On The Move

Happy Big-Vision Saturday, friends!

That sounds like I’m about to announce an audacious goal.

I’m not.

What I’m doing today is asking God to help us see beyond ourselves—to see what He’s doing and how He’s inspiring people outside our small circles.

This morning, in my Bible reading and hymn singing, it struck me as amusing that I’m more familiar with a song based on my Bible reading (Psalm 108) than with the song from my hymnal.

I also noticed that Psalm 108:5 uses the same words as Psalm 57:5 and 57:11.

ALL the earth.

We are often so egocentric, ethnocentric, and nation-centric that we are oblivious to how God is working outside of our circles of interest.

I had a delightful conversation yesterday with Glenda, who operates the Kind House Ukrainian bakery (KHUB) just a few blocks from my home in Amarillo.

We’ve briefly chatted before about my own experiences in Ukraine with the Singing Men of Texas. (I’ve been part of 4 different evangelistic concert tours in Ukraine from 2010-2017).

Further planned trips were postponed by pandemic and war. Instead of going back to sing, we have raised funds to help Ukrainian churches minister to their communities and have performed concerts in Poland that specifically were for Ukrainian refugees.

KHUB works with organizations doing humanitarian work in war-torn Ukraine. They raise funds through deliciousness.

My lunch yesterday (pictured) was Bierocks and Borscht from KHUB.

Same country. Same needs. Same compassion. Different methods.

I have previously mentioned my “retirement” job with Texans on Mission.

I get to share with churches about our ministries around the world, including our Water Impact Ministry that is providing clean water and community-building resources and helping to start Bible studies primarily in Uganda, Peru, and South Sudan.

I’m aware of a ministry here in Amarillo—25:35 Water—that also drills water wells in Uganda. I haven’t met their leadership in person yet, but I’m excited about what they’re doing.

Same country. Same needs. Same compassion. Different methods.

Just a few weeks ago, we had a guest speaker in our Sunday School department that represented Empower One—a ministry focused primarily on bringing the gospel to unreached people groups.

They currently work in several African countries including—you guessed it—Uganda and South Sudan. Their strategy includes water—along with schools, pharmacies, and radio stations—but their approach is water towers instead of water wells.

Same country. Same needs. Same compassion. Different methods.

Here’s the deal: These entities are not in competition with each other even though they may emphasize physical and spiritual needs differently.

God is working through each one and none of them should change their methods to look more like the others.

The same is true of different churches and different denominations/networks of churches.

When we see everyone outside our tribe or our local community of faith as competitors, we minimize our view of the kingdom of God.

We forget that God’s family is so much bigger and broader than our personal experience.

And we forget that God doesn’t need us.

He chooses to included us in what He’s doing and invites us to join in and cooperate with Him in His world.

I love what I get to do. And I love getting to know what others are doing. And I love learning about how God is at work in so many ways right in my home town.

I hope the same is true for you.

Be amazing today, my friend.