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New Avenues in Asia
By Frank R. Parrish
In October of 2009, World MAP returned to
an Asian nation where believers in Jesus Christ do not enjoy the same
freedom of worship as many other countries of the world. I traveled with
Dr. Vic Torres (a World MAP Board member) who pastors Reach
Out Church
in New York,
and our host and guide, Dean Baktay.
Our travel had ministry as its primary
purpose, but also included an exploratory trip into Mongolia. A
significant move of God is being birthed in this nation, and we wanted to
see if World MAP could assist in some way with leadership training in this
embryonic stage of the church there.
Unfortunately, an illness prevented me
from traveling into Mongolia.
However, the rest of the team went ahead by train through the Gobi Desert
and arrived in Sainshaud,
Mongolia,
where a mission base has been established. Overseeing this effective work
are John and Janice Ghil, who just a few years
ago sold everything and left Los
Angeles to follow the Lord’s call.
The geography and climate of this region
in the southeastern Gobi
Desert is one of
extremes. The temperatures can soar to more than 120 degrees in the summer,
then drop to 40 degrees below zero in the winter
months. In this dry and forbidding climate, God is at work among the
people. They are traditionally animist-Buddhists, but are open to the
Gospel and especially interested if they can also learn English.
The Ghils have raised up a ministry training school that now has 20
young students. They also oversee three house churches and several other
Christian outreaches.
The work of the Lord is vital and growing
in Mongolia.
I would invite you to pray with us for an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon
this nation, and for World MAP to have God’s wisdom and strategy for our
effective involvement in His Kingdom purposes there.
A Climate Of Need
From Mongolia, the team traveled
back through the Asian nation where I joined them. We met with pastors in a
number of cities for teaching and encouragement. There was also opportunity
to attend a pastors’ conference sponsored by an organization that is
officially recognized by the government. Though this organization does not
work with local “unofficial” pastors, it will assist with
government-sponsored seminary training. Much of that training is not
Bible-based, however.
The needs in this nation, both for the
Gospel and for local pastors who will serve the Body, are extreme. One city
we visited had more than seven million people, and only three official
churches. A pastor that we spoke with did not even know of any “unofficial”
(house) churches in this city.
Lasting Training
But in every place we visited throughout
this nation, we were humbled to encounter the same request – can you get us
more copies of The Shepherd’s Staff? Regardless of the size or type of
church, every leader we spoke with had heard of World MAP’s
training book and desired their own copy, or additional copies for leaders
they knew.
We were amazed by the testimonies of how
God was using The Shepherd’s Staff to help bring training and encouragement
to pastors who are serving quietly throughout this closed nation. Second to
their Bibles, this vital teaching resource was a most prized book.
Along with this discovery was the
realization that there is a new and upcoming generation of young leaders
who also desire The Shepherd’s Staff. The avenues of distribution that God
has provided for World MAP in the past – some of which are still open – are
not sufficient to supply the growing group of “young lions” rising to
leadership in the Church of this nation.
Traveling to this country to gather
Christian leaders together for conferences is not only difficult, but
dangerous for the local pastors. However, by making more copies of World MAP’s “Bible school in a book” available to them, we
will be giving them teaching and training that will long outlast a single
conference.
Direction And Provision
Many of you who support World MAP have
both specifically given and pointedly prayed for this Asian nation and the
Shepherd’s Staff distribution there. Thank you for loving and caring for
the Body of Christ worldwide.
I am asking that you would continue to
intercede and “supply the seed” that will help bring about an even greater
Harvest in this nation, and beyond its borders into all
the world. We made some important connections while traveling
through this Asian nation. Please pray with us that God would open the
right doors, give divine direction, and release His wisdom and strategies
for further printing and distribution of The Shepherd’s Staff to the church
leaders in this country.
Our God is at work, drawing the people of
the earth to Himself. He is raising up those who
are willing to serve His people, but they need the tools and training to do
the job effectively. Nothing can stop God’s purposes from being fulfilled
in the earth if His Church will arise and fulfill His commands and call to
“go into all the earth” – or if those who cannot go will supply the means
for those who can!
Thank you for being such a vital and key
part of all that God is doing in these days. May the Lord bless you
abundantly, for His sake and glory!
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