Muslims have for Allah.  As Christians, we also have many names for the Trinity.  Some favorites come from Isaiah:  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

But this week, I learned that some Christians have another name for God.  Well, maybe not a name per se, but definitely a perception of God that is VERY different than my own.  Let me share with you a quote that I heard this week from an American pastor who was also a speaker at the church conference in Uganda, where I was this past week:

"Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He is sitting down.  He is not working.  And He will sit there until He returns.  And it is the same for you.  You do not need to work.  You need to sit there and wait for Him.  It's like you are in a restaurant.  The waiter sits you down.  Then he sits other people down.  Then he comes back for your order and you put it in.  He then goes to get the orders of the other customers.  After some time, you can see that the orders are being brought to those who came after you and you wonder where your order is!  But just wait.  God is going to bring you your order!"

God as a waiter.  A God who takes orders.  A God whose job is to serve us.  

This is NOT the God I serve.  

The theme for this conference was "Possess the Land."  It was a theme that I admitted made me a bit nervous, especially with the history of colonization, tribalism, and civil war.  But I was able to teach it by adding the phrase, "Possessing the Land for the Kingdom of God."  I taught about how we are the hands and feet of Christ, and how we are to work as agents of reconciliation in our relationships to God, each other, and to creation and work.  My goal, given to me by the leaders of the denomination, was to help people recognize the ability of every member to contribute to the flourishing of Uganda, their families, and the church, by using their time, treasure, and talent (what is in their hand) for the glory of God, seven days a week.

The US team that came to speak had a very different goal. Actually, it was a contradictory message, which was frustrating for me and confusing for the audience.

The speaker quoted above said, "Taking possession of the land is more about receiving than working.  Just receive it.  I need you to worship and just receive your inheritance.  You don't have to work for your inheritance.  My son does not need to work for his inheritance - he will receive it.  The prodigal son did not work for his inheritance - he just received it.  You need to do the same."

The prosperity gospel in full.  Just have enough faith, sew a financial seed, and you will get your miracle.  It made me sick to hear hour after hour of this.  I had heard prosperity gospel messages before and have read books on this as well.  But to hear it live for this many hours was a first for me. As the week went on, I moved from feeling sick to feeling angry.  

In my mind, the prosperity gospel is similar to selling lottery tickets to the poor.  They pay something (which is nicely phrased as "sowing a seed" in the hopes of getting a big cash out. 

I tried to recraft every hour I was given to speak to come against this message.  The one line that often gets people clapping in many churches that are not focused on the prosperity gospel is, "The spirit of poverty cast out by prayer alone will return again."  When I said it last week, there was no applause, just silence with a look of confusion on some faces.  

Brothers and sisters, this message has been exported from the US to the rest of the world, and it continues to this day.  It needs to be combatted.  People are wasting their lives, believing that they must spend their time in church praying for a miracle, afraid of working because they also are being taught that wealth will lead to losing their salvation.  

We need to be in prayer about this and we also need to share the message that God is King (as opposed to servant) wherever we can.  Many doors are opening for this message and we are trying to build capacity in new trainers as quickly as we can. Please join us! (Click here for more details.)

"Church does not create Kingdom. Kingdom creates genuine church."

Greetings from Uganda, where I will have the opportunity to speak at a national conference for a local denomination this week.  Thankful to God for church leaders who are opening doors for this message!

Recently I was forwarded an article by a DML board member in which I found a quote that is the title for this blog:  "Church does not create Kingdom.  Kingdom creates genuine church."  The message articulated well what DML has been trying to say for some time.  The author stated that the church is born from necessity, as described in the book of Acts.  But the Kingdom was formed from the beginning, from creation.  

In too many places, we have forsaken the Kingdom to create the church, often a place of nourishment, comfort, and healing.  Not a bad thing, but not complete.  The Kingdom requires us to attend to the Father's purposes, carrying the message and power to a hurting world.

We have been asking the world to join the church, but we have failed to equip the church to provide hope and direction in the Kingdom.  

The time is coming where this may change.  

At the end of this month, the fourth Lausanne Congress will meet, where a significant discussion will take place regarding the role of the church and the role of the workplace.  The number of global church leaders who are showing an interest in this conversation is significant.  The message of "the purpose of Sunday is Monday" is resonating among many and there is a movement toward understanding the need for holistic discipleship.  

