The End of the Beginning

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last few days. We had more than a few issues with phones and internet while away and we were basically in the technological dark for the last few days. Nevertheless, team 2 returned safely back to DFW yesterday afternoon.

As we return, we bring with us the joy and satisfaction that comes from obedience to God and participation in His mission for the world. In moments like this, we are more fully aware of what we were created for than perhaps any other time in life, that is being used up and spent for the sake of God and His glory. There is no greater satisfaction.

The report from last week reads like this: We shared the gospel with over 1300 individuals last week and from that, the Lord saved 297 and adopted them as His sons and daughters. Amazing! Combined with the first week, we were able to see 394 individuals come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Only God saves and only God accomplishes things like this.

But as the title indicates, this is only the beginning on a couple of different fronts. First of all, our friends Dimecca and Tarikua will return back to Asela this week to train and equip the disciples makers we worked with the last two weeks so that they can effectively follow up with each and every one of the 394. They will equip them to start Bible studies in the villages and it is likely that several new churches will begin in the coming weeks. Please pray for this wonderful couple and the work they have ahead of them in Asela. Jesus said that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, small at first, but undeniable in its majesty in time. The number of believers is merely a mustard seed there currently, so pray that their faith will grow, that they will endure persecution that will surely come, and that they will be emboldened to declare the gospel to their friends and neighbors.

On the second front, this is, for our two teams, the beginning of a new season of life. Most had never experienced any kind of trip of this nature, and it is doubtful that any of us had every experienced a trip like this. We were encouraged, challenged, convicted, and broken over the condition of a world apart from Christ, both in Ethiopia and, now more prevalently for us, in Dallas, TX. We consistently refer to these trips, not as mission trips, but as discipleship trips. Pray for our teams, that the discipleship they experienced during their time in Ethiopia will bear much fruit in their lives here in Dallas, that many of our family members, friends, and co-workers will hear and respond to the gospel as we are newly emboldened to share with them in the days and weeks to come, and pray that this is not merely a flash in the pan, but true change that God has done in our hearts that will carry us as long as the Lord gives us breath.

Lastly, as you've followed along over the last couple of weeks, you've only received a sampling of the stories from this amazing trip. I am going to ask many of the members of the team to email me their favorite stories from the trip and continue to update the blog in the weeks to come with some of the stories you haven't heard yet, so keep checking back. I'll also try to get updates from our friends in Ethiopia about the work that continues there and will update you as I receive that information.

Thank you all again for your prayers, and please continue to pray!