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July 24, 2007
Propelling Forward
Baby Thomas has just learned to propel himself forward across the floor. In English we call that "crawling". It's appropriate for an 8-month old, I'm told.
It also made me think about the Damo village church we just visited. What we are trying to do and what we are asking the Lord to do is "propel" the church forward from dependence to independence.
In the same way that Thomas has learned to sit up, grumble for food, and go to sleep on his own, a baby church (only 6 months old) has to learn to do things on its own.
Today we worshipped with the people, sang some songs in their language, and taught them about how the wise men came and gave gifts to baby Jesus. Our short-term team acted it out in a drama. The one playing King Herod spoke in a booming voice. The foreign kings (some of whom were girls) knelt down at the feet of a bewildered village mama holding a baby. Did they really understand that the Great King came to live in the body of a small child?
Then we had a chance to challenge the church to select elders. For the church to be moved or propelled forward it needs leadership. Even if those elders are not quite sanctified in their lifestyle or literate in any language, the Damo church needs their guidance and structure.
I think the Lord was preparing me to learn this lesson because I learned an Arabic phrase this week: "mostakabel a-nas li gidaam". It means "encourage/propel people forward". The guy who taught me this word was talking about how our SIM Basic Education Learning Center can help to move people forward. However, I think God sort of throws little hints at us in our lives to teach us things, don't you?
Finally, will you pray for the Damo church to appoint elders? Please ask the Lord to move in the hearts of the men so that they have a truly different lifestyle. The problem of alcoholism is rampant among the Coma tribe and it is a stumbling block for other churches to relate to them.
For the Crowders and the Yabus team,
Chris
Published at July 24, 2007 08:39 AM
