This past month Botswana was quite the learning/growing experience. My main job was evangelism in the community, which I loved and have really taken a liking to. I loved going out and sharing the Word and meeting the locals. The crazy thing is that Botswana claims to be about 80-90% Christian and most of the people I spoke to said they go to church, however, almost all of them didn’t know if they would go to Heaven and those that thought they were only believed that because of the good works they do and because they follow the ten commandments. Most of them barely knew the name of Jesus. Church every Sunday, and no idea who Jesus is. Needless to say, we had a lot of work to do, yet it was so rewarding to tell them about Jesus, work I want to do everyday. This month I also witnessed division among strong Christian believers. I always hear about division in the Church, but never imagined being close with both parties and seeing the dramatic affect judgement has between Christ followers! I personally believe that spiritual gifts are still alive and well and that there is more than enough scripture to back that up. I know this is a topic that is in great debate today in the church. A few months ago I wrote a blog about how my team all spoke in tongues. When I wrote that I was excited and wanted to share all about it, shouting it from the rooftops. It never crossed my mind that a lot of my audience may not believe in that. That is okay. I would never dream of cutting off ties from my Christian brothers and sisters for thinking differently and I hope they would do the same. Our host in Botswana is a wonderful Christian man who has a heart for training disciples. He has an abundance of knowledge and I loved getting to pick his brain and listen to him. The first week we were there an outreach team came from South Africa. They were some of the most amazing people i’ve ever met, ranging from the ages of 12 to 70 and all filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit. We loved getting to know them, worshipping together, taking classes, and going out into the community. They were only with us for three days but we established a connection through Christ that was so strong. The last night together they prayed over us, layed hands, and also individually prayed for us. The leader and some others spoke in tongues as they prayed and our host found out about it. He believes tongues died with the apostles and that it is unbiblical to use it today, again some of you may believe this as well and that is okay! Anyways, we found out that after having a six year relationship together of working and training disciples, he cut off that relationship and the South African team is never allowed back. Just because of speaking in tongues! Our leadership has had to reach out to our host to let him know that the World Race believes in the manifestation of the gifts, so please pray that the relationship with that ministry can stay as our partner and that he can see past the differences. I know that it happens often where people will cut off ties or shun others because of differences in beliefs in the church. I believe in grace and compassion and showing who Jesus is by the way you live. If the Christians I had met through this organization had judged me as harshly as that, than I would not have been welcomed, and that impact would have been devastating. The growth i’ve had this year spiritually and the roots that have been established in my faith is only possible through grace and love. My plea to the church is to stop the judging and shunning of your fellow believers, and to turn to Jesus, to walk and to love as He did and to make disciples. I can only imagine what is possible if that happens.
