PEERING IN

Looking at my future.

I watched the old pastor with his Bible so close it almost touched his nose. He hobbled in on a hand carved African cane. As soon as he took his seat he retrieved his Bible and notebook from the small sling pouch he carried over his shoulder. We were 45 minutes from starting, but he was ready. I thought I heard a voice say, “I wonder….will you peer in so deeply when you are so old and frail?” I promptly reminded the Holy Spirit that I was the keynote preacher today. I hardly have the time for such introspection much less the conviction it would bring.

But I have had time to think about it now. And my heart tells me I will be found faithful. But…you know the problem with the heart don’t you. It has been known to be deceitful. I guess I’ll wake tomorrow and see if faithfulness is still on my heart. But I fall asleep tonight grateful for the living illustration that sat just a feet from me this afternoon in Uganda.

A step back in ministry time.

When I walked into the beautiful stone church In the village of Bukwo, my mind went back to my early years of Kenyan ministry. The women were all seated on the left. The men, on the right. African traditions don’t acknowledge, much less embrace, Biblical models of ministry partnerships in marriage. But, I’m not here to change the culture in three days. But I did ask for a “grace extension” during the small group discussions. 4 women and 4 men in each group. And everyone was to contribute to the discussion. Baby Steps. I want to push the envelope and help these pastors, but I don’t want to shame these faithful followers. They agreed! And the discussions were lively and long.

At dinner tonight Pastor Richard said he had forgotten how far the ministry in Kenya had come. He was referring to the old religious traditions and how slow the ministry seemed to be developing in Uganda, compared to the incredible maturity we saw yesterday in the training center. Then Pastor Elijah reminded us of our slogan for discipleship Iinthe bush—-slowly by slowly.

The pastors can’t believe that we came to their tiny village. I can’t believe they invited me and God sent me. There is plenty of God awe to go around on both sides of the table tonight.

In a dinner conversation one of the Ugandan pastors told us of his disciple who had to go back to his home on the Uganda/Sudan border. I nearly got a crick in my neck when I snapped around to ask him, “Did you say Sudan?” He said yes. He had to go back to care for his aging parents. Since going back he has started a small group of disciples that has now grown to five small groups. No one knew there was any work in Sudan. Such is the ministry of multiplication. One day you look at the math and the numbers have grown so fast and so large that you wonder if it is possibly true. It is possibly true when God is punching in the numbers.

Tomorrow morning discipleship, then an evangelistic outreach.