I got involved in ministry.
It is hard to figure out if you are an athlete while sitting on the bench, and it is hard to get direction into ministry from the classroom or pew, but many times a missionary will fail because he stepped directly from the classroom into the arena before having time to use and prove his abilities, gifts, and preparation.
If the only qualification for ministry was a desire, I would have left years ago, but wisdom says that moving across the world into a foreign land of strange beliefs and culture, trying to persuade men to believe and shape their whole lives around something they have never heard, will pose significant challenges.
And I would be a fool to step out as a novice, alone, into that environment without thorough practical preparation and an assurance from the Lord that has come through killing a few lions and bears.
Facing a Goliath like Thailand is scary to say the least, but the Lord has proven to me that He can use me if I step out on the battlefield.
Do I mean that I am confident that I am always going to be successful? No, but I have learned through many failures and successes, (1) that He can use me, and (2) the ways that I hinder His use of me.
I learned about myself in a real environment. I let some frustrations set in. I found a lot of weaknesses and some strengths, and I know pretty much exactly what I am going to have to fight in myself when I am on the mission field. The same things I fought on this side of the ocean.
So, if you are considering what the Lord would have you to do in ministry, step out, take opportunities and allow him to guide you as you are busy serving.
Phil, After reading both parts of why you’re going to Thailand we still haven’t heard about how God called you and how He let you know it was Thailand. These are questions supporting churches would want to know.
I’m probably asking too soon as there may well be following sections we haven’t seen yet.
30 years in sales taught me the “elevator pitch” where you “hook em” in the 3 minutes it takes to ride up so they want to hear more detail.
Dear Phil and Family,
My wife being from Thailand, my two children being born in Thailand, and I pastoring in Thailand moves me to have a burden for Thailand. In reading your post – “how we ended up going as missionaries to Thailand.” I personally do not see any call at all in your writing. Have you been to Thailand? Do you have any contacts there? To get a visa you will need a work structure set up for Thailand, do you have people working on that? What is your Biblical basis for going to Thailand? I would like to help you guys get there – but I would like also to see a clear plan and calling. You can write to me at [email protected] I will be happy to help in any way I can.
Pastor Doug DeLong
This was really just one post in a series that isnt complete yet. Maybe I should post them in order to avoid misunderstanding, and finish posting the rest of them so people wont get confused.
Our biblical basis for going to Thailand is Matthew 28:18-20.
As far as our “call”, the Lord has made it clear in several means:
1. Clear instruction in the Bible to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16; Matt 28; Acts 1:8; Luke 24)
2. Desire to be involved there that I believe came from the Lord (1 Tim 3:1; Phil 2:13).
3. Circumstances that God has used to confirm His direction. The situation and need in Thailand, preparation and training for the ministry in school (2 Tim 2:15) and being a part of the staff of a church plant (1 Tim 3:6), His use of me already in the ministry in America (2 Tim 4:5), approval and sending of my pastor and home church (Acts 13:1-3).
I do have some contacts in Thailand, and they have been helpful. I am headed to Thailand near the end of January to get some more of these things figured out as we start to make some more concrete plans, so I would appreciate your prayers to be able to have wisdom in those decisions.
Thank you for your concern, and I guess I would have some of the same concerns if I was on that side of the fence and didn’t see some of these things coming together. I just don’t have everything online yet, but I will soon.