The Gospel…the Power of God

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the Power of God for Salvation to Everyone who Believes”

I love this verse! It is such a wonderful reminder that it is not our craftiness, or our methodology, even our skill and effort that saves the souls of men, but it is only the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is our motivation to Go and to Serve. We believe that it is a wonderful privilege to be a part of the awesome work of God that He is doing in the West African Republic of Liberia.  A few short months ago SOM received a call from a ministry that we had partnered with a few years ago, Missionary Tech Team. TECH is the ministry link that God used to direct SOM to Liberia and the project at African Bible College. We were incredibly blessed to be a part of what God did and continues to do on the campus of ABCU, but we had also finished the span of work that we believed God had for us there and so we have not been back to Liberia for a while now. So when TECH called, we were anxious to hear about this new opportunity to return to this country that we have grown to love, and to a people that are hungry for Hope and Salvation found in Jesus Christ. TECH described to us that they had been contacted by a ministry called AIMS (Association of Inland Mission Schools). Here is a quote from the AIMS website:

“The ASSOCIATION OF INLAND MISSION SCHOOLS (AIMS) is an intercultural, international, faith-based organization of the evangelical tradition, comprising Americans, Liberians and other nationals who are committed to primary, elementary and secondary education in the West African Republic of Liberia which is recovering from a devastating military revolution that left the nation and its people battered, bruised and broken.”

AIMS requested that Steppin Out partner with them in the rebuilding and future development of their school in Saclepea, Liberia.  You can learn more about this ministry and the project in Saclepea at the AIMS website:  http://www.aims-liberia.org/project_saclepea.php . SOM will be taking a small team during the month of February to replace a roof on the main building that is currently on the campus called the Carson House. Along with that project we will be assisting them by planning and laying out future building locations and forming up the foundation for a new guest house that will serve to house future short term teams and medical teams for the region. What I think is so incredible about this project and serving this new ministry is that many of the students and pastors from these AIMS schools and churches are now attending or are alumni of ABCU! In fact we will be reunited with many of those people when we return, and we will have the privilege of assisting and equipping them for even more impact throughout Liberia.

That is why that scripture rings in my mind and in my heart, the common denominator in all of these ministry efforts is the advancement and proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  What an honor to do the work that He has called us to do. To be able to connect solutions to the needs of these ministries around the world and to help spread the Gospel that much further, because there are more buildings, water wells, generators producing electricity, so that men, women, and children have the opportunity to hear and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The buildings, the wells, the generators, and even the people will someday perish. But Eternity will be impacted if just one soul is saved because of the Power of God in the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Of course we could not do this ministry without YOU! And it is that same power, that same Gospel that is at work in your hearts to partner with us and to support us in love, in prayer, and in deed. We praise God for your partnership in advancing His message of love, hope, and forgiveness not only to the people of Liberia, but to the uttermost parts of the world. Thank You!

A Life Saving Message!!!

So I wanted to pass along a message and a word that I believe the Lord allowed me to hear the other night from a Korean young man, who was adopted by an American Family and lived in Peoria, IL, but who now lives and studies Missions Medical Nursing in Brazil! Of course it helps that this young man's name is Micah too, and so my mind immediately went to my beautiful little red headed boy!
in one of the towns that was hit hardest by the Tsunami, Kessinuma, there is some unbelievable destruction! In fact for most of you that might read this you are familiar with Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of that incredible storm.  This Tsunami really was worse than that, I mean, never in my life have I seen anything like this. The entire coastline is decimated and one of the buildings that was completely destroyed was the building that housed the EMS services for the city of Kessinuma. I saw the building, but until Micah shared the rest of the story the other night it really didn't mean anything to me. Micah shared that the woman that was manning the radio system that day was in the building broadcasting the message that the Tsunami was coming and in fact it was said that she was at the microphone until her death. She was focused on the task of sharing the message of Hope and Life for all those that would listen and hear he message, and it cost her her life.
I'm pretty sure that I don't even need to add commentary to this story but I will at least share that the Lord did remind me very strongly and intimately that that is what He has called me to..........and you as well if you call yourself a Christian (Christ Follower). We as believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who have been brought from death to life, who have been granted grace, mercy, and forgiveness are the messengers that the Lord Jesus has chosen to use to spread this message to all who would believe and head the His warning of coming judgement!
The Lord just continues to speak to me directly through His Holy Word, and especially the book of Ephesians.  Paul writes these words in chapter 2;
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with  Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for Good Works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." and then also in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
So right from the pages of scripture we are told that we are the instruments that the God of the universe has chosen, even before the foundations of the world were formed, to use to spread and to share the message of LIFE & SAFETY that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So naturally the question remains for all of us that claim to be committed Christians. For those of us that claim to be "in love" with Jesus Christ. For those of us that claim to be surrendered to His Lordship and Leadership over our lives. For those of us that claim to be "His disciples", the question is..... are you sharing that "life saving" message now, and will you continue if you know that it will in fact cost you your life? If you knew that what you had to say could save a person for all eternity, but in fact it might cost you your life in order for them to hear it, would you share that message? I am reminded of the challenge that Jesus gave to those that were attempting to follow Him, and I will end with these words to encourage all of us, myself first to really think and contemplate a response......

"Then Jesus told His desciples, " if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."