Tag Archives: Missions

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Our home church, CrossRoad Church, officially commissioned us to go as missionaries yesterday. It was good to feel supported and encouraged in that way as Pastor Kevin Griffin blessed us and my upcoming journey. “Missionary” means sent one, so this was a significant pronouncement. Coincidentally it was the congregation’s 25th anniversary as a church body, so it was a special blessing to be presented on such an occasion.

The service was broadcast by Livestream, and remains available at https://www.facebook.com/CrossRoadChurchJax/videos/1574275832767262/. We are introduced at 22:45 on the recording. There were some technical issues with the pastor’s microphone, but hopefully you will understand the context and hopefully hear the blessing enough to add your “amen” to it.

Thanks to all who came by, prayed for, encouraged, or came on board as financial partners!

Scriptures:

“Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”” (reference the Good Samaritan)

Luke 10:37 NIV

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15 NIV

““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

John 13:34 NIV

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Luke 10:2 NIV

“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””

Romans 10:15 NIV

Link to verses on Bible Gateway

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In this time when Thanksgiving gives way to Advent, the world turns its collective attention from the people, places, and things for which it is grateful to the anticipation of something new. Cindy and I have come to reflect on the fellowship we have with those who follow these updates, who pray for us and our mission, who give or have given in partnership with us, or who have hosted information sharing luncheons in your homes. To all of you we say, “Thank you!” As we look ahead, we still are not certain about departure dates, but we believe God is leading us to partner with a particular mission, and we hope to firm up that relationship in the spring, with an indefinite long-term relocation by late summer or fall of 2021. What began as a seven-year preparatory wait is nearing the ocean crossing stage!

What began as a seven-year preparatory wait is nearing the ocean crossing stage!

As you consider your options for Giving Tuesday please consider partnering with us. Visit our Donate page for more information. We will need to muster funds for training, relocation, transportation, and our room & board while in Uganda. Anything helps. 

God bless you and yours as you live missional in your homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods!

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Dear friends of TLC Uganda, 

Pandemics have a way of altering even the best made plans. Don’t they? I imagine many of you have had your lives, homes, and schedules more than a little disrupted. We can relate. We had expected to travel to a mission compound this fall. As James 4:15 recommends, we were careful to say, “if God wills..” when speaking about our intentions. This season of uncertainty seems to be proof of the vanity James warned against. 

Uganda remains closed to outsiders. Furthermore, Uganda’s President Museveni has taken a position of abundant caution, so our trip will likely be pushed back to next spring. Meanwhile we wait, cautiously optimistic about our future in Uganda. We are reminded that God’s timeline is not ours and His ways, perspectives, and purposes are loftier than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). So, we submit to wait until the Lord opens the door for us to proceed. Meanwhile we pray that His will is done and that a way will be made clear for us even in this present darkness. May His Word be a light to our path and a lamp for our feet (Psalm 119:105). 

God’s timeline is not ours and His ways, perspectives, and purposes are loftier than ours.

Please pray for us. We, like many of you, have come under attack in this season where discontent, like a cloud, overshadows our communities and one hateful act justifies itself into a flood of others. It is not only our plans that got tossed in the current storms. Our families, marriage, jobs, church, finances, physical and emotional health are all at risk in this tumult. We crave the relief the Spirit brings when God’s people pray. Thank you in advance. God bless each of you reading this, and may He protect you and yours from the deceiver running rampant (1 Peter 5:8) in our culture. May He empower you to be bold influences of grace, salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) in a bitter, dark world.