I remember thinking the request would have more strength IF my major goal was God’s Word! And to be honest, I thought these scriptures came to mind at the time as a result of my research for writing a Bible study book. I was wrong! The Holy Spirit put these words in my mind and He was showing me how God would allow Jack and me to be His fellow workers in the coming years.I’m continually amazed by how this phrase is the perfect answer when we are asked, “What do missionaries do?” God allows us to “strengthen and encourage as we engage lostness together.” The first “we” is Jack and me. The second “we” refers most often to Kenyan Baptists and sometimes to volunteers and our missionary co-workers. It also relates to YOU, those who support us through your financial and personnel support and most importantly your prayer support – for when you support us and others involved in God’s work, you are a part of the TOGETHER engaging the lost!
God has allowed many opportunities for us to join Him in His work this week. Jack is meeting with a young volunteer as I write. The young man wants to return as a longer-term volunteer and wants to know how his computer skills can be used to strengthen and encourage Kenyan Baptists and God’s work and engage lostness together. Jack has also spent many hours this week grading papers as he continues strengthening and encouraging students at our seminary.
I am in awe of how God enables me to use the internet to strengthen and encourage as we engage lostness together. The young Kenyan Baptist pastor of one newer church plant wrote this week and shared these words: “We received a letter of
eviction from our landlord because of outstanding rent and in my prayer I asked God what should I do…With no support and in full ministry I wept and thought for a while if I did the wrong decision….I went through the blog/pictures you did of (our church) and I found a reason for my being there. Obedience to the Lord… Kindly pray with us…its only God who can and will provide for us.”As missionaries, we do often use our, truthfully YOUR money, thanks to Lottie Moon and the Cooperative Program, to meet needs, but we continually find that what God needs us to do is to simply use the abilities/opportunities that He has
given to us to encourage and support Kenyan Baptists as they claim “Unique responsibilities to do something with God” – the challenge given at the 2nd meeting of the new church on Mombasa Road – a great reminder that THE work is God’s, YET He allows us the joy of being a part of His work. We experienced this joy last Sunday as we met with 100 friends from Parklands Baptist at the new church plant. I can’t capture in words or pictures the joy of being a part of a new church start with other Christians, especially when these are young mature Kenyan Baptist families! BUT there is an attempt at “Blessed Assurance” at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=254902&id=685050129&l=7432b5d7d3 Thank you once again for allowing us to be a part of "Strengthening and encouraging as we engage lostness together” as you support us in so many ways, especially through your prayers! God is listening and responding and allowing us – YOU, Jack and me – to engage lostness in our world together! BERT YATES
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