Last month I was challenged as I read the thoughts of a missionary in Africa suggesting that if leaders-in-training have less short-term learning (and more doing) they will become more effective. He said, “I would not move on to another lesson until I saw understanding and application. Takes longer, but what’s the point if they don’t use it, right?”
I believe there is some biblical wisdom in his words. I read about Jesus sending disciples to do work and then listening to their reports. I see the apostle Paul doing the same thing, and his letters have affirmation for the good works people have done and advice for their areas of failure.
I felt nervous about how much this might slow down my training program, but with prayer I decided to try it. Most of my trainees have children, so my first goal was to see them training their children as they should. (As 1 Tim. 3:5 says, “if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he care for the church of God?)
(This is a camp photograph that includes a number of the trainees and their children.)
For two and a half weekly training classes we talked exclusively about the training of children, and then (after talking to another advisor) I started to mix in some other training topics while continuing to ask them about their children.
They are not exactly doing everything I hoped for, but I am learning to accept that their way of obeying God may be different than mine. For example, I had hoped that they would all start or continue a daily habit of reading the Bible to their children and asking their children questions about it, but as it turns out, most are adopting a weekly schedule that includes Bible readings on one or two days a week. I am glad for the progress, and I don’t want to become a controlling type of mentor, so I think I will just be thankful for the weekly habit and soon move on to the next foundational practice. Please pray for continued progress.
Other prayer requests follow:
- Joel and Chris did an excellent job with the town church while Craig Ford and his family were away, but they are very thankful to have the Fords back again for another six months (as am I). The town members are also looking forward to having the help of their paid minister John Kirarata and his family who are just completing an extra year of training in another province. They should be back by late September.
- Seven members are attending a national church camp this week–a long way from here. Three of them were sponsored by local house churches. The house churches did not pay the full amount, but it was good to see many of them giving more sacrificially than ever before–and apparently without jealous arguments.
- Please keep praying for marriages, including Robert and Dina, Joel and Elva, Chris and Melva, Henry and Gertrude, and others. Robert and Dina look like they will be separated (but not divorced) within a week or two if things don’t get better. Pray also for the stress levels of these individuals.
- Stress is on my mind because of a good book Diane and I are reading together called Adrenaline and Stress (by A. Hart). We are learning to care for ourselves better, which is important as Diane is still recovering from pneumonia. Please pray that her healing will be complete soon.
- In our family worship times, we have started allowing our daughters to teach each other from time to time, and it is going well. Pray for them as they wrestle with questions of faith.