But message and method are two different things.  We may appreciate this message, but knowing how to implement a methodology to help this come alive in a local church context can be complex and rigorous. 

We have found that the first thing needed is to UNLEARN some things before we can learn some new things.  We need to unlearn the definition of the church as a building rather than the people.    We need to unlearn a clergy/laity divide (these are not Biblical terms) and go back to the understanding that we are all the people of God, all called into the general full-time service of giving glory to God, with very different specific placements.  We need to unlearn a sacred/secular divide that is so very deeply embedded into our faith that we often contribute to it without being aware of it!

For example, I was at a church a few weeks ago and the pastor was preaching on Matthew 9, when Jesus had dinner with the tax collectors.  The pastor said, "Maybe this was a goodbye dinner for Matthew, as he would not be able to return to being a tax collector again - not like the disciples who were fishermen and could go back to their craft!"  Immediately, a red flag went off for me, and I wondered why this pastor believed a tax collector would not be able to return to his work.  Is that work too secular?  Too worldly?  Too sinful?  And if that is the belief, isn't it even more important for Christians to be in those places, doing that work with integrity and excellence?  When I shared this story with some businessmen some days later, one said with a grimace, "I was in tax collection for many years."  Imagine the impact of working in a profession that your pastor believes is beyond redemption.

It seems obvious that the church does not create Kingdom.  While 33% of the world professes Christianity, most of us would agree that we do not see the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in any significant way.  In countries where the majority profess to be Christian, we see the same levels of corruption, destruction, and poverty that we see in countries where the majority are not Christian.  There are exceptions to this, of course, but as a rule, we probably can agree that the church does not create Kingdom.

But do we agree with the statement that "Kingdom creates genuine church"?  For this to find agreement, we may need to use our imagination.  Imagine a place where the Kingdom of Heaven is palpable around us.  Where all people are treated with dignity and respect, where every person sees the part that they can play in contributing to the flourishing of others, as image-bearers of God.  Where every person can participate in being blessed to be a blessing, working with integrity and excellence, working with purpose and as an act of worship, while caring for creation and loving their neighbor.  What would such a place look like?

And if such a place existed, how might people respond?  

I know that when I am in nature, there is almost an automatic response to worship.  When I see nature, I see the hand of God.  When I see people and cities, I don't have the same reaction.  But if I saw people and cities behaving in the way I described above, I wonder if there would also be an automatic response to worship?  Seeing the Kingdom displayed in such a way would draw people together to not only worship but to continue to encourage and equip each other to stay true to our purpose, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, a little at a time, every day.

I would like to see such a place.  I catch glimpses of it here and there.  But sometimes it feels like water at the beach...the water hits your feet and as soon as you start to appreciate it, it's quickly gone.  

But we can do better.  We are called to do better.

Please join with me in prayer that the conversations at Lausanne will lead to a revival of the people of God being the church in every place and space.  From tax collectors to fishermen/women, from sales to service, from pastors to teachers to auditors to cleaners to police officers to guards, and more and more!

2.4 billion people living this out.  What an amazing impact that could bring!  

DML Global Summit: Revival and Reformation in the Marketplace

I'm preparing to head out on Saturday for a one-month trip, starting in Uganda for two weeks, then Singapore, Malaysia, and lastly South Korea for the Lausanne Congress.

While the majority of my travel typically centers around me meeting with teams in their locality, every two years our teams gather together for community, fellowship, learning, and sharing.  So while I've been preparing for this trip, I am also actively working on the upcoming DML Global Summit in November.  In 2022, we gathered in Tanzania (team picture from that summit is below) and this year we will gather in Ethiopia, with the theme: Revival and Reformation in the Marketplace. 

This is a big ministry opportunity and here's why: 

DML is now eleven years old and this year has seen significant growth for our ministry.  We see the ripples of the message going out to more and more countries and denominations.  So far in 2024, we have started work in Benin, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Pakistan, and Guinea, and soon will start in the DRC and Trinidad and Tobago.  The connection through the Lausanne Congress is opening more doors for partnership with the Congress’ emphasis on the workplace.

This is exciting!  We knew that this growth and expansion was coming, and we have been trying to prepare for it as best we can.  Therefore the opportunity to gather together in person to discuss best practices and lessons learned, as well as to pray together in person, have communion together, laugh, and cry together, is very important.  

