The time has flown and I’ve failed to keep current posting about the things that have been taking place. There’s really not a lot to relate – more waiting, but waiting with a purpose. At least, that’s what we’re hoping.
Suzanne and I have just completed two weeks of training at the OMS International headquarters in Indiana. With the other meetings we’ve had around those two weeks, we will total three weeks in Indiana’s Summer. The weather has been pretty nice. We did have one significant storm that led to some flooding, but the humidity has been much less than I had expected. We’ve walked and we’ve talked with each other and people from around the world. Some of these people are from the US and work internationally and others have been from almost every continent. It’s been a great time.
The training we’ve had is in Church Planting and Multiplication. There is a tremendous movement that is impacting many areas of the world and has led to exponential growth of the church. Though the principles that underlie this movement have been practiced at various times of the past, its just in the last fifteen years that they’ve been rediscovered for our day. (If you are interested in what is happening, I’d recommend David Garrison’s book: Church Planting Movements: How God is Redeeming a World.) We’ve heard numerous examples beyond those in the book of how the application of these church multiplication principles are leading to thousands of conversions in some areas. Our responsibility in this is to find ways to apply this training to Japan and Korea.
Our assignment moving forward will be in two areas. The first and primary responsibility will be as Regional Director in the Northwest for OMS. We have the opportunity to promote missions in the region (Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada) through relating to churches and recruiting people that are interested in changing the world for Jesus. The second area will be working with national churches in Japan and Korea to plant new churches. This is where the CPM training will come into play. We’re hoping to make three trips per year to each country training leaders to train other leaders in church planting principles. One further responsibility will involve a continuing role in Central Asia with ministry training. I was placed on the seminary board and will have a ongoing responsibility to assist the leadership of the school.
We return to the Northwest in a couple days to move the rest of our things in Spokane to our new home in Keizer (a suburb of Salem), Oregon. Almost immediately I leave for Korea with another OMS official to conclude a training agreement with the national church. Once I get back, and in good graces with Suzanne, we begin the process of building a funding network for our ministry.
These are interesting days. God hasn’t failed to lead and provide. We’re confident that the future is in His safe hands.
