Two Who Followed Through
By Bill MacLeod, Director, MissionConnexion
A church leader in the African American community was invited to a MissionConnexion event with other mission leaders for the first time. She was not sure what to expect and knew very little about MissionConnexion.
At the close of this luncheon, while everyone’s heads were bowed for the closing prayer, another leader representing a mission organization that places workers into Central Asia felt the Holy Spirit saying quite clearly that they should approach and ask for help in mobilizing African Americans into Central Asia. Neither one knew the other, though they had shaken hands just before the lunch.
The leader representing the mission organization had no way of knowing that the person they were about to approach had been married to a Muslim (the majority religion in that part of the world), before they came to follow Christ; had traveled with a Government Administration in several Central Asian Nations in her previous job, or that she remained close friends with people in that region.
So, when the mission leader asked, “Would you help me mobilize African Americans to serve in Central Asia?” – both were probably astounded (by the question and the answer) when the reply came back “ABSOLUTELY!”
Of all the people attending that luncheon in the spring of 2022, there was probably no one better qualified to hear and respond to that question, regardless of their skin color, than Dr. Jannah Scott… and respond she did.
Throughout that spring and into the fall and winter months she spoke to many African Americans in her network of Christian leaders. Within the year, she had gathered and led six leaders from the African American community on a ten-day mission trip through several cities in Central Asia. Following their team debrief, several members of this short-term mission team committed to making plans to return… bringing others with them. She followed through!
Tom and his wife Vicky had been actively leading their church’s short-term team to Guatemala for several years. As laypersons they were very satisfied with their involvement in missions but wondered if there might be more.
They attended The Journey Deepens (TJD), a focus event sponsored by MissionConnexion, which helps individuals think deeply about how the Lord may be drawing them to service in the Great Commission.
The leaders of TJD are desirous that those who attend also act upon the “Next Steps” response card each fills out at the end of the TJD weekend training. In following up, Tom and Vicky shared that they had indeed acted on what they had written on their Next Steps card: they were attending a “Perspectives” course they helped host and they were intentionally checking into overseas ministry assignments that appealed to them on the website associated with TJD.
Tom and Vicky made a short-term mission trip to Africa and fell in love with both the people and the mission organization with whom they served. In the end, they were invited to join the mission organization due to their gifts and abilities.
Bottom line… Tom and Vicky found that their persistence and perseverance paid off – they discovered personal fulfillment and God’s perfect place for them. They followed through!
How about you? Have you sensed the Lord calling you to “follow through” with some next steps that you want to take toward discovering your place in God’s Great Commission? We would love to have the opportunity to help you too!