We have seen a sharp increase in ownership of this message by our teams, as they implement this message in their own homes, communities, and churches, and as they take their own initiative to carry this message further in their locations and spheres of influence.  

Our call is to join God in what He is doing in bringing revival and reformation to the Marketplace.  He is doing this work!

 

Our mission would not be possible without the prayer and financial support of committed partners like you. We thank God for your faithful support.

Our Summit is planned for November 2-9, where we will be gathering 50 ministry partners from thirteen different countries.

We invite you to participate in this summit through prayer and potentially sponsoring one or several of our partners. The per-person cost for the summit (which includes airfare and travel, visa, lodging, food, etc.) is $800.  Should you desire to sponsor a team member for this year’s summit, feel free to give online or by sending a check to DML at PO Box 231, Sparta MI 49345. Any support, both prayer and/or financial, is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Lighting the Way: Misgana’s Path to a Brighter Future

This week, I want to share an inspirational story from our partner in Ethiopia.  It's not unusual for us to share stories of how business skills help to alleviate poverty, but this story also tells what can happen when denominations allow their pastors to be co-vocational.  Often members can't afford to pay their pastor a living salary, but denominations want their pastors to be fully focused on the ministry.  Pastors then struggle to survive and feed their families.  But when churches recognize that almost every person in the Bible worked in the marketplace in addition to spreading the gospel, they begin to see that the two can actually work together, and not necessarily be in conflict (hence, "co-vocational" as opposed to "bi-vocational").  Stories like this inspire me and I hope it will do the same to you as you do your work as an act of worship this week!

My name is Misgana. I am a resident of Jinka Town in Ethiopia. I am married with one child. I have been a full-time minister for 10 years and my monthly income was around four thousand birr (about $37). Three years ago, I was one of the trainees when DML training was given to 200 people at Tena Adam Local Church in our town.

After the training, I took time to think and pray, and I decided to start a metal welding and manufacturing business. Over time, this work started becoming effective. As my income increased, I opened a merchandise store for my wife and got her to work. I am currently employing four people in my business! We are able to eat 3 times a day, which was never possible before. For more than ten years I have been struggling, but now, with the light given to me by DML, I have found the ability to buy a motorbicycle and run my ministry and business successfully. 

Because the church leaders have taken the training with us, all those who used to prevent us from getting involved in business have now cooperated so that I and other fulltime pastors can be blessed in everything. I used to rent a lamp for 20 birr ($0.20)for the house I live in but the owner would come and take the lamp back whenever he wanted it. We were not allowed to use pans and stoves in our house. But now I can afford to put in an electricity meter and we are getting full electricity service in our home.  

We used to carry water from the river. But we have been able to install a water pipe and we stopped going down to the river. The water is able to come to our house. This has greatly reduced the daily pressure on our family. I was also able to renovate my house to a better condition than before. In addition to this, I have bought a piece of land as well as different machines for the business. Based on what I learned about saving from DML, I was able to save 120,000 birr ($1,125) to buy a 3-legged Bajaj vehicle.

I am leading a happy life in my locality, not only with my ministry and business, but also with my money as I can give better tithes and various gifts to others. May God bless the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church and DML for bringing this important lesson to us.

Finally, I thank God that I stand here today to witness the beginning of this change for those who have not started like me. 

Impacts like this could not happen without the generous support from friends like you and we appreciate you this day!

If you would like to join us to help others like Misgana, please click here for more information.

Understanding "Blessed are the poor"

This past week, Pastor Isaiah, our DML leader in Burundi who was visiting us in Grand Rapids, shared more about the impact of forty years of war in Burundi.  He shared that when the war broke out in the early 1970s, the church was still very young.  The first genocide killed most of the pastors and all the missionaries were evacuated.  This left a significant leadership vacuum in the church.

Because of this "brain drain" (which often occurs in wartime), many false teachings crept in.  

One false teaching that has lasted to this day is that you must be poor to go to heaven.  To be rich, therefore, means you will not go to heaven.  Because of that, people are afraid to be successful.  And that means that you do not work, you do not create or innovate.  He said that people will even let some crops spoil or not process them due to that fear.

