"I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race" (Romans 9:2-3)
When I was 19 years old, one year & 1/2 as a disciple in the Kingston Church in Jamaica - the call went out for team members for local missions, to be ambassadors for Jesus in our homeland.
The brother chosen to lead the team was Sam Manning, a man filled with compassion for the lost - and he gave this charge: leave the comforts of your home, find a job and somewhere to live in rural May Pen… and the church prayed for the Spirit to move, to lead, to open the doors for the right team of disciples who would be willing to lay down their lives for the lost of our nation.
I remember those days so clearly – how we shared our faith everywhere we went, preached the word in the streets, went door to door, had bible talks and parties and fellowship and chariot rides and movie nights and concerts... anything to which to invite people! And amidst all the challenges, we saw God’s blessings in many numerous ways, as we taught God's love to others!
In those early days of the church, while experiencing the challenges, the hardships, the disappointments as well as victories we faced, I wrote a poem called “The Mission”:
The Mission
They told us we should count the cost
Of leaving all our friends behind.
They said, all odds were against us,
That jobs and homes we wouldn't find.
Considering everything but loss,
We charged along, with sword in hand -
To pay the price, whatever the cost,
And drive the drive the demons from the land!
There would be no cowards amongst us
To hold us back in fear of harm;
We did not love our lives so much
To shrink back from the raging storm!
With battle-scars upon our hearts,
Our bibles torn and battered still -
We will press on and never yield,
‘Cause we know the end, that we will win!
Through all the storms over the years, the church in Jamaica has survived, and is a strong, encouraging family, deeply rooted in the word of God, and love for people. It was incredible to visit Jamaica earlier this year, and fellowship with brothers from the May Pen church, some of whom I was privileged to participate in their conversions!
Looking back at what God has done since those early days, the local congregations in Jamaica have expanded across the length and breadth of the island. Only last year (2012), the May Pen church – Kingston’s first local planting – joined with Kingston to plant the newest congregation in Old Harbour (a family group of 10 disciples) – for a total of 9 churches, with more than 600 members island-wide!
The church in Jamaica has also played a key role in the growth of the churches in the wider Caribbean, and is now set to enter a new phase as they have invited Wilner and Chantal Cornely to the island to help train their leaders. For the last 25 years, the Cornleys have served in congregations around the world including Boston, Miami, Jamaica, New York, Johannesburg, and Chicago, including leading the planting of the church in their native country Haiti.
Skilled in Ministry Training, Preaching and Teaching, Marriage and Family Counselling and Event Planning, the couple will leave the Detroit Church of Christ where they have served since 2010, to return to Jamaica on August 1st, with a mandate to help the church in Jamaica continue to have an impact on a local and regional level. This is much needed as across the Caribbean, there are only 33 ICOC churches in 13 nations - less than 3,000 disciples within a total Caribbean population of over 40 million souls.
And so, there is much work yet to be done, and as we reflect on the past, it is clear that the heart that is needed today is the same as it was over 20 years ago. By God's grace, I feel the same way today as I felt as a young teen disciple - and in a few weeks, Romania & I will have the honour of leading a re-planting effort to strengthen the church in the southern Caribbean island of Grenada. (Click here for an update on how you can support this ministry).
What about you? What are the uncharted territories in your nation? Have you settled into a “comfortable” Christian lifestyle, or are you using your talents in every way that you can to continue to advance the gospel of our Lord? Are you still willing (or maybe this would be a first for you) to go anywhere, do anything, and give-up everything for Jesus and the gospel?
The world is in need of strong disciples who are willing to be missionaries, whether that means maintaining an outward focus to serve, strengthen and build-up your own congregation, or to take on the challenge of moving to a new situation. There are many nations with no “discipling” Christian congregation. Within our family of churches, a large number of “small” groups exist without full-time leaders, and need to be consistently strengthened and encouraged. Teachers and Evangelists need to be trained, and “raise up” to go out and disciple the nations.
Let us yearn for the heart of Christ, who looked out at the crowds and “had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd”; or like the Apostle Paul who longed for salvation for his people – and make decisions to lay down our lives for the harvest, working together in prayer, charity, service and sacrifice, advancing God’s Kingdom on earth to His honour and glory.
Click the links below to find out how you can be a part of various missionary efforts this year around the ICOC.
Caribbean Missions
One-Year Challenges at Disciple Adventures
