Pray Earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest

2014 was a rather exciting year, in my life and in my church. Redeemer Christian Fellowship grew a lot and took on some new members, and leadership. I became the chairman of an outreach committee, the Benevolence Committee as we call it, and one of three new deacons. On January forth of this year, I gave a presentation to my church, just talking about my heart and vision for the gospel and the church. My notes from that presentation comprise the main meat of this post. I must beg your pardon, my notes from this presentation are not as polished as I’d like. But, this post is already a month overdue, considering tomorrow is the beginning of February. I hope to post my notes from my other presentations coming up this year. Through this, I’d like to give my church a marker of where we are, but just as much, I hope to encourage anyone who reads this to join me in praying for the spread of the gospel.

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Thursday marked the beginning of a new year. Most people have things they want to do different, change, or start in the the new year. I certainly am no exception. I have made several resolutions of things I want to do differently in ministry, my career and my walk with God. As you all know, this last year I became the benevolence committee chairman. That is something I believe to be an appointment from God. I've served God on several mission trips, and I believe He is calling me to be a missionary. My heart for missions was inspired when I was young, through a Voice if the Martyrs Conference. When I was fourteen I went on my first mission trip to Mexico and returned every year through high school. When I graduated high school, I spent a year in Mexico serving and living at an orphanage. At the end of of that year, my uncle asked me to go with him to Cameroon, in West Africa, on a mission trip. I am really excited about getting things going with the benevolence committee. I look forward to seeing this church grow as we reach out to the community and the world.

This committee was originally conceived to find ways to distribute money to the poor in Roswell, and ways to support evangelistic mission. It’s great to give money, but I think this committee can be a lot more. By growing the church, we reach out to the community, and then to the world. I believe we need to be reaching out to the community, sharing the gospel and the love of Christ. And then we extend that to the nations. I believe every disciple, every Christian has an obligation to share the gospel. Ever notice how Jesus’ first disciple was a fisherman. Luke 5:4-11 "And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him". I think that every disciple from there on is called to be a “fisher of men”. Jesus sends his disciples to preach the gospel, sending them on evangelistic journeys twice during His ministry, and then, giving them the Great Commission after His resurrection.

Whereas I  do believe every Christian is called to preach the gospel, I don’t believe every Christian is called to give up their lives and move to a foreign country to make disciples. We all need to live obediently where God has placed us. However, I do think everyone has a stake in the great commission. If God has not called us to go, we need to be supporting missions. Supporting missions can mean giving financially, or giving of your time in prayer. One of my resolutions for this new year is to pray more faithfully for the lost, particularly for the unreached and unengaged peoples of the world. And, today, I’d like to ask you to join me.

My heart is burdened to pray for the unreached because they make up about a quarter of the world’s population, about 1.7 billion people, and have little to no access to the gospel. I believe the salvation of the nations is pleasing to God. Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands”. There is great power in prayer. Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened". Then in Matt 18:20 we see the importance of praying together. “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” History is full of examples of people who were faithful to pray...and as a result, it changed the world. I think it's unacceptable that their are so many people who have little to no access to the gospel. Will you help me change this?

My desire is to pray as Jesus directed in Luke 10:2 - “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” In this new year, I’d like to pray for one unreached people group every month. The first week of each month, I'll tell you a bit about the prayer focus for that month. I'll give some facts about them, and some pointers in praying for them.

The first group is the Bania people. They number 27,931,000 in population and are spread out through five countries,  in Pakistan speaking Sindhi, India and Nepal speaking Hindi, Bangladesh speaking Bengali, Sri Lanka speaking Gujarati.

Alternate names: Bania or Mahajan.

Religion: Hindu, Jain, Lingayat Cult.

Business, trade, jewellery-making and agriculture are the traditional occupations of the Vania. Floor painting and folk songs represent the Vania's art and culture. The naming of the newborn ritual is performed by a Jangam priest by putting a thread around the infant's neck.

The Vania are Hindu by religion. They are Vaishnavite and devotees of Shrinathji. A section of them are from the Jain community. The Vania maintain intercommunity linkages with the Brahman, Valand, Soni and other communities through trade and service. The Vania in the state of Maharashtra are mostly the followers of the Lingayat Cult.

Prayer Points
* For the salvation of the Vania people and that God may send several Christian workers among them and meet their spiritual and physical needs.
* Pray for developmental and literacy programs among the people.

I believe this church is an oasis in the desert. It is a church that won’t die. God is actively using this church and has has drawn people from all around. I believe, if we are faithful, it can be a light to the world. I'm really excited to see what God does with this church in the months and years to come.
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I hope you were encouraged by what you read. If you’d like to join us, check back after the first Sunday of each month. Although, as you can see, February will be a little different. I hope to post the notes for February in a few days. I know God hears the prayers of His people. I can’t wait to be joined with Christ in heaven and see people from every tribe, tongue, language, and nation, praising Him around His throne.