Suddenly, the understanding of this majority Christian country that also bears a significant challenge of poverty, begins to make more sense.  

Where does this false teaching come from?  There seem to be two key texts:

Luke 6:20: Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 5:3:  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

I can see how it could be confusing and it is not teaching that is unique to Burundi.  In the 12th and 13th centuries, poverty was the goal of many.  But there was a lopsided view toward wealth and an exalted status for those who were poor.  

The Bible does teach us to be content.  Our hope and our identity are not to be found in material things, power, or position. The Bible does teach us to be willing to give up ALL things to follow Christ - we are owners of nothing but stewards of everything.  And the Bible does tell us that the poor may be richer in faith.

But these texts do not imply that being poor is therefore a good thing or that it should be our goal. Poverty is often the result of injustice but it is also equated with laziness in the book of Proverbs.

Rather, the Bible over and again tells us to work diligently and that the reward is often greater wealth.  With that wealth, we are encouraged to be generous - to help those in need.  Poverty does not mean an advantage - rather it is a disadvantage that God meets with His love.  

Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us that wealth creation is a command from God and a confirmation of His covenant.  We are not to forget that it is a gift from Him and therefore an opportunity for more stewardship - wealth management in God's way.

The idea that many are languishing in poverty as a result of this false teaching is very sad.  Intentionally reducing oneself to poverty keeps us from providing for others.  As we often teach, there is no wealth to be shared unless it is first created.  

We continue to be so thankful for our partners and supporters who are seeking to correct this message and equip the church to do work as an act of worship, to the glory of God!

Burundi is in the house!

It's not often that we have the opportunity to have our DML colleagues join us in the US and meet the DML partners and supporters that are Stateside.  Last year, we were privileged to have one of are partners from India join us in Grand Rapids, and this past weekend, Pastor Isaiah from Burundi with us.  What a joy to hear him share about what God is doing in Burundi and how the message of DML is joining in that work!  (Picture is Pastor Isaiah preaching at my home church in Grand Rapids.)

Pastor Isaiah leads two organizations in Burundi - the United Christians for Change and Development, as well as International Christian Ministries Burundi.  He has a staff of 52 and about 500 volunteers who work throughout the country.  God has opened doors for his teams to influence churches and denominations, government, education, and business.  And Isaiah knows how to make quick and good work of those opportunities!  He is a natural connector and leader, equipping his team to also be leaders and own the vision of seeing Burundi develop and flourish.  We thank God for him and the privilege to work alongside him!

While he was here, he shared several stories of impact from the 400 youth that we are working with over five years in Burundi, and I'll share one with you here:

My name is PACIS NDUWAYO. I am a businesswoman and I sell clothes. When I finished Secondary school, I was hopeless. I didn’t see anything I could do, after a certain period, I chose to start a business but I used to do everything the wrong way. I was even put in jail for not respecting the law of our country in my business. I was not doing my work as worship.  I used to differentiate sacred and secular activities and my business was stagnant due to many mistakes. I was depending on my husband. I got life-changing teachings in DML which opened my mind amazingly. These teachings helped me grow my relationship with God by correcting all mistakes in my business. I wholeheartedly learned that I am serving God in the Marketplace. I decided to please God in all my activities and I started seeing much income. Now I am getting more money from my business to support our family than my husband does. I am proud of my contribution to the family and it is because of the life-changing teachings I got from DML. I am becoming a living testimony in the Marketplace. People are seeing Christ through observing how I run my business.  I know to count everything well and I do everything to please God, the Owner of all that I have. I am full of hope for the future because of what I learned in DML. I understand that I have been made on purpose. I have a great vision for my future. I see myself as a big entrepreneur in the future. God bless everyone who contributed to getting these teachings in Burundi. We pray for you to reach them to many. 

We thank God for His call to do all things as working for the Lord!  

We ask for your prayers this week as we have the DML board retreat and seek to discern how to continue to join God in what He is doing in reclaiming the redeemed Marketplace!

Pastor Isaiah being prayed for by DML Board members, friends, and partners.

Breaking Down Silos

Home sweet home!  Five weeks, five countries, twelve flights, forty hours by road, eleven cities, fifteen different beds, and eleven different workshops speaking to about 2000 people in total.  So thankful to God for what He is doing and how we get to join Him!  So thankful for the DML partner teams in each place who do amazing work at organizing, facilitating, and spreading this message!  And so thankful for each of you who has prayed, encouraged, and/or supported this work financially.  We can't do this without you!

