I’m going to tell you a little story.
Chapter 1: Posture
Joshua likes to make new friends and Joshua likes to take pictures. He also likes to wander off during meetings sometimes. He wants to stay open to what God has for him, and he is learning good posture.
Posture of the heart that is.
There are many benefits to good physical posture (ex. strong back, easier breathing, better circulation, physical appearance, etc). Likewise, a good posture of the heart has its many pros. To have good heart posture toward God is to ignore all other voices, including your own, and be ready to listen to what the Holy Spirit has for you.
Chapter 2: Initiation
Clint really likes to make new friends too, and he likes to listen to the Holy Spirit. He also likes to say things really loud sometimes and it gets other people excited. He waves at the people staring at us and they wave back with an assortment of reactions: ecstatic waves in return, confused/nervous smiles, and blank stares. He invites the curious children nearby to join in on our worship and training and debriefs of what the Holy Spirit is doing in us. He allows a random woman (Rose) to pop into our conversation to share her daily bread and love for Jesus.
Then he invites her to share the Gospel in the public park that afternoon.
Chapter 3: Apprenticeship
Josh makes those friends he likes to make. He gains the full attention of a few young boys who were curious about the huge group of big white people in the middle of their park. They barely speak English, yet he still speaks to them like his little brothers, sharing about God’s love for them and praying mighty favor over their lives.
Clint gathers a group of us around Rose who has agreed emphatically to share the Good News later, and we pray for her and worship together. We are mobilized to go out into the park, praying over the ground and inviting people to the first service of this new church in Yangon, Myanmar.
Clint is leading us by example. Josh is duplicating, fearless of the word “youth.” We are following by example and participating in multiplication.
Church arrives and we gather in the shadow of a huge tree. People are healed. The Gospel is preached. Jesus is praised. People give their lives to Christ.
Then Josh does even more. He brings in a pastor. He knows we can’t leave this church without a leader and he knows he can’t leave his new padawans without one either. This man is a man with a heart for the youth of Yangon and the perfect man for the job, and Josh knows it.
“I will not leave you as orphans” – Jesus
Chapter 4: Investing & Vesting
Five stayed back to continue pouring into this church and these new disciples for a few more weeks, trusting the Father to overflow their hearts with His Spirit and authority to continue to grow this church.
This is where I left and my part of the story ends. To hear the rest, go check out and follow their blogs (Some have blogged about this experience, some have not. Their blogs still rock and so do they. I may add a few perspectives from my other squadmates as well for kicks.)
http://logankafer.theworldrace.org/post/church-in-the-garden-myanmar
http://andrealeach.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=sacrifice-that-costs
http://stephaniekreuger.theworldrace.org/
http://josieklosterman.theworldrace.org/
http://laciepartney.theworldrace.org/
In Christ,
JCRB
