After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:1-3
“The early church didn’t say, “Look what the world is coming to!” They said, “Look what has come into the world.”
Carl F.H. Henry (1913-2003) in Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty isn’t the American Dream by Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic (Chicago: Moody, 2019) 193. This will be the last post from this book for now.
I board a plane for Guatemala and Honduras today. Happy to leave the snow behind.
I am thankful for my colleagues with Kareen Gudiel, Paula Mendoza, and Carla Archila of Guatemala. Like Mary, Joanna, and Susanna, they collaborate with me at GTP as a Board member, Global Administrator, and Spanish Translator, respectively. As disciples of Jesus, we get to proclaim good news together.
This Scripture seemed fitting this morning with three women serving with Jesus.
We have a full schedule with preaching, teaching times, and training sessions over the next week in multiple towns. Reply if you want a copy of the schedule to pray for us. And please make a gift to GTP to help us with a “Serve the Underserved” $40,000 matching gift this month, which covers the cost of program work in new countries like Honduras. Give here.
And this statement by Henry stuck with me as my prayer for this trip.
While most people walk around saying, “Look what the world is coming to!” We get to proclaim a different message. Because Christ has come into the world, we can proclaim good news! While ministries in Latin America struggle to survive and cry for help, we get to bring them good news and results in local, sustainable ministry. Let me explain.
Notice in today’s Scripture that stewards sustained this work by giving from their personal resources.
The mission of Jesus and the disciples (both men and women) did not rely on outside giving. The disciples contributed what they had served people freely. That’s how we do it at GTP. So, where does giving come into play? Once people have been served, they get to give to share the blessing and spread good news to others.
That’s the impact of your giving to GTP. And this month it will be doubled.
Pray with us for God to pour out His Spirit and work in Latin America this next week. We will celebrate the activation of CONFIABLE, the peer accountability group in Guatemala, and teaching, train, and plant seeds to start a peer accountability group in Honduras. And when you pray and give, you join in the work. Thanks.
“Look what has come into Guatemala and Honduras!”