Last week, in Cameroon, we saw the beginning of silos breaking down - silos that exist between church denominations, government, education, and business.  It was beautiful to watch the dialogue begin as people began to stop pointing fingers at the other for the cause of problems and begin to see opportunities for how to work together.  And the opportunities are many. The theme of the BAM Cameroon conference was "Synergy for Transformation" and we definitely saw synergy and discussed practical ways to move forward for transformation.

The government of Cameroon wants to equip 500,000 youth every year in doing business but does not have the capacity to mentor and teach them.  But churches have the natural environments to disciple and teach a healthy theology of work.  Faith and work NGOs present have the ability to mentor and provide guidance for new and emerging entrepreneurs.  Educators need to focus on character development, as well as creating not just job seekers but job makers.  

It was a refreshing, healthy dialogue with members of government, education, church, and business present.  There were two phrases that they caught and kept repeating:  "The purpose of Sunday is Monday" and "We don't have problems.  We have opportunities."  Those two phrases alone indicate the beginning of a paradigm shift.

It was time well spent.  Please continue to pray that the seeds planted, and the action steps that each group made, will result in growth for the flourishing of Cameroon, to the glory of God!

Nurturing Hope in Burundi

In my life, I have seen time and again that the rich have hope, the poor have faith, and together we can produce love.

This past week we were busy nurturing hope among 400 young adults (aged 18-35) in Burundi.  The hope planting began last year, when we started a five-year plan to develop entrepreneurship through young adults from twelve churches in four different cities in Burundi.  These young adults have been on a path for 15 months so far.  Last year, they learned about the God of business and about a healthy theology of work.  Then they went through DML's basic business training.  This year, they started with mentoring and working on their business plan.

And this past week, because of the generosity of many of you, we brought these young adults together, under one roof, for six days of singing, praying, laughing, playing, and learning.  It was an amazing time.  There was so much energy!  

Our goal was to provide inspiration for these young adults.  Inspiration to work as worship.  Inspiration to see themselves as co-creators with God.  Inspiration to be job makers, not just job seekers.  Inspiration to think outside the box.  Inspiration to create wealth in God's way and to manage wealth in God's way.  Inspiration to break strongholds that say "I can't" or "I have nothing" or even "I am nothing."  Inspiration to break the bondage of poverty and develop a vision future.

And from everything we heard from those gathered, that mission was accomplished.  

These were some of the testimonies from a few of these young adults:

• From a young man:  I had a farm where I was growing sweet potatoes. Thinking creatively about my work, I started making flour from the sweet potatoes.  Now I'm making donuts from that flour. It is seen as an innovative product and people love the taste, so many are coming to buy.  Demand is high!  
• 
  From a young woman:  I felt I had no future before going through DML. But after the training, I started to think about what I could do for myself. I started working as a home servant and began to save, as that is something we had been taught in DML.  I have been saving money to buy a sewing machine and will have enough money to do so in a few months. I have saved 500,000 Burundian francs (about $174). I want to be a job maker and not just a job seeker! I know have a vision for the future! This message was so important for me to hear, and it needs to go out to all youth! 
  
• From a young man, who is also a DML trainer:  I was trained by DML in 2021.  I thought that I was going to a conference to learn about evangelism, but rather found myself in a conference about development.  But I learned that evangelism and development can go hand in hand!  At the time I went through the training, I was working for the government.  I even had a car that I could use from that position.  But because of this training, I realized that I could go into business for myself and be a job maker.  I began to develop my vision.  I then left my government job and people thought I was crazy.  But I have been blessed to be able to buy many hectares of land for cultivation and the business has grown.  I currently employ 17 people and this September I will expand again and hope to have thirty employees.  I am so happy to get up and go to work every day, and I love doing discipleship with my employees!  I thank God for the chance to learn about work as worship - it has brought me much more joy every day!

Today (Monday), I begin the trip from Burundi to Cameroon, where DML is engaged in the launching of BAM Cameroon.  We pray that seeds of networking and collaboration amongst key institutions may result in fruit that will be for the flourishing of this country and its people!  Please pray along with